FAK integrates growth-factor and integrin signals to promote cell migration

Here we show that cells lacking focal adhesion kinase (FAK) are refractory to motility signals from platelet-derived and epidermal growth factors (PDGF and EGF respectively), and that stable re-expression of FAK rescues these defects. FAK associates with activated PDGF- and EGF-receptor (PDGFR and EGFR) signalling complexes, and expression of the band-4.1-like domain at the FAK amino terminus is sufficient to mediate an interaction with activated EGFR. However, efficient EGF-stimulated cell migration also requires FAK to be targeted, by its carboxy-terminal domain, to sites of integrin-receptor clustering. Although the kinase activity of FAK is not needed to promote PDGF- or EGF-stimulated cell motility, kinase-inactive FAK is transphosphorylated at the indispensable Src-kinase-binding site, FAK Y397, after EGF stimulation of cells. Our results establish that FAK is an important receptor-proximal link between growth-factor-receptor and integrin signalling pathways.     

定量蛋白质组分析蚯蚓血红蛋白样蛋白MSMEG_3312介导的分枝杆菌耐红霉素机制

[目的]细菌耐药机制是个复杂的机制,系统生物学是系统性揭示耐药机制的有力研究手段。我们课题组前期研究结果显示,蚯蚓血红蛋白样蛋白msmeg_3312基因敲除后能够增加耻垢分枝杆菌对红霉素的耐药性,本文系统研究MSMEG_3312参与红霉素耐药性形成的机制。[方法]首先纯化MSMEG_3312蛋白,利用光谱及圆二色谱描述MSMEG-3312蛋白。利用定量蛋白质组学的方法比较分析敲除菌株Δmsmeg_3312与野生型菌株mc² 155蛋白表达的差异,并通过qRT-PCR进行验证。利用红霉素ELASA试剂盒测定Δmsmeg_3312与mc² 155的胞内药物浓度。[结果]光谱及圆二色谱分析确定MSMEG_3312是蚯蚓血红蛋白样蛋白。定量蛋白质组学分析发现,红霉素未处理的条件下,相比于野生型菌株mc² 155,敲除菌株Δmsmeg_3312有包括3种转运蛋白在内的8种蛋白表达水平上调,14种蛋白表达下调;而红霉素处理后,Δmsmeg_3312中有448种蛋白差异表达,其中有11种转运蛋白表达上调,26种蛋白与氨基酸合成通路相关。胞内药物浓度检测显示敲除菌株Δmsmeg_3312的胞内红霉素浓度显著低于野生型菌株。[结论]蚯蚓血红蛋白样蛋白MSMEG_3312调控改变了细菌对红霉素药物处理的反应网络,其介导的红霉素耐药是一种集合抗生素耐受机制。     

Key genes and functional coexpression modules involved in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus

We performed a systematic review of genome‐wide gene expression datasets to identify key genes and functional modules involved in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) at a systems level. Genome‐wide gene expression datasets involving SLE patients were searched in Gene Expression Omnibus and ArrayExpress databases. Robust rank aggregation (RRA) analysis was used to integrate those public datasets and identify key genes associated with SLE. The weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was adapted to identify functional modules involved in SLE pathogenesis, and the gene ontology enrichment analysis was utilized to explore their functions. The aberrant expressions of several randomly selected key genes were further validated in SLE patients through quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Fifteen genome‐wide gene expression datasets were finally included, which involved a total of 1,778 SLE patients and 408 healthy controls. A large number of significantly upregulated or downregulated genes were identified through RRA analysis, and some of those genes were novel SLE gene signatures and their molecular roles in etiology of SLE remained vague. WGCNA further successfully identified six main functional modules involved in the pathogenesis of SLE. The most important functional module involved in SLE included 182 genes and mainly enriched in biological processes, including defense response to virus, interferon signaling pathway, and cytokine‐mediated signaling pathway. This study identifies a number of key genes and functional coexpression modules involved in SLE, which provides deepening insights into the molecular mechanism of SLE at a systems level and also provides some promising therapeutic targets.     

油菜素内酯、赤霉素与光共同调控拟南芥的细胞伸长和光形态建成

在植物的生长发育过程中,植物激素发挥着重要的作用. 最新研究对油菜素内酯、赤霉素两类植物激素与光的信号通路共同调控植物的细胞伸长和光形态建成的分子机制给予了精确的阐述,这也为提高农作物产量提拱了理论基础.     

EARLY RESPONSIVE to DEHYDRATION 15, a new transcription factor that integrates stress signaling pathways

The Early Responsive to Dehydration (ERD) genes are defined as those genes that are rapidly activated during drought stress. The encoded proteins show a great structural and functional diversity, with a particular class of proteins acting as connectors of stress response pathways. Recent studies have shown that ERD15 proteins from different species of plants operate in cross-talk among different response pathways. In this mini-review, we show the recent progress on the functional role of this diverse family of proteins and demonstrate that a soybean ERD15 homolog can act as a connector in stress response pathways that trigger a programmed cell death signal.     

PERK integrates autophagy and oxidative stress responses to promote survival during extracellular matrix detachment

Mammary epithelial cells (MECs) detached from the extracellular matrix (ECM) produce deleterious reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induce autophagy to survive. The coordination of such opposing responses likely dictates whether epithelial cells survive ECM detachment or undergo anoikis. Here, we demonstrate that the endoplasmic reticulum kinase PERK facilitates survival of ECM-detached cells by concomitantly promoting autophagy, ATP production, and an antioxidant response. Loss-of-function studies show that ECM detachment activates a canonical PERK-eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (eIF2α)-ATF4-CHOP pathway that coordinately induces the autophagy regulators ATG6 and ATG8, sustains ATP levels, and reduces ROS levels to delay anoikis. Inducible activation of an Fv2E-ΔNPERK chimera by persistent activation of autophagy and reduction of ROS results in lumen-filled mammary epithelial acini. Finally, luminal P-PERK and LC3 levels are reduced in PERK-deficient mammary glands, whereas they are increased in human breast ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) versus normal breast tissues. We propose that the normal proautophagic and antioxidant PERK functions may be hijacked to promote the survival of ECM-detached tumor cells in DCIS lesions.     

A restrictor complex of ZC3H4, WDR82, and ARS2 integrates with PNUTS to control unproductive transcription

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Three modules of zebrafish Mind bomb work cooperatively to promote Delta ubiquitination and endocytosis

Precise regulation of Notch signaling activity is critical for development of many different tissues. Here, we show that the zebrafish insertional mutation Hi904 attenuates Notch signaling, and is allelic to mind bomb. We show that Mind bomb protein displays E3 ubiquitin ligase activity in vitro and that it is associated with Delta and enhances its ubiquitination and internalization in transfected cells. Furthermore, by functional analysis of three conserved regions of Mind bomb, we show that the N-terminal half is required for Delta association, the ankyrin repeats are important for Delta internalization, and the ring fingers are required for Delta ubiquitination. Thus, the three functionally distinct modules of Mind bomb work cooperatively to regulate Notch signaling by associating with, ubiquitinating, and internalizing Delta.