Phosphorylation of serine 303 is a prerequisite for the stress-inducible SUMO modification of heat shock factor 1

Non-enzymatic post-translational protein modifications and proteostasis network deregulation in carcinogenesis

Organisms are constantly challenged by stressors and thus the maintenance of biomolecules functionality is essential for the assurance of cellular homeostasis. Proteins carry out the vast majority of cellular functions by mostly participating in multimeric protein assemblies that operate as protein machines. Cells have evolved a complex proteome quality control network for the rescue, when possible, or the degradation of damaged polypeptides. Nevertheless, despite these proteostasis ensuring mechanisms, new protein synthesis, and the replication-mediated dilution of proteome damage in mitotic cells, the gradual accumulation of stressors during aging (or due to lifestyle) results in increasingly damaged proteome. Non-enzymatic post-translational protein modifications mostly arise by unbalanced redox homeostasis and/or high glucose levels and may cause disruption of proteostasis as they can alter protein function. This outcome may then increase genomic instability due to reduced fidelity in processes like DNA replication or repair. Herein, we present a synopsis of the major non-enzymatic post-translation protein modifications and of the proteostasis network deregulation in carcinogenesis. We propose that activation of the proteostasis ensuring mechanisms in premalignant cells has tumor-preventive effects, whereas considering that over-activation of these mechanisms represents a hallmark of advanced tumors, their inhibition provides a strategy for the development of anti-tumor therapies. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Posttranslational Protein modifications in biology and Medicine.

Identification of SUMO targets by a novel proteomic approach in plants(F)

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) chemically and physically alter the properties of proteins, including their folding, subcellular localization, stability, activity, and consequently their function. In spite of their relevance, studies on PTMs in plants are still limited. Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier (SUMO) modification regulates several biological processes by affecting protein-protein interactions, or changing the subcellular localizations of the target proteins. Here, we describe a novel proteomic approach to identify SUMO targets that combines 2-D liquid chromatography, immunodetection, and mass spectrometry (MS) analyses. We have applied this approach to identify nuclear SUMO targets in response to heat shock. Using a bacterial SUMOylation system, we validated that some of the targets identified here are, in fact, labeled with SUMO1. Interestingly, we found that GIGANTEA (GI), a photoperiodic-pathway protein, is modified with SUMO in response to heat shock both in vitro and in vivo.

New insights into the role of the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) in plants

Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) is a small (∼12kDa) protein that occurs in all eukaryotes and participates in the reversible posttranslational modification of target cellular proteins. The three-dimensional structure of SUMO and ubiquitin (Ub) are superimposable although there is very little similarity in their primary amino acid sequences. In all organisms, conjugation and deconjugation of Ub and SUMO proceed by the same reactions while using pathway-specific enzymes. SUMO conjugation in plants is a part of the controls governing important biological processes such as growth, development, flowering, environmental (abiotic) stress responses, and response to pathogen infection. Most of the evidence for this comes from genetic analyses. Recent efforts to dissect the function of sumoylation have focused on uncovering targets of SUMO conjugation by using either a yeast two-hybrid screen employing components of the SUMO cycle as bait or by using affinity purification of SUMO-conjugated proteins followed by identification of these proteins by mass spectrometry. This chapter reviews the current knowledge regarding sumoylation in plants, with special focus on the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana.

Toll-like receptor agonists and febrile range hyperthermia synergize to induce heat shock protein 70 expression and extracellular release

Heat shock protein (Hsp) 70 expression can be stimulated by febrile range temperature (FRT). Hsp70 has been shown to be elevated in serum of patients with sepsis, and when released from cells, extracellular Hsp70 exerts endotoxin-like effects through Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) receptors. Circulating TLR agonists and fever both persist for the first several days of sepsis, and each can activate Hsp70 expression; however, the effect of combined exposure to FRT and TLR agonists on Hsp70 expression is unknown. We found that concurrent exposure to FRT (39.5 °C) and agonists for TLR4 (LPS), TLR2 (Pam3Cys), or TLR3 (poly(IC)) synergized to increase Hsp70 expression and extracellular release in RAW264.7 macrophages. The increase in Hsp70 expression was associated with activation of p38 and ERK MAP kinases, phosphorylation of histone H3, and increased recruitment of HSF1 to the Hsp70 promoter. Pretreatment with the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB283580 but not the ERK pathway inhibitor UO126 significantly reduced Hsp70 gene modification and Hsp70 expression in RAW cells co-exposed to LPS and FRT. In mice challenged with intratracheal LPS and then exposed to febrile range hyperthermia (core temperature, ∼39.5 °C), Hsp70 levels in lung tissue and in cell-free lung lavage were increased compared with mice exposed to either hyperthermia or LPS alone. We propose a model of how enhanced Hsp70 expression and extracellular release in patients concurrently exposed to fever and TLR agonists may contribute to the pathogenesis of sepsis.

Glutamine-mediated dual regulation of heat shock transcription factor-1 activation and expression

BACKGROUND

Regulation of transcriptional activity of heat shock factor-1 (HSF1) is widely thought to be the main point of control for heat shock protein (Hsp) expression.

RESULTS

Glutamine increases Hsf1 gene transcription in a C/EBPβ-dependent manner and up-regulates HSF1 activity.

CONCLUSION

Glutamine is an activator for both HSF1 expression and transactivation.

