Cargo recognition for clathrin-mediated endocytosis

Recruitment of plasma membrane-localized cargo into clathrin-coated endocytic vesicles is mediated by interaction with a variety of clathrin-interacting proteins collectively called CLASPs (clathrin-associated sorting proteins). CLASP proteins, which may be monomeric or tetrameric, are recruited to the plasma membrane through interaction with phosphoinsitides and recognize linear or conformational sequences or post-translational modifications in the cytoplasmic tails of the cargo protein. Through bivalent interactions with clathrin and/or other CLASP proteins, they bridge the recruitment of the cargo to the emerging clathrin coated pit (reviewed in Traub and Bonifacino, 2013). The tetrameric AP-2 complex, first identified in early studies of clathrin-mediated endocytosis, was at one time thought to be the primary CLASP protein involved in cargo recognition at the plasma membrane, and indeed plays a key role in the endocytosis of cargo carrying dileucine- or tyrosine-based motifs.

Summary from Reactome (R-HSA-8856825), read 2026-09-23.