Follistatin induction by nitric oxide through cyclic GMP: a tightly regulated signaling pathway that controls myoblast fusion

The mechanism of skeletal myoblast fusion is not well understood. We show that endogenous nitric oxide (NO) generation is required for myoblast fusion both in embryonic myoblasts and in satellite cells. The effect of NO is concentration and time dependent, being evident only at the onset of differentiation, and direct on the fusion process itself. The action of NO is mediated through a tightly regulated activation of guanylate cyclase and generation of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), so much so that deregulation of cGMP signaling leads to a fusion-induced hypertrophy of satellite-derived myotubes and embryonic muscles, and to the acquisition of fusion competence by myogenic precursors in the presomitic mesoderm. NO and cGMP induce expression of follistatin, and this secreted protein mediates their action in myogenesis. These results establish a hitherto unappreciated role of NO and cGMP in regulating myoblast fusion and elucidate their mechanism of action, providing a direct link with follistatin, which is a key player in myogenesis.     

Induction of homologous recombination in mammalian chromosomes by using the I-SceI system of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The mitochondrial intron-encoded endonuclease I-SceI of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has an 18-bp recognition sequence and, therefore, has a very low probability of cutting DNA, even within large genomes. We demonstrate that double-strand breaks can be initiated by the I-SceI endonuclease at a predetermined location in the mouse genome and that the breaks can be repaired with a donor molecule homologous regions flanking the breaks. This induced homologous recombination is approximately 2 orders of magnitude more frequent than spontaneous homologous recombination and at least 10 times more frequent than random integration near an active promoter. As a consequence of induced homologous recombination, a heterologous novel sequence can be inserted at the site of the break. This recombination can occur at a variety of chromosomal targets in differentiated and multipotential cells. These results demonstrate homologous recombination involving chromosomal DNA by the double-strand break repair mechanism in mammals and show the usefulness of very rare cutter endonucleases, such as I-SceI, for designing genome rearrangements.     

Cell cycle-dependent expression of centrosomal ninein-like protein in human cells is regulated by the anaphase-promoting complex

The recently identified centrosome protein Nlp (ninein-like protein) is a key regulator in centrosome maturation, which contributes to chromosome segregation and cytokinesis. However, the mechanism(s) controlling Nlp expression remains largely unknown. Here we have shown that Nlp expression is cell cycle-dependent with a peak at G(2)/M transition in human cells. Nlp is a short-lived protein and degraded by the proteasome via the anaphase-promoting cyclosome complex (APC/c) pathway. It interacts with the APC/c through the APC2 or Cdc27 subunits and is ubiquitinated. Following treatment with proteasome inhibitors, its protein level is elevated. Nlp binds in vivo to the degradation-targeting proteins Cdh1 and Cdc20, and overexpression of Cdh1 and Cdc20 enhances Nlp degradation. Using point mutations of the two putative degradation signals in Nlp, we have found that its degradation requires intact KEN-box and D-box. Interestingly, the Lys-Glu-Asn-D-box-mutated Nlp exhibits a much stronger capability of inducing anchorage-independent growth and multinuclearity compared with the wild type Nlp. Taken together, these findings indicate that Nlp expression is cell cycle-dependent and regulated by APC-mediated protein degradation.     

Cell cycle-dependent protein secretion by Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Synchronized Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell populations were used to examine secretion rates of a heterologous protein as a function of cell cycle position. The synchronization procedure had a profound effect on the type and quality of data obtained. When cell synchrony was induced by cell cycle-arresting drugs, a significant physiological perturbation of cells was observed that obscured representative secretion data. In contrast, synchronization with centrifugal elutriation resulted in synchronized first-generation daughter cells with undetectable perturbation of the physiological state. The synchronized cells did not secrete significant amounts of protein until they reached cell division, suggesting that the secretion process in these cells is strongly cell cycle dependent. However, the maximum secretion rate of the synchronized culture (7-14 molecules/cell/second) was significantly lower than that of an asynchronous culture (29-51 molecules/cell/second). This result indicates that young daughter cells isolated in the synchronization process exhibit different protein secretion behavior than older mother cells that are absent in the synchronized cell population but present in the asynchronous culture.     

Inhibition of homologous recombination by the PCNA-interacting protein PARI

Inappropriate homologous recombination (HR) causes genomic instability and cancer. In yeast, the UvrD family helicase Srs2 is recruited to sites of DNA replication by SUMO-modified PCNA, where it acts to restrict HR by disassembling toxic RAD51 nucleofilaments. How human cells control recombination at replication forks is unknown. Here, we report that the protein PARI, containing a UvrD-like helicase domain, is a PCNA-interacting partner required for preservation of genome stability in human and DT40 chicken cells. Using cell-based and biochemical assays, we show that PARI restricts unscheduled recombination by interfering with the formation of RAD51-DNA HR structures. Finally, we show that PARI knockdown suppresses the genomic instability of Fanconi Anemia/BRCA pathway-deficient cells. Thus, we propose that PARI is a long sought-after factor that suppresses inappropriate recombination events at mammalian replication forks.     