SIGNIFICANCE

Glutamine-induced HSF1 expression provides a novel mechanistic frame for HSF1-Hsp axis regulation. Heat shock transcription factor-1 (HSF1) is the master regulator for cytoprotective heat shock protein (Hsp) expression. It is widely thought that HSF1 expression is non-inducible, and thus the key control point of Hsp expression is regulation of the transactivation activity of HSF1. How HSF1 expression is regulated remains unknown. Herein we demonstrate that glutamine (Gln), a preferred fuel substrate for the gut, enhanced Hsp expression both in rat colonic epithelium in vivo and in cultured non-transformed young adult mouse colonic epithelial cells. This was associated with up-regulation of the transactivation activity of HSF1 via increased HSF1 trimerization, nuclear localization, DNA binding, and relative abundance of activating phosphorylation at Ser-230 of HSF1. More intriguingly, Gln enhanced HSF1 protein and mRNA expression and Hsf1 gene promoter activity. Within the -281/-200 region of the Hsf1 promoter, deletion of the putative CCAAT enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) binding site abolished the HSF1 response to Gln. C/EBPβ was further shown to bind to this 82-bp sequence both in vitro and in vivo. Gln availability strikingly altered the ratio of C/EBPβ inhibitory and active isoforms, i.e. liver-enriched inhibitory protein and liver-enriched activating protein. Liver-enriched inhibitory protein and liver-enriched activating protein were further shown to be an independent repressor and activator, respectively, for Hsf1 gene transcription, and the relative abundance of these two C/EBPβ isoforms was demonstrated to determine Hsf1 transcription. We show for the first time that Gln not only enhances the transactivation of HSF1 but also induces Hsf1 expression by activating its transcription in a C/EBPβ-dependent manner.

Phosphorylation-dependent SUMOylation of the transcription factor NF-E2

Nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2 (NF-E2), a heterodimer composed of p45 and p18, is a transcriptional activator in hematopoietic progenitors. The transcriptional activity of NF-E2 is not only upregulated by SUMOylation but also stimulated by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA). However, the relationship between SUMOylation and phosphorylation in the activation of NF-E2 is unclear. In the present studies, we have demonstrated that PKA enhances NF-E2 SUMOylation in an in vitro system using purified proteins, suggesting a possible mechanism for PKA-dependent activation of the NF-E2 transcription factor through SUMOylation.

The phosphorylation of the heat shock factor as a modulator for the heat shock response

The heat shock response is a well-conserved defence mechanism against the accumulation of misfolded proteins due to prolonged elevated heat. The cell responds to heat shock by raising the levels of heat shock proteins (hsp), which are responsible for chaperoning protein refolding. The synthesis of hsp is highly regulated at the transcription level by specific heat shock (transcription) factors (hsf). One of the regulation mechanisms is the phosphorylation of hsf's. Experimental evidence shows a connection between the hyper-phosphorylation of hsfs and the transactivation of the hsp-encoding genes. In this paper, we incorporate several (de)phosphorylation pathways into an existing well-validated computational model of the heat shock response. We analyze the quantitative control of each of these pathways over the entire process. For each of these pathways we create detailed computational models which we subject to parameter estimation in order to fit them to existing experimental data. In particular, we find conclusive evidence supporting only one of the analyzed pathways. Also, we corroborate our results with a set of computational models of a more reduced size.

Heat shock proteins and heat shock factor 1 in carcinogenesis and tumor development: an update

Heat shock proteins (HSP) are a subset of the molecular chaperones, best known for their rapid and abundant induction by stress. HSP genes are activated at the transcriptional level by heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1). During the progression of many types of cancer, this heat shock transcriptional regulon becomes co-opted by mechanisms that are currently unclear, although evidently triggered in the emerging tumor cell. Concerted activation of HSF1 and the accumulation of HSPs then participate in many of the traits that permit the malignant phenotype. Thus, cancers of many histologies exhibit activated HSF1 and increased HSP levels that may help to deter tumor suppression and evade therapy in the clinic. We review here the extensive work that has been carried out and is still in progress aimed at (1) understanding the oncogenic mechanisms by which HSP genes are switched on, (2) determining the roles of HSF1/HSP in malignant transformation and (3) discovering approaches to therapy based on disrupting the influence of the HSF1-controlled transcriptome in cancer.

Small molecule activators of the heat shock response: chemical properties, molecular targets, and therapeutic promise

All cells have developed various mechanisms to respond and adapt to a variety of environmental challenges, including stresses that damage cellular proteins. One such response, the heat shock response (HSR), leads to the transcriptional activation of a family of molecular chaperone proteins that promote proper folding or clearance of damaged proteins within the cytosol. In addition to its role in protection against acute insults, the HSR also regulates lifespan and protects against protein misfolding that is associated with degenerative diseases of aging. As a result, identifying pharmacological regulators of the HSR has become an active area of research in recent years. Here, we review progress made in identifying small molecule activators of the HSR, what cellular targets these compounds interact with to drive response activation, and how such molecules may ultimately be employed to delay or reverse protein misfolding events that contribute to a number of diseases.

Proteotoxic stress of cancer: implication of the heat-shock response in oncogenesis

Organisms frequently encounter a wide variety of proteotoxic stressors. The heat-shock response, an ancient cytoprotective mechanism, has evolved to augment organismal survival and longevity in the face of proteotoxic stress from without and within. These broadly recognized beneficial effects, ironically, contrast sharply with its emerging role as a culprit in the pathogenesis of cancers. Here, we present an overview of the normal biology of the heat-shock response and highlight its implications in oncogenic processes, including the proteotoxic stress phenotype of cancer; the function of this stress response in helping cancer survive and adapt to proteotoxic stress; and perturbation of proteome homeostasis in cancer as a potential therapeutic avenue.

