Sumo-dependent substrate targeting of the SUMO protease Ulp1

Background

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the essential small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) protease Ulp1 is responsible for both removing SUMO/Smt3 from specific target proteins and for processing precursor SUMO into its conjugation-competent form. Ulp1 localizes predominantly to nuclear pore complexes but has also been shown to deconjugate sumoylated septins at the bud-neck of dividing cells. How Ulp1 is directed to bud-neck localized septins and other cytoplasmic deconjugation targets is not well understood.

Results

Using a structure/function approach, we set out to elucidate features of Ulp1 that are required for substrate targeting. To aid our studies, we took advantage of a catalytically inactive mutant of Ulp1 that is greatly enriched at the septin ring of dividing yeast cells. We found that the localization of Ulp1 to the septins requires both SUMO and specific structural features of Ulp1's catalytic domain. Our analysis identified a 218-amino acid, substrate-trapping mutant of the catalytic domain of Ulp1, Ulp1(3)^(C580S), that is necessary and sufficient for septin localization. We also used the targeting and SUMO-binding properties of Ulp1(3)^(C580S) to purify Smt3-modified proteins from cell extracts.

Conclusions

Our study provides novel insights into how the Ulp1 SUMO protease is actively targeted to its substrates in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, we found that a substrate-trapping Ulp1(3)^(C580S) interacts robustly with human SUMO1, SUMO2 and SUMO2 chains, making it a potentially useful tool for the analysis and purification of SUMO-modified proteins.     

Drosophila Ulp1, a nuclear pore-associated SUMO protease, prevents accumulation of cytoplasmic SUMO conjugates

SUMO is a small ubiquitin-like protein that becomes covalently conjugated to a variety of target proteins, the large majority of which are found in the nucleus. Ulp1 is a member of a family of proteases that control SUMO function positively, by catalyzing the proteolytic processing of SUMO to its mature form, and negatively, by catalyzing SUMO deconjugation. In Drosophila S2 cells, depletion of Ulp1 by RNA interference results in a dramatic change in the overall spectrum of SUMO conjugates, indicating that SUMO deconjugation is substrate-specific and plays a critical role in determining the steady state targets of SUMO conjugation. Ulp1 normally serves to prevent the accumulation of SUMO-conjugated forms of a number of proteins, including the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase EPRS. In the presence of Ulp1, most SUMO conjugates reside in the nucleus. However, in its absence, SUMO-conjugated EPRS accumulates in the cytoplasm, contributing to an overall shift of SUMO from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. The ability of Ulp1 to restrict SUMO conjugates to the nucleus is independent of its role as a SUMO-processing enzyme because Ulp1-dependent nuclear localization of SUMO is even observed when SUMO is expressed in a preprocessed form. Studies of a Ulp1-GFP fusion protein suggest that Ulp1 localizes to the nucleoplasmic face of the nuclear pore complex. We hypothesize that, as a component of the nuclear pore complex, Ulp1 may prevent proteins from leaving the nucleus with SUMO still attached.     

A basis for SUMO protease specificity provided by analysis of human Senp2 and a Senp2-SUMO complex

Modification of cellular proteins by the ubiquitin-like protein SUMO is essential for nuclear metabolism and cell cycle progression in yeast. X-ray structures of the human Senp2 catalytic protease domain and of a covalent thiohemiacetal transition-state complex obtained between the Senp2 catalytic domain and SUMO-1 revealed details of the respective protease and substrate surfaces utilized in interactions between these two proteins. Comparative biochemical and structural analysis between Senp2 and the yeast SUMO protease Ulp1 revealed differential abilities to process SUMO-1, SUMO-2, and SUMO-3 in maturation and deconjugation reactions. Further biochemical characterization of the three SUMO isoforms into which an additional Gly-Gly di-peptide was inserted, or whereby the respective SUMO tails from the three isoforms were swapped, suggests a strict dependence for SUMO isopeptidase activity on residues C-terminal to the conserved Gly-Gly motif and preferred cleavage site for SUMO proteases.     

