P-bodies directly regulate MARF1-mediated mRNA decay in human cells

Processing bodies (P-bodies) are ribonucleoprotein granules that contain mRNAs, RNA-binding proteins and effectors of mRNA turnover. While P-bodies have been reported to contain translationally repressed mRNAs, a causative role for P-bodies in regulating mRNA decay has yet to be established. Enhancer of decapping protein 4 (EDC4) is a core P-body component that interacts with multiple mRNA decay factors, including the mRNA decapping (DCP2) and decay (XRN1) enzymes. EDC4 also associates with the RNA endonuclease MARF1, an interaction that antagonizes the decay of MARF1-targeted mRNAs. How EDC4 interacts with MARF1 and how it represses MARF1 activity is unclear. In this study, we show that human MARF1 and XRN1 interact with EDC4 using analogous conserved short linear motifs in a mutually exclusive manner. While the EDC4–MARF1 interaction is required for EDC4 to inhibit MARF1 activity, our data indicate that the interaction with EDC4 alone is not sufficient. Importantly, we show that P-body architecture plays a critical role in antagonizing MARF1-mediated mRNA decay. Taken together, our study suggests that P-bodies can directly regulate mRNA turnover by sequestering an mRNA decay enzyme and preventing it from interfacing with and degrading targeted mRNAs.     

A truncated form of KlLsm4p and the absence of factors involved in mRNA decapping trigger apoptosis in yeast

The LSM4 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae codes for an essential protein involved in pre-mRNA splicing and also in mRNA decapping, a crucial step for mRNA degradation. We previously demonstrated that the first 72 amino acids of the Kluyveromyces lactis Lsm4p (KlLsm4p), which contain the Sm-like domains, can restore cell viability in both K. lactis and S. cerevisiae cells not expressing the endogenous protein. However, the absence of the carboxy-terminal region resulted in a remarkable loss of viability in stationary phase cells (). Herein, we demonstrate that S. cerevisiae cells expressing the truncated LSM4 protein of K. lactis showed the phenotypic markers of yeast apoptosis such as chromatin condensation, DNA fragmentation, and accumulation of reactive oxygen species. The study of deletion mutants revealed that apoptotic markers were clearly evident also in strains lacking genes involved in mRNA decapping, such as LSM1, DCP1, and DCP2, whereas a slight effect was observed in strains lacking the genes DHH1 and PAT1. This is the first time that a connection between mRNA stability and apoptosis is reported in yeast, pointing to mRNA decapping as the crucial step responsible of the observed apoptotic phenotypes.     

mRNA Decapping Enzyme 1a (Dcp1a)-induced Translational Arrest through Protein Kinase R (PKR) Activation Requires the N-terminal Enabled Vasodilator-stimulated Protein Homology 1 (EVH1) Domain

We have shown previously that poliovirus infection disrupts cytoplasmic P-bodies in infected mammalian cells. During the infectious cycle, poliovirus causes the directed cleavage of Dcp1a and Pan3, coincident with the dispersion of P-bodies. We now show that expression of Dcp1a prior to infection, surprisingly, restricts poliovirus infection. This inhibition of infection was independent of P-body formation because expression of GFP-Dcp1a mutants that cannot enter P-bodies restricted poliovirus infection similar to wild-type GFP-Dcp1a. Expression of wild-type or mutant GFP-Dcp1a induced phosphorylation of eIF2α through the eIF2α kinase protein kinase R (PKR). Activation of PKR required the amino-terminal EVH1 domain of Dcp1a. This PKR-induced translational inhibition appears to be specific to Dcp1a because the expression of other P-body components, Pan2, Pan3, Ccr4, or Caf1, did not result in the inhibition of poliovirus gene expression or induce eIF2α phosphorylation. The translation blockade induced by Dcp1a expression suggests novel signaling linking RNA degradation/decapping and regulation of translation.     

