BAL1 and Its Partner E3 Ligase,BBAP, Link Poly(ADP-Ribose) Activation,Ubiquitylation, and Double-Strand DNA Repair Independent of ATM,MDC1, and RNF8

The BAL1 macrodomain-containing protein and its partner E3 ligase, BBAP, are overexpressed in chemotherapy-resistant lymphomas. BBAP selectively ubiquitylates histone H4 and indirectly promotes early 53BP1 recruitment to DNA damage sites. However, neither BBAP nor BAL1 has been directly associated with a DNA damage response (DDR), and the function of BAL1 remains undefined. Herein, we describe a direct link between rapid and short-lived poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) polymerase 1 (PARP1) activation and PARylation at DNA damage sites, PAR-dependent recruitment of the BAL1 macrodomain-containing protein and its partner E3 ligase, local BBAP-mediated ubiquitylation, and subsequent recruitment of the checkpoint mediators 53BP1 and BRCA1. The PARP1-dependent localization of BAL1-BBAP functionally limits both early and delayed DNA damage and enhances cellular viability independent of ATM, MDC1, and RNF8. These data establish that BAL1 and BBAP are bona fide members of a DNA damage response pathway and are directly associated with PARP1 activation, BRCA1 recruitment, and double-strand break repair.     

The Ubiquitin E3/E4 Ligase UBE4A Adjusts Protein Ubiquitylation and Accumulation at Sites of DNA Damage,Facilitating Double-Strand Break Repair

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The BRCA1 E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Controls Centrosome Dynamics

The breast cancer specific tumor suppressor protein 1, BRCA1, mediates functions for all cells to grow. The puzzle of BRCA1 is that its loss is only associated with tumors in breast and ovarian epithelial cells. In this focused review, we highlight the data linking BRCA1 to the centrosome function, and we suggest that the specificity for breast tumors is due to a loss in restraint on centrosome function. Amplification of centrosome numbers secondary to loss of BRCA1 can drive the cell into the aneuploid state, thus, by this perspective loss of BRCA1 is a mutator phenotype.     

BRCA1与DSB修复路径取向

乳腺癌易感基因1(BRCA1)是一个肿瘤抑制基因.BRCA1参与DNA末端切除、细胞周期调控以及染色体修饰等来维护基因组的稳定性.有研究表明,它能够促进正确的DNA双链断裂(DSBs)修复,如同源重组修复(HDR)和经典的非同源末端连接(C-NHEJ);而抑制错误性的DSB修复,如单链退火修复(SSA)和非经典的末端连接(A-EJ);其机制是通过与某些DNA修复相关蛋白质的相互作用来引导DSB修复.目前,BRCA1在DSB修复通路中的作用机制尚未完全明确,仍有待进一步的研究.本文主要阐述BRCA1在DSB各修复通路中是如何发挥其引导作用的.     

Cell cycle-dependent DNA damage signaling induced by ICRF-193 involves ATM, ATR, CHK2, and BRCA1

Topoisomerase II is essential for cell proliferation and survival and has been a target of various anticancer drugs. ICRF-193 has long been used as a catalytic inhibitor to study the function of topoisomerase II. Here, we show that ICRF-193 treatment induces DNA damage signaling. Treatment with ICRF-193 induced G2 arrest and DNA damage signaling involving gamma-H2AX foci formation and CHK2 phosphorylation. DNA damage by ICRF-193 was further demonstrated by formation of the nuclear foci of 53BP1, NBS1, BRCA1, MDC1, and FANCD2 and increased comet tail moment. The DNA damage signaling induced by ICRF-193 was mediated by ATM and ATR and was restricted to cells in specific cell cycle stages such as S, G2, and mitosis including late and early G1 phases. Downstream signaling of ATM and ATR involved the phosphorylation of CHK2 and BRCA1. Altogether, our results demonstrate that ICRF-193 induces DNA damage signaling in a cell cycle-dependent manner and suggest that topoisomerase II might be essential for the progression of the cell cycle at several stages including DNA decondensation.     

