Role of interaction with vinculin in recruitment of vinexins to focal adhesions

Although vinexin was originally identified as a protein binding to the proline-rich hinge region of vinculin, the functions and biochemical properties of the vinexin-vinculin interaction are not known. Here, we determined the affinity of the vinexin-vinculin interaction using surface plasmon resonance measurements and found that vinexin β interacts with the C-terminal half of vinculin, which mimics an activated “open” form, with a threefold higher affinity than with the full-length “closed” vinculin. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments showed that cell adhesion on fibronectin enhances the vinexin-vinculin interaction. We also show that the interaction with vinculin is necessary for the efficient localization of vinexin α and β at focal adhesions. These observations suggest a model that “activated” vinculin localized at focal adhesions recruits vinexins to focal adhesions.