Accumulation of P-bodies in Candida albicans under different stress and filamentous growth conditions

Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that grows as budding yeast, pseudohyphal, and hyphal forms. In response to external signals, C. albicans switches rapidly among these forms. mRNA-containing cytoplasmic granules, termed processing bodies (P-bodies), have been reported to accumulate under various environmental stress conditions in diverse species from yeast to mammals. Here, we provide the first microscopic and genetic characterization of P-bodies in C. albicans. The core components of P-bodies, including the decapping machinery (Dcp2 and Dhh1), 5′–3′ exoribonuclease (Kem1/Xrn1), and the P-body scaffolding protein (Edc3), were identified and their localizations with respect to P-bodies were demonstrated. Various growth conditions, including glucose deprivation, hyperosmotic stress, and heat stress, stimulated the accumulation of P-bodies. In addition, we observed P-body aggregation during hyphal development. The deletion mutant strain edc3/edc3 had a defect in filamentation and exhibited a dramatic reduction in the number of P-bodies. These results suggest that Edc3 plays an essential role in the assembly and maintenance of P-bodies in C. albicans, and that the switch to filamentous growth appears to accompany P-body accumulation.     

Arabidopsis Decapping 5 Is Required for mRNA Decapping,P-Body Formation,and Translational Repression during Postembryonic Development

Eukaryotic processing bodies (P-bodies) are implicated in mRNA storage and mRNA decapping. We previously found that a decapping complex comprising Decapping 1 (DCP1), DCP2, and Varicose in Arabidopsis thaliana is essential for postembryonic development, but the underlying mechanism is poorly understood. Here, we characterized Arabidopsis DCP5, a homolog of human RNA-associated protein 55, as an additional P-body constituent. DCP5 associates with DCP1 and DCP2 and is required for mRNA decapping in vivo. In spite of its association with DCP2, DCP5 has no effect on DCP2 decapping activity in vitro, suggesting that the effect on decapping in vivo is indirect. In knockdown mutant dcp5-1, not only is mRNA decapping compromised, but the size of P-bodies is also significantly decreased. These results indicate that DCP5 is required for P-body formation, which likely facilitates efficient decapping. During wild-type seed germination, mRNAs encoding seed storage proteins (SSPs) are translationally repressed and degraded. By contrast, in dcp5-1, SSP mRNAs are translated, leading to accumulation of their products in germinated seedlings. In vitro experiments using wheat germ extracts confirmed that DCP5 is a translational repressor. Our results showed that DCP5 is required for translational repression and P-body formation and plays an indirect role in mRNA decapping.     

Processing bodies and germ granules are distinct RNA granules that interact in C. elegans embryos

In somatic cells, untranslated mRNAs accumulate in cytoplasmic foci called processing bodies or P-bodies. P-bodies contain complexes that inhibit translation and stimulate mRNA deadenylation, decapping, and decay. Recently, certain P-body proteins have been found in germ granules, RNA granules specific to germ cells. We have investigated a possible connection between P-bodies and germ granules in Caenorhabditis elegans. We identify PATR-1, the C. elegans homolog of the yeast decapping activator Pat1p, as a unique marker for P-bodies in C. elegans embryos. We find that P-bodies are inherited maternally as core granules that mature differently in somatic and germline blastomeres. In somatic blastomeres, P-bodies recruit the decapping activators LSM-1 and LSM-3. This recruitment requires the LET-711/Not1 subunit of the CCR4-NOT deadenylase and correlates spatially and temporally with the onset of maternal mRNA degradation. In germline blastomeres, P-bodies are maintained as core granules lacking LSM-1 and LSM-3. P-bodies interact with germ granules, but maintain distinct dynamics and components. The maternal mRNA nos-2 is maintained in germ granules, but not in P-bodies. We conclude that P-bodies are distinct from germ granules, and represent a second class of RNA granules that behaves differently in somatic and germline cells.     

