Coupling of the non-amyloid-component (NAC) domain and the KTK(E/Q)GV repeats stabilize the α-synuclein fibrils

The aggregates of α-synuclein (αS) are a major pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD) making their structure-function relationship important for rational drug design. Yet, the atomic structure of the αS aggregates is unavailable, making it difficult to understand the underlying aggregation mechanism. In this work, based on available experimental data, we examined plausible molecular structures of αS(20/30-110) fibrils for the first time by employing computational approaches. The optimized structure was used to investigate possible interactions with aggregation inhibitors. Our structural models characterize the essential properties of the five-layered fold of the αS fibril. The distribution of the β-strands and the topology of the five β-strands in the relatively stable models are in good agreement with experimental values. In particular, we find that the KTK(E/Q)GV repeat motifs significantly stabilize the αS fibrils. The charged residues within each repeat prefer exposure to the solvent in order to further stabilize the inter-layered interactions by salt-bridges. The organization of the repeat K(58)T(59)K(60)E(61)Q(62)V(63) between the β2 and β3 layers significantly affects the stability of the non-amyloid-component (NAC) domain. The coupling between the NAC domain and the KTKEGV repeats indicates that both regions can be potential binding sites for inhibitor design. The distinct binding modes of chemical agents that alter αS aggregation highlight the potential of our models in inhibitor design.

Melatonin reversed tumor necrosis factor-alpha-inhibited osteogenesis of human mesenchymal stem cells by stabilizing SMAD1 protein

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) plays a pivotal role in inflammation-related osteoporosis through the promotion of bone resorption and suppression of bone formation. Numerous drugs have been produced to treat osteoporosis by inhibiting bone resorption, but they offer few benefits to bone formation, which is what is needed by patients with severe bone loss. Melatonin, which can exert both anti-inflammatory and pro-osteogenic effects, shows promise in overcoming TNFα-inhibited osteogenesis and deserves further research. This study demonstrated that melatonin rescued TNFα-inhibited osteogenesis of human mesenchymal stem cells and that the interactions between SMURF1 and SMAD1 mediated the crosstalk between melatonin signaling and TNFα signaling. Additionally, melatonin treatment was found to downregulate TNFα-induced SMURF1 expression and then decrease SMURF1-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of SMAD1 protein, leading to steady bone morphogenetic protein-SMAD1 signaling activity and restoration of TNFα-impaired osteogenesis. Thus, melatonin has prospects for treating osteoporosis caused by inflammatory factors due to its multifaceted functions on regulation of bone formation, bone resorption, and inflammation. Further studies will focus on unveiling the specific mechanisms by which melatonin downregulates SMURF1 expression and confirming the clinical therapeutic value of melatonin in the prevention and therapy of bone loss associated with inflammation.

Glycosylation and stabilization of programmed death ligand-1 suppresses T-cell activity

Extracellular interaction between programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) and programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) leads to tumour-associated immune escape. Here we show that the immunosuppression activity of PD-L1 is stringently modulated by ubiquitination and N-glycosylation. We show that glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) interacts with PD-L1 and induces phosphorylation-dependent proteasome degradation of PD-L1 by β-TrCP. In-depth analysis of PD-L1 N192, N200 and N219 glycosylation suggests that glycosylation antagonizes GSK3β binding. In this regard, only non-glycosylated PD-L1 forms a complex with GSK3β and β-TrCP. We also demonstrate that epidermal growth factor (EGF) stabilizes PD-L1 via GSK3β inactivation in basal-like breast cancer. Inhibition of EGF signalling by gefitinib destabilizes PD-L1, enhances antitumour T-cell immunity and therapeutic efficacy of PD-1 blockade in syngeneic mouse models. Together, our results link ubiquitination and glycosylation pathways to the stringent regulation of PD-L1, which could lead to potential therapeutic strategies to enhance cancer immune therapy efficacy.

