The PX domain, which until recently was an orphan domain, has emerged as the latest member of the phosphoinositide-binding module superfamily. Structural studies have revealed that it has a novel fold and identified key residues that interact with the bound phosphoinositide, enabling some prediction of phosphoinositide-binding specificity. Specificity for PtdIns(3)P appears to be the most common, and several proteins containing PX domains localise to PtdIns(3)P-rich endosomal and vacuolar structures through their PX domains: these include the yeast t-SNARE Vam7p, mammalian sorting nexins (involved in membrane trafficking events) and the Ser/Thr kinase CISK, which is implicated in cell survival. Additionally,phosphoinositide binding to the PX domains of p40phox and p47phox appears to play a critical role in the active assembly of the neutrophil oxidase complex.
The PX domain: a new phosphoinositide-binding module Available to Purchase
Chris D. Ellson, Simon Andrews, Len R. Stephens, Phill T. Hawkins; The PX domain: a new phosphoinositide-binding module. J Cell Sci 15 March 2002; 115 (6): 1099–1105. doi: https://doi.org/10.1242/jcs.115.6.1099
Download citation file:
Sign in
Client Account
Sign in via your institution
Sign in via ShibbolethAdvertisement
Cited by
JCS fast-track option

Have a paper that has been reviewed elsewhere? JCS is pleased to consider such manuscripts for fast-tracked decision making. Send us your manuscript together with the full set of reviews and decision letters, and we will make an initial decision within one week.
Special Issue – Cell Biology of Mitochondria

Our special issue on ‘Cell Biology of Mitochondria’ is now complete. Explore this issue and read the Editorial from our Guest Editors Ana J. García-Sáez and Heidi McBride.
Save the date – Imaging Cell Dynamics

We are delighted to announce that we will be hosting a 2026 Imaging Cell Dynamics meeting. This meeting will provide a unique opportunity to bring together experts working at the interface between cell biology and imaging. Save the date for 11-14 May 2026 and register for more information.
Origin and evolution of mitochondrial inner membrane composition

In this Review, Kailash Venkatraman and colleagues provide an examination of the morphological similarities between prokaryotic intracytoplasmic membranes and mitochondrial inner membranes, and whether cristae evolution has driven specialisation of the mitochondrial lipidome.
Resolution in super-resolution microscopy
Super-resolution microscopy (SRM) has emerged as a powerful tool for biological discovery. In this Perspective, Kirti Prakash and colleagues compile expert opinions on crucial, yet often overlooked, aspects of SRM that are essential for maximising its benefits and advancing the field.