Phafin2 (also called EAPF, FLJ13187, ZFYVE18 or PLEKHF2) Pleckstrin Homology (PH) domain
Phafin2 is differentially expressed in the liver cancer cell and regulates the structure and function of the endosomes through Rab5-dependent processes. Phafin2 modulates the cell's response to extracellular stimulation by modulating the receptor density on the cell surface. Phafin2 contains a PH domain and a FYVE domain. PH domains have diverse functions, but in general are involved in targeting proteins to the appropriate cellular location or in the interaction with a binding partner. They share little sequence conservation, but all have a common fold, which is electrostatically polarized. Less than 10% of PH domains bind phosphoinositide phosphates (PIPs) with high affinity and specificity. PH domains are distinguished from other PIP-binding domains by their specific high-affinity binding to PIPs with two vicinal phosphate groups: PtdIns(3,4)P2, PtdIns(4,5)P2 or PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 which results in targeting some PH domain proteins to the plasma membrane. A few display strong specificity in lipid binding. Any specificity is usually determined by loop regions or insertions in the N-terminus of the domain, which are not conserved across all PH domains. PH domains are found in cellular signaling proteins such as serine/threonine kinase, tyrosine kinases, regulators of G-proteins, endocytotic GTPases, adaptors, as well as cytoskeletal associated molecules and in lipid associated enzymes.