A tightly regulated inducible expression system utilizing the fim inversion recombination switch

The fim inversion system of Escherichia coli (E. coli) can behave as a unidirectional switch in an efficient manner. We have developed a new expression system for E. coli, comprising the arabinose-inducible fimE gene and the fim invertible DNA segment containing a constitutively active promoter. In this system, the target gene is cloned with the promoter in the OFF orientation, resulting in no transcribed product. When induced by arabinose, the active promoter is switched to the ON orientation via FimE-catalyzed DNA inversion, and the gene is expressed. Our expression system exhibited very tightly controlled basal expression and high induced expression, with simple induction by inexpensive arabinose. These characteristics make our system suitable for large-scale expression or for production of toxic proteins.     

Innovation by homologous recombination

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Cell cycle-dependent phosphorylation and ubiquitination of a G protein alpha subunit

A diverse array of external stimuli, including most hormones and neurotransmitters, bind to cell surface receptors that activate G proteins. Mating pheromones in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae activate G protein-coupled receptors and initiate events leading to cell cycle arrest in G(1) phase. Here, we show that the Gα subunit (Gpa1) is phosphorylated and ubiquitinated in response to changes in the cell cycle. We systematically screened 109 gene deletion strains representing the non-essential yeast kinome and identified a single kinase gene, ELM1, as necessary and sufficient for Gpa1 phosphorylation. Elm1 is expressed in a cell cycle-dependent manner, primarily at S and G(2)/M. Accordingly, phosphorylation of Gpa1 in G(2)/M phase leads to polyubiquitination in G(1) phase. These findings demonstrate that Gpa1 is dynamically regulated. More broadly, they reveal how G proteins can simultaneously regulate, and become regulated by, progression through the cell cycle.     

Cell cycle-dependent expression of mammalian E2-C regulated by the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome

Progression through mitosis requires the precisely timed ubiquitin-dependent degradation of specific substrates. E2-C is a ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme that plays a critical role with anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) in progression of and exit from M phase. Here we report that mammalian E2-C is expressed in late G(2)/M phase and is degraded as cells exit from M phase. The mammalian E2-C shows an autoubiquitinating activity leading to covalent conjugation to itself with several ubiquitins. The ubiquitination of E2-C is strongly enhanced by APC/C, resulting in the formation of a polyubiquitin chain. The polyubiquitination of mammalian E2-C occurs only when cells exit from M phase. Furthermore, mammalian E2-C contains two putative destruction boxes that are believed to act as recognition motifs for APC/C. The mutation of this motif reduced the polyubiquitination of mammalian E2-C, resulting in its stabilization. These results suggest that mammalian E2-C is itself a substrate of the APC/C-dependent proteolysis machinery, and that the periodic expression of mammalian E2-C may be a novel autoregulatory system for the control of the APC/C activity and its substrate specificity.     

Cell-cell fusion induced by the avian reovirus membrane fusion protein is regulated by protein degradation

The p10 fusion-associated small transmembrane protein of avian reovirus induces extensive syncytium formation in transfected cells. Here we show that p10-induced cell-cell fusion is restricted by rapid degradation of the majority of newly synthesized p10. The small ectodomain of p10 targets the protein for degradation following p10 insertion into an early membrane compartment. Paradoxically, conservative amino acid substitutions in the p10 ectodomain hydrophobic patch that eliminate fusion activity also increase p10 stability. The small amount of p10 that escapes intracellular degradation accumulates at the cell surface in a relatively stable form, where it mediates cell-cell fusion as a late-stage event in the virus replication cycle. The unusual relationship between a nonstructural viral membrane fusion protein and the replication cycle of a nonenveloped virus has apparently contributed to the evolution of a novel mechanism for restricting the extent of virus-induced cell-cell fusion.     

Structural basis for inhibition of homologous recombination by the RecX protein

The RecA/RAD51 nucleoprotein filament is central to the reaction of homologous recombination (HR). Filament activity must be tightly regulated in vivo as unrestrained HR can cause genomic instability. Our mechanistic understanding of HR is restricted by lack of structural information about the regulatory proteins that control filament activity. Here, we describe a structural and functional analysis of the HR inhibitor protein RecX and its mode of interaction with the RecA filament. RecX is a modular protein assembled of repeated three-helix motifs. The relative arrangement of the repeats generates an elongated and curved shape that is well suited for binding within the helical groove of the RecA filament. Structure-based mutagenesis confirms that conserved basic residues on the concave side of RecX are important for repression of RecA activity. Analysis of RecA filament dynamics in the presence of RecX shows that RecX actively promotes filament disassembly. Collectively, our data support a model in which RecX binding to the helical groove of the filament causes local dissociation of RecA protomers, leading to filament destabilisation and HR inhibition.     