Unique Properties of the Rabbit Prion Protein Oligomer

Prion diseases, also known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), are a group of fatal neurodegenerative disorders infecting both humans and animals. Recent works have demonstrated that the soluble prion protein oligomer (PrP^O), the intermediate of the conformational transformation from the host-derived cellular form (PrP^C) to the disease-associated Scrapie form (PrP^Sc), exerts the major neurotoxicity in vitro and in vivo. Rabbits show strong resistance to TSEs, the underlying mechanism is unclear to date. It is expected that the relative TSEs-resistance of rabbits is closely associated with the unique properties of rabbit prion protein oligomer which remain to be addressed in detail. In the present work, we prepared rabbit prion protein oligomer (recRaPrP^O) and human prion protein oligomer (recHuPrP^O) under varied conditions, analyzed the effects of pH, NaCl concentration and incubation temperature on the oligomerization, and compared the properties of recRaPrP^O and recHuPrP^O. We found that several factors facilitated the formation of prion protein oligomers, including low pH, high NaCl concentration, high incubation temperature and low conformational stability of monomeric prion protein. RecRaPrP^O was formed more slowly than recHuPrP^O at physiological-like conditions (< 57°C, < 150 mM NaCl). Furthermore, recRaPrP^O possessed higher susceptibility to proteinase K and lower cytotoxicity in vitro than recHuPrP^O. These unique properties of recRaPrP^O might substantially contribute to the TSEs-resistance of rabbits. Our work sheds light on the oligomerization of prion proteins and is of benefit to mechanistic understanding of TSEs-resistance of rabbits.

Structural Basis of Microtubule Destabilization by Potent Auristatin Anti-Mitotics

The auristatin class of microtubule destabilizers are highly potent cytotoxic agents against several cancer cell types when delivered as antibody drug conjugates. Here we describe the high resolution structures of tubulin in complex with both monomethyl auristatin E and F and unambiguously define the trans-configuration of both ligands at the Val-Dil amide bond in their tubulin bound state. Moreover, we illustrate how peptidic vinca-site agents carrying terminal carboxylate residues may exploit an observed extended hydrogen bond network with the M-loop Arg278 to greatly improve the affinity of the corresponding analogs and to maintain the M-loop in an incompatible conformation for productive lateral tubulin-tubulin contacts in microtubules. Our results highlight a potential, previously undescribed molecular mechanism by which peptidic vinca-site agents maintain unparalleled potency as microtubule-destabilizing agents.

Inactivation of the CRL4-CDT2-SET8/p21 ubiquitylation and degradation axis underlies the therapeutic efficacy of pevonedistat in melanoma

The cullin-based CRL4-CDT2 ubiquitin ligase is emerging as a master regulator of cell proliferation. CRL4-CDT2 prevents re-initiation of DNA replication during the same cell cycle "rereplication" through targeted degradation of CDT1, SET8 and p21 during S-phase of the cell cycle. We show that CDT2 is overexpressed in cutaneous melanoma and predicts poor overall and disease-free survival. CDT2 ablation inhibited a panel of melanoma cell lines through the induction of SET8- and p21-dependent DNA rereplication and senescence. Pevonedistat (MLN4924), a specific inhibitor of the NEDD8 activating enzyme (NAE), inhibits the activity of cullin E3 ligases, thereby stabilizing a vast number of cullin substrates and resulting in cancer cell inhibition in vitro and tumor suppression in nude mice. We demonstrate that pevonedistat is effective at inhibiting the proliferation of melanoma cell lines in vitro through the induction of rereplication-dependent permanent growth arrest as well as through a transient, non-rereplication-dependent mechanism. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated heterozygous deletion of CDKN1A (encoding p21) or SET8 in melanoma cells demonstrated that the rereplication-mediated cytotoxicity of pevonedistat is mediated through preventing the degradation of p21 and SET8 and is essential for melanoma suppression in nude mice. By contrast, pevonedistat-induced transient growth suppression was independent of p21 or SET8, and insufficient to inhibit tumor growth in vivo. Pevonedistat additionally synergized with the BRAF kinase inhibitor PLX4720 to inhibit BRAF melanoma, and suppressed PLX4720-resistant melanoma cells. These findings demonstrate that the CRL4-CDT2-SET8/p21 degradation axis is the primary target of inhibition by pevonedistat in melanoma and suggest that a broad patient population may benefit from pevonedistat therapy.

RESEARCH IN CONTEXT

The identification of new molecular targets and effective inhibitors is of utmost significance for the clinical management of melanoma. This study identifies CDT2, a substrate receptor for the CRL4 ubiquitin ligase, as a prognostic marker and therapeutic target in melanoma. CDT2 is required for melanoma cell proliferation and inhibition of CRL4(CDT2) by pevonedistat suppresses melanoma in vitro and in vivo through the induction of DNA rereplication and senescence through the stabilization of the CRL4(CDT2) substrates p21 and SET8. Pevonedistat also synergizes with vemurafenib in vivo and suppresses vemurafenib-resistant melanoma cells. These findings show a significant promise for targeting CRL4(CDT2) therapeutically.

