蛋白质多聚SUMO化修饰及其功能

泛素（ubiquitin, Ub）是一类高度保守的小蛋白, 可与靶蛋白的赖氨酸残基共价连接, 形成多聚泛素链行使功能. 类似于泛素化修饰过程, 小泛素相关修饰物(small ubiquitin related modifier, SUMO）也可以共价修饰靶蛋白的赖氨酸残基, 从而影响靶蛋白的定位、稳定性以及蛋白间的相互作用, 发挥重要的生理功能. 尽管在多数情况下, 靶蛋白发生的是单SUMO化修饰, 但最近研究发现,SUMO依赖自身的赖氨酸也可以形成多聚链. 与单SUMO化修饰不同的是, 多聚SUMO化修饰的靶蛋白可以进一步被泛素化修饰, 进而诱导靶蛋白的降解. 这是一种新的、特殊的化学修饰形式, 弄清它的生理功能,对于了解细胞的生长、分化以及凋亡等生理过程将具有重要的意义. 本文将就此方面的最新研究进展做一综述.     

小泛素相关修饰物SUMO研究进展

蛋白质翻译后修饰对改变蛋白功能、活性或定位都起着非常重要的作用,泛素及其相似蛋白的修饰是其中一种重要形式。与其他诸如磷酸化、乙酰化、糖基化等不同的是,泛素及其相似蛋白的修饰基团本身即是一个小的多肽,通过异肽键与靶蛋白Lys侧链ε-NH2相连,其中小泛素相关修饰物(small ubiquitin—related modifier,SUMO)与蛋白的共价连接是一种新的广泛存在的翻译后修饰形式。SUMO是广泛存在于真核生物中高度保守的蛋白家族,在脊椎动物中有三个SUMO基因,称为SUMO-1,-2,-3,与泛素在二级结构上极其相似,且催化修饰过程的酶体系也具有很高的同源性。然而,与泛素化介导的蛋白酶降解途径不同,SUMO化修饰发挥着更为广泛的功能,如核质转运、细胞周期调控、信号转导、转录活性调控等。     

蛋白质SUMO化修饰研究进展

SUMO(small ubiquitin-related modifier)是类泛素蛋白家族的重要成员之一,可与多种蛋白结合发挥相应的功能,其分子结构及SUMO化反应途径都与泛素类似,但二者功能完全不同。SUMO化修饰可参与转录调节、核转运、维持基因组完整性及信号转导等多种细胞内活动,是一种重要的多功能的蛋白质翻译后修饰方式。SUMO化修饰功能的失调可能导致某些疾病的发生。     

SUMO化修饰对NF-kB信号通路的调控

小泛素相关修饰物(small ubiquitin-related modifier,SUMO)经由一系列酶介导的生化级联反应共价结合于靶蛋白的赖氨酸残基上,稳定靶蛋白免受降解的过程称为SUMO化修饰(SUMOylation).核转录因子kB(nuclear factors kB,NF-kB)是公认的炎症和免疫反应的重要调节因子,并与糖尿病的发生发展密切相关.近年来研究发现,不仅NF-kB抑制蛋白(inhibitor of NF-kB,IkB)的SUMO化修饰参与NF-kB信号通路的调节,而且SUMO酶可以直接调节NF-kB对靶基因的转录.现就SUMO亚型及结构,SUMO化修饰与去SUMO化修饰过程,SUMO、SUMO酶对NF-kB的转录调控及其与糖尿病相关性的最新研究进展作以综述.     

泛素化和SUMO化对DEC1的拮抗调控作用

分化的胚软骨表达蛋白1(differentiated embryo-chondrocyte expressed gene 1,DEC1)作为一种时钟蛋白,除了在周期节律的调控中发挥转录抑制作用外,还在能量代谢以及多种肿瘤相关的信号通路的调控中发挥重要作用。此外,蛋白质的翻译后修饰是实现蛋白质功能精细调控的一种重要方式。目前发现,DEC1主要可被两种翻译后修饰,即泛素化和SUMO化修饰。尽管泛素化和SUMO化是两种过程非常类似的蛋白质翻译后修饰方式,但是它们对目的蛋白功能的调控却截然不同。由于泛素化和SUMO化与底物的作用靶点都是赖氨酸(Lys),因此在多数情况下,泛素化和SUMO化以拮抗性的方式调控底物蛋白的功能。鉴于此,该文旨在阐述泛素化和SUMO化修饰对DEC1功能的拮抗调节过程,为了解时钟蛋白DEC1对多种信号通路的调控过程中的分子机制提供新的思路。     