Modification in reverse: the SUMO proteases

SUMOs (small ubiquitin-like modifiers) are ubiquitin-related proteins that become covalently conjugated to cellular target proteins that are involved in a variety of processes. Frequently, this modification has a key role in regulating the activities of those targets and, thus, their cellular functions. SUMO conjugation is a highly dynamic process that can be rapidly reversed by the action of members of the Ubl (ubiquitin-like protein)-specific protease (Ulp) family. The same family of enzymes is also responsible for maturation of newly synthesized SUMOs prior to their initial conjugation. Recent advances in structural, biochemical and cell biological analysis of Ulp/SENPs reveal their high degree of specificity towards SUMO paralogs, in addition to discrimination between processing, deconjugation and chain-editing reactions. The dissimilar sub-nuclear localization patterns of Ulp/SENPs and phenotypes of Ulp/SENP mutants further indicate that different Ulp/SENPs have distinct and non-redundant roles.     

In Vitro Studies Reveal a Sequential Mode of Chain Processing by the Yeast SUMO (Small Ubiquitin-related Modifier)-specific Protease Ulp2

Sumoylation is a post-translational modification essential in most eukaryotes that regulates stability, localization, activity, or interaction of a multitude of proteins. It is a reversible process wherein counteracting ligases and proteases, respectively, mediate the conjugation and deconjugation of SUMO molecules to/from target proteins. Apart from attachment of single SUMO moieties to targets, formation of poly-SUMO chains occurs by the attachment of additional SUMO molecules to lysine residues in the N-terminal extensions of SUMO. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae there are apparently only two SUMO(Smt3)-specific proteases: Ulp1 and Ulp2. Ulp2 has been shown to be important for the control of poly-SUMO conjugates in cells and to dismantle SUMO chains in vitro, but the mechanism by which it acts remains to be elucidated. Applying an in vitro approach, we found that Ulp2 acts sequentially rather than stochastically, processing substrate-linked poly-SUMO chains from their distal ends down to two linked SUMO moieties. Furthermore, three linked SUMO units turned out to be the minimum length of a substrate-linked chain required for efficient binding to and processing by Ulp2. Our data suggest that Ulp2 disassembles SUMO chains by removing one SUMO moiety at a time from their ends (exo mechanism). Apparently, Ulp2 recognizes surfaces at or near the N terminus of the distal SUMO moiety, as attachments to this end significantly reduce cleavage efficiency. Our studies suggest that Ulp2 controls the dynamic range of SUMO chain lengths by trimming them from the distal ends.     

SUMO conjugation and deconjugation

Ligation of the ubiquitin-like protein SUMO (Smt3p) to other proteins is essential for viability of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Like ubiquitin (Ub), SUMO undergoes ATP-dependent activation by a specific activating enzyme. SUMO-activating enzyme is a heterodimer composed of Uba2p and Aos1p, polypeptides with sequence similarities, respectively, to the C- and N-terminal parts of Ub-activating enzyme. To study the function of SUMO conjugation, we isolated uba2 mutants that were temperature-sensitive for growth. In these mutants conjugation of SUMO to other proteins was drastically reduced, even at the temperature permissive for growth. In a screen for spontaneous suppressors of the temperature-sensitive growth phenotype of the mutant uba2-ts9, we isolated a strain with a null mutation (sut9) in a gene of hitherto unknown function (SUT9/YIL031W/SMT4). This gene encodes a protein with similarities to Ulp1p, a dual-function protease that processes the SUMO precursor and deconjugates SUMO from its substrates. The novel protein was therefore termed Ulp2p. Inactivation of ULP2 in a strain expressing wild-type SUMO-activating enzyme resulted in slow and temperature-sensitive growth, and accumulation of SUMO conjugates. Thus, mutations in SUMO-activating enzyme and mutations in Ulp2p suppress each other, indicating that SUMO conjugation and deconjugation must be in balance for cells to grow normally. Other phenotypes of ulp2 mutants include a defect in cell cycle progression, hypersensitivity to DNA damage, and chromosome mis-segregation. Ulp2p is predominantly located within the nucleus, whereas Ulp1p colocalizes with nuclear pore complex proteins, indicating that the apparently distinct functions of the two SUMO deconjugating enzymes are spatially separated. Received: 1 March 2000 / Accepted: 22 March 2000     

