Cryo-EM structures of the Caspase activated protein XKR9 involved in apoptotic lipid scrambling

The exposure of the negatively charged lipid phosphatidylserine on the cell-surface, catalyzed by lipid scramblases, is an important signal for the clearance of apoptotic cells by macrophages. The protein XKR9 is a member of a conserved family that has been associated with apoptotic lipid scrambling. Here, we describe structures of full-length and caspase-treated XKR9 in complex with a synthetic nanobody determined by cryo-electron microscopy. The 43 kDa monomeric membrane protein contains eight membrane-spanning helices, two segments that are partly inserted into the lipid bilayer and is organized as two structurally related repeats. In the full-length protein, the C-terminus interacts with a hydrophobic site located at the intracellular side acting as an inhibitor of protein function. Cleavage by caspase-3 at a specific site releases 16 residues of the C-terminus thus making the binding site accessible to the cytoplasm. Collectively, the work has revealed the unknown architecture of the XKR family and has provided initial insight into its activation by caspases.