Structural basis of Smoothened regulation by its extracellular domains

Developmental signals of the Hedgehog (Hh) and Wnt families are transduced across the membrane by Frizzledclass G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) composed of both a heptahelical transmembrane domain (TMD) and an extracellular cysteine-rich domain (CRD). How the large extracellular domains of GPCRs regulate signalling by the TMD is unknown. We present crystal structures of the Hh signal transducer and oncoprotein Smoothened, a GPCR that contains two distinct ligand-binding sites: one in its TMD and one in the CRD. The CRD is stacked a top the TMD, separated by an intervening wedge-like linker domain. Structure-guided mutations show that the interface between the CRD, linker domain and TMD stabilizes the inactive state of Smoothened. Unexpectedly, we find a cholesterol molecule bound to Smoothened in the CRD binding site. Mutations predicted to prevent cholesterol binding impair the ability of Smoothened to transmit native Hh signals. Binding of a clinically used antagonist, vismodegib, to the TMD induces a conformational change that is propagated to the CRD, resulting in loss of cholesterol from the CRD-linker domain-TMD interface. Our results clarify the structural mechanism by which the activity of a GPCR is controlled by ligand-regulated interactions between its extracellular and transmembrane domains.

Design of a hyperstable 60-subunit protein dodecahedron. [corrected]

The dodecahedron [corrected] is the largest of the Platonic solids, and icosahedral protein structures are widely used in biological systems for packaging and transport. There has been considerable interest in repurposing such structures for applications ranging from targeted delivery to multivalent immunogen presentation. The ability to design proteins that self-assemble into precisely specified, highly ordered icosahedral structures would open the door to a new generation of protein containers with properties custom-tailored to specific applications. Here we describe the computational design of a 25-nanometre icosahedral nanocage that self-assembles from trimeric protein building blocks. The designed protein was produced in Escherichia coli, and found by electron microscopy to assemble into a homogenous population of icosahedral particles nearly identical to the design model. The particles are stable in 6.7 molar guanidine hydrochloride at up to 80 degrees Celsius, and undergo extremely abrupt, but reversible, disassembly between 2 molar and 2.25 molar guanidinium thiocyanate. The dodecahedron [corrected] is robust to genetic fusions: one or two copies of green fluorescent protein (GFP) can be fused to each of the 60 subunits to create highly fluorescent ‘standard candles’ for use in light microscopy, and a designed protein pentamer can be placed in the centre of each of the 20 pentameric faces to modulate the size of the entrance/exit channels of the cage. Such robust and customizable nanocages should have considerable utility in targeted drug delivery, vaccine design and synthetic biology.

The Arabidopsis CROWDED NUCLEI genes regulate seed germination by modulating degradation of ABI5 protein

In Arabidopsis, the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays a vital role in inhibiting seed germination and in post-germination seedling establishment. In the ABA signaling pathway, ABI5, a basic Leu zipper transcription factor, has important functions in the regulation of seed germination. ABI5 protein localizes in nuclear bodies, along with AFP, COP1, and SIZ1, and was degraded through the 26S proteasome pathway. However, the mechanisms of ABI5 nuclear body formation and ABI5 protein degradation remain obscure. In this study, we found that the Arabidopsis CROWDED NUCLEI (CRWN) proteins, predicted nuclear matrix proteins essential for maintenance of nuclear morphology, also participate in ABA-controlled seed germination by regulating the degradation of ABI5 protein. During seed germination, the crwn mutants are hypersensitive to ABA and have higher levels of ABI5 protein compared to wild type. Genetic analysis suggested that CRWNs act upstream of ABI5. The observation that CRWN3 colocalizes with ABI5 in nuclear bodies indicates that CRWNs might participate in ABI5 protein degradation in nuclear bodies. Moreover, we revealed that the extreme C-terminal of CRWN3 protein is necessary for its function in the response to ABA in germination. Our results suggested important roles of CRWNs in ABI5 nuclear body organization and ABI5 protein degradation during seed germination.