Structural basis for SENP2 protease interactions with SUMO precursors and conjugated substrates

SUMO processing and deconjugation are essential proteolytic activities for nuclear metabolism and cell-cycle progression in yeast and higher eukaryotes. To elucidate the mechanisms used during substrate lysine deconjugation, SUMO isoform processing and SUMO isoform interactions, X-ray structures were determined for a catalytically inert SENP2 protease domain in complex with conjugated RanGAP1-SUMO-1 or RanGAP1-SUMO-2, or in complex with SUMO-2 or SUMO-3 precursors. Common features within the active site include a 90 degrees kink proximal to the scissile bond that forces C-terminal amino acid residues or the lysine side chain toward a protease surface that appears optimized for lysine deconjugation. Analysis of this surface reveals SENP2 residues, particularly Met497, that mediate, and in some instances reverse, in vitro substrate specificity. Mutational analysis and biochemistry provide a mechanism for SENP2 substrate preferences that explains why SENP2 catalyzes SUMO deconjugation more efficiently than processing.     

Nucleolar protein B23/nucleophosmin regulates the vertebrate SUMO pathway through SENP3 and SENP5 proteases

Ubiquitin-like protein/sentrin-specific proteases (Ulp/SENPs) mediate both processing and deconjugation of small ubiquitin-like modifier proteins (SUMOs). Here, we show that Ulp/SENP family members SENP3 and SENP5 localize within the granular component of the nucleolus, a subnucleolar compartment that contains B23/nucleophosmin. B23/nucleophosmin is an abundant shuttling phosphoprotein, which plays important roles in ribosome biogenesis and which has been strongly implicated in hematopoietic malignancies. Moreover, we found that B23/nucleophosmin binds SENP3 and SENP5 in Xenopus laevis egg extracts and that it is essential for stable accumulation of SENP3 and SENP5 in mammalian tissue culture cells. After either codepletion of SENP3 and SENP5 or depletion of B23/nucleophosmin, we observed accumulation of SUMO proteins within nucleoli. Finally, depletion of these Ulp/SENPs causes defects in ribosome biogenesis reminiscent of phenotypes observed in the absence of B23/nucleophosmin. Together, these results suggest that regulation of SUMO deconjugation may be a major facet of B23/nucleophosmin function in vivo.     

The Ulp1 SUMO isopeptidase: distinct domains required for viability,nuclear envelope localization,and substrate specificity

Protein modification by the ubiquitin-like SUMO protein contributes to many cellular regulatory mechanisms. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, both sumoylating and desumoylating activities are essential for viability. Of its two known desumoylating enzymes, Ubl-specific protease (Ulp)1 and Ulp2/Smt4, Ulp1 is specifically required for cell cycle progression. A approximately 200-residue segment, the Ulp domain (UD), is conserved among Ulps and includes a core cysteine protease domain that is even more widespread. Here we demonstrate that the Ulp1 UD by itself can support wild-type growth rates and in vitro can cleave SUMO from substrates. However, in cells expressing only the UD of Ulp1, many SUMO conjugates accumulate to high levels, indicating that the nonessential Ulp1 NH2-terminal domain is important for activity against a substantial fraction of sumoylated targets. The NH2-terminal domain also includes sequences necessary and sufficient to concentrate Ulp1 at nuclear envelope sites. Remarkably, NH2-terminally deleted Ulp1 variants are able, unlike full-length Ulp1, to suppress defects of cells lacking the divergent Ulp2 isopeptidase. Thus, the NH2-terminal regulatory domain of Ulp1 restricts Ulp1 activity toward certain sumoylated proteins while enabling the cleavage of others. These data define key functional elements of Ulp1 and strongly suggest that subcellular localization is a physiologically significant constraint on SUMO isopeptidase specificity.     

