Determinants of small ubiquitin-like modifier 1 (SUMO1) protein specificity, E3 ligase, and SUMO-RanGAP1 binding activities of nucleoporin RanBP2

The RanBP2 nucleoporin contains an internal repeat domain (IR1-M-IR2) that catalyzes E3 ligase activity and forms a stable complex with SUMO-modified RanGAP1 and UBC9 at the nuclear pore complex. RanBP2 exhibits specificity for SUMO1 as RanGAP1-SUMO1/UBC9 forms a more stable complex with RanBP2 compared with RanGAP1-SUMO2 that results in greater protection of RanGAP-SUMO1 from proteases. The IR1-M-IR2 SUMO E3 ligase activity also shows a similar preference for SUMO1. We utilized deletions and domain swap constructs in protease protection assays and automodification assays to define RanBP2 domains responsible for RanGAP1-SUMO1 protection and SUMO1-specific E3 ligase activity. Our data suggest that elements in both IR1 and IR2 exhibit specificity for SUMO1. IR1 protects RanGAP1-SUMO1/UBC9 and functions as the primary E3 ligase of RanBP2, whereas IR2 retains the ability to interact with SUMO1 to promote SUMO1-specific E3 ligase activity. To determine the structural basis for SUMO1 specificity, a hybrid IR1 construct and IR1 were used to determine three new structures for complexes containing UBC9 with RanGAP1-SUMO1/2. These structures show more extensive contacts among SUMO, UBC9, and RanBP2 in complexes containing SUMO1 compared with SUMO2 and suggest that differences in SUMO specificity may be achieved through these subtle conformational differences.     

Role of receptor-attached phosphates in binding of visual and non-visual arrestins to G protein-coupled receptors

Arrestins are a small family of proteins that regulate G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Arrestins specifically bind to phosphorylated active receptors, terminating G protein coupling, targeting receptors to endocytic vesicles, and initiating G protein-independent signaling. The interaction of rhodopsin-attached phosphates with Lys-14 and Lys-15 in β-strand I was shown to disrupt the interaction of α-helix I, β-strand I, and the C-tail of visual arrestin-1, facilitating its transition into an active receptor-binding state. Here we tested the role of conserved lysines in homologous positions of non-visual arrestins by generating K2A mutants in which both lysines were replaced with alanines. K2A mutations in arrestin-1, -2, and -3 significantly reduced their binding to active phosphorhodopsin in vitro. The interaction of arrestins with several GPCRs in intact cells was monitored by a bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET)-based assay. BRET data confirmed the role of Lys-14 and Lys-15 in arrestin-1 binding to non-cognate receptors. However, this was not the case for non-visual arrestins in which the K2A mutations had little effect on net BRET(max) values for the M2 muscarinic acetylcholine (M2R), β(2)-adrenergic (β(2)AR), or D2 dopamine receptors. Moreover, a phosphorylation-deficient mutant of M2R interacted with wild type non-visual arrestins normally, whereas phosphorylation-deficient β(2)AR mutants bound arrestins at 20-50% of the level of wild type β(2)AR. Thus, the contribution of receptor-attached phosphates to arrestin binding varies depending on the receptor-arrestin pair. Although arrestin-1 always depends on receptor phosphorylation, its role in the recruitment of arrestin-2 and -3 is much greater in the case of β(2)AR than M2R and D2 dopamine receptor.     

Identification of Serine 348 on the Apelin Receptor as a Novel Regulatory Phosphorylation Site in Apelin-13-induced G Protein-independent Biased Signaling

Phosphorylation plays vital roles in the regulation of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) functions. The apelin and apelin receptor (APJ) system is involved in the regulation of cardiovascular function and central control of body homeostasis. Here, using tandem mass spectrometry, we first identified phosphorylated serine residues in the C terminus of APJ. To determine the role of phosphorylation sites in APJ-mediated G protein-dependent and -independent signaling and function, we induced a mutation in the C-terminal serine residues and examined their effects on the interaction between APJ with G protein or GRK/β-arrestin and their downstream signaling. Mutation of serine 348 led to an elimination of both GRK and β-arrestin recruitment to APJ induced by apelin-13. Moreover, APJ internalization and G protein-independent ERK signaling were also abolished by point mutation at serine 348. In contrast, this mutant at serine residues had no demonstrable impact on apelin-13-induced G protein activation and its intracellular signaling. These findings suggest that mutation of serine 348 resulted in inactive GRK/β-arrestin. However, there was no change in the active G protein thus, APJ conformation was biased. These results provide important information on the molecular interplay and impact of the APJ function, which may be extrapolated to design novel drugs for cardiac hypertrophy based on this biased signal pathway.     

Phosphorylation of a PDZ domain extension modulates binding affinity and interdomain interactions in postsynaptic density-95 (PSD-95) protein, a membrane-associated guanylate kinase (MAGUK)

Postsynaptic density-95 is a multidomain scaffolding protein that recruits glutamate receptors to postsynaptic sites and facilitates signal processing and connection to the cytoskeleton. It is the leading member of the membrane-associated guanylate kinase family of proteins, which are defined by the PSD-95/Discs large/ZO-1 (PDZ)-Src homology 3 (SH3)-guanylate kinase domain sequence. We used NMR to show that phosphorylation of conserved tyrosine 397, which occurs in vivo and is located in an atypical helical extension (α3), initiates a rapid equilibrium of docked and undocked conformations. Undocking reduced ligand binding affinity allosterically and weakened the interaction of PDZ3 with SH3 even though these domains are separated by a ~25-residue linker. Additional phosphorylation at two linker sites further disrupted the interaction, implicating α3 and the linker in tuning interdomain communication. These experiments revealed a novel mode of regulation by a detachable PDZ element and offer a first glimpse at the dynamic interaction of PDZ and SH3-guanylate kinase domains in membrane-associated guanylate kinases.     