A Novel Type of E3 Ligase for the Ufm1 Conjugation System

The ubiquitin fold modifier 1 (Ufm1) is the most recently discovered ubiquitin-like modifier whose conjugation (ufmylation) system is conserved in multicellular organisms. Ufm1 is known to covalently attach with cellular protein(s) via a specific E1-activating enzyme (Uba5) and an E2-conjugating enzyme (Ufc1), but its E3-ligating enzyme(s) as well as the target protein(s) remain unknown. Herein, we report both a novel E3 ligase for Ufm1, designated Ufl1, and an Ufm1-specific substrate ligated by Ufl1, C20orf116. Ufm1 was covalently conjugated with C20orf116. Although Ufl1 has no obvious sequence homology to any other known E3s for ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like modifiers, the C20orf116·Ufm1 formation was greatly accelerated by Ufl1. The C20orf116·Ufm1 conjugate was cleaved by Ufm1-specific proteases, implying the reversibility of ufmylation. The conjugation was abundant in the liver and lungs of Ufm1-transgenic mice, fractionated into membrane fraction, and impaired in Uba5 knock-out cells. Intriguingly, immunological analysis revealed localizations of Ufl1 and C20orf116 mainly to the endoplasmic reticulum. Our results provide novel insights into the Ufm1 system involved in cellular regulation of multicellular organisms.     

Smad Ubiquitylation Regulatory Factor 1/2 (Smurf1/2) Promotes p53 Degradation by Stabilizing the E3 Ligase MDM2

The tumor suppressor p53 protein is tightly regulated by a ubiquitin-proteasomal degradation mechanism. Several E3 ubiquitin ligases, including MDM2 (mouse double minute 2), have been reported to play an essential role in the regulation of p53 stability. However, it remains unclear how the activity of these E3 ligases is regulated. Here, we show that the HECT-type E3 ligase Smurf1/2 (Smad ubiquitylation regulatory factor 1/2) promotes p53 degradation by enhancing the activity of the E3 ligase MDM2. We provide evidence that the role of Smurf1/2 on the p53 stability is not dependent on the E3 activity of Smurf1/2 but rather is dependent on the activity of MDM2. We find that Smurf1/2 stabilizes MDM2 by enhancing the heterodimerization of MDM2 with MDMX, during which Smurf1/2 interacts with MDM2 and MDMX. We finally provide evidence that Smurf1/2 regulates apoptosis through p53. To our knowledge, this is the first report to demonstrate that Smurf1/2 functions as a factor to stabilize MDM2 protein rather than as a direct E3 ligase in regulation of p53 degradation.     

The Role of the E3 Ligase Cbl-B in Murine Dendritic Cells

Dendritic cells (DCs) are potent antigen-presenting cells with a promising potential in cancer immunotherapy. Cbl proteins are E3 ubiquitin ligases and have been implicated in regulating the functional activity of various immune cells. As an example, c-Cbl negatively affects DC activation. We here describe that another member of the Cbl-protein family (i.e. Cbl-b) is highly expressed in murine bone-marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs). Differentiation of cblb−/− bone marrow mononuclear cells into classical BMDCs is unaltered, except enhanced induction of DEC-205 (CD205) expression. When tested in mixed-lymphocyte reaction (MLR), cblb−/− BMDCs exhibit increased allo-stimulatory capacity in vitro. BMDCs were next in vitro stimulated by various toll like receptor (TLR)-agonists (LPS, Poly(I:C), CpG) and exposed to FITC-labeled dextran. Upon TLR-stimulation, cblb−/− BMDCs produce higher levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1α, IL-6 and TNF-α) and exhibit a slightly higher level of FITC-dextran uptake. To further characterize the functional significance of cblb−/− BMDCs we tested them in antigen-specific T cell responses against ovalbumin (OVA) protein and peptides, activating either CD8⁺ OT-I or CD4⁺ OT-II transgenic T cells. However, cblb−/− BMDCs are equally effective in inducing antigen-specific T cell responses when compared to wildtype BMDCs both in vitro and in vivo. The migratory capacity into lymph nodes during inflammation was similarly not affected by the absence of Cbl-b. In line with these observations, cblb−/− peptide-pulsed BMDCs are equally effective vaccines against OVA-expressing B16 tumors in vivo when compared to wildtype BMDCs. We conclude that in contrast to c-Cbl, Cbl-b plays only a limited role in the induction of Ag-specific T cell responses by murine BMDCs in vitro and in vivo.     

HTLV-1 Tax Stimulates Ubiquitin E3 Ligase,Ring Finger Protein 8, to Assemble Lysine 63-Linked Polyubiquitin Chains for TAK1 and IKK Activation