MPT0B098, a Microtubule Inhibitor, Suppresses JAK2/STAT3 Signaling Pathway through Modulation of SOCS3 Stability in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Microtubule inhibitors have been shown to inhibit Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (JAK2/STAT3) signal transduction pathway in various cancer cells. However, little is known of the mechanism by which the microtubule inhibitors inhibit STAT3 activity. In the present study, we examined the effect of a novel small-molecule microtubule inhibitor, MPT0B098, on STAT3 signaling in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Treatment of various OSCC cells with MPT0B098 induced growth inhibition, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, as well as increased the protein level of SOCS3. The accumulation of SOCS3 protein enhanced its binding to JAK2 and TYK2 which facilitated the ubiquitination and degradation of JAK2 and TYK2, resulting in a loss of STAT3 activity. The inhibition of STAT3 activity led to sensitization of OSCC cells to MPT0B098 cytotoxicity, indicating that STAT3 is a key mediator of drug resistance in oral carcinogenesis. Moreover, the combination of MPT0B098 with the clinical drug cisplatin or 5-FU significantly augmented growth inhibition and apoptosis in OSCC cells. Taken together, our results provide a novel mechanism for the action of MPT0B098 in which the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway is suppressed through the modulation of SOCS3 protein level. The findings also provide a promising combinational therapy of MPT0B098 for OSCC.

Guttiferone K impedes cell cycle re-entry of quiescent prostate cancer cells via stabilization of FBXW7 and subsequent c-MYC degradation

Cell cycle re-entry by quiescent cancer cells is an important mechanism for cancer progression. While high levels of c-MYC expression are sufficient for cell cycle re-entry, the modality to block c-MYC expression, and subsequent cell cycle re-entry, is limited. Using reversible quiescence rendered by serum withdrawal or contact inhibition in PTEN(null)/p53(WT) (LNCaP) or PTEN(null)/p53(mut) (PC-3) prostate cancer cells, we have identified a compound that is able to impede cell cycle re-entry through c-MYC. Guttiferone K (GUTK) blocked resumption of DNA synthesis and preserved the cell cycle phase characteristics of quiescent cells after release from the quiescence. In vehicle-treated cells, there was a rapid increase in c-MYC protein levels upon release from the quiescence. However, this increase was inhibited in the presence of GUTK with an associated acceleration in c-MYC protein degradation. The inhibitory effect of GUTK on cell cycle re-entry was significantly reduced in cells overexpressing c-MYC. The protein level of FBXW7, a subunit of E3 ubiquitin ligase responsible for degradation of c-MYC, was reduced upon the release from the quiescence. In contrast, GUTK stabilized FBXW7 protein levels during release from the quiescence. The critical role of FBXW7 was confirmed using siRNA knockdown, which impaired the inhibitory effect of GUTK on c-MYC protein levels and cell cycle re-entry. Administration of GUTK, either in vitro prior to transplantation or in vivo, suppressed the growth of quiescent prostate cancer cell xenografts. Furthermore, elevation of FBXW7 protein levels and reduction of c-MYC protein levels were found in the xenografts of GUTK-treated compared with vehicle-treated mice. Hence, we have identified a compound that is capable of impeding cell cycle re-entry by quiescent PTEN(null)/p53(WT) and PTEN(null)/p53(mut) prostate cancer cells likely by promoting c-MYC protein degradation through stabilization of FBXW7. Its usage as a clinical modality to prevent prostate cancer progression should be further evaluated.

Calpain inhibition rescues troponin T3 fragmentation, increases Cav1.1, and enhances skeletal muscle force in aging sedentary mice

Loss of strength in human and animal models of aging can be partially attributed to a well-recognized decrease in muscle mass; however, starting at middle-age, the normalized force (force/muscle cross-sectional area) in the knee extensors and single muscle fibers declines in a curvilinear manner. Strength is lost faster than muscle mass and is a more consistent risk factor for disability and death. Reduced expression of the voltage sensor Ca(2+) channel α1 subunit (Cav1.1) with aging leads to excitation-contraction uncoupling, which accounts for a significant fraction of the decrease in skeletal muscle function. We recently reported that in addition to its classical cytoplasmic location, fast skeletal muscle troponin T3 (TnT3) is fragmented in aging mice, and both full-length TnT3 (FL-TnT3) and its carboxyl-terminal (CT-TnT3) fragment shuttle to the nucleus. Here, we demonstrate that it regulates transcription of Cacna1s, the gene encoding Cav1.1. Knocking down TnT3 in vivo downregulated Cav1.1. TnT3 downregulation or overexpression decreased or increased, respectively, Cacna1s promoter activity, and the effect was ablated by truncating the TnT3 nuclear localization sequence. Further, we mapped the Cacna1s promoter region and established the consensus sequence for TnT3 binding to Cacna1s promoter. Systemic administration of BDA-410, a specific calpain inhibitor, prevented TnT3 fragmentation, and Cacna1s and Cav1.1 downregulation and improved muscle force generation in sedentary old mice.

