Mechanism of Sustained Activation of Ribosomal S6 Kinase (RSK) and ERK by
Kaposi Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus ORF45: MULTIPROTEIN COMPLEXES RETAIN
ACTIVE PHOSPHORYLATED ERK AND RSK AND PROTECT THEM FROM
DEPHOSPHORYLATION* |
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Authors: | Ersheng Kuang Fayi Wu and Fanxiu Zhu |
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Institution: | Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4370 |
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Abstract: | As obligate intracellular parasites, viruses exploit diverse cellular
signaling machineries, including the mitogen-activated protein-kinase pathway,
during their infections. We have demonstrated previously that the open reading
frame 45 (ORF45) of Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus interacts with p90
ribosomal S6 kinases (RSKs) and strongly stimulates their kinase activities
(Kuang, E., Tang, Q., Maul, G. G., and Zhu, F.
(2008) J. Virol. 82
,1838
-1850). Here, we define the
mechanism by which ORF45 activates RSKs. We demonstrated that binding of ORF45
to RSK increases the association of extracellular signal-regulated kinase
(ERK) with RSK, such that ORF45, RSK, and ERK formed high molecular mass
protein complexes. We further demonstrated that the complexes shielded active
pERK and pRSK from dephosphorylation. As a result, the complex-associated RSK
and ERK were activated and sustained at high levels. Finally, we provide
evidence that this mechanism contributes to the sustained activation of ERK
and RSK in Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus lytic replication.The extracellular signal-regulated kinase
(ERK)2
mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway has been implicated
in diverse cellular physiological processes including proliferation, survival,
growth, differentiation, and motility
(1-4)
and is also exploited by a variety of viruses such as Kaposi
sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), human cytomegalovirus, human
immunodeficiency virus, respiratory syncytial virus, hepatitis B virus,
coxsackie, vaccinia, coronavirus, and influenza virus
(5-17).
The MAPK kinases relay the extracellular signaling through sequential
phosphorylation to an array of cytoplasmic and nuclear substrates to elicit
specific responses (1,
2,
18). Phosphorylation of MAPK
is reversible. The kinetics of deactivation or duration of signaling dictates
diverse biological outcomes
(19,
20). For example, sustained
but not transient activation of ERK signaling induces the differentiation of
PC12 cells into sympathetic-like neurons and transformation of NIH3T3 cells
(20-22).
During viral infection, a unique biphasic ERK activation has been observed for
some viruses (an early transient activation triggered by viral binding or
entry and a late sustained activation correlated with viral gene expression),
but the responsible viral factors and underlying mechanism for the sustained
ERK activation remain largely unknown
(5,
8,
13,
23).The p90 ribosomal S6 kinases (RSKs) are a family of serine/threonine
kinases that lie at the terminus of the ERK pathway
(1,
24-26).
In mammals, four isoforms are known, RSK1 to RSK4. Each one has two
catalytically functional kinase domains, the N-terminal kinase domain (NTKD)
and C-terminal kinase domain (CTKD) as well as a linker region between the
two. The NTKD is responsible for phosphorylation of exogenous substrates, and
the CTKD and linker region regulate RSK activation
(1,
24,
25). In quiescent cells ERK
binds to the docking site in the C terminus of RSK
(27-29).
Upon mitogen stimulation, ERK is activated by its upstream MAPK/ERK kinase
(MEK). The active ERK phosphorylates Thr-359/Ser-363 of RSK in the linker
region (amino acid numbers refer to human RSK1) and Thr-573 in the CTKD
activation loop. The activated CTKD then phosphorylates Ser-380 in the linker
region, creating a docking site for 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein
kinase-1. The 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1 phosphorylates
Ser-221 of RSK in the activation loop and activates the NTKD. The activated
NTKD autophosphorylates the serine residue near the ERK docking site, causing
a transient dissociation of active ERK from RSK
(25,
26,
28). The stimulation of
quiescent cells by a mitogen such as epidermal growth factor or a phorbol
ester such as 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) usually
results in a transient RSK activation that lasts less than 30 min. RSKs have
been implicated in regulating cell survival, growth, and proliferation.
Mutation or aberrant expression of RSK has been implicated in several human
diseases including Coffin-Lowry syndrome and prostate and breast cancers
(1,
24,
25,
30-32).KSHV is a human DNA tumor virus etiologically linked to Kaposi sarcoma,
primary effusion lymphoma, and a subset of multicentric Castleman disease
(33,
34). Infection and
reactivation of KSHV activate multiple MAPK pathways
(6,
12,
35). Noticeably, the ERK/RSK
activation is sustained late during KSHV primary infection and reactivation
from latency (5,
6,
12,
23), but the mechanism of the
sustained ERK/RSK activation is unclear. Recently, we demonstrated that ORF45,
an immediate early and also virion tegument protein of KSHV, interacts with
RSK1 and RSK2 and strongly stimulates their kinase activities
(23). We also demonstrated
that the activation of RSK plays an essential role in KSHV lytic replication
(23). In the present study we
determined the mechanism of ORF45-induced sustained ERK/RSK activation. We
found that ORF45 increases the association of RSK with ERK and protects them
from dephosphorylation, causing sustained activation of both ERK and RSK. |
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