Analysis of P-body assembly in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Recent experiments have defined cytoplasmic foci, referred to as processing bodies (P-bodies), that contain untranslating mRNAs in conjunction with proteins involved in translation repression and mRNA decapping and degradation. However, the order of protein assembly into P-bodies and the interactions that promote P-body assembly are unknown. To gain insight into how yeast P-bodies assemble, we examined the P-body accumulation of Dcp1p, Dcp2p, Edc3p, Dhh1p, Pat1p, Lsm1p, Xrn1p, Ccr4p, and Pop2p in deletion mutants lacking one or more P-body component. These experiments revealed that Dcp2p and Pat1p are required for recruitment of Dcp1p and of the Lsm1-7p complex to P-bodies, respectively. We also demonstrate that P-body assembly is redundant and no single known component of P-bodies is required for P-body assembly, although both Dcp2p and Pat1p contribute to P-body assembly. In addition, our results indicate that Pat1p can be a nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling protein and acts early in P-body assembly. In contrast, the Lsm1-7p complex appears to primarily function in a rate limiting step after P-body assembly in triggering decapping. Taken together, these results provide insight both into the function of individual proteins involved in mRNA degradation and the mechanisms by which yeast P-bodies assemble.     

Processing bodies and plant development

Processing bodies (P-bodies) contain RNA-protein complexes linked to cytoplasmic RNA decay pathways including mRNA decapping, nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) and small RNA-mediated decay. Plants deficient in P-body components display severe developmental perturbations, suggesting that these cytoplasmic bodies play important roles in regulating gene expression during plant development. Here, we summarize recent progress in the genetic dissection of P-body components and their roles in translational repression and mRNA decapping.     

A role for the eIF4E-binding protein 4E-T in P-body formation and mRNA decay

4E-transporter (4E-T) is one of several proteins that bind the mRNA 5'cap-binding protein, eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E), through a conserved binding motif. We previously showed that 4E-T is a nucleocytoplasmic shuttling protein, which mediates the import of eIF4E into the nucleus. At steady state, 4E-T is predominantly cytoplasmic and is concentrated in bodies that conspicuously resemble the recently described processing bodies (P-bodies), which are believed to be sites of mRNA decay. In this paper, we demonstrate that 4E-T colocalizes with mRNA decapping factors in bona fide P-bodies. Moreover, 4E-T controls mRNA half-life, because its depletion from cells using short interfering RNA increases mRNA stability. The 4E-T binding partner, eIF4E, also is localized in P-bodies. 4E-T interaction with eIF4E represses translation, which is believed to be a prerequisite for targeting of mRNAs to P-bodies. Collectively, these data suggest that 4E-T interaction with eIF4E is a priming event in inducing messenger ribonucleoprotein rearrangement and transition from translation to decay.     

Ge-1 is a central component of the mammalian cytoplasmic mRNA processing body

The mRNA processing body (P-body) is a cellular structure that regulates gene expression by degrading cytoplasmic mRNA. The objective of this study was to identify and characterize novel components of the mammalian P-body. Approximately 5% of patients with the autoimmune disease primary biliary cirrhosis have antibodies directed against this structure. Serum from one of these patients was used to identify a cDNA encoding Ge-1, a 1,401-amino-acid protein. Ge-1 contains an N-terminal WD 40 motif and C-terminal domains characterized by a repeating psi(X(2-3)) motif. Ge-1 co-localized with previously identified P-body components, including proteins involved in mRNA decapping (DCP1a and DCP2) and the autoantigen GW 182. The Ge-1 C-terminal domain was necessary and sufficient to target the protein to P-bodies. Following exposure of cells to oxidative stress, Ge-1-containing P-bodies were found adjacent to TIA-containing stress granules. During the recovery period, TIA returned to the nucleus while Ge-1-containing P-bodies localized to the perinuclear region. siRNA-mediated knock-down of Ge-1 resulted in loss of P-bodies containing Ge-1, DCP1a, and DCP2. In contrast, Ge-1-containing P-bodies persisted despite knock-down of DCP2. Taken together, the results of this study show that Ge-1 is a central component of P-bodies and suggest that Ge-1 may act prior to the 5(')-decapping step in mRNA degradation.     