Interaction of tau with the RNA-Binding Protein TIA1 Regulates tau Pathophysiology and Toxicity

Dendritic mislocalization of microtubule associated protein tau is a hallmark of tauopathies, but the role of dendritic tau is unknown. We now report that tau interacts with the RNA-binding protein (RBP) TIA1 in brain tissue, and we present the brain-protein interactome network for TIA1. Analysis of the TIA1 interactome in brain tissue from wild-type (WT) and tau knockout mice demonstrates that tau is required for normal interactions of TIA1 with proteins linked to RNA metabolism, including ribosomal proteins and RBPs. Expression studies show that tau regulates the distribution of TIA1, and tau accelerates stress granule (SG) formation. Conversely, TIA1 knockdown or knockout inhibits tau misfolding and associated toxicity in cultured hippocampal neurons, while overexpressing TIA1 induces tau misfolding and stimulates neurodegeneration. Pharmacological interventions that prevent SG formation also inhibit tau pathophysiology. These studies suggest that the pathophysiology of tauopathy requires an intimate interaction with RNA-binding proteins.

Integrin signalling regulates YAP and TAZ to control skin homeostasis

The skin is a squamous epithelium that is continuously renewed by a population of basal layer stem/progenitor cells and can heal wounds. Here, we show that the transcription regulators YAP and TAZ localise to the nucleus in the basal layer of skin and are elevated upon wound healing. Skin-specific deletion of both YAP and TAZ in adult mice slows proliferation of basal layer cells, leads to hair loss and impairs regeneration after wounding. Contact with the basal extracellular matrix and consequent integrin-Src signalling is a key determinant of the nuclear localisation of YAP/TAZ in basal layer cells and in skin tumours. Contact with the basement membrane is lost in differentiating daughter cells, where YAP and TAZ become mostly cytoplasmic. In other types of squamous epithelia and squamous cell carcinomas, a similar control mechanism is present. By contrast, columnar epithelia differentiate an apical domain that recruits CRB3, Merlin (also known as NF2), KIBRA (also known as WWC1) and SAV1 to induce Hippo signalling and retain YAP/TAZ in the cytoplasm despite contact with the basal layer extracellular matrix. When columnar epithelial tumours lose their apical domain and become invasive, YAP/TAZ becomes nuclear and tumour growth becomes sensitive to the Src inhibitor Dasatinib.

PIAS1 is a determinant of poor survival and acts as a positive feedback regulator of AR signaling through enhanced AR stabilization in prostate cancer

Novel drugs like Abiraterone or Enzalutamide, which target androgen receptor (AR) signaling to improve androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), have been developed during the past years. However, the application of these drugs is limited because of occurrence of inherent or acquired therapy resistances during the treatment. Thus, identification of new molecular targets is urgently required to improve current therapeutic prostate cancer (PCa) treatment strategies. PIAS1 (protein inhibitor of activated STAT1 (signal transducer and activator of transcription-1)) is known to be an important cell cycle regulator and PIAS1-mediated SUMOylation is essential for DNA repair. In this context, elevated PIAS1 expression has already been associated with cancer initiation. Thus, in the present study, we addressed the question of whether PIAS1 targeting can be used as a basis for an improved PCa therapy in combination with anti-androgens. We show that PIAS1 significantly correlates with AR expression in PCa tissue and in cell lines and demonstrate that high PIAS1 levels predict shorter relapse-free survival. Our patient data are complemented by mechanistic and functional in vitro experiments that identify PIAS1 as an androgen-responsive gene and a crucial factor for AR signaling via prevention of AR degradation. Furthermore, PIAS1 knockdown is sufficient to decrease cell proliferation as well as cell viability. Strikingly, Abiraterone or Enzalutamide treatment in combination with PIAS1 depletion is even more effective than single-drug treatment in multiple PCa cell models, rendering PIAS1 as a promising target protein for a combined treatment approach to improve future PCa therapies.

