AP2M1 (E5X6F) Rabbit mAb #68196

The AP-2 coat assembly protein complex is an important component of clathrin-coated pits involved in receptor-mediated endocytosis at the plasma membrane (1-3). Each AP-2 heterotetramer is composed of α, β, μ, and σ protein subunits. The 50 kDa μ subunit (AP-2μ, AP2M1) is located at the core of the AP-2 complex and mediates interaction between the cargo protein and the clathrin-coated pit (1-4). The carboxy-terminal AP2M1 region recognizes the tyrosine-based, endocytotic sorting motif YXXφ found in cargo proteins and helps to bring the cargo protein to the clathrin-coated pit. Non-canonical, tyrosine-based endocytotic sorting signals can also promote interaction between cargo proteins and AP2M1 (5,6). AP2M1 plays an essential role in molecular signaling as it couples receptor-mediated endocytosis and pathways involving membrane receptors (7-9), matrix metalloproteinases (10), and ion channel proteins (11). Phosphorylation of specific AP2M1 residues and binding of lipids to this adaptor protein can regulate AP2M1 activity (12,13). Phosphorylation of AP2M1 at Thr156 by adaptor-associated kinase 1 (AAK1) stimulates affinity binding of AP2M1 to cargo protein signals (14).