Post-translational modifications of histone proteins by monoamine neurotransmitters

Protein monoaminylation is a biochemical process through which biogenic monoamines (e.g., serotonin, dopamine, histamine, etc.) are covalently bonded to certain protein substrates via Transglutaminase 2, an enzyme that catalyzes the transamidation of primary amines to the γ-carboxamides of glutamine residues. Since their initial discovery, these unusual post-translational modifications have been implicated in a wide variety of biological processes, ranging from protein coagulation to platelet activation and G-protein signaling. More recently, histone proteins – specifically histone H3 at glutamine 5 (H3Q5) – have been added to the growing list of monoaminyl substrates in vivo, with H3Q5 monoaminylation demonstrated to regulate permissive gene expression in cells. Such phenomena have further been shown to contribute critically to various aspects of (mal)adaptive neuronal plasticity and behavior. In this short review, we examine the evolution of our understanding of protein monoaminylation events, highlighting recent advances in the elucidation of their roles as important chromatin regulators.     

Intracellular Serotonin Modulates Insulin Secretion from Pancreatic β-Cells by Protein Serotonylation

While serotonin (5-HT) co-localization with insulin in granules of pancreatic β-cells was demonstrated more than three decades ago, its physiological role in the etiology of diabetes is still unclear. We combined biochemical and electrophysiological analyses of mice selectively deficient in peripheral tryptophan hydroxylase (Tph1−/−) and 5-HT to show that intracellular 5-HT regulates insulin secretion. We found that these mice are diabetic and have an impaired insulin secretion due to the lack of 5-HT in the pancreas. The pharmacological restoration of peripheral 5-HT levels rescued the impaired insulin secretion in vivo. These findings were further evidenced by patch clamp experiments with isolated Tph1−/− β-cells, which clearly showed that the secretory defect is downstream of Ca²⁺-signaling and can be rescued by direct intracellular application of 5-HT via the clamp pipette. In elucidating the underlying mechanism further, we demonstrate the covalent coupling of 5-HT by transglutaminases during insulin exocytosis to two key players in insulin secretion, the small GTPases Rab3a and Rab27a. This renders them constitutively active in a receptor-independent signaling mechanism we have recently termed serotonylation. Concordantly, an inhibition of such activating serotonylation in β-cells abates insulin secretion. We also observed inactivation of serotonylated Rab3a by enhanced proteasomal degradation, which is in line with the inactivation of other serotonylated GTPases. Our results demonstrate that 5-HT regulates insulin secretion by serotonylation of GTPases within pancreatic β-cells and suggest that intracellular 5-HT functions in various microenvironments via this mechanism in concert with the known receptor-mediated signaling.     

Serotonylation of Vascular Proteins Important to Contraction

Background

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) was named for its source (sero-) and ability to modify smooth muscle tone (tonin). The biological effects of 5-HT are believed to be carried out by stimulation of serotonin receptors at the plasma membrane. Serotonin has recently been shown to be synthesized in vascular smooth muscle and taken up from external sources, placing 5-HT inside the cell. The enzyme transglutaminase uses primary amines such as 5-HT to covalently modify proteins on glutamine residues. We tested the hypothesis that 5-HT is a substrate for transglutaminase in arterial vascular smooth muscle, with protein serotonylation having physiological function.

Methodology/Principal Findings

The model was the rat aorta and cultured aortic smooth muscle cells. Western analysis demonstrated that transglutaminase II was present in vascular tissue, and transglutaminase activity was observed as a cystamine-inhibitable incorporation of the free amine pentylamine-biotin into arterial proteins. Serotonin-biotin was incorporated into α -actin, β-actin, γ-actin, myosin heavy chain and filamin A as shown through tandem mass spectrometry. Using antibodies directed against biotin or 5-HT, immunoprecipitation and immunocytochemistry confirmed serotonylation of smooth muscle α–actin. Importantly, the α-actin-dependent process of arterial isometric contraction to 5-HT was reduced by cystamine.

Conclusions

5-HT covalently modifies proteins integral to contractility and the cytoskeleton. These findings suggest new mechanisms of action for 5-HT in vascular smooth muscle and consideration for intracellular effects of primary amines.     

