On WD40 proteins: propelling our knowledge of transcriptional control?

Krüppel-like factor 11 regulates the expression of metabolic genes via an evolutionarily conserved protein interaction domain functionally disrupted in maturity onset diabetes of the young

The function of Krüppel-like factor 11 (KLF11) in the regulation of metabolic pathways is conserved from flies to human. Alterations in KLF11 function result in maturity onset diabetes of the young 7 (MODY7) and neonatal diabetes; however, the mechanisms underlying the role of this protein in metabolic disorders remain unclear. Here, we investigated how the A347S genetic variant, present in MODY7 patients, modulates KLF11 transcriptional activity. A347S affects a previously identified transcriptional regulatory domain 3 (TRD3) for which co-regulators remain unknown. Structure-oriented sequence analyses described here predicted that the KLF11 TRD3 represents an evolutionarily conserved protein domain. Combined yeast two-hybrid and protein array experiments demonstrated that the TRD3 binds WD40, WWI, WWII, and SH3 domain-containing proteins. Using one of these proteins as a model, guanine nucleotide-binding protein β2 (Gβ₂), we investigated the functional consequences of KLF11 coupling to a TRD3 binding partner. Combined immunoprecipitation and biomolecular fluorescence complementation assays confirmed that activation of three different metabolic G protein-coupled receptors (β-adrenergic, secretin, and cholecystokinin) induces translocation of Gβ₂ to the nucleus where it directly binds KLF11 in a manner that is disrupted by the MODY7 A347S variant. Using genome-wide expression profiles, we identified metabolic gene networks impacted upon TRD3 disruption. Furthermore, A347S disrupted KLF11-mediated increases in basal insulin levels and promoter activity and blunted glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Thus, this study characterizes a novel protein/protein interaction domain disrupted in a KLF gene variant that associates to MODY7, contributing to our understanding of gene regulation events in complex metabolic diseases.

Three calcium-sensitive genes, fus, brd3 and wdr5, are highly expressed in neural and renal territories during amphibian development

Numerous Ca(2+) signaling events have been associated with early development of vertebrate embryo, from fertilization to organogenesis. In Xenopus laevis, Ca(2+) signals are key regulators in the earliest steps of the nervous system development. If neural determination is one of the best-characterized examples of the role of Ca(2+) during embryogenesis, increasing literature supports a determining role of organogenesis and differentiation. In blastula the cells of the presumptive ectoderm (animal caps) are pluripotent and can be induced toward neural fate with an intracellular increase of free Ca(2+) triggered by caffeine. To identify genes that are transcribed early upon Ca(2+) stimuli and involved in neural determination, we have constructed a subtractive cDNA library between neuralized and non-neuralized animal caps. Here we present the expression pattern of three new Ca(2+)-sensitive genes: fus (fused in sarcoma), brd3 (bromodomain containing 3) and wdr5 (WD repeat domain 5) as they all represent potential regulators of the transcriptional machinery. Using in situ hybridization we illustrated the spatial expression pattern of fus, brd3 and wdr5 during early developmental stages of Xenopus embryos. Strikingly, their domains of expression are not restricted to neural territories. They all share a specific expression throughout renal organogenesis which has been found to rely also on Ca(2+) signaling. This therefore highlights the key function of Ca(2+) target genes in specific territories during early development. We propose that Ca(2+) signaling through modulation of fus, brd3 and wdr5 expressions can control the transcription machinery to achieve proper embryogenesis. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: 12th European Symposium on Calcium.

Emerging players in the initiation of eukaryotic DNA replication

Faithful duplication of the genome in eukaryotes requires ordered assembly of a multi-protein complex called the pre-replicative complex (pre-RC) prior to S phase; transition to the pre-initiation complex (pre-IC) at the beginning of DNA replication; coordinated progression of the replisome during S phase; and well-controlled regulation of replication licensing to prevent re-replication. These events are achieved by the formation of distinct protein complexes that form in a cell cycle-dependent manner. Several components of the pre-RC and pre-IC are highly conserved across all examined eukaryotic species. Many of these proteins, in addition to their bona fide roles in DNA replication are also required for other cell cycle events including heterochromatin organization, chromosome segregation and centrosome biology. As the complexity of the genome increases dramatically from yeast to human, additional proteins have been identified in higher eukaryotes that dictate replication initiation, progression and licensing. In this review, we discuss the newly discovered components and their roles in cell cycle progression.

Crystal structure of the human PRMT5:MEP50 complex

Protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) play important roles in several cellular processes, including signaling, gene regulation, and transport of proteins and nucleic acids, to impact growth, differentiation, proliferation, and development. PRMT5 symmetrically di-methylates the two-terminal ω-guanidino nitrogens of arginine residues on substrate proteins. PRMT5 acts as part of a multimeric complex in concert with a variety of partner proteins that regulate its function and specificity. A core component of these complexes is the WD40 protein MEP50/WDR77/p44, which mediates interactions with binding partners and substrates. We have determined the crystal structure of human PRMT5 in complex with MEP50 (methylosome protein 50), bound to an S-adenosylmethionine analog and a peptide substrate derived from histone H4. The structure of the surprising hetero-octameric complex reveals the close interaction between the seven-bladed β-propeller MEP50 and the N-terminal domain of PRMT5, and delineates the structural elements of substrate recognition.

Orc2 protects ORCA from ubiquitin-mediated degradation

Origin recognition complex (ORC) is highly dynamic, with several ORC subunits getting posttranslationally modified by phosphorylation or ubiquitination in a cell cycle-dependent manner. We have previously demonstrated that a WD repeat containing protein ORC-associated (ORCA/LRWD1) stabilizes the ORC on chromatin and facilitates pre-RC assembly. Further, ORCA levels are cell cycle-regulated, with highest levels during G(1), and progressively decreasing during S phase, but the mechanism remains to be elucidated. We now demonstrate that ORCA is polyubiquitinated in vivo, with elevated ubiquitination observed at the G(1)/S boundary. ORCA utilizes lysine-48 (K48) ubiquitin linkage, suggesting that ORCA ubiquitination mediates its regulated degradation. Ubiquitinated ORCA is re-localized in the form of nuclear aggregates and is predominantly associated with chromatin. We demonstrate that ORCA associates with the E3 ubiquitin ligase Cul4A-Ddb1. ORCA is ubiquitinated at the WD40 repeat domain, a region that is also recognized by Orc2. Furthermore, Orc2 associates only with the non-ubiquitinated form of ORCA, and Orc2 depletion results in the proteasome-mediated destabilization of ORCA. Based on the results, we suggest that Orc2 protects ORCA from ubiquitin-mediated degradation in vivo.