Characterization of the epsin homolog EpnA in Dictyostelium discoideum

Clathrin-coated pits on the plasma membrane invaginate into coated vesicles to internalize receptors and membrane. The clathrin adaptor epsin contains an aminoterminal ENTH domain that binds PI(4,5)P₂ and a carboxy-terminal domain that binds clathrin, and accessory proteins such as AP2. Here, we assessed how inter- and intramolecular factors affect the contribution of epsin to coated-pit function in living cells. We found Dictyostelium epsin was not required for global clathrin function, but plays an essential role in spore development. We demonstrated that clathrin, but not AP2, was critical for epsin to associate with clathrin-coated pits. We found that the carboxy-terminal region of epsin was essential, but not sufficient, for targeting epsin within clathrin-coated pits on the plasma membrane. In addition to targeting epsin to the membrane, the amino-terminal ENTH domain regulates the interaction between epsin and clathrin, an essential property that cannot be replaced by an alternate PI(4,5)P₂ binding domain. Moreover, the ENTH domain facilitates the functional interaction between clathrin and actin during late stages of endocytosis, possibly by regulating the activity of the adaptor Hip1r. Both the ability to bind PI(4,5)P₂ and another function mediated by residue T107 are critical for the activity of the ENTH domain. Our results support a model where the ENTH domain coordinates with the clathrin-binding C-terminal domain to allow a dynamic interaction of epsin with coated pits. Furthermore, we propose that the ENTH domain of epsin facilitates the membrane recruitment and phosphorylation of Hip1r, which in turn mediates the productive interaction of clathrin with the actin cytoskeleton at the plasma membrane.