Scientists have found that extracellular calcium mediates the activation of a membrane protein that waves the flag signaling cell death.
A research team co-led by scientists from Kyoto University Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences in Japan has uncovered mechanisms of how dying cells activate a protein that triggers an"eat me" signal forThe protein is called Xkr4, one of the Xkr family of proteins found in cell membranes. Xkr4 scrambles the phospholipid phosphatidylserine from the inner part of the cell membrane, where it normally resides, to the outside.
Researchers had previously discovered that, to act as a scramblase for phosphatidylserine, The C-terminal cytoplasmic tail of Xkr4 first has to be cleaved, forming a dimer with another Xkr4 and exposing a binding site. ThisHowever, the binding of XRCC4 to Xkr4 alone is not enough to activate Xkr4 in the experimental setting. This suggested that another ingredient was required.
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