Importin alpha/beta-mediated nuclear protein import is regulated in a cell cycle-dependent manner

Functional nuclear proteins are selectively imported into the nucleus by transport factors such as importins alpha and beta. The relationship between the efficiency of nuclear protein import and the cell cycle was measured using specific import substrates for the importin alpha/beta-mediated pathway. After the microinjection of SV40 T antigen nuclear localization signal (NLS)-containing substrates into the cytoplasm of synchronized culture cells at a certain phase of the cell cycle, the nuclear import of the substrates was measured kinetically. Cell cycle-dependent change in import efficiency, but not capacity, was found. That is, import efficiency was found low in the early S, G2/M, and M/G1 phases compared with other phases. In addition, we found that the extent of co-imunoprecipitation of importin alpha with importin beta from cell extracts was strongly associated with import efficiency. These results indicate that the importin alpha/beta-mediated nuclear import machinery is regulated in a cell cycle-dependent manner through the modulation of interaction modes between importins alpha and beta.     

Suppression of homologous and homeologous recombination by the bacterial MutS2 protein

In addition to their role in DNA repair, recombination events are associated with processes aimed at providing the genetic variability needed for adaptation and evolution of a population. In bacteria, recombination is involved in the appearance of new variants by allowing the incorporation of exogenous DNA or the reshuffling of endogenous sequences. Here we show that HpMutS2, a protein belonging to the MutS2 family in Helicobacter pylori, is not involved in mismatch repair but inhibits homologous and homeologous recombination. Disruption of HpmutS2 leads to an increased efficiency of exogenous DNA incorporation. HpMutS2 has a selective affinity for DNA structures mimicking recombination intermediates with no specificity for homoduplex DNA or mismatches. The purified protein has an ATPase activity stimulated by the same DNA structures. Finally, we show that HpMutS2 inhibits DNA strand exchange reactions in vitro. Thus, MutS2 proteins are candidates for controlling recombination and therefore genetic diversity in bacteria.     

Cell cycle-dependent control of polarised development by a cyclin-dependent kinase-like protein in the Fucus zygote.

Although iterative development can be uncoupled from morphogenesis in plant organs, the relationship between the cell cycle and developmental events is not well established in embryos. Zygotes of fucoid algae, including Fucus and Pelvetia are particularly well suited for studying the interaction(s) between cell cycle progression and the early morphogenetic events, as the establishment of polarity and its morphogenetic expression, i.e. germination, and the first cell cycle are concomitant. We have previously demonstrated that, in Fucus zygotes, various aspects of cell cycle progression are tightly controlled by cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)-like proteins, including two PSTAIRE CDK-like proteins, p34 and p32, which are synthesised after fertilisation. We show that specific inhibition of CDK-like proteins, either with purine derivatives such as olomoucine and amino-purvalanol or by microinjection of the CDK inhibitor p21(cip1), prevents germination and cell division. Whereas direct inhibition of DNA replication by aphidicolin did not affect polarised development, olomoucine, which has previously been shown to prevent entry in S phase, and other purine derivatives also inhibited photopolarisation. Early microinjection of a monoclonal anti-PSTAIRE antibody also prevented germination and cell division. Only p34 had affinity for amino-purvalanol, suggesting that among PSTAIRE CDKs, this protein is the main target of purine derivatives. Models to account for the simultaneous control of early cell cycle progression and polarisation are proposed.     

Plant genome modification by homologous recombination

The mechanisms and frequencies of various types of homologous recombination (HR) have been studied in plants for several years. However, the application of techniques involving HR for precise genome modification is still not routine. The low frequency of HR remains the major obstacle but recent progress in gene targeting in Arabidopsis and rice, as well as accumulating knowledge on the regulation of recombination levels, is an encouraging sign of the further development of HR-based approaches for genome engineering in plants.     

Cell cycle-dependent regulation of mammalian ribonucleotide reductase. The S phase-correlated increase in subunit M2 is regulated by de novo protein synthesis

Ribonucleotide reductase in mammalian cells is composed of two nonidentical subunits, proteins M1 and M2. Protein M2 contains a tyrosyl free radical, essential for activity, which can be quantified directly in frozen, packed cells by EPR spectroscopy. A 3-7-fold increase in the concentration of tyrosyl radical-containing M2 subunit was observed when mouse mammary tumor TA 3 cells passed from the G1 to the S phase of the cell cycle. Similar results were obtained with cells synchronized by isoleucine starvation or separated by centrifugal elutriation. Addition of deuterated tyrosine to cells give rise to a different EPR signal in newly synthesized protein M2. Pulse-chase experiments with deuterated tyrosine showed unequivocally that the S phase-correlated increase in radical-containing M2 subunit was due to de novo protein synthesis. Labeled M2 molecules disappeared with a half-life of 3 h, and therefore new molecules must be synthesized at a high rate during the S phase. In contrast, after hydroxyurea inactivation, cells rapidly regenerated the tyrosyl radical in already existing protein M2 molecules. This enzyme activation mechanism is clearly different from the one responsible for regulating protein M2 activity during the cell cycle.