ST7 is a novel low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) with a cytoplasmic tail that interacts with proteins related to signal transduction pathways.

In 1997, McCormick and co-workers identified a novel putative tumor suppressor gene, designated ST7, encoding a unique protein with transmembrane receptor characteristics [Qing et al. (1999) Oncogene 18, 335-342]. Using degenerate primers corresponding to the highly conserved region of the ligand-binding domains of members of the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) superfamily, Ishii et al. [Genomics (1998) 51, 132-135] discovered a low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) that closely resembles ST7. Later, another LRP closely resembling ST7 and LRP3 was found (murine LRP9) [Sugiyama et al. (2000) Biochemistry 39, 15817-15825]. These results strongly suggested that ST7 was also a novel member of the low-density lipoprotein receptor superfamily. Proteins of this superfamily have been shown to function in endocytosis and/or signal transduction. To evaluate the relationship of ST7 to the LDLR superfamily proteins and to determine whether ST7 may function in endocytosis and/or signal transduction, we used proteomic tools to analyze the functional motifs present in the protein. Our results indicate that ST7 is a member of a subfamily of the LDLR superfamily and that its cytoplasmic domain contains several motifs implicated in endocytosis and signal transduction. Use of the yeast two-hybrid system to identify proteins that associate with ST7's cytoplasmic domain revealed that this domain interacts with three proteins involved in signal transduction and/or endocytosis, viz., receptor for activated protein C kinase 1 (RACK1), muscle integrin binding protein (MIBP), and SMAD anchor for receptor activation (SARA), suggesting that ST7, like other proteins in the LDLR superfamily, functions in these two pathways. Clearly, ST7 is an LRP, and therefore, it should now be referred to as LRP12.