Purification and Structural Analysis of Desmoplakin.

Desmoplakin (DP) is an obligate component of desmosomes, where it links the desmosomal cadherin/plakoglobin/plakophilin assembly to intermediate filaments. DP contains a large amino-terminal domain (DPNT) that binds to the cadherin/plakoglobin/plakophilin complex, a central coiled-coil domain that dimerizes the molecule, and a C-terminal domain (DPCT) that binds to intermediate filaments. DPNT contains a plakin domain, comprising a set of spectrin-like repeats. DPCT contains three plakin repeat domains, each formed by 4.5 repeats of a sequence motif known as a plakin repeat that bind to intermediate filaments. Here, we review purification, biochemical characterization, and structural analysis of the DPNT plakin domain and the DPCT plakin repeat domains.