蛋白质SUMO化和泛素化修饰的关系

泛素化和SUMO化是蛋白质翻译后修饰的重要方式,广泛参与调节蛋白质功能和细胞生命活动各个环节。多聚泛素化降解蛋白质,而SUMO化主要调节蛋白质的相互作用和定位等。在不同情况下,SUMO化和泛素化既可协同调节蛋白质功能,也可相互拮抗。最近研究发现,某些底物的SUMO化能够激活体内一类新发现的SUMO依赖的泛素连接酶,启动泛素-蛋白酶体途径降解底物,导致蛋白质SUMO化和汔素化的关系进一步精细化和复杂化。     

HIF-1α的可逆性SUMO化修饰

低氧诱导因子1(hypoxia inducible factor-1, HIF-1)是参与调节机体氧平衡的重要转录因子,在细胞低氧应答反应中起核心作用,能调节100多种涉及低氧应激下细胞适应和存活的靶基因．HIF-1由氧敏感的α亚基和在细胞内稳定表达的β亚基组成．其中α亚基可受到多种翻译后化学修饰作用,如在常氧下,HIF-1α通过泛素化蛋白酶修饰并导致其快速降解．最近几年发现的泛素样蛋白家族成员小泛素蛋白样修饰蛋白（SUMO）也能与HIF-1α共价结合．SUMO是一种分子量约为12 kD的小蛋白,从拟南芥到人类普遍存在．SUMO可共价结合许多靶底物蛋白,并对其进行翻译后修饰,该过程称为SUMO化．与泛素化蛋白酶体途径不同的是,SUMO化修饰能在常氧和相对低氧的条件下调节HIF-1α蛋白的稳定性,从而改变其转录活性．SUMO化是一个可逆的动态过程,可被特异性蛋白酶ULP/SENP将其从底物上去除．本文主要就HIF-1α的可逆性SUMO化修饰作一综述．     

SENPs对肿瘤发展的分子调控机理

SUMO化修饰是一种把小泛素相关修饰物(small ubiquition related modifier,SUMO)共价连接到细胞内靶蛋白半胱氨酸残基上的一种蛋白质翻译后修饰。SUMO化修饰参与并调控着多种细胞进程,如转录调控、核转运和信号转导等。SUMO化修饰是一种动态可逆的修饰方式。SUMO特异性蛋白酶(SUMO-specific proteases,SENPs)可以使SUMO化修饰的蛋白质发生去SUMO化,在维持细胞内SUMO化与去SUMO化的平衡中起重要作用。研究表明,SENPs与多种癌症的发生发展密切相关,如SENP1能直接调节多条致癌通路,诱发正常的前列腺上皮细胞状态异常。癌细胞中的SENP3能诱导血管生成。因此,对去SUMO化机制研究可以为开发癌症治疗药物提供新的思路。     

SUMO化修饰系统在哺乳动物胚胎发育及器官发生中的作用

小分子泛素相关修饰物蛋白（small ubiquitin-related modifier protein,SUMO）化修饰是一种广泛存在的蛋白质翻译后修饰形式,存在于动物多个生理和病理过程中,并涉及复杂的信号通路调节过程,是细胞对应激反应的重要调节机制,并且越来越多的研究表明,SUMO化修饰在哺乳动物胚胎发育及器官发生过程中发挥重要作用。在胎儿发育过程中,SUMO化对于器官的形成及发育起着至关重要的作用。SUMO化途径的各组成成分（UBC9、SUMO1~3、PIAS、SENP1~7）在胚胎发育过程中协调胚泡与子宫间的对话、心脏发育以及颅面发育中都发挥着重要作用。在发育过程中SUMO化修饰一旦失调,则可能导致胚胎植入前缺陷、胚胎发育缺陷以及胚胎致死。本综述总结了SUMO化修饰的分子机制,以及SUMO化途径各个组成成分（SUMO、UBC9、PIAS、SENPs）在早期胚胎发育及后续器官发生中功能的最新进展,以望为后续的研究提供借鉴。     

SUMO化和磷酸化的相互作用与共同修饰

翻译后修饰如磷酸化、乙酰化、甲基化、泛素化和SUMO化调节不同蛋白质的不同功能。磷酸化可能是最常见的修饰之一,蛋白质磷酸化通过一系列的激酶和磷酸酶催化,从而改变蛋白质功能。SUMO修饰是一种类泛素化修饰。SUMO修饰包括活化、结合、连接和解离,涉及多个酶多个步骤的催化过程。SUMO化可调节蛋白质相互作用、亚细胞定位、蛋白质稳定性和转录活性。关于磷酸化和SUMO化的蛋白质翻译后修饰,已有广泛研究报道。但很少关注于磷酸化和SUMO化之间的相互作用,以及它们对蛋白质的共同修饰。本文综述了蛋白质磷酸化和SUMO化之间的相互作用,以及共同修饰对细胞生理和肿瘤的影响。     

