Mdm2 Promotes Myogenesis through the Ubiquitination and Degradation of CCAAT/Enhancer-binding Protein β

Myogenesis is a tightly regulated differentiation process during which precursor cells express in a coordinated fashion the myogenic regulatory factors, while down-regulating the satellite cell marker Pax7. CCAAT/Enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ) is also expressed in satellite cells and acts to maintain the undifferentiated state by stimulating Pax7 expression and by triggering a decrease in MyoD protein expression. Herein, we show that C/EBPβ protein is rapidly down-regulated upon induction of myogenesis and this is not due to changes in Cebpb mRNA expression. Rather, loss of C/EBPβ protein is accompanied by an increase in Mdm2 expression, an E3 ubiquitin ligase. We demonstrate that Mdm2 interacts with, ubiquitinates and targets C/EBPβ for degradation by the 26 S proteasome, leading to increased MyoD expression. Knockdown of Mdm2 expression in myoblasts using a shRNA resulted in high C/EBPβ levels and a blockade of myogenesis, indicating that Mdm2 is necessary for myogenic differentiation. Primary myoblasts expressing the shMdm2 construct were unable to contribute to muscle regeneration when grafted into cardiotoxin-injured muscle. The differentiation defect imposed by loss of Mdm2 could be partially rescued by loss of C/EBPβ, suggesting that the regulation of C/EBPβ turnover is a major role for Mdm2 in myoblasts. Taken together, we provide evidence that Mdm2 regulates entry into myogenesis by targeting C/EBPβ for degradation by the 26 S proteasome.     

RWD Domain as an E2 (Ubc9)-Interaction Module

An RWD domain is a well conserved domain found through bioinformatic analysis of the human proteome sequence; however, its function has been unknown. Ubiquitin-like modifications require the catalysis of three enzymes generally known as E1, E2, and E3. We solved the crystal structure of the E2 for the small ubiquitin-like modifiers (SUMO) in complex with an RWD domain and confirmed the structure using solution NMR analysis. The binding surface of RWD on Ubc9 is located near the N terminus of Ubc9 that is known to be involved in noncovalent binding of the proteins in the conjugation machinery, including a domain of E1, SUMO, and an E3 ligase. NMR data indicate that the RWD domain does not bind to SUMO and E1. The interaction between RWD and Ubc9 has a K_d of 32 ± 4 μm. Consistent with the structure and binding affinity and in contrast to a previous report, the RWD domain and RWDD3 have minimal effects on global SUMOylation. The structural and biochemical information presented here forms the basis for further investigation of the functions of RWD-containing proteins.     

Arrestin‐Domain Containing Protein 1 (Arrdc1) Regulates the Protein Cargo and Release of Extracellular Vesicles

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid‐bilayered vesicles that are released by multiple cell types and contain nucleic acids and proteins. Very little is known about how the cargo is packaged into EVs. Ubiquitination of proteins is a key posttranslational modification that regulates protein stability and trafficking to subcellular compartments including EVs. Recently, arrestin‐domain containing protein 1 (Arrdc1), an adaptor for the Nedd4 family of ubiquitin ligases, has been implicated in the release of ectosomes, a subtype of EV that buds from the plasma membrane. However, it is currently unknown whether Arrdc1 can regulate the release of exosomes, a class of EVs that are derived endocytically. Furthermore, it is unclear whether Arrdc1 can regulate the sorting of protein cargo into the EVs. Exosomes and ectosomes are isolated from mouse embryonic fibroblasts isolated from wild type and Arrdc1‐deficient (Arrdc1^?/?) mice. Nanoparticle tracking analysis–based EV quantitation shows that Arrdc1 regulates the release of both exosomes and ectosomes. Proteomic analysis highlights the change in protein cargo in EVs upon deletion of Arrdc1. Functional enrichment analysis reveals the enrichment of mitochondrial proteins in ectosomes, while proteins implicated in apoptotic cleavage of cell adhesion proteins and formation of cornified envelope are significantly depleted in exosomes upon knockout of Arrdc1.     