Noncovalent binding of small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) protease to SUMO is necessary for enzymatic activities and cell growth

SUMO proteases possess two enzymatic activities to hydrolyze the C-terminal region of SUMOs (hydrolase activity) and to remove SUMO from SUMO-conjugated substrates (isopeptidase activity). SUMO proteases bind to SUMOs noncovalently, but the physiological roles of the binding in the functions of SUMO proteases are not well understood. In this study we found that SUMO proteases (Axam, SENP1, and yeast Ulp1) show different preferences for noncovalent binding to various SUMOs (SUMO-1, -2, -3, and yeast Smt3) and that the hydrolase and isopeptidase activities of SUMO proteases are dependent on their binding to SUMOs through salt bridge. Expression of Smt3 suppressed the phenotype of yeast mutant lacking smt3, which exhibits growth arrest, and the binding of Ulp1 to Smt3 was essential for this rescue activity. Although expression of an Smt3 mutant (smt3R64E(GG)), which conjugates to substrate but loses the ability to bind to Ulp1, rescued the phenotype of yeast lacking smt3 partially, the mutant cells showed an increment in the doubling time and a delay of desumoylation of Smt3-conjugated Cdc3. These results indicate that the noncovalent binding of SUMO protease to SUMO through salt bridge is essential for the enzymatic activities and that the balance between sumoylation and desumoylation is important for cell growth control.     

Pli1PIAS1 SUMO Ligase Protected by the Nuclear Pore-associated SUMO Protease Ulp1SENP1/2

Covalent modification of the proteome by SUMO is critical for genetic stability and cell growth. Equally crucial to these processes is the removal of SUMO from its targets by the Ulp1 (HuSENP1/2) family of SUMO proteases. Ulp1 activity is normally spatially restricted, because it is localized to the nuclear periphery via interactions with the nuclear pore. Delocalization of Ulp1 causes DNA damage and cell cycle defects, phenotypes thought to be caused by inappropriate desumoylation of nucleoplasmic targets that are normally spatially protected from Ulp1. Here, we define a novel consequence of Ulp1 deregulation, with a major impact on SUMO pathway function. In fission yeast lacking Nup132 (Sc/HuNUP133), Ulp1 is delocalized and can no longer antagonize sumoylation of the PIAS family SUMO E3 ligase, Pli1. Consequently, SUMO chain-modified Pli1 is targeted for proteasomal degradation by the concerted action of a SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligase (STUbL) and Cdc48-Ufd1-Npl4. Pli1 degradation causes the profound SUMO pathway defects and associated centromere dysfunction in cells lacking Nup132. Thus, perhaps counterintuitively, Ulp1-mediated desumoylation can promote SUMO modification by stabilizing a SUMO E3 ligase.     

Cytoplasmic sumoylation by PIAS-type Siz1-SUMO ligase

SUMO (small ubiquitin-related modifier), a 12 kDa protein with distant similarity to ubiquitin, covalently binds to many proteins in eukaryotic cells. In contrast to ubiquitination, which mainly regulates proteasome-dependent degradation and protein sorting, sumoylation is known to regulate assembly and disassembly of protein complexes, protein localization and stability, and so on. SUMO is primarily localized to the nucleus, and many SUMO substrates are nuclear proteins involved in DNA transaction. However, certain roles of SUMO conjugates have been shown outside the nucleus. Particularly in budding yeast, SUMO is also localized to the bud-neck in a cell cycle-dependent manner. The first and prominent SUMO substrates are septins, evolutionally conserved proteins required for cytokinesis in yeast. Recent analysis of human septin structure would greatly facilitate the study of the functions of these SUMO conjugates. SUMO modification of septins is regulated by cell cycle-dependent nuclear transport of PIAS-type Siz1 (SUMO E3) and Ulp1 desumoylation enzyme in yeast. Domains outside the SUMO-ligase core (SP-RING) of Siz1 ensure its regulations. Furthermore, newly discovered ubiquitin ligases that specifically recognize poly-SUMO conjugates could lead to degradation of SUMO conjugates. Thus, protein modifications seem to be regulated in an unexpectedly complex manner. In this review, we focus on various regulations in yeast septin sumoylation and discuss its possible functions.     

