The linker region joining the catalytic and the regulatory domains of CnA is essential for binding to NFAT

Calcineurin (CN) is an important regulator of developmental processes and in adults controls the immune response through its regulation of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT). The physical interaction between CN and NFATs is an essential step in the activation of NFAT-dependent genes by calcium signals. Using deletional and substitutional analyses, we have identified a 13-amino acid region within CN that is essential for the interaction with NFAT and with two other CN-binding proteins, AKAP79 and Cabin-1. The interaction of CN with these proteins is selectively disrupted by substitution of specific amino acid residues within this region, indicating that NFAT and other CN-interacting proteins bind differentially to CN. This selectivity suggests that the region identified in CN could be a potential molecular target for immunosuppressive and other therapeutic interventions in diseases involving the CN/NFAT pathway.