Differential requirement of a motif within the carboxyl-terminal domain of alpha-platelet-derived growth factor (alpha PDGF) receptor for PDGF focus forming activity chemotaxis, or growth.

To determine the molecular basis for the transforming function of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-A in NIH/3T3 cells, we have constructed chimerae consisting of the extracellular domain of the human CSF-1R (fms) linked to the cytoplasmic domain of the alpha PDGF receptor (alpha R) containing a series of deletion or point mutations. The ability of fms/alpha R chimerae to mediate CSF-1-dependent anchorage-independent growth, focus formation, and chemotaxis of NIH/3T3 cells was then examined. Our results provide evidence that a domain encompassing amino acid residues 977-1024 of the alpha PDGFR is required for ligand-dependent focus formation, but not chemotaxis or anchorage-independent growth, and that tyrosine residues within this domain constitute the major binding site for phospholipase C gamma. Therefore, our findings suggest that: (i) the focus forming function of alpha PDGFR correlates well with the ability of the receptor to bind phospholipase C gamma, and (ii) the mechanism of focus formation mediated by alpha PDGFR may be distinguished from that required for chemotaxis or anchorage-independent growth.