A Synergistic Antiobesity Effect by a Combination of Capsinoids and Cold Temperature Through Promoting Beige Adipocyte Biogenesis

Beige adipocytes emerge postnatally within the white adipose tissue in response to certain environmental cues, such as chronic cold exposure. Because of its highly recruitable nature and relevance to adult humans, beige adipocytes have gained much attention as an attractive cellular target for antiobesity therapy. However, molecular circuits that preferentially promote beige adipocyte biogenesis remain poorly understood. We report that a combination of mild cold exposure at 17°C and capsinoids, a nonpungent analog of capsaicin, synergistically and preferentially promotes beige adipocyte biogenesis and ameliorates diet-induced obesity. Gain- and loss-of-function studies show that the combination of capsinoids and cold exposure synergistically promotes beige adipocyte development through the β2-adrenoceptor signaling pathway. This synergistic effect on beige adipocyte biogenesis occurs through an increased half-life of PRDM16, a dominant transcriptional regulator of brown/beige adipocyte development. We document a previously unappreciated molecular circuit that controls beige adipocyte biogenesis and suggest a plausible approach to increase whole-body energy expenditure by combining dietary components and environmental cues.

Abnormal Osmotic Avoidance Behavior in C. elegans Is Associated with Increased Hypertonic Stress Resistance and Improved Proteostasis

Protein function is controlled by the cellular proteostasis network. Proteostasis is energetically costly and those costs must be balanced with the energy needs of other physiological functions. Hypertonic stress causes widespread protein damage in C. elegans. Suppression and management of protein damage is essential for optimal survival under hypertonic conditions. ASH chemosensory neurons allow C. elegans to detect and avoid strongly hypertonic environments. We demonstrate that mutations in osm-9 and osm-12 that disrupt ASH mediated hypertonic avoidance behavior or genetic ablation of ASH neurons are associated with enhanced survival during hypertonic stress. Improved survival is not due to altered systemic volume homeostasis or organic osmolyte accumulation. Instead, we find that osm-9(ok1677) mutant and osm-9(RNAi) worms exhibit reductions in hypertonicity induced protein damage in non-neuronal cells suggesting that enhanced proteostasis capacity may account for improved hypertonic stress resistance in worms with defects in osmotic avoidance behavior. RNA-seq analysis revealed that genes that play roles in managing protein damage are upregulated in osm-9(ok1677) worms. Our findings are consistent with a growing body of work demonstrating that intercellular communication between neuronal and non-neuronal cells plays a critical role in integrating cellular stress resistance with other organismal physiological demands and associated energy costs.

Salt Stress and Ethylene Antagonistically Regulate Nucleocytoplasmic Partitioning of COP1 to Control Seed Germination

Seed germination, a critical stage initiating the life cycle of a plant, is severely affected by salt stress. However, the underlying mechanism of salt inhibition of seed germination (SSG) is unclear. Here, we report that the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENESIS1 (COP1) counteracts SSG Genetic assays provide evidence that SSG in loss of function of the COP1 mutant was stronger than this in the wild type. A GUS-COP1 fusion was constitutively localized to the nucleus in radicle cells. Salt treatment caused COP1 to be retained in the cytosol, but the addition of ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate had the reverse effect on the translocation of COP1 to the nucleus, revealing that ethylene and salt exert opposite regulatory effects on the localization of COP1 in germinating seeds. However, loss of function of the ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE3 (EIN3) mutant impaired the ethylene-mediated rescue of the salt restriction of COP1 to the nucleus. Further research showed that the interaction between COP1 and LONG HYPOCOTYL5 (HY5) had a role in SSG Correspondingly, SSG in loss of function of HY5 was suppressed. Biochemical detection showed that salt promoted the stabilization of HY5, whereas ethylene restricted its accumulation. Furthermore, salt treatment stimulated and ethylene suppressed transcription of ABA INSENSITIVE5 (ABI5), which was directly transcriptionally regulated by HY5. Together, our results reveal that salt stress and ethylene antagonistically regulate nucleocytoplasmic partitioning of COP1, thereby controlling Arabidopsis seed germination via the COP1-mediated down-regulation of HY5 and ABI5. These findings enhance our understanding of the stress response and have great potential for application in agricultural production.

