Pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase senses cellular stress and modulates metabolism by regulating mitochondrial respiration

Pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase (P5CS) catalyzes the synthesis of pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C), a key precursor for the synthesis of proline and ornithine. P5CS malfunction leads to multiple human diseases; however, the molecular mechanism underlying these diseases is unknown. We found that P5CS localizes in mitochondria in rod- and ring-like patterns but diffuses inside the mitochondria upon cellular starvation or exposure to oxidizing agents. Some of the human disease-related mutant forms of P5CS also exhibit diffused distribution. Multimerization (but not the catalytic activity) of P5CS regulates its localization. P5CS mutant cells have a reduced proliferation rate and are sensitive to cellular stresses. Flies lacking P5CS have reduced eclosion rates. Lipid droplets accumulate in the eyes of the newly eclosed P5CS mutant flies, which degenerate with aging. The loss of P5CS in cells leads to abnormal purine metabolism and lipid-droplet accumulation. The reduced lipid-droplet consumption is likely due to decreased expression of the fatty acid transporter, CPT1, and few β-oxidation-related genes following P5CS knockdown. Surprisingly, we found that P5CS is required for mitochondrial respiratory complex organization and that the respiration defects in P5CS knockout cells likely contribute to the metabolic defects in purine synthesis and lipid consumption. This study links amino acid synthesis with mitochondrial respiration and other key metabolic processes, whose imbalance might contribute to P5CS-related disease conditions.Subject terms: Enzyme mechanisms, Cell biology     

G Protein-Coupled Cyclic AMP Signaling in Postmortem Brain of Subjects with Mood Disorders

Components of cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling were examined in postmortem cerebral cortex of a well characterized group of patients with mood disorders and nonpsychiatric control subjects. We measured G protein levels, adenylyl cyclase (AC) activity, and CREB levels in cerebral cortex of the subjects with respect to diagnosis, treatment, and suicide. There was no effect of diagnosis on any measure, except for a trend toward decreased stimulated AC activity in subjects with mood disorders relative to control subjects. We also detected a significant effect of suicide on temporal cortex CREB levels in subjects that died as a result of suicide relative to those that did not, which was more evident in patients with major depressive disorder. Bipolar disorder (BD) subjects treated with anticonvulsants at the time of death had decreased temporal cortex CREB levels relative to those not receiving anticonvulsants. Furthermore, we found a trend toward decreased occipital cortex G alpha(s) (short) levels in BD subjects treated with lithium. These results support the hypothesis of altered cAMP signaling in mood disorders and raise the possibility that factors other than diagnosis, such as treatment and suicide, may be relevant to cell-signaling abnormalities reported in the literature.     

miR-124-3p targeted SIRT1 to regulate cell apoptosis,inflammatory response,and oxidative stress in acute myocardial infarction in rats via modulation of the FGF21/CREB/PGC1α pathway

Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry - To investigate whether miR-124-3p influences cell apoptosis, inflammatory response, and oxidative stress in rats with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) by...     

疆夜蛾Plus-C气味结合蛋白PsauOBP7的组织表达谱及配体结合特性分析

【目的】明确疆夜蛾Peridroma saucia Plus-C气味结合蛋白PsauOBP7在不同化学感受器官中的表达谱，解析PsauOBP7重组蛋白的气味结合特异性。【方法】通过qRT-PCR检测PsauOBP7在疆夜蛾雌蛾和雄蛾的触角、口器、足和翅中的表达谱。原核表达并纯化PsauOBP7重组蛋白，利用Western blot检测PsauOBP7在疆夜蛾不同龄期幼虫头部及成虫不同组织中的表达情况；通过荧光竞争结合实验检测PsauOBP7重组蛋白对39种气味化合物的结合能力。【结果】成功表达并纯化PsauOBP7重组蛋白。qRT-PCR及Western blot检测显示PsauOBP7表达于4-6龄幼虫头部及雌雄成虫的触角、口器、足和翅中。荧光竞争结合实验显示PsauOBP7与反-2-己烯醛的结合能力最强，Ki=1.4 μmol/L。此外，PsauOBP7与5种酯类化合物乙酸月桂酯、顺-3-己烯乙酸酯、乙酸苯乙酯、苯甲酸己酯和肉桂酸甲酯有一定的结合能力，Ki值分别为5.7, 6.5, 8.9, 9.5和10.2 μmol/L。PsauOBP7与两种醇类化合物顺-3-己烯-1-醇和法尼醇也有较强的结合能力, Ki值分别为5.8和5.9 μmol/L。【结论】疆夜蛾Plus-C气味结合蛋白PsauOBP7表达于其幼虫和成虫的多种化学感受器官中，且能结合多种植物气味化合物，说明其在疆夜蛾寻找寄主植物过程中发挥重要作用。