InterPro domain: IPR016341

Clathrin is a triskelion-shaped cytoplasmic protein that polymerises into a polyhedral lattice on intracellular membranes to form protein-coated membrane vesicles. Lattice formation induces the sorting of membrane proteins during endocytosis and organelle biogenesis by interacting with membrane-associated adaptor molecules. Clathrin consists of three heavy chain subunits, which are the main structural component of the clathrin vesicle coat, and three light chain molecules that interact with the heavy chains to self-assemble into a three-leggedtriskelion structure. Each leg consists of one heavy chain and one light chain. The clathrin heavy-chain contains a 145-residue repeat that is present in seven copies [ 1 , 2 ].

This group represents a clathrin heavy chain.

1. Clathrin self-assembly is mediated by a tandemly repeated superhelix. Nature 399, 371-5
2. Structural insights into the clathrin coat. Semin. Cell Dev. Biol. 18, 448-58