Strategies to Identify Recognition Signals and Targets of SUMOylation

SUMOylation contributes to the regulation of many essential cellular factors. Diverse techniques have been used to explore the functional consequences of protein SUMOylation. Most approaches consider the identification of sequences on substrates, adaptors, or receptors regulating the SUMO conjugation, recognition, or deconjugation. The large majority of the studied SUMOylated proteins contain the sequence [IVL]KxE. SUMOylated proteins are recognized by at least 3 types of hydrophobic SUMO-interacting motifs (SIMs) that contribute to coordinate SUMO-dependent functions. Typically, SIMs are constituted by a hydrophobic core flanked by one or two clusters of negatively charged amino acid residues. Multiple SIMs can integrate SUMO binding domains (SBDs), optimizing binding, and control over SUMO-dependent processes. Here, we present a survey of the methodologies used to study SUMO-regulated functions and provide guidelines for the identification of cis and trans sequences controlling SUMOylation. Furthermore, an integrative analysis of known and putative SUMO substrates illustrates an updated landscape of several SUMO-regulated events. The strategies and analysis presented here should contribute to the understanding of SUMO-controlled functions and provide rational approach to identify biomarkers or choose possible targets for intervention in processes where SUMOylation plays a critical role.

Protein inhibitor of activated STAT3 (PIAS3) protein promotes SUMOylation and nuclear sequestration of the intracellular domain of ErbB4 protein

ErbB4 is a receptor tyrosine kinase implicated in the development and homeostasis of the heart, central nervous system, and mammary gland. Cleavable isoforms of ErbB4 release a soluble intracellular domain (ICD) that can translocate to the nucleus and function as a transcriptional coregulator. In search of regulatory mechanisms of ErbB4 ICD function, we identified PIAS3 as a novel interaction partner of ErbB4 ICD. In keeping with the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) E3 ligase function of protein inhibitor of activated STAT (PIAS) proteins, we showed that the ErbB4 ICD is modified by SUMO, and that PIAS3 stimulates the SUMOylation. Upon overexpression of PIAS3, the ErbB4 ICD generated from the full-length receptor accumulated into the nucleus in a manner that was dependent on the functional nuclear localization signal of ErbB4. In the nucleus, ErbB4 colocalized with PIAS3 and SUMO-1 in promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies, nuclear domains involved in regulation of transcription. Accordingly, PIAS3 overexpression had an effect on the transcriptional coregulatory activity of ErbB4, repressing its ability to coactivate transcription with Yes-associated protein. Finally, knockdown of PIAS3 with siRNA partially rescued the inhibitory effect of the ErbB4 ICD on differentiation of MDA-MB-468 breast cancer and HC11 mammary epithelial cells. Our findings illustrate that PIAS3 is a novel regulator of ErbB4 receptor tyrosine kinase, controlling its nuclear sequestration and function.

Post-translational modification of human heat shock factors and their functions: a recent update by proteomic approach

Heat shock factors (HSFs) are vital for modulating stress and heat shock-related gene expression in cells. The activity of HSFs is controlled largely by post-translational modifications (PTMs). For example, basal phosphorylation of HSF1 on three serine sites suppresses the heat shock response, and hyperphosphorylation of HSF1 on several other serine and threonine sites by stress-activated kinases results in its activation, while acetylation on K80 inhibits its DNA-binding ability. Sumoylation of HSF2 on K82 regulates its DNA-binding ability, whereas sumoylation of HSF4B on K293 represses its transcriptional activity. With the advancement of proteomic technology, novel PTM sites on various HSFs have been identified with the use of tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), but the functions of many of these PTMs are still unclear. Yet, it should be noted that the discovery of these novel PTM sites provided the necessary evidence for the existence of these PTM marks in vivo. Followed by subsequent functional analysis, this would ultimately lead to a better understanding of these PTM marks. MS/MS-based proteomic approach is becoming a gold standard in PTM validation in the field of life science. Here, the recent literature of all known PTMs reported on human HSFs and the resulting functions will be discussed.

SUMO-specific protease 1 is critical for early lymphoid development through regulation of STAT5 activation

Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) modification has emerged as an important regulatory mechanism during embryonic development. However, it is not known whether SUMOylation plays a role in the development of the immune system. Here, we show that SUMO-specific protease 1 (SENP1) is essential for the development of early T and B cells. STAT5, a key regulator of lymphoid development, is modified by SUMO-2 and is specifically regulated by SENP1. In the absence of SENP1, SUMO-2 modified STAT5 accumulates in early lymphoid precursors, resulting in a block in its acetylation and subsequent signaling. These results demonstrate a crucial role of SENP1 in the regulation of STAT5 activation during early lymphoid development.

Ubiquitin links to cytoskeletal dynamics, cell adhesion and migration

Post-translational modifications are used by cells to link additional information to proteins. Most modifications are subtle and concern small moieties such as a phosphate group or a lipid. In contrast, protein ubiquitylation entails the covalent attachment of a full-length protein such as ubiquitin. The protein ubiquitylation machinery is remarkably complex, comprising more than 15 Ubls (ubiquitin-like proteins) and several hundreds of ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes. Ubiquitin is best known for its role as a tag that induces protein destruction either by the proteasome or through targeting to lysosomes. However, addition of one or more Ubls also affects vesicular traffic, protein-protein interactions and signal transduction. It is by now well established that ubiquitylation is a component of most, if not all, cellular signalling pathways. Owing to its abundance in controlling cellular functions, ubiquitylation is also of key relevance to human pathologies, including cancer and inflammation. In the present review, we focus on its role in the control of cell adhesion, polarity and directional migration. It will become clear that protein modification by Ubls occurs at every level from the receptors at the plasma membrane down to cytoskeletal components such as actin, with differential consequences for the pathway's final output. Since ubiquitylation is fast as well as reversible, it represents a bona fide signalling event, which is used to fine-tune a cell's responses to receptor agonists.

Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) modification of E1 Cys domain inhibits E1 Cys domain enzymatic activity

Although it is well established that ubiquitin-like modifications are tightly regulated, it has been unclear how their E1 activities are controlled. In this study, we found that the SAE2 subunit of the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) E1 is autoSUMOylated at residue Lys-236, and SUMOylation was catalyzed by Ubc9 at several additional Lys residues surrounding the catalytic Cys-173 of SAE2. AutoSUMOylation of SAE2 did not affect SUMO adenylation or formation of E1·SUMO thioester, but did significantly inhibit the transfer of SUMO from E1 to E2 and overall SUMO conjugations to target proteins due to the altered interaction between E1 and E2. Upon heat shock, SUMOylation of SAE2 was reduced, which corresponded with an increase in global SUMOylation, suggesting that SUMOylation of the Cys domain of SAE2 is a mechanism for "storing" a pool of E1 that can be quickly activated in response to environmental changes. This study is the first to show how E1 activity is controlled by post-translational modifications, and similar regulation likely exists across the homologous E1s of ubiquitin-like modifications.

Heat shock transcription factor 1 as a therapeutic target in neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and prion-based neurodegeneration are associated with the accumulation of misfolded proteins, resulting in neuronal dysfunction and cell death. However, current treatments for these diseases predominantly address disease symptoms, rather than the underlying protein misfolding and cell death, and are not able to halt or reverse the degenerative process. Studies in cell culture, fruitfly, worm and mouse models of protein misfolding-based neurodegenerative diseases indicate that enhancing the protein-folding capacity of cells, via elevated expression of chaperone proteins, has therapeutic potential. Here, we review advances in strategies to harness the power of the natural cellular protein-folding machinery through pharmacological activation of heat shock transcription factor 1--the master activator of chaperone protein gene expression--to treat neurodegenerative diseases.

SUMOylation in carcinogenesis

SUMOylation is a post-translational modification characterized by covalent and reversible binding of small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) to a target protein. In mammals, four different isoforms, termed SUMO-1, -2, -3 and -4 have been identified so far. SUMO proteins are critically involved in the modulation of nuclear organization and cell viability. Their expression is significantly increased in processes associated with carcinogenesis such as cell growth, differentiation, senescence, oxidative stress and apoptosis. Little is known about the role of SUMOylation in cancer development. Therefore the present review focuses on possible implications of SUMOylation in carcinogenesis highlighting its impact as an important regulatory cell cycle protein. Moreover, novel opportunities for therapeutic approaches are discussed. The differential expression levels, the target protein preferences and the function of the SUMO pathway in different cancer subtypes raises unexpected issues questioning our understanding of the implication of SUMO in carcinogenesis.

Inducible hsp70 in the regulation of cancer cell survival: analysis of chaperone induction, expression and activity

Understanding the mechanisms that control stress is central to realize how cells respond to environmental and physiological insults. All the more important is to reveal how tumour cells withstand their harsher growth conditions and cope with drug-induced apoptosis, since resistance to chemotherapy is the foremost complication when curing cancer. Intensive research on tumour biology over the past number of years has provided significant insights into the molecular events that occur during oncogenesis, and resistance to anti-cancer drugs has been shown to often rely on stress response and expression of inducible heat shock proteins (HSPs). However, with respect to the mechanisms guarding cancer cells against proteotoxic stresses and the modulatory effects that allow their survival, much remains to be defined. Heat shock proteins are molecules responsible for folding newly synthesized polypeptides under physiological conditions and misfolded proteins under stress, but their role in maintaining the transformed phenotype often goes beyond their conventional chaperone activity. Expression of inducible HSPs is known to correlate with limited sensitivity to apoptosis induced by diverse cytotoxic agents and dismal prognosis of several tumour types, however whether cancer cells survive because of the constitutive expression of heat shock proteins or the ability to induce them when adapting to the hostile microenvironment remains to be elucidated. Clear is that tumours appear nowadays more "addicted" to heat shock proteins than previously envisaged, and targeting HSPs represents a powerful approach and a future challenge for sensitizing tumours to therapy. This review will focus on the anti-apoptotic role of heat shock 70kDa protein (Hsp70), and how regulatory factors that control inducible Hsp70 synthesis, expression and activity may be relevant for response to stress and survival of cancer cells.

Regulation of HSF1 function in the heat stress response: implications in aging and disease

To dampen proteotoxic stresses and maintain protein homeostasis, organisms possess a stress-responsive molecular machinery that detects and neutralizes protein damage. A prominent feature of stressed cells is the increased synthesis of heat shock proteins (Hsps) that aid in the refolding of misfolded peptides and restrain protein aggregation. Transcriptional activation of the heat shock response is orchestrated by heat shock factor 1 (HSF1), which rapidly translocates to hsp genes and induces their expression. Although the role of HSF1 in protecting cells and organisms against severe stress insults is well established, many aspects of how HSF1 senses qualitatively and quantitatively different forms of stresses have remained poorly understood. Moreover, recent discoveries that HSF1 controls life span have prompted new ways of thinking about an old transcription factor. Here, we review the established role of HSF1 in counteracting cell stress and prospect the role of HSF1 as a regulator of disease states and aging.

