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SH3 domain

SH3 domain is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand SH3 domain rather than just read about it. In short: The SRC Homology 3 Domain (or SH3 domain) is a small protein domain of about 60 amino acid residues. Initially, SH3 was described as a conserved sequence in the viral adaptor protein v-Crk.

SH3 domain — main illustration
SH3 domain — illustration

Key takeaways

  • SH3 domain belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect SH3 domain to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of SH3 domain from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The SRC Homology 3 Domain (or SH3 domain) is a small protein domain of about 60 amino acid residues. Initially, SH3 was described as a conserved sequence in the viral adaptor protein v-Crk. This domain is also present in the molecules of phospholipase and several cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases such as Abl and Src. It has also been identified in several other protein families such as: PI3 Kinase, Ras GTPase-activating protein, CDC24 and cdc25. SH3 domains are found in proteins of signaling pathways regulating the cytoskeleton, the Ras protein, and the Src kinase and many others. The SH3 proteins interact with adaptor proteins and tyrosine kinases. Interacting with tyrosine kinases, SH3 proteins usually bind far away from the active site. Approximately 300 SH3 domains are found in proteins encoded in the human genome. In addition to that, the SH3 domain is responsible for controlling protein-protein interactions in signal transduction pathways and regulating the interactions of proteins involved in cytoplasmic signaling.

Structure The SH3 domain has a characteristic beta-barrel fold that consists of five or six β-strands arranged as two tightly packed anti-parallel β sheets. The linker regions may contain short helices. The SH3-type fold is an ancient fold found in eukaryotes as well as prokaryotes.

Peptide binding The classical SH3 domain is usually found in proteins that interact with other proteins and mediate assembly of specific protein complexes, typically via binding to proline-rich peptides in their respective binding partner. Classical SH3 domains are restricted in humans to intracellular proteins, although the small human MIA family of extracellular proteins also contain a domain with an SH3-like fold. Many SH3-binding epitopes of proteins have a consensus sequence that can be represented as a regular expression or Short linear motif:

-X-P-p-X-P- 1 2 3 4 5

with 1 and 4 being aliphatic amino acids, 2 and 5 always and 3 sometimes being proline. The sequence binds to the hydrophobic pocket of the SH3 domain. More recently, SH3 domains that bind to a core consensus motif R-x-x-K have been described. Examples are the C-terminal SH3 domains of adaptor proteins like Grb2 and Mona (a.k.a. Gads, Grap2, Grf40, GrpL etc.). Other SH3 binding motifs have emerged and are still emerging in the course of various molecular studies, highlighting the versatility of this domain.

SH3 interactomes SH3 domain-mediated protein-protein interaction networks, i.e., SH3 interactomes, revealed that worm SH3 interactome resembles the analogous yeast network because it is significantly enriched for proteins with roles in endocytosis. Nevertheless, orthologous SH3 domain-mediated interactions are highly rewired between worm and yeast.

Proteins with SH3 domain Signal transducing adaptor proteins CDC24 Cdc25 PI3 kinase Phospholipase Ras GTPase-activating protein Vav proto-oncogene GRB2 p54 S6 kinase 2 (S6K2) SH3D21 ARMH3 (potentially) STAC3 Some myosins SH3 and multiple ankyrin repeat domains: SHANK1, SHANK2, SHANK3 YAP1 ARHGAP12 vexin (VXN) TANGO1 Integrase Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK, PTK2) Proline-rich tyrosine kinase (Pyk2, CADTK, PTK2beta) TRIP10 (cip4) PSD-95

See also Src homology 2 domain-containing Structural domain

References

External links Eukaryotic Linear Motif resource motif class LIG_SH3_1 Eukaryotic Linear Motif resource motif class LIG_SH3_2 Eukaryotic Linear Motif resource motif class LIG_SH3_3 Eukaryotic Linear Motif resource motif class LIG_SH3_4 Eukaryotic Linear Motif resource motif class LIG_SH3_5 Eukaryotic Linear Motif resource motif class TRG_PEX_1 Nash Lab Protein Interaction Domains in Signal Transduction - The SH3 domain GENEART - Screen your protein against all human SH3 domains in a single phage display cycle Archived 2009-07-07 at the Wayback Machine

Illustrations

SH3 domain illustration

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with SH3 domain

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what SH3 domain claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to SH3 domain before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about SH3 domain ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of SH3 domain

In research
SH3 domain appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses SH3 domain in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
SH3 domain is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Protein domains, Protein superfamilies, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for SH3 domain outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study SH3 domain in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what SH3 domain means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain SH3 domain out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is SH3 domain in simple terms?

The SRC Homology 3 Domain (or SH3 domain) is a small protein domain of about 60 amino acid residues. Initially, SH3 was described as a conserved sequence in the viral adaptor protein v-Crk.

Why does SH3 domain matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study SH3 domain?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on SH3 domain.

Tags

  • Protein domains
  • Protein superfamilies

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