A genome-wide analysis of sumoylation-related biological processes and functions in human nucleus

Protein sumoylation is an important reversible post-translational modification of proteins in the nucleus, and it orchestrates a variety of the cellular processes. Genome-wide analysis of functional abundance and distribution of Small Ubiquitin-related MOdifier (SUMO) substrates may shed a light on how sumoylation is involved in nuclear biological processes and functions. Two interesting questions about sumoylation have emerged: (1) how many SUMO substrates exist in mammalian proteomes, such as human and mouse, (2) and what are their functions and how are they involved in a variety of biological processes? To address these two questions,we present an in silico genome-scale analysis for SUMO substrates in human. Based on the pattern recognition and phylogenetic conservation, we retrieved a list of 2683 potential SUMO substrates conserved in both human and mouse. Then, by functional enrichment analysis, we surveyed the over-represented GO terms and functional domains of them against the whole human proteome. Besides the consistence between our analyses and in vivo or in vitro work, the in silico predicted candidates also point to several potential roles of sumoylation, e.g., perception of sound. These potential SUMO substrates in human are of great value for further in vivo or in vitro experimental analysis.     

Ecm11 protein of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is regulated by sumoylation during meiosis

Damaged regulation of the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) system contributes to some human diseases; therefore, it is very important to identify the SUMO targets and to determine the function of their sumoylation. In this study, it is shown that Ecm11 protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is modified by SUMO during meiosis. It is known that Ecm11 is required in the early stages of yeast meiosis where its function is related to DNA replication and crossing over. Here it is shown that the level of Ecm11 protein is low in mitosis, but high in meiosis. The highest level of Ecm11 is in the early-middle phase of sporulation. A specific site of sumoylation was identified in Ecm11 at Lys5 and evidence is provided that sumoylation at this site directly regulates Ecm11 function in meiosis. On the other hand, no relationship was observed between sumoylation of Ecm11 and its role during vegetative growth. It was shown that Ecm11 interacts with Siz2 SUMO ligase in a two-hybrid system; although Siz2 is not essential for the Ecm11 sumoylation.     

Developmental control of sumoylation pathway proteins in mouse male germ cells

Protein sumoylation regulates a variety of nuclear functions and has been postulated to be involved in meiotic chromosome dynamics as well as other processes of spermatogenesis. Here, the expression and distribution of sumoylation pathway genes and proteins were determined in mouse male germ cells, with a particular emphasis on prophase I of meiosis. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that SUMO1, SUMO2/3 and UBE2I (also known as UBC9) were localized to the XY body in pachytene and diplotene spermatocytes, while only SUMO2/3 and UBE2I were detected near centromeres in metaphase I spermatocytes. Quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to examine the expression of sumoylation pathway genes and proteins in enriched preparations of leptotene/zygotene spermatocytes, prepubertal and adult pachytene spermatocytes, as well as round spermatids. Two general expression profiles emerged from these data. The first profile, where expression was more prominent during meiosis, identified sumoylation pathway participants that could be involved in meiotic chromosome dynamics. The second profile, elevated expression in post-meiotic spermatids, suggested proteins that could be involved in spermiogenesis-related sumoylation events. In addition to revealing differential expression of protein sumoylation mediators, which suggests differential functioning, these data demonstrate the dynamic nature of SUMO metabolism during spermatogenesis.     

SUMOylation mediates the disassembly of the Smad4 nuclear export complex via RanGAP1 in KELOIDS

Sentrin/small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) has emerged as a powerful mediator regulating biological processes and participating in pathophysiological processes that cause human diseases, such as cancer, myocardial fibrosis and neurological disorders. Sumoylation has been shown to play a positive regulatory role in keloids. However, the sumoylation mechanism in keloids remains understudied. We proposed that sumoylation regulates keloids via a complex. RanGAP1 acted as a synergistic, functional partner of SUMOs in keloids. Nuclear accumulation of Smad4, a TGF-β/Smad pathway member, was associated with RanGAP1 after SUMO1 inhibition. RanGAP1*SUMO1 mediated the nuclear accumulation of Smad4 due to its impact on nuclear export and reduction in the dissociation of Smad4 and CRM1. We clarified a novel mechanism of positive regulation of sumoylation in keloids and demonstrated the function of sumoylation in Smad4 nuclear export. The NPC-associated RanGAP1*SUMO1 complex functions as a disassembly machine for the export receptor CRM1 and Smad4. Our research provides new perspectives for the mechanisms of keloids and nucleocytoplasmic transport.     