SUMOylation-regulated protein phosphorylation, evidence from quantitative phosphoproteomics analyses

Protein modification is critical for the regulation of protein functions. Cross-talks among different types of protein modifications should yield concerted and coordinated regulatory networks for physiological functions. Here we have employed system-wide and quantitative phosphoproteomics analyses to reveal a global cross-talk for SUMOylation-modulated phosphorylation. Furthermore, as specific examples, we have shown that the α subunit of casein kinase II is SUMOylated and that this affects the phosphorylation of its substrates. SUMO-regulated phosphorylation is involved in cell cycle control. Our data demonstrate an interplay between protein SUMOylation and phosphorylation and imply a regulatory role for this SUMOylation-modulated phosphorylation.

The stress of protein misfolding: from single cells to multicellular organisms

Organisms survive changes in the environment by altering their rates of metabolism, growth, and reproduction. At the same time, the system must ensure the stability and functionality of its macromolecules. Fluctuations in the environment are sensed by highly conserved stress responses and homeostatic mechanisms, and of these, the heat shock response (HSR) represents an essential response to acute and chronic proteotoxic damage. However, unlike the strategies employed to maintain the integrity of the genome, protection of the proteome must be tailored to accommodate the normal flux of nonnative proteins and the differences in protein composition between cells, and among individuals. Moreover, adult cells are likely to have significant differences in the rates of synthesis and clearance that are influenced by intrinsic errors in protein expression, genetic polymorphisms, and fluctuations in physiological and environmental conditions. Here, we will address how protein homeostasis (proteostasis) is achieved at the level of the cell and organism, and how the threshold of the stress response is set to detect and combat protein misfolding. For metazoans, the requirement for coordinated function and growth imposes additional constraints on the detection, signaling, and response to misfolding, and requires that the HSR is integrated into various aspects of organismal physiology, such as lifespan. This is achieved by hierarchical regulation of heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) by the metabolic state of the cell and centralized neuronal control that could allow optimal resource allocation between cells and tissues. We will examine how protein folding quality control mechanisms in individual cells may be integrated into a multicellular level of control, and further, even custom-designed to support individual variability and impose additional constraints on evolutionary adaptation.

Cellular stress response pathways and ageing: intricate molecular relationships

Ageing is driven by the inexorable and stochastic accumulation of damage in biomolecules vital for proper cellular function. Although this process is fundamentally haphazard and uncontrollable, senescent decline and ageing is broadly influenced by genetic and extrinsic factors. Numerous gene mutations and treatments have been shown to extend the lifespan of diverse organisms ranging from the unicellular Saccharomyces cerevisiae to primates. It is becoming increasingly apparent that most such interventions ultimately interface with cellular stress response mechanisms, suggesting that longevity is intimately related to the ability of the organism to effectively cope with both intrinsic and extrinsic stress. Here, we survey the molecular mechanisms that link ageing to main stress response pathways, and mediate age-related changes in the effectiveness of the response to stress. We also discuss how each pathway contributes to modulate the ageing process. A better understanding of the dynamics and reciprocal interplay between stress responses and ageing is critical for the development of novel therapeutic strategies that exploit endogenous stress combat pathways against age-associated pathologies.

Distinct, gene-specific effect of heat shock on heat shock factor-1 recruitment and gene expression of CXC chemokine genes

The heat shock (HS) response, a phylogenetically conserved ubiquitous response to stress, is generally characterized by the induced expression of heat shock protein (HSP) genes. Our earlier studies showed that the stress-activated transcription factor, heat shock factor-1 (HSF1), activated at febrile range or HS temperatures also modified expression of non-HSP genes including cytokine and chemokine genes. We also showed by in silico analysis that 28 among 29 human and mouse CXC chemokine genes had multiple putative heat shock response elements (HSEs) present in their gene promoters. To further determine whether these potential HSEs were functional and bound HSF1, we analyzed the recruitment of HSF1 to promoters of 5 human CXC chemokine genes (CXCL-1, 2, 3, 5 and 8) by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay and analyzed the effect of HS exposure on tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα)-induced expression of these genes in human lung epithelial-like A549 cells. HSF1 ChIP analysis showed that HSF1 was recruited to all but one of these CXC chemokine genes (CXCL-3) and HS caused a significant increase in recruitment of HSF1 to one or multiple HSEs present in the promoters of CXCL-1, 2, 5 and 8 genes. However, the effect of HS exposure on expression of these genes showed a variable gene-specific effect. For example, CXCL8 expression was markedly enhanced (p<0.05) whereas CXCL5 expression was significantly repressed (p<0.05) in cells exposed to HS coincident with TNFα stimulation. In contrast, expression of CXCL1 and CXCL2, despite HSF1 recruitment to their promoters, was not affected by HS exposure. Our results indicate that some, if not all, putative HSEs present in the CXC chemokine gene promoters are functional and recruit HSF1 in vivo but the effects on gene expression are variable and gene specific. We speculate, the physical proximity and interactions of other transcription factors and co-regulators with HSF1 could be critical to determining the effects of HS on the expression of these genes.