SUMO fusions and SUMO-specific protease for efficient expression and purification of proteins

SUMO (small ubiquitin-related modifier) modulates protein structure and function by covalently binding to the lysine side chains of the target proteins. Yeast cells contain two SUMO proteases, Ulp1 and Ulp2, that cleave sumoylated proteins in the cell. Ulp1 (SUMO protease 1) processes the SUMO precursor to its mature form and also de-conjugates SUMO from side chain lysines of target proteins. Here we demonstrate that attachment of SUMO to the N-terminus of under-expressed proteins dramatically enhances their expression in E. coli. SUMO protease 1 was able to cleave a variety of SUMO fusions robustly and with impeccable specificity. Purified recombinant SUMO-GFPs were efficiently cleaved when any amino acid, except proline, was in the+1 position of the cleavage site. The enzyme was active over a broad range of buffer and temperature conditions. Purification of certain recombinant proteins is accomplished by production of Ub-fusions from which Ub can be subsequently removed by de-ubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs). However, DUBs are unstable enzymes that are difficult to produce and inexpensive DUBs are not available commercially. Our findings demonstrate that SUMO protease 1/SUMO-fusion system may be preferable to DUB/Ub-fusion. Enhanced expression and solubility of proteins fused to SUMO combined with broad specificity and highly efficient cleavage properties of the SUMO protease 1 indicates that SUMO-fusion technology will become a useful tool in purification of proteins and peptides.     

A nuclear envelope protein linking nuclear pore basket assembly, SUMO protease regulation, and mRNA surveillance

The nuclear pore complex (NPC) is both the major conduit for nucleocytoplasmic trafficking and a platform for organizing macromolecules at the nuclear envelope. We report that yeast Esc1, a non-NPC nuclear envelope protein, is required both for proper assembly of the nuclear basket, a structure extending into the nucleus from the NPC, and for normal NPC localization of the Ulp1 SUMO protease. In esc1Delta cells, Ulp1 and nuclear basket components Nup60 and Mlp1 no longer distribute broadly around the nuclear periphery, but co-localize in a small number of dense-staining perinuclear foci. Loss of Esc1 (or Nup60) alters SUMO conjugate accumulation and enhances ulp1 mutant defects. Similar to previous findings with Mlp1, both Esc1 and Ulp1 help retain unspliced pre-mRNAs in the nucleus. Therefore, these proteins are essential for proper nuclear basket function, which includes mRNA surveillance and regulation of SUMO protein dynamics. The results raise the possibility that NPC-localized protein desumoylation may be a key regulatory event preventing inappropriate pre-mRNA export.     

SUSP1 antagonizes formation of highly SUMO2/3-conjugated species

Small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) processing and deconjugation are mediated by sentrin-specific proteases/ubiquitin-like proteases (SENP/Ulps). We show that SUMO-specific protease 1 (SUSP1), a mammalian SENP/Ulp, localizes within the nucleoplasm. SUSP1 depletion within cell lines expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) fusions to individual SUMO paralogues caused redistribution of EGFP-SUMO2 and -SUMO3, particularly into promyelocytic leukemia (PML) bodies. Further analysis suggested that this change resulted primarily from a deficit of SUMO2/3-deconjugation activity. Under these circumstances, PML bodies became enlarged and increased in number. We did not observe a comparable redistribution of EGFP-SUMO1. We have investigated the specificity of SUSP1 using vinyl sulfone inhibitors and model substrates. We found that SUSP1 has a strong paralogue bias toward SUMO2/3 and that it acts preferentially on substrates containing three or more SUMO2/3 moieties. Together, our findings argue that SUSP1 may play a specialized role in dismantling highly conjugated SUMO2 and -3 species that is critical for PML body maintenance.     