Human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) trans-activator/oncoprotein, Tax, impacts a multitude of cellular processes, including I-κB kinase (IKK)/NF-κB signaling, DNA damage repair, and mitosis. These activities of Tax have been implicated in the development of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) in HTLV-1-infected individuals, but the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. IKK and its upstream kinase, TGFβ-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), contain ubiquitin-binding subunits, NEMO and TAB2/3 respectively, which interact with K63-linked polyubiquitin (K63-pUb) chains. Recruitment to K63-pUb allows cross auto-phosphorylation and activation of TAK1 to occur, followed by TAK1-catalyzed IKK phosphorylation and activation. Using cytosolic extracts of HeLa and Jurkat T cells supplemented with purified proteins we have identified ubiquitin E3 ligase, ring finger protein 8 (RNF8), and E2 conjugating enzymes, Ubc13:Uev1A and Ubc13:Uev2, to be the cellular factors utilized by Tax for TAK1 and IKK activation. In vitro, the combination of Tax and RNF8 greatly stimulated TAK1, IKK, IκBα and JNK phosphorylation. In vivo, RNF8 over-expression augmented while RNF8 ablation drastically reduced canonical NF-κB activation by Tax. Activation of the non-canonical NF-κB pathway by Tax, however, is unaffected by the loss of RNF8. Using purified components, we further demonstrated biochemically that Tax greatly stimulated RNF8 and Ubc13:Uev1A/Uev2 to assemble long K63-pUb chains. Finally, co-transfection of Tax with increasing amounts of RNF8 greatly induced K63-pUb assembly in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, Tax targets RNF8 and Ubc13:Uev1A/Uev2 to promote the assembly of K63-pUb chains, which signal the activation of TAK1 and multiple downstream kinases including IKK and JNK. Because of the roles RNF8 and K63-pUb chains play in DNA damage repair and cytokinesis, this mechanism may also explain the genomic instability of HTLV-1-transformed T cells and ATL cells.     

E3 Ubiquitin Ligase CHIP and NBR1-Mediated Selective Autophagy Protect Additively against Proteotoxicity in Plant Stress Responses

Plant stress responses require both protective measures that reduce or restore stress-inflicted damage to cellular structures and mechanisms that efficiently remove damaged and toxic macromolecules, such as misfolded and damaged proteins. We have recently reported that NBR1, the first identified plant autophagy adaptor with a ubiquitin-association domain, plays a critical role in plant stress tolerance by targeting stress-induced, ubiquitinated protein aggregates for degradation by autophagy. Here we report a comprehensive genetic analysis of CHIP, a chaperone-associated E3 ubiquitin ligase from Arabidopsis thaliana implicated in mediating degradation of nonnative proteins by 26S proteasomes. We isolated two chip knockout mutants and discovered that they had the same phenotypes as the nbr1 mutants with compromised tolerance to heat, oxidative and salt stresses and increased accumulation of insoluble proteins under heat stress. To determine their functional interactions, we generated chip nbr1 double mutants and found them to be further compromised in stress tolerance and in clearance of stress-induced protein aggregates, indicating additive roles of CHIP and NBR1. Furthermore, stress-induced protein aggregates were still ubiquitinated in the chip mutants. Through proteomic profiling, we systemically identified heat-induced protein aggregates in the chip and nbr1 single and double mutants. These experiments revealed that highly aggregate-prone proteins such as Rubisco activase and catalases preferentially accumulated in the nbr1 mutant while a number of light-harvesting complex proteins accumulated at high levels in the chip mutant after a relatively short period of heat stress. With extended heat stress, aggregates for a large number of intracellular proteins accumulated in both chip and nbr1 mutants and, to a greater extent, in the chip nbr1 double mutant. Based on these results, we propose that CHIP and NBR1 mediate two distinct but complementary anti-proteotoxic pathways and protein''s propensity to aggregate under stress conditions is one of the critical factors for pathway selection of protein degradation.     

DNA Polymerase, DNA Ligase, and Thymidine Kinase Activity in Chicken Lens, Related to DNA X-Ray Lesion Repair

The activity of DNA polymerases α, β, and γ; DNA ligases I and II; and thymidine kinase in chicken lenses is determined. These enzymes are present in embryonic intact lenses freshly isolated at 6 days and 11 days of development and in lenses isolated at 11 days of development and cultured for three days. They are also found in both epithelium and fibers when separated at 10 days of embryonic development and in the epithelium of 14½-month-old hen lenses. In the anucleate mature hen lens fibers, the only detected enzyme is thymidine kinase. Previous results showed that repair of X-ray irradiated DNA was total in 11-day-old embryonic lenses while repair was not detected at six days. On the other hand, repair was very much impaired when the 11-day-old lenses were cultured for three days. Enzymic analyses suggest that the defect in DNA repair and the spontaneous DNA degradation observed in chick lenses at certain embryonic stages, are not due to the absence of any of the above enzymic activities. Alternative explanations are discussed.     

