Adaptin Ear Binding Coat Associated Protein 2 (NECAP2)

Through a proteomic analysis of rat brain clathrin-coated vesicles, Ritter et al. (2003) identified Necap2. The deduced 266-amino acid protein contains a WVQF motif that was shown in rat Necap1 to mediate binding to the alpha-adaptin subunit (AP2A1) of the adaptor protein-2 (AP-2) complex. Western blot analysis detected broad Necap2 expression in rat tissues.

Adaptins are important components of clathrin-coated vesicles transporting ligand-receptor complexes from the plasma membrane or from the trans-Golgi network to lysosomes. The adaptin family of proteins is composed of four classes of molecules named alpha, beta-, beta prime- and gamma- adaptins.