Deciphering human heat shock transcription factor 1 regulation via post-translational modification in yeast

Heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) plays an important role in the cellular response to proteotoxic stresses. Under normal growth conditions HSF1 is repressed as an inactive monomer in part through post-translation modifications that include protein acetylation, sumoylation and phosphorylation. Upon exposure to stress HSF1 homotrimerizes, accumulates in nucleus, binds DNA, becomes hyper-phosphorylated and activates the expression of stress response genes. While HSF1 and the mechanisms that regulate its activity have been studied for over two decades, our understanding of HSF1 regulation remains incomplete. As previous studies have shown that HSF1 and the heat shock response promoter element (HSE) are generally structurally conserved from yeast to metazoans, we have made use of the genetically tractable budding yeast as a facile assay system to further understand the mechanisms that regulate human HSF1 through phosphorylation of serine 303. We show that when human HSF1 is expressed in yeast its phosphorylation at S303 is promoted by the MAP-kinase Slt2 independent of a priming event at S307 previously believed to be a prerequisite. Furthermore, we show that phosphorylation at S303 in yeast and mammalian cells occurs independent of GSK3, the kinase primarily thought to be responsible for S303 phosphorylation. Lastly, while previous studies have suggested that S303 phosphorylation represses HSF1-dependent transactivation, we now show that S303 phosphorylation also represses HSF1 multimerization in both yeast and mammalian cells. Taken together, these studies suggest that yeast cells will be a powerful experimental tool for deciphering aspects of human HSF1 regulation by post-translational modifications.

The SUMO pathway: emerging mechanisms that shape specificity, conjugation and recognition

Proteins of the small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) family are conjugated to proteins to regulate such cellular processes as nuclear transport, transcription, chromosome segregation and DNA repair. Recently, numerous insights into regulatory mechanisms of the SUMO modification pathway have emerged. Although SUMO-conjugating enzymes can discriminate between SUMO targets, many substrates possess characteristics that facilitate their modification. Other post-translational modifications also regulate SUMO conjugation, suggesting that SUMO signalling is integrated with other signal transduction pathways. A better understanding of SUMO regulatory mechanisms will lead to improved approaches for analysing the function of SUMO and substrate conjugation in distinct cellular pathways.

The heat shock response: life on the verge of death

Organisms must survive a variety of stressful conditions, including sudden temperature increases that damage important cellular structures and interfere with essential functions. In response to heat stress, cells activate an ancient signaling pathway leading to the transient expression of heat shock or heat stress proteins (Hsps). Hsps exhibit sophisticated protection mechanisms, and the most conserved Hsps are molecular chaperones that prevent the formation of nonspecific protein aggregates and assist proteins in the acquisition of their native structures. In this Review, we summarize the concepts of the protective Hsp network.

Protein kinase A binds and activates heat shock factor 1

BACKGROUND

Many inducible transcription factors are regulated through batteries of posttranslational modifications that couple their activity to inducing stimuli. We have studied such regulation of Heat Shock Factor 1 (HSF1), a key protein in control of the heat shock response, and a participant in carcinogenisis, neurological health and aging. As the mechanisms involved in the intracellular regulation of HSF1 in good health and its dysregulation in disease are still incomplete we are investigating the role of posttranslational modifications in such regulation.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

In a proteomic study of HSF1 binding partners, we have discovered its association with the pleiotropic protein kinase A (PKA). HSF1 binds avidly to the catalytic subunit of PKA, (PKAcα) and becomes phosphorylated on a novel serine phosphorylation site within its central regulatory domain (serine 320 or S320), both in vitro and in vivo. Intracellular PKAcα levels and phosphorylation of HSF1 at S320 were both required for HSF1 to be localized to the nucleus, bind to response elements in the promoter of an HSF1 target gene (hsp70.1) and activate hsp70.1 after stress. Reduction in PKAcα levels by small hairpin RNA led to HSF1 exclusion from the nucleus, its exodus from the hsp70.1 promoter and decreased hsp70.1 transcription. Likewise, null mutation of HSF1 at S320 by alanine substitution for serine led to an HSF1 species excluded from the nucleus and deficient in hsp70.1 activation.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings of PKA regulation of HSF1 through S320 phosphorylation add to our knowledge of the signaling networks converging on this factor and may contribute to elucidating its complex roles in the stress response and understanding HSF1 dysregulation in disease.

Regulation of the members of the mammalian heat shock factor family

Regulation of gene expression is fundamental in all living organisms and is facilitated by transcription factors, the single largest group of proteins in humans. For cell- and stimulus-specific gene regulation, strict control of the transcription factors themselves is crucial. Heat shock factors are a family of transcription factors best known as master regulators of induced gene expression during the heat shock response. This evolutionary conserved cellular stress response is characterized by massive production of heat shock proteins, which function as cytoprotective molecular chaperones against various proteotoxic stresses. In addition to promoting cell survival under stressful conditions, heat shock factors are involved in the regulation of life span and progression of cancer and they are also important for developmental processes such as gametogenesis, neurogenesis and maintenance of sensory organs. Here, we review the regulatory mechanisms steering the activities of the mammalian heat shock factors 1–4.

Anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome participates in the acute response to protein-damaging stress

The ubiquitin E3 ligase anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) drives degradation of cell cycle regulators in cycling cells by associating with the coactivators Cdc20 and Cdh1. Although a plethora of APC/C substrates have been identified, only a few transcriptional regulators are described as direct targets of APC/C-dependent ubiquitination. Here we show that APC/C, through substrate recognition by both Cdc20 and Cdh1, mediates ubiquitination and degradation of heat shock factor 2 (HSF2), a transcription factor that binds to the Hsp70 promoter. The interaction between HSF2 and the APC/C subunit Cdc27 and coactivator Cdc20 is enhanced by moderate heat stress, and the degradation of HSF2 is induced during the acute phase of the heat shock response, leading to clearance of HSF2 from the Hsp70 promoter. Remarkably, Cdc20 and the proteasome 20S core α2 subunit are recruited to the Hsp70 promoter in a heat shock-inducible manner. Moreover, the heat shock-induced expression of Hsp70 is increased when Cdc20 is silenced by a specific small interfering RNA (siRNA). Our results provide the first evidence for participation of APC/C in the acute response to protein-damaging stress.