Tomato MBD5, a methyl CpG binding domain protein, physically interacting with UV-damaged DNA binding protein-1, functions in multiple processes

In tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), high pigment mutations (hp-1 and hp-2) were mapped to genes encoding UV-damaged DNA binding protein 1 (DDB1) and de-etiolated-1 (DET1), respectively. Here we characterized a tomato methyl-CpG-binding domain protein SlMBD5 identified by yeast two-hybrid screening using SlDDB1 as a bait. Yeast two-hybrid assay demonstrated that the physical interaction of SlMBD5 with SlDDB1 is mediated by the C-termini of SlMBD5 and the β-propeller-C (BPC) of SlDDB1. Co-immunoprecipitation analyses revealed that SlMBD5 associates with SlDDB1-interacting partners including SlDET1, SlCUL4, SlRBX1a and SlRBX1b in vivo. SlMBD5 was shown to target to nucleus and dimerizes via its MBD motif. Electrophoresis mobility shift analysis suggested that the MBD of SlMBD5 specifically binds to methylated CpG dinucleotides but not to methylated CpHpG or CpHpH dinucleotides. SlMBD5 expressed in protoplast is capable of activating transcription of CG islands, whereas CUL4/DDB1 antagonizes this effect. Overexpressing SlMBD5 resulted in diverse developmental alterations including darker green fruits with increased plastid level and elevated pigmentation, as well as enhanced expression of SlGLK2, a key regulator of plastid biogenesis. Taken together, we hypothesize that the physical interaction of SlMBD5 with the CUL4-DDB1-DET1 complex component may affect its binding activity to methylated DNA and subsequently attenuate its transcription activation of downstream genes.

TRIB1 Is Regulated Post-Transcriptionally by Proteasomal and Non-Proteasomal Pathways

The TRIB1 gene has been associated with multiple malignancies, plasma triglycerides and coronary artery disease (CAD). Despite the clinical significance of this pseudo-kinase, there is little information on the regulation of TRIB1. Previous studies reported TRIB1 mRNA to be unstable, hinting that TRIB1 might be subject to post-transcriptional regulation. This work explores TRIB1 regulation, focusing on its post-transcriptional aspects. In 3 distinct model systems (HEK293T, HeLa and arterial smooth muscle cells) TRIB1 was undetectable as assessed by western blot. Using recombinant TRIB1 as a proxy, we demonstrate TRIB1 to be highly unstable at the protein and RNA levels. By contrast, recombinant TRIB1 was stable in cellular extracts. Blocking proteasome function led to increased protein steady state levels but failed to rescue protein instability, demonstrating that the 2 processes are uncoupled. Unlike as shown for TRIB2, CUL1 and TRCPβ did not play a role in mediating TRIB1 instability although TRCPβ suppression increased TRIB1 expression. Lastly, we demonstrate that protein instability is independent of TRIB1 subcellular localization. Following the identification of TRIB1 nuclear localization signal, a cytosolic form was engineered. Despite being confined to the cytosol, TRIB1 remained unstable, suggesting that instability occurs at a stage that precedes its nuclear translocation and downstream nuclear function. These results uncover possible avenues of intervention to regulate TRIB1 function by identifying two distinct regulatory axes that control TRIB1 at the post-transcriptional level.

New potential peptide therapeutics perturbing CK1δ/α-tubulin interaction

Members of the CK1 family are highly conserved serine/threonine specific kinases being expressed in all eukaryotes. They are involved in many cellular processes and therefore tightly regulated. A central mechanism to modulate CK1 activity is via interaction with cellular proteins. CK1δ interacts with α-/β-tubulin and is involved in the regulation of microtubule dynamics. Therefore, it is important to identify the structural elements responsible for the interaction between these proteins. Using a peptide library covering the human CK1δ amino acid sequence in SPR and ELISA analyses, we identified peptide 39 (P39), encompassing aa361-aa375 of CK1δ, as a prominent binding partner of α-tubulin. P39 decreases α-tubulin phosphorylation by CK1δ and reduces the thermodynamic stability of α-tubulin in fluorescence thermal shift assays. Furthermore, P39 induces an inhibition of mitotic progression and a disruption of cells entering mitosis in CV-1 cells. Taken together our data provide valuable information regarding the interaction of CK1δ and α-tubulin and a novel approach for the development of pharmacological tools to inhibit proliferation of cancer cells.

Human hemoglobin structural and functional alterations and heme degradation upon interaction with benzene: A spectroscopic study

Here, the effect of benzene on hemoglobin structure, stability and heme prosthetic group integrity was studied by different methods. These included UV-vis absorption spectrophotometry, normal and synchronous fluorescence techniques, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Our results indicated that benzene has high hemolytic potential even at low concentrations. The UV-vis spectroscopic results demonstrated that benzene altered both the globin chain and the heme prosthetic group of hemoglobin increasing met- and deoxy-Hb, while decreasing oxy-Hb. However, with increasing benzene the concentration of all species decreased due to heme destruction. The spectrophotometric results show that benzene has a high potential for penetrating the hydrophobic pocket of hemoglobin. These results were consistent with the molecular docking simulation results of benzene-hHb. Aggregation and thermal denaturation studies show that the increased benzene concentration induced hemoglobin aggregation with a decrease in stability, which is consistent with the DSC results. Conventional fluorescence spectroscopy revealed that the heme degradation species were produced in the presence of benzene. The results of constant wavelength synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy (CWSFS) indicated that at least five heme-degraded species were produced. Together, our results indicated that benzene has adverse effects on hemoglobin structure and function, and heme degradation.

