In-depth proteomic analysis and structural modelling of protein-protein interactions identify known and novel molecular binding partners for EMP3 in erythroid cells
Background: The absence of Epithelial Membrane Protein 3 (EMP3) on red blood cells (RBCs) underlies the MAM-negative (MAM−) phenotype. EMP3 is a ubiquitous protein found at low levels in most tissues but with higher expression in hematopoietic cells. Low levels of CD44 are a signature of MAM− RBCs due its proposed physical interaction with EMP3, indicating that EMP3 stabilises CD44 in the membrane