UHRF2, a Ubiquitin E3 Ligase,Acts as a Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier E3 Ligase for Zinc Finger Protein 131

Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO), a member of the ubiquitin-related protein family, is covalently conjugated to lysine residues of its substrates in a process referred to as SUMOylation. SUMOylation occurs through a series of enzymatic reactions analogous to that of the ubiquitination pathway, resulting in modification of the biochemical and functional properties of substrates. To date, four mammalian SUMO isoforms, a single heterodimeric SUMO-activating E1 enzyme SAE1/SAE2, a single SUMO-conjugating E2 enzyme ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2I (UBC9), and a few subgroups of SUMO E3 ligases have been identified. Several SUMO E3 ligases such as topoisomerase I binding, arginine/serine-rich (TOPORS), TNF receptor-associated factor 7 (TRAF7), and tripartite motif containing 27 (TRIM27) have dual functions as ubiquitin E3 ligases. Here, we demonstrate that the ubiquitin E3 ligase UHRF2 also acts as a SUMO E3 ligase. UHRF2 effectively enhances zinc finger protein 131 (ZNF131) SUMOylation but does not enhance ZNF131 ubiquitination. In addition, the SUMO E3 activity of UHRF2 on ZNF131 depends on the presence of SET and RING finger-associated and nuclear localization signal-containing region domains, whereas the critical ubiquitin E3 activity RING domain is dispensable. Our findings suggest that UHRF2 has independent functional domains and regulatory mechanisms for these two distinct enzymatic activities.     

WWP1 E3 Ligase Targets LATS1 for Ubiquitin-Mediated Degradation in Breast Cancer Cells

The Large Tumor Suppressor 1 (LATS1) is a serine/threonine kinase and tumor suppressor found down-regulated in various human cancers. LATS1 has recently been identified as a central player of the emerging Hippo signaling pathway, which plays important roles in organ size control, tumorigenesis, and stem cell differentiation and renewal, etc. Although mounting evidence supports a role of LATS1 in tumor suppression and tumorigenesis, how LATS1 is regulated at the molecular level is not fully understood. Recently several positive regulators of LATS1 (Mst1/2, MOB1, Kibra, etc) have been identified but how LATS1 is negatively regulated is still largely unknown. We have recently identified Itch, a member of the NEDD4-like family E3 ubiquitin ligases, as a novel negative regulator of LATS1. However, whether other ubiquitin ligases modulate LATS1 stability and function is unclear. By screening many E3 ligases of the NEDD4-like family using over-expression and short-interference RNA knockdown approaches, we have identified WWP1 E3 ligase as another novel negative regulator of LATS1. We have provided in vitro and in vivo evidence that WWP1 is essential for LATS1 stability and negatively regulate LATS1 by promoting LATS1 degradation through polyubiquitination and the 26S proteasome pathway. Importantly, we also showed that degradation of LATS1 is critical in mediating WWP1-induced increased cell proliferation in breast cancer cells. Since WWP1 is an oncogene and LATS1 is a tumor suppressor gene in breast cancer, our studies provide a promising therapeutic strategy in which developed drugs targeting WWP1 cause activation of LATS1 in suppressing breast cancer cell growth.     

植物SIZ1 SUMO E3连接酶的研究进展

SUMO化修饰是一种重要的翻译后修饰,对蛋白的翻译后调控起到重要作用。植物SIZ1是一种SUMOE3连接酶,在SUMO化的过程中起着关键作用。本文概述了SIZ1的基本结构和功能,阐述了其在植物响应非生物胁迫如高温、低温、干旱、盐和离子胁迫时所发挥的调节功能,并展望了植物SIZ1研究中有待解决的问题。     

Activation of the E3 ligase function of the BRCA1/BARD1 complex by polyubiquitin chains

Loss of the tumour suppressor BRCA1 results in profound chromosomal instability. The fundamental defect underlying this catastrophic phenotype is not yet known. In vivo, BRCA1 forms a heterodimeric complex with BARD1. Both proteins contain an N-terminal zinc RING-finger domain which confers E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. We have isolated full-length human BRCA1/BARD1 complex and have shown that it has a dual E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. First, it mediates the monoubiquitylation of nucleosome core histones in vitro, including the variant histone H2AX that co-localizes with BRCA1 at sites of DNA damage. Secondly, BRCA1/BARD1 catalyses the formation of multiple polyubiquitin chains on itself. Remarkably, this auto-polyubiquitylation potentiates the E3 ubiquitin ligase activity of the BRCA1/BARD1 complex >20-fold. Even though BRCA1 has been reported to associate with a C-terminal ubiquitin hydrolase, BAP1, this enzyme does not appear to function in the deubiquitylation of the BRCA1/BARD1 complex.