Sumoylation of Arabidopsis heat shock factor A2 (HsfA2) modifies its activity during acquired thermotholerance

Post-translational modification of target proteins by the small ubiquitin-like modifier protein (SUMO) regulate many cellular processes. In this work we show SUMOylation of the heat shock transcription factor, AtHsfA2, in connection with the plant's response to heat stress and acquired thermotolerance. Using the Yeast two hybrid and the bimolecular fluorescence complementation system, we have found that AtSUMO1 physically interacts with AtHsfA2. Further investigation allowed us to determine that Lys 315 of AtHsfA2 is the main SUMOylation site. Overexpression of AtSUMO1 led to a decrease in AtHsfA2 transcriptional activation of heat shock promoters. We have examined the effect of AtSUMO1 on AtHsfA2 during heat shock treatments. The phenotype of seedlings overexpressing AtSUMO1 resembled the phenotype of AtHsfA2 knock out seedlings, which were more sensitive than wild type seedlings to repeated heat treatment. Furthermore, AtSUMO1 overexpressing seedlings exhibited lower expression levels of small heat shock proteins as compared with wild type seedlings after heat treatment. Based on our findings, we suggest that AtSUMO1 is involved in the regulation of AtHsfA2 in acquired thermotolerance.

cGMP-dependent protein kinase and the regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell gene expression: possible involvement of Elk-1 sumoylation

Although the regulation of smooth muscle cell (SMC) gene expression by cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) is now recognized, the mechanisms underlying these effects are not fully understood. In this study, we report that PKG-I stimulates myocardin/serum response factor (SRF)-dependent gene expression in vascular SMCs. The expression of PKG in PKG-deficient cells enhanced myocardin-induced SM22 promoter activity in a concentration-dependent fashion. However, neither SRF nor myocardin expression was affected. To investigate alternative mechanisms, we examined whether PKG affects the phosphorylation of E26-like protein-1 (Elk-1), a SRF/myocardin transcription antagonist. The activation of PKG caused an increase in a higher molecular mass form of phospho-Elk-1 that was determined to be small ubiquitin-related modifier (sumo)ylated Elk-1. PKG increased Elk-1 sumoylation twofold compared with the PKG-deficient cells, and Elk-1 sumoylation was reduced using dominant-negative sumo-conjugating enzyme, DN-Ubc9, confirming PKG-dependent sumoylation of phospho-Elk-1 in vascular SMCs. In addition, PKG stimulated Elk-1 sumoylation in COS-7 cells overexpressing Elk-1, sumo-1, and PKG-I. The increased expression of PKG in vascular SMCs inhibited Elk-1 binding to SMC-specific promoters, SM22 and smooth muscle myosin heavy chain, as measured by EMSA and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, and PKG suppressed the Elk-1 inhibition of SM22 reporter gene expression. Taken together, these data suggest that PKG-I decreases Elk-1 activity by sumo modification of Elk-1, thereby increasing myocardin-SRF activity on SMC-specific gene expression.

Heat shock factors: integrators of cell stress, development and lifespan

Heat shock factors (HSFs) are essential for all organisms to survive exposures to acute stress. They are best known as inducible transcriptional regulators of genes encoding molecular chaperones and other stress proteins. Four members of the HSF family are also important for normal development and lifespan-enhancing pathways, and the repertoire of HSF targets has thus expanded well beyond the heat shock genes. These unexpected observations have uncovered complex layers of post-translational regulation of HSFs that integrate the metabolic state of the cell with stress biology, and in doing so control fundamental aspects of the health of the proteome and ageing.

The inhibition of CMV promoter by heat shock factor 4b is regulated by Daxx

Heat shock factor 4 (Hsf4b) has been identified as a novel cataractogenic protein whose mutation has been closely associated with hereditary cataracts in humans and animals. It acts both as a transcription activator and a transcription inhibitor in the regulation of its downstream targets during lens development. However, the signaling factors that regulate Hsf4b transcription activity are still not completely defined. Here, we found that Hsf4b, not Hsf4a (another isoform of Hsf4), acts as the inhibitor of CMV promoter as well as the activator of Hsp25 in the Hsf4-/- mouse lens epithelial cell line (mLEC/hsf4-/-). Hsf4b inhibits CMV-promoter activity by directly binding to TTCC (HSE motif) at 173-176bps in the CMV promoter. The phosphorylation of Hsf4b/S299 in the PDSM motif, which is absent in Hsf4a, participates in the negative regulation of the CMV promoter. The transcriptional inhibition of Hsf4b is associated with transcriptional inhibitor Daxx. Hsf4b can interact and co-localize with Daxx in the nucleus, and their association is regulated by the phosphorylation of Hsf4b/S299. In addition, we found that Hsf4a and Hsf1 were also associated with Daxx. However, in contrast to activating Hsf1, Daxx can repress Hsf4b-induced expression of Hsp25 in the mLEC/hsf4-/- cell line. Our results demonstrate that the transcription-inhibitory function of Hsf4b is regulated by the phosphorylation of Hsf4b/S299 and phosphorylation-dependent association with Daxx.