5-HT1A receptor-mediated phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2) is modulated by regulator of G protein signaling protein 19

The 5-HT1A receptor is a G protein coupled receptor (GPCR) that activates G proteins of the Gαi/o family. 5-HT1A receptors expressed in the raphe, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex are implicated in the control of mood and are targets for anti-depressant drugs. Regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins are members of a large family that play important roles in signal transduction downstream of G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). The main role of RGS proteins is to act as GTPase accelerating proteins (GAPs) to dampen or negatively regulate GPCR-mediated signaling. We have shown that a mouse expressing Gαi2 that is insensitive to all RGS protein GAP activity has an anti-depressant-like phenotype due to increased signaling of postsynaptic 5-HT1A receptors, thus implicating the 5-HT1A receptor–Gαi2 complex as an important target. Here we confirm that RGS proteins act as GAPs to regulate signaling to adenylate cyclase and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway downstream of the 5-HT1A receptor, using RGS-insensitive Gαi2 protein expressed in C6 cells. We go on to use short hairpin RNA (shRNA) to show that RGS19 is responsible for the GAP activity in C6 cells and also that RGS19 acts as a GAP for 5-HT1A receptor signaling in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells and primary hippocampal neurons. In addition, in both cell types the synergy between 5-HT1A receptor and the fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 in stimulating the MAPK pathway is enhanced following shRNA reduction of RGS19 expression. Thus RGS19 may be a viable new target for anti-depressant medications.     

Phosphoproteomic identification and functional characterization of protein kinase substrates by 2D-DIGE and Phos-tag PAGE

Protein phosphorylation is one of the most common post-translational modifications in eukaryotes and can regulate diverse properties of proteins. Protein kinases are encoded by more than 500 genes in higher eukaryotes and play central roles in various cellular signaling pathways. Consequently, genetic abnormalities of protein kinases have been implicated in many diseases. To fully understand the complex phosphorylation-mediated signaling networks, it is important to globally identify and functionally characterize in vivo substrates of individual protein kinases. Advances in electrophoresis-based phosphoproteomic technologies such as two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) following immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) and phosphate-affinity Phos-tag PAGE have enabled efficient and detailed analysis of protein kinase substrates. Here, we describe physiological functions of the newly identified substrates of several disease-related protein kinases including ERK, PKD and PINK1.     

Use of the Baculovirus Expression System for the Generation of Virus-Like Particles

Protein ubiquitination is an important post-translational modification that regulates almost every aspect of cellular function and many cell signaling pathways in eukaryotes. Alterations of protein ubiquitination have been linked to many diseases, such as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, immunological disorders and inflammatory diseases. To understand the roles of protein ubiquitination in these diseases and in cell signaling pathways, it is necessary to identify ubiquitinated proteins and their modification sites. However, owing to the nature of protein ubiquitination, it is challenging to identify the exact modification sites under physiological conditions. Recently, ubiquitin-remnant profiling, an immunoprecipitation approach, which uses monoclonal antibodies specifically to enrich for peptides derived from the ubiquitinated portion of proteins and mass spectrometry for their identification, was developed to determine ubiquitination events from cell lysates. This approach has now been widely applied to profile protein ubiquitination in several cellular contexts. In this review, we discuss mass-spectrometry-based methods for the identification of protein ubiquitination sites, analyze their advantages and disadvantages, and discuss their application for proteomic analysis of ubiquitination.     

硫巯基化：一种新的蛋白质翻译后修饰

随着对硫化氢（hydrogen sulfide,H2S）生理效应的研究,蛋白质硫巯基化（S-sulfhydration）修饰已进入人们的视野。已知依赖于H2S的蛋白质硫巯基化是继磷酸化（phosphorylation）、泛素化（ubiquitylation）、乙酰化（acetylation）和S-亚硝基化（S-nitrosylation）等之后的一种新的蛋白质翻译后修饰方式。对动物的研究表明,蛋白质硫巯基化修饰通过影响蛋白质活性和功能,从而在细胞内信号通路中发挥重要的调控作用。最近的研究结果提示,硫巯基化修饰还参与调节植物新陈代谢和形态建成。本文阐述了依赖于H2S的蛋白质硫巯基化的作用机制、检测方法和生理功能,并提出硫巯基化修饰也可能参与植物细胞信号转导的观点。     