Interactions of benzotriazole UV stabilizers with human serum albumin: Atomic insights revealed by biosensors, spectroscopies and molecular dynamics simulations

Benzotriazole UV stabilizers (BZTs) belong to one prominent group of ultraviolet (UV) stabilizers and are widely used in various plastics materials. Their large production volumes, frequent detections in the environment and potential toxicities have raised increasing public concern. BZTs can be transported in vivo by transport proteins in plasma and the binding association to transport proteins may serve as a significant parameter to evaluate the bioaccumulative potential. We utilized a novel HSA biosensor, circular dichroism spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy to detect the dynamic interactions of six BZTs (UV-326, UV-327, UV-328, UV-329, UV-P, and BZT) with human serum albumin (HSA), and characterized the corresponding structure-activity relationships (SAR) by molecular dynamics simulations. All test BZTs potently bind at Sudlow site I of HSA with a binding constant of 10(4) L/mol at 298 K. Minor changes in the moieties of BZTs affect their interactions with HSA and differently induce conformations of HSA. Their binding reduced electrochemical impedance spectra and α-helix content of HSA, caused slight red-shifted emission, and changed fluorescence lifetime components of HSA in a concentration-dependent mode. UV-327 and UV-329 form hydrogen bonds with HSA, while UV-329, UV-P and BZT bind HSA with more favorable electrostatic interactions. Our in vitro and in silico study offered a significant framework toward the understanding of risk assessment of BZTs and provides guide for future design of environmental benign BZTs-related materials.

ZmABA2, an interacting protein of ZmMPK5, is involved in abscisic acid biosynthesis and functions

In maize (Zea mays), the mitogen-activated protein kinase ZmMPK5 has been shown to be involved in abscisic acid (ABA)-induced antioxidant defence and to enhance the tolerance of plants to drought, salt stress and oxidative stress. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, using ZmMPK5 as bait in yeast two-hybrid screening, a protein interacting with ZmMPK5 named ZmABA2, which belongs to a member of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase family, was identified. Pull-down assay and bimolecular fluorescence complementation analysis and co-immunoprecipitation test confirmed that ZmMPK5 interacts with ZmABA2 in vitro and in vivo. Phosphorylation of Ser173 in ZmABA2 by ZmMPK5 was shown to increase the activity of ZmABA2 and the protein stability. Various abiotic stimuli induced the expression of ZmABA2 in leaves of maize plants. Pharmacological, biochemical and molecular biology and genetic analyses showed that both ZmMPK5 and ZmABA2 coordinately regulate the content of ABA. Overexpression of ZmABA2 in tobacco plants was found to elevate the content of ABA, regulate seed germination and root growth under drought and salt stress and enhance the tolerance of tobacco plants to drought and salt stress. These results suggest that ZmABA2 is a direct target of ZmMPK5 and is involved in ABA biosynthesis and functions.

Actin-dependent vacuolar occupancy of the cell determines auxin-induced growth repression

The cytoskeleton is an early attribute of cellular life, and its main components are composed of conserved proteins. The actin cytoskeleton has a direct impact on the control of cell size in animal cells, but its mechanistic contribution to cellular growth in plants remains largely elusive. Here, we reveal a role of actin in regulating cell size in plants. The actin cytoskeleton shows proximity to vacuoles, and the phytohormone auxin not only controls the organization of actin filaments but also impacts vacuolar morphogenesis in an actin-dependent manner. Pharmacological and genetic interference with the actin-myosin system abolishes the effect of auxin on vacuoles and thus disrupts its negative influence on cellular growth. SEM-based 3D nanometer-resolution imaging of the vacuoles revealed that auxin controls the constriction and luminal size of the vacuole. We show that this actin-dependent mechanism controls the relative vacuolar occupancy of the cell, thus suggesting an unanticipated mechanism for cytosol homeostasis during cellular growth.