The DEAD-box RNA helicase Ded1p affects and accumulates in Saccharomyces cerevisiae P-bodies

Recent results suggest that cytoplasmic mRNAs can form translationally repressed messenger ribonucleoprotein particles (mRNPs) capable of decapping and degradation, or accumulation into cytoplasmic processing bodies (P-bodies), which can function as sites of mRNA storage. The proteins that function in transitions between the translationally repressed mRNPs that accumulate in P-bodies and mRNPs engaged in translation are largely unknown. Herein, we demonstrate that the yeast translation initiation factor Ded1p can localize to P-bodies. Moreover, depletion of Ded1p leads to defects in P-body formation. Overexpression of Ded1p results in increased size and number of P-bodies and inhibition of growth in a manner partially suppressed by loss of Pat1p, Dhh1p, or Lsm1p. Mutations that inactivate the ATPase activity of Ded1p increase the overexpression growth inhibition of Ded1p and prevent Ded1p from localizing in P-bodies. Combined with earlier work showing Ded1p can have a positive effect on translation, these results suggest that Ded1p is a bifunctional protein that can affect both translation initiation and P-body formation.     

Mutations in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae LSM1 gene that affect mRNA decapping and 3' end protection

The decapping of eukaryotic mRNAs is a key step in their degradation. The heteroheptameric Lsm1p-7p complex is a general activator of decapping and also functions in protecting the 3' ends of deadenylated mRNAs from a 3'-trimming reaction. Lsm1p is the unique member of the Lsm1p-7p complex, distinguishing that complex from the functionally different Lsm2p-8p complex. To understand the function of Lsm1p, we constructed a series of deletion and point mutations of the LSM1 gene and examined their effects on phenotype. These studies revealed the following: (i) Mutations affecting the predicted RNA-binding and inter-subunit interaction residues of Lsm1p led to impairment of mRNA decay, suggesting that the integrity of the Lsm1p-7p complex and the ability of the Lsm1p-7p complex to interact with mRNA are important for mRNA decay function; (ii) mutations affecting the predicted RNA contact residues did not affect the localization of the Lsm1p-7p complex to the P-bodies; (iii) mRNA 3'-end protection could be indicative of the binding of the Lsm1p-7p complex to the mRNA prior to activation of decapping, since all the mutants defective in mRNA 3' end protection were also blocked in mRNA decay; and (iv) in addition to the Sm domain, the C-terminal domain of Lsm1p is also important for mRNA decay function.     

The structural basis of Edc3- and Scd6-mediated activation of the Dcp1:Dcp2 mRNA decapping complex

The Dcp1:Dcp2 decapping complex catalyses the removal of the mRNA 5' cap structure. Activator proteins, including Edc3 (enhancer of decapping 3), modulate its activity. Here, we solved the structure of the yeast Edc3 LSm domain in complex with a short helical leucine-rich motif (HLM) from Dcp2. The motif interacts with the monomeric Edc3 LSm domain in an unprecedented manner and recognizes a noncanonical binding surface. Based on the structure, we identified additional HLMs in the disordered C-terminal extension of Dcp2 that can interact with Edc3. Moreover, the LSm domain of the Edc3-related protein Scd6 competes with Edc3 for the interaction with these HLMs. We show that both Edc3 and Scd6 stimulate decapping in vitro, presumably by preventing the Dcp1:Dcp2 complex from adopting an inactive conformation. In addition, we show that the C-terminal HLMs in Dcp2 are necessary for the localization of the Dcp1:Dcp2 decapping complex to P-bodies in vivo. Unexpectedly, in contrast to yeast, in metazoans the HLM is found in Dcp1, suggesting that details underlying the regulation of mRNA decapping changed throughout evolution.