古菌中蛋白甲基化修饰的研究进展

蛋白甲基化修饰是翻译后修饰的主要方式之一,越来越多的报道证实古菌中存在这类蛋白修饰。目前古菌中一些甲基转移酶已经鉴定出来,但对其作用机制还不太清楚。本文对目前古菌中已经发现的蛋白质甲基转移酶和甲基化修饰可能的作用进行了总结。古菌中蛋白的甲基化修饰能够提高蛋白稳定性、影响侧链构象变化及与其他分子的相互作用,涉及DNA损伤修复和应激反应等途径。最后,本文对今后古菌中蛋白甲基化修饰的研究方向进行了展望。     

Heat shock proteins in cell signaling and cancer

Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs) and their co-chaperones have well-established roles in regulating proteostasis within the cell, the nature of which continues to emerge with further study. To date, HSPs have been shown to be integral to protein folding and re-folding, protein transport, avoidance of protein aggregation, and modulation of protein degradation. Many cell signaling events are mediated by the chemical modification of proteins post-translationally that can alter protein conformation and activity, although it is not yet known whether the changes in protein conformation induced by post-translational modifications (PTMs) are also dependent upon HSPs and their co-chaperones for subsequent protein re-folding. We discuss what is known regarding roles for HSPs and other molecular chaperones in cell signaling events with a focus on oncogenic signaling. We also propose a hypothesis by which Hsp70 and Hsp90 may co-operate to facilitate cell signaling events that may link PTMs with the cellular protein folding machinery.     

类泛素蛋白ISG15及其在先天免疫中的作用

病毒感染和干扰素刺激高等动物细胞,均可以强烈地诱导表达干扰素刺激基因15编码的蛋白ISG15,它是最早发现的类泛素修饰蛋白.虽然针对泛素及其修饰功能已进行了广泛而深入地研究,但对于ISG15共价修饰以及它的生物学功能了解甚少,有待进一步探讨.该领域的研究近几年有所突破,发现了有关ISG15修饰的酶系统,ISG15及其修饰系统在先天免疫以及干扰素信号调节中的重要作用.简要介绍ISG15的发现历史、生化性质、基因调控特点以及ISG15修饰系统中所涉及的酶,总结目前研究ISG15及其修饰与调节先天性免疫相关过程的一些最新进展.     

KCTD10 Biology: An Adaptor for the Ubiquitin E3 Complex Meets Multiple Substrates

Protein ubiquitination constitutes a post-translational modification mediated by ubiquitin ligases whereby ubiquitinated substrates are degraded through the proteasomal or lysosomal pathways, or acquire novel molecular functions according to their “ubiquitin codes.” Dysfunction of the ubiquitination process in cells causes various diseases such as cancers along with neurodegenerative, auto-immune/inflammatory, and metabolic diseases. KCTD10 functions as a substrate recognition receptor for cullin-3 (CUL3), a scaffold protein in RING-type ubiquitin ligase complexes. Recently, studies by ourselves and others have identified new substrates that are ubiquitinated by the CUL3/KCTD10 ubiquitin ligase complex. Moreover, the type of polyubiquitination (e.g., K27-, K48-, or K63-chain) of various substrates (e.g., RhoB, CEP97, EIF3D, and TRIF) mediated by KCTD10 underlies its divergent roles in endothelial barrier formation, primary cilium formation, plasma membrane dynamics, cell proliferation, and immune response. Here, the physiological functions of KCTD10 are summarized and potential mechanisms are proposed.     

Providing cellular signposts--post-translational modifications of intermediate filaments

Intermediate filaments are dynamically regulated by their post-translational modifications. Initially these modifications were found to regulate filament dynamics and organization. In the last few years, their roles have extended significantly to facilitating, for example, the recruitment and sequestration of signaling molecules that regulate a wide range of cellular functions. While phosphorylation has been established as the principal post-translational modification regulating intermediate filament function, other modifications with co-operative roles are emerging, adding a further dimensions to intermediate filament-mediated signaling.     

Advances into understanding metabolites as signaling molecules in cancer progression

Recent years have seen a great expansion in our knowledge of the roles that metabolites play in cellular signaling. Structural data have provided crucial insights into mechanisms through which amino acids are sensed. New nutrient-coupled protein and RNA modifications have been identified and characterized. A growing list of functions has been ascribed to metabolic regulation of modifications such as acetylation, methylation, and glycosylation. A current challenge lies in developing an integrated understanding of the roles that metabolic signaling mechanisms play in physiology and disease, which will inform the design of strategies to target such mechanisms. In this brief article, we review recent advances in metabolic signaling through post-translational modification during cancer progression, to provide a framework for understanding signaling roles of metabolites in the context of cancer biology and illuminate areas for future investigation.     