Identification and molecular properties of SUMO-binding proteins in Arabidopsis

Reversible conjugation of the small ubiquitin modifier (SUMO) peptide to proteins (SUMOylation) plays important roles in cellular processes in animals and yeasts. However, little is known about plant SUMO targets. To identify SUMO substrates in Arabidopsis and to probe for biological functions of SUMO proteins, we constructed 6xHis-3xFLAG fused AtSUMO1 (HFAtSUMO1) controlled by the CaMV35S promoter for transformation into Arabidopsis Col-0. After heat treatment, an increased sumoylation pattern was detected in the transgenic plants. SUMO1-modified proteins were selected after two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) image analysis and identified using matrix-assisted laser-desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). We identified 27 proteins involved in a variety of processes such as nucleic acid metabolism, signaling, metabolism, and including proteins of unknown functions. Binding and sumoylation patterns were confirmed independently. Surprisingly, MCM3 (At5G46280), a DNA replication licensing factor, only interacted with and became sumoylated by AtSUMO1, but not by SUMO1ΔGG or AtSUMO3. The results suggest specific interactions between sumoylation targets and particular sumoylation enzymes.     

Structural basis for regulation of poly‐SUMO chain by a SUMO‐like domain of Nip45

Post‐translational modification by small ubiquitin‐like modifier (SUMO) provides an important regulatory mechanism in diverse cellular processes. Modification of SUMO has been shown to target proteins involved in systems ranging from DNA repair pathways to the ubiquitin‐proteasome degradation system by the action of SUMO‐targeted ubiquitin ligases (STUbLs). STUbLs recognize target proteins modified with a poly‐SUMO chain through their SUMO‐interacting motifs (SIMs). STUbLs are also associated with RENi family proteins, which commonly have two SUMO‐like domains (SLD1 and SLD2) at their C terminus. We have determined the crystal structures of SLD2 of mouse RENi protein, Nip45, in a free form and in complex with a mouse E2 sumoylation enzyme, Ubc9. While Nip45 SLD2 shares a β‐grasp fold with SUMO, the SIM interaction surface conserved in SUMO paralogues does not exist in SLD2. Biochemical data indicates that neither tandem SLDs or SLD2 of Nip45 bind to either tandem SIMs from either mouse STUbL, RNF4 or to those from SUMO‐binding proteins, whose interactions with SUMO have been well characterized. On the other hand, Nip45 SLD2 binds to Ubc9 in an almost identical manner to that of SUMO and thereby inhibits elongation of poly‐SUMO chains. This finding highlights a possible role of the RENi proteins in the modulation of Ubc9‐mediated poly‐SUMO formation. Proteins 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Synthesis of 2′,3′,4′-trihydroxyflavone (2-D08), an inhibitor of protein sumoylation

Protein sumoylation is a dynamic posttranslational modification involved in diverse biological processes during cellular homeostasis and development. Recently sumoylation has been shown to play a critical role in cancer, although to date there are few small molecule probes available to inhibit enzymes involved in the SUMO conjugation process. As part of a program to identify and study inhibitors of sumoylation we recently reported the discovery that 2′,3′,4′-trihydroxyflavone (2-D08) is a cell permeable, mechanistically unique inhibitor of protein sumoylation. The work reported herein describes an efficient synthesis of 2-D08 as well as a structurally related but inactive isomer. We also report an unanticipated Wessely–Moser rearrangement that occurs under vigorous methyl ether deprotection conditions. This rearrangement likely gave rise to 2-D08 during a deprotection step, resulting in 2-D08 appearing as a contaminant in a screening well from a commercial supplier.     

SUMO and SUMOylation in plants

The traditional focus on the central dogma of molecular biology, from gene through RNA to protein, has now been replaced by the recognition of an additional mechanism. The new regulatory mechanism, post-translational modifications to proteins, can actively alter protein function or activity introducing additional levels of functional complexity by altering cellular and sub-cellular location, protein interactions and the outcome of biochemical reaction chains. Modifications by ubiquitin (Ub) and ubiquitin-like modifiers systems are conserved in all eukaryotic organisms. One of them, small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) is present in plants. The SUMO mechanism includes several isoforms of proteins that are involved in reactions of sumoylation and de-sumoylation. Sumoylation affects several important processes in plants. Outstanding among those are responses to environmental stresses. These may be abiotic stresses, such as phosphate deficiency, heat, low temperature, and drought, or biotic stressses, as well including defense reactions to pathogen infection. Also, the regulations of flowering time, cell growth and development, and nitrogen assimilation have recently been added to this list. Identification of SUMO targets is material to characterize the function of sumoylation or desumoylation. Affinity purification and mass spectrometric identification have been done lately in plants. Further SUMO noncovalent binding appears to have function in other model organisms and SUMO interacting proteins in plants will be of interest to plant biologists who dissect the dynamic function of SUMO. This review will discuss results of recent insights into the role of sumoylation in plants.