C-terminal Mad Homology 2 (MH2) domain in SMAD1, SMAD5 and SMAD9
The MH2 domain is located at the C-terminus of the SMAD (small mothers against decapentaplegic) family of proteins, which are signal transducers and transcriptional modulators that mediate multiple signaling pathways. The MH2 domain is responsible for type I receptor interaction, phosphorylation-triggered homo- and hetero-oligomerization, and transactivation. It is negatively regulated by the N-terminal MH1 domain, which prevents it from forming a complex with SMAD4. SMAD1, SMAD5 and SMAD9 (also known as SMAD8), are receptor regulated SMADs (R-SMADs). SMAD1 plays an essential role in bone development and postnatal bone formation through activation by bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) type 1 receptor kinase. SMAD5 is involved in BMP signal modulation and may also play a role in the pathway involving inhibition of hematopoietic progenitor cells by TGF-beta. SMAD9 mediates the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into tendon-like cells by inhibiting the osteogenic pathway.
Comment:Upon phosphorylation of the last two Ser residues of the flexible C-terminal SSXS motif, R-SMADs form extremely stable homotrimers as well as heteromeric SMAD complexes with SMAD4.
Structure:3GMJ: Drosophila melanogaster Mad MH2 domain homotrimer; contacts at 4.0A - View structure with Cn3D