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The epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor interacts with plasma membrane-associated adapter proteins during endocytosis through coated pits. Almost 50 percent of the total pool of alpha-adaptins was coimmunoprecipitated with the EGF receptor when A-431 cells were treated with EGF at 37 degrees C, but not at 4 degrees C. Partial proteolysis of alpha-adaptin suggested that the amino-terminal domain is the region that associates with the EGF receptor. The extent of receptor-adaptin association was increased in cells depleted of potassium to block endocytosis. These data suggest that receptor-adaptin association occurs in intact cells before coated pits are fully assembled.
Sorkin et al. (Fri,) studied this question.