细菌蛋白质磷酸化修饰研究进展

细菌蛋白质磷酸化修饰是调控细菌基因表达的一种重要方式,在细菌诸多生命活动中发挥非常关键的作用。本文系统概括了近年来细菌蛋白质磷酸化修饰的种类、双组分调控系统中磷酸化修饰调控信号传导、酪氨酸残基磷酸化修饰以及丝/苏氨酸残基磷酸化修饰等,同时对不同种类细菌蛋白质磷酸化修饰的功能进行综述,这些研究将对人类了解细菌蛋白质翻译后修饰的磷酸化调控及其与控制细菌感染的关系提供参考价值。     

Tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase suppresses ABA signaling via sulfation of SnRK2.2/2.3/2.6

Phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays vital roles in stress tolerance, while long-term overactivation of ABA signaling suppresses plant growth and development. However, the braking mechanism of ABA responses is not clear. Protein tyrosine sulfation catalyzed by tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase (TPST) is a critical post-translational modification. Through genetic screening, we identified a tpst mutant in Arabidopsis that was hypersensitive to ABA. In-depth analysis revealed that TPST could interact with and sulfate SnRK2.2/2.3/2.6, which accelerated their degradation and weakened the ABA signaling. Taken together, these findings uncovered a novel mechanism of desensitizing ABA responses via protein sulfation.     

A novel binding protein composed of homophilic tetramer exhibits unique properties for the small GTPase Rab5.

The small GTPase Rab family, which cycles between GTP-bound active and GDP-bound inactive states, plays an important role in membrane trafficking. Among them, Rab5 is involved in early endocytic pathway, and several Rab5-binding proteins have been identified as regulators or effectors to coordinate the docking and fusion processes of endocytic vesicles. We describe a novel binding protein exhibiting unique biochemical properties for Rab5. The Rab5-binding protein enhances GDP-GTP exchange reaction on Rab5 but preferentially interacts with its GTP-bound form. Gel filtration and immunoprecipitation analyses indicate that the Rab5-binding protein functions as a tetramer composed of anti-parallel linkage of two parallel dimers. These results suggest that the newly identified protein may function as an upstream activator and/or downstream effector for Rab5 in endocytic pathway. Possible roles of the quaternary structure have been discussed in terms of the Rab5-mediated signaling.     

5-羟色胺与Toll样受体及肠道菌群之间关系的研究

5-羟色胺(5-HT)是参与调节胃肠道运动、内脏敏感性、分泌等功能的重要神经递质和信号分子。肠道菌群对5-HT的产生有重要影响,已发现一些产芽孢细菌(spore-forming bacteria,SP)类肠道微生物能刺激肠嗜铬细胞(enterochromaffin cell,EC)产生5-HT。微生物通过Toll样受体(Toll-like receptors,TLR)激活神经分泌机制来调节胃肠运动,某些TLR通过作用于5-HT受体调节小鼠回肠的自主收缩和5-HT诱导的收缩反应。通过调节肠道菌群可以对5-HT综合征及其相关生理和病理状况产生重要影响。因此,对5-HT与TLR及肠道菌群相互之间的关系进行进一步的研究有重要意义。     

Emerging roles of protein palmitoylation and its modifying enzymes in cancer cell signal transduction and cancer therapy

Protein palmitoylation is an increasingly investigated form of post-translational lipid modification that affects protein localization, accumulation, secretion and function. Recently, emerging findings have revealed that protein palmitoylation is crucial for many tumor-related signaling pathways, such as EGFR, RAS, PD-1/PD-L1 signaling, affecting the occurrence, progression and therapeutic response of tumors. Protein palmitoylation and its modifying enzymes, including palmitoylases and depalmitoylases, are expected to be new targets for effective tumor treatment. Recognizing the significance of palmitoylation modification on protein stability, localization and downstream signal regulation, this review focuses on the regulatory roles of protein palmitoylation and its modifying enzymes in tumor cell signal transduction, aiming to bring new ideas for effective cancer prevention and treatment.