Structure of the human SENP7 catalytic domain and poly-SUMO deconjugation activities for SENP6 and SENP7

Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) proteases regulate the abundance and lifetime of SUMO-conjugated substrates by antagonizing reactions catalyzed by SUMO-conjugating enzymes. Six SUMO proteases constitute the human SENP/ULP protease family (SENP1-3 and SENP5-7). SENP6 and SENP7 include the most divergent class of SUMO proteases, which also includes the yeast enzyme ULP2. We present the crystal structure of the SENP7 catalytic domain at a resolution of 2.4 angstroms. Comparison with structures of human SENP1 and SENP2 reveals unique elements that differ from previously characterized structures of SUMO-deconjugating enzymes. Biochemical assays show that SENP6 and SENP7 prefer SUMO2 or SUMO3 in deconjugation reactions with rates comparable with those catalyzed by SENP2, particularly during cleavage of di-SUMO2, di-SUMO3, and poly-SUMO chains composed of SUMO2 or SUMO3. In contrast, SENP6 and SENP7 exhibit lower rates for processing pre-SUMO1, pre-SUMO2, or pre-SUMO3 in comparison with SENP2. Structure-guided mutational analysis reveals elements unique to the SENP6 and SENP7 subclass of SENP/ULP proteases that contribute to protease function during deconjugation of poly-SUMO chains.     

Structure of a complex between Nedd8 and the Ulp/Senp protease family member Den1

The Nedd8 conjugation pathway is conserved from yeast to humans and is essential in many organisms. Nedd8 is conjugated to cullin proteins in a process that alters SCF E3 ubiquitin ligase activity, and it is presumed that Nedd8 deconjugation would reverse these effects. We now report the X-ray structures of the human Nedd8-specific protease, Den1, in a complex with the inhibitor Nedd8 aldehyde, thus revealing a model for the tetrahedral transition state intermediate generated during proteolysis. Although Den1 is closely related to the SUMO-specific protease family (Ulp/Senp family), structural analysis of the interface suggests determinants involved in Nedd8 selectivity by Den1 over other ubiquitin-like family members and suggests how the Ulp/Senp architecture has been modified to interact with different ubiquitin-like modifiers.     

The yeast ULP2 (SMT4) gene encodes a novel protease specific for the ubiquitin-like Smt3 protein

Yeast Smt3 and its vertebrate homolog SUMO-1 are ubiquitin-like proteins (Ubls) that are reversibly ligated to other proteins. Like SMT3, SMT4 was first isolated as a high-copy-number suppressor of a defective centromere-binding protein. We show here that SMT4 encodes an Smt3-deconjugating enzyme, Ulp2. In cells lacking Ulp2, specific Smt3-protein conjugates accumulate, and the conjugate pattern is distinct from that observed in a ulp1(ts) strain, which is defective for a distantly related Smt3-specific protease, Ulp1. The ulp2Delta mutant exhibits a pleiotropic phenotype that includes temperature-sensitive growth, abnormal cell morphology, decreased plasmid and chromosome stability, and a severe sporulation defect. The mutant is also hypersensitive to DNA-damaging agents, hydroxyurea, and benomyl. Although cell cycle checkpoint arrest in response to DNA damage, replication inhibition, or spindle defects occurs with normal kinetics, recovery from arrest is impaired. Surprisingly, either introduction of a ulp1(ts) mutation or overproduction of catalytically inactive Ulp1 can substantially overcome the ulp2Delta defects. Inactivation of Ulp2 also suppresses several ulp1(ts) defects, and the double mutant accumulates far fewer Smt3-protein conjugates than either single mutant. Our data suggest the existence of a feedback mechanism that limits Smt3-protein ligation when Smt3 deconjugation by both Ulp1 and Ulp2 is compromised, allowing a partial recovery of cell function.