Cdh1, a Substrate-recruiting Component of Anaphase-promoting Complex/Cyclosome (APC/C) Ubiquitin E3 Ligase,Specifically Interacts with Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog (PTEN) and Promotes Its Removal from Chromatin

A pool of PTEN localizes to the nucleus. However, the exact mechanism by which nuclear PTEN is regulated remains unclear. We have recently reported that Plk1 specifically phosphorylates PTEN on Ser-380 during mitosis. Here we report that PTEN also localized to chromatin and that chromatin PTEN was removed by a proteasome-dependent process during mitotic exit. Pulldown analysis revealed that Cdh1, but not Cdc20, was significantly associated with PTEN. Cdh1 interacted with PTEN via two separate domains, and their interaction was enhanced by MG132, a proteasome inhibitor. Cdh1 negatively controlled the stability of chromatin PTEN by polyubiquitination. Phosphorylation of PTEN on Ser-380 impaired its interaction with Cdh1, thus positively regulating PTEN stability on chromatin. Significantly, the PTEN interaction with Cdh1 was phosphatase-independent, and Cdh1 knockdown via RNAi led to significant accumulation of chromatin PTEN, delaying mitotic exit. Combined, our studies identify Cdh1 as an important regulator of nuclear/chromatin PTEN during mitosis.     

Coordinated Movements of Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factors eIF1, eIF1A,and eIF5 Trigger Phosphate Release from eIF2 in Response to Start Codon Recognition by the Ribosomal Preinitiation Complex

Accurate recognition of the start codon in an mRNA by the eukaryotic translation preinitiation complex (PIC) is essential for proper gene expression. The process is mediated by eukaryotic translation initiation factors (eIFs) in conjunction with the 40 S ribosomal subunit and (initiator) tRNA_i. Here, we provide evidence that the C-terminal tail (CTT) of eIF1A, which we previously implicated in start codon recognition, moves closer to the N-terminal domain of eIF5 when the PIC encounters an AUG codon. Importantly, this movement is coupled to dissociation of eIF1 from the PIC, a critical event in start codon recognition, and is dependent on the scanning enhancer elements in the eIF1A CTT. The data further indicate that eIF1 dissociation must be accompanied by the movement of the eIF1A CTT toward eIF5 in order to trigger release of phosphate from eIF2, which converts the latter to its GDP-bound state. Our results also suggest that release of eIF1 from the PIC and movement of the CTT of eIF1A are triggered by the same event, most likely accommodation of tRNA_i in the P site of the 40 S subunit driven by base pairing between the start codon in the mRNA and the anticodon in tRNA_i. Finally, we show that the C-terminal domain of eIF5 is responsible for the factor''s activity in antagonizing eIF1 binding to the PIC. Together, our data provide a more complete picture of the chain of molecular events that is triggered when the scanning PIC encounters an AUG start codon in the mRNA.     

Electrostatic Interactions in the Binding Pathway of a Transient Protein Complex Studied by NMR and Isothermal Titration Calorimetry

Much of our knowledge of protein binding pathways is derived from extremely stable complexes that interact very tightly, with lifetimes of hours to days. Much less is known about weaker interactions and transient complexes because these are challenging to characterize experimentally. Nevertheless, these types of interactions are ubiquitous in living systems. The combination of NMR relaxation dispersion Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill (CPMG) experiments and isothermal titration calorimetry allows the quantification of rapid binding kinetics for complexes with submillisecond lifetimes that are difficult to study using conventional techniques. We have used this approach to investigate the binding pathway of the Src homology 3 (SH3) domain from the Fyn tyrosine kinase, which forms complexes with peptide targets whose lifetimes are on the order of about a millisecond. Long range electrostatic interactions have been shown to play a critical role in the binding pathways of tightly binding complexes. The role of electrostatics in the binding pathways of transient complexes is less well understood. Similarly to previously studied tight complexes, we find that SH3 domain association rates are enhanced by long range electrostatics, whereas short range interactions are formed late in the docking process. However, the extent of electrostatic association rate enhancement is several orders of magnitudes less, whereas the electrostatic-free basal association rate is significantly greater. Thus, the SH3 domain is far less reliant on electrostatic enhancement to achieve rapid association kinetics than are previously studied systems. This suggests that there may be overall differences in the role played by electrostatics in the binding pathways of extremely stable versus transient complexes.     

Complementary biophysical tools to investigate lipid specificity in the interaction between bioactive molecules and the plasma membrane: A review

Plasma membranes are complex entities common to all living cells. The basic principle of their organization appears very simple, but they are actually of high complexity and represent very dynamic structures. The interactions between bioactive molecules and lipids are important for numerous processes, from drug bioavailability to viral fusion. The cell membrane is a carefully balanced environment and any change inflicted upon its structure by a bioactive molecule must be considered in conjunction with the overall effect that this may have on the function and integrity of the membrane. Conceptually, understanding the molecular mechanisms by which bioactive molecules interact with cell membranes is of fundamental importance.