Src Homology 2 Domain Containing Protein 5 (SH2D5) Binds the Breakpoint Cluster Region Protein,BCR, and Regulates Levels of Rac1-GTP

SH2D5 is a mammalian-specific, uncharacterized adaptor-like protein that contains an N-terminal phosphotyrosine-binding domain and a C-terminal Src homology 2 (SH2) domain. We show that SH2D5 is highly enriched in adult mouse brain, particularly in Purkinjie cells in the cerebellum and the cornu ammonis of the hippocampus. Despite harboring two potential phosphotyrosine (Tyr(P)) recognition domains, SH2D5 binds minimally to Tyr(P) ligands, consistent with the absence of a conserved Tyr(P)-binding arginine residue in the SH2 domain. Immunoprecipitation coupled to mass spectrometry (IP-MS) from cultured cells revealed a prominent association of SH2D5 with breakpoint cluster region protein, a RacGAP that is also highly expressed in brain. This interaction occurred between the phosphotyrosine-binding domain of SH2D5 and an NxxF motif located within the N-terminal region of the breakpoint cluster region. siRNA-mediated depletion of SH2D5 in a neuroblastoma cell line, B35, induced a cell rounding phenotype correlated with low levels of activated Rac1-GTP, suggesting that SH2D5 affects Rac1-GTP levels. Taken together, our data provide the first characterization of the SH2D5 signaling protein.     

转录因子E2F1抑制CREG表达调控体外培养的人血管平滑肌细胞分化

为探讨转录因子E2F1在血管平滑肌细胞(vascular smooth muscle cells,VSMCs)表型转化中的作用及其对E1A激活基因阻遏子(cellular repressor of E1A-stimulated genes,CREG)表达调控的分子机制,应用生物信息学方法,定位人CREG(hCREG)基因启动子并确定转录因子E2F1在hCREG启动子区的结合位点,PCR方法克隆并构建hCREG基因启动子绿色荧光报告基因载体,以hCREG启动子区E2F1结合位点为模板,化学合成E2F1寡聚脱氧核苷酸(ODN)和错配E2F1ODN,利用转录因子"诱骗(Decoy)"策略,用E2F1ODN转染体外培养的VSMCs以阻断E2F1与hCREG基因启动子区的结合,蛋白质印迹(Western blot)分析检测阻断前后细胞内hCREG蛋白、报告基因绿色荧光蛋白(green fluorescent protein,GFP)和平滑肌细胞分化标志蛋白SMα-actin表达变化.结果显示:分化表型HITASY细胞中E2F1表达下调伴出核转位,而增殖表型的HITASY细胞中E2F1蛋白表达明显增加且定位于核内.进一步应用FuGene6瞬时转染E2F1ODN和错配E2F1ODN于体外培养HITASY细胞中,蛋白质印迹分析发现,转染E2F1ODN后,HITASY细胞中hCREG、SMα-actin和GFP表达均较未阻断组及错配组细胞明显增加.上述研究结果证实,E2F1是hCREG基因转录的重要调控因子,能够直接结合于hCREG启动子区阻遏hCREG表达,参与hCREG蛋白对VSMCs表型转化的调控作用.     

The Non-canonical Tetratricopeptide Repeat (TPR) Domain of Fluorescent (FLU) Mediates Complex Formation with Glutamyl-tRNA Reductase

The tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR)-containing protein FLU is a negative regulator of chlorophyll biosynthesis in plants. It directly interacts through its TPR domain with glutamyl-tRNA reductase (GluTR), the rate-limiting enzyme in the formation of δ-aminolevulinic acid (ALA). Delineation of how FLU binds to GluTR is important for understanding the molecular basis for FLU-mediated repression of synthesis of ALA, the universal tetrapyrrole precursor. Here, we characterize the FLU-GluTR interaction by solving the crystal structures of the uncomplexed TPR domain of FLU (FLU^TPR) at 1.45-Å resolution and the complex of the dimeric domain of GluTR bound to FLU^TPR at 2.4-Å resolution. Three non-canonical TPR motifs of each FLU^TPR form a concave surface and clamp the helix bundle in the C-terminal dimeric domain of GluTR. We demonstrate that a 2:2 FLU^TPR-GluTR complex is the functional unit for FLU-mediated GluTR regulation and suggest that the formation of the FLU-GluTR complex prevents glutamyl-tRNA, the GluTR substrate, from binding with this enzyme. These results also provide insights into the spatial regulation of ALA synthesis by the membrane-located FLU protein.     

Protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor-type O (PTPRO) is co-regulated by E2F1 and miR-17-92

PTPRO is often silenced by DNA hypermethylation in primary human tumors and cancer cell lines and functions as a tumor suppressor. Here we show that PTPRO is a target of E2F1. In addition, the microRNA cluster miR-17-92, another target of E2F1, participates in PTPRO regulation. PTPRO mRNA was up-regulated during S phase in synchronized HeLa cells and in vitro PTPRO promoter activity is high in early S phase while the PTPRO 3'UTR reporter activity is low in late S phase. This study provides evidence that the PTPRO gene is co-regulated by both E2F1 and miR-17-92.