A small ubiquitin-related modifier-interacting motif functions as the transcriptional activation domain of Krüppel-like factor 4

The zinc finger transcription factor, Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4), regulates numerous biological processes, including proliferation, differentiation, and embryonic stem cell self-renewal. Although the DNA sequence to which KLF4 binds is established, the mechanism by which KLF4 controls transcription is not well defined. Small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) is an important regulator of transcription. Here we show that KLF4 is both SUMOylated at a single lysine residue and physically interacts with SUMO-1 in a region that matches an acidic and hydrophobic residue-rich SUMO-interacting motif (SIM) consensus. The SIM in KLF4 is required for transactivation of target promoters in a SUMO-1-dependent manner. Mutation of either the acidic or hydrophobic residues in the SIM significantly impairs the ability of KLF4 to interact with SUMO-1, activate transcription, and inhibit cell proliferation. Our study provides direct evidence that SIM in KLF4 functions as a transcriptional activation domain. A survey of transcription factor sequences reveals that established transactivation domains of many transcription factors contain sequences highly related to SIM. These results, therefore, illustrate a novel mechanism by which SUMO interaction modulates the activity of transcription factors.

SENP1 participates in the dynamic regulation of Elk-1 SUMOylation

The modification of proteins with SUMO (small ubiquitin-related modifier) plays an important role in determining their functional properties. Importantly though, SUMOylation is a highly dynamic process enabling transient responses to be elicited. This dynamism is controlled by two competing conjugating and deconjugating activities. The latter activity is mediated by the SENP [SUMO1/sentrin/SMT3 (suppressor of mif two 3 homologue 1)-specific peptidase] family of SUMO-specific proteases. The transcription factor Elk-1 [ETS (E twenty-six)-like 1] undergoes rapid de-SUMOylation following cellular stimulation with growth factors, and this contributes to its conversion from a SUMO-dependent repressor into a potent transcriptional activator. In the present study we demonstrate an important role for SENP1 in the de-SUMOylation of Elk-1, and therefore an integral role in determining the Elk-1-dependent transcriptional programme. Among the SENPs, Elk-1 preferentially forms a complex with SENP1. This preferential binding is reflected by the higher efficiency of SENP1 in promoting Elk-1 transactivation. Moreover, depletion of SENP1 causes a reciprocal effect and reduces the transactivation properties of Elk-1. Partial redundancy of function with SENP2 is revealed by combinatorial knockdown studies. Importantly, depletion of SENP1 also reduces the activation of the Elk-1 target gene c-FOS. Taken together, these results therefore reveal an important role for SENP1 in the regulation of Elk-1-mediated gene expression in response to mitogenic signalling cues.

Mechanisms, regulation and consequences of protein SUMOylation

The post-translational modification SUMOylation is a major regulator of protein function that plays an important role in a wide range of cellular processes. SUMOylation involves the covalent attachment of a member of the SUMO (small ubiquitin-like modifier) family of proteins to lysine residues in specific target proteins via an enzymatic cascade analogous to, but distinct from, the ubiquitination pathway. There are four SUMO paralogues and an increasing number of proteins are being identified as SUMO substrates. However, in many cases little is known about how SUMOylation of these targets is regulated. Compared with the ubiquitination pathway, relatively few components of the conjugation machinery have been described and the processes that specify individual SUMO paralogue conjugation to defined substrate proteins are an active area of research. In the present review, we briefly describe the SUMOylation pathway and present an overview of the recent findings that are beginning to identify some of the mechanisms that regulate protein SUMOylation.

Signal Transduction Pathways Leading to Heat Shock Transcription

Heat shock proteins (HSP) are essential for intracellular protein folding during stress and protect cells from denaturation and aggregation cascades that can lead to cell death. HSP genes are regulated at the transcriptional level by heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) that is activated by stress and binds to heat shock elements in HSP genes. The activation of HSF1 during heat shock involves conversion from an inert monomer to a DNA binding trimer through a series of intramolecular folding rearrangements. However, the trigger for HSF1 at the molecular level is unclear and hypotheses for this process include reversal of feedback inhibition of HSF1 by molecular chaperones and heat-induced binding to large non-coding RNAs. Heat shock also causes a profound modulation in cell signaling pathways that lead to protein kinase activation and phosphorylation of HSF1 at a number of regulatory serine residues. HSP genes themselves exist in an accessible chromatin conformation already bound to RNA polymerase II. The RNA polymerase II is paused on HSP promoters after transcribing a short RNA sequence proximal to the promoter. Activation by heat shock involves HSF1 binding to the promoter and release of the paused RNA polymerase II followed by further rounds of transcriptional initiation and elongation. HSF1 is thus involved in both initiation and elongation of HSP RNA transcripts. Recent studies indicate important roles for histone modifications on HSP genes during heat shock. Histone modification occurs rapidly after stress and may be involved in promoting nucleosome remodeling on HSP promoters and in the open reading frames of HSP genes. Understanding these processes may be key to evaluating mechanisms of deregulated HSP expression that plays a key role in neurodegeneration and cancer.

SUMOylation and cell signalling

SUMOylation is a highly transient post-translational protein modification. Attachment of SUMO to target proteins occurs via a number of specific activating and ligating enzymes that form the SUMO-substrate complex, and other SUMO-specific proteases that cleave the covalent bond, thus leaving both SUMO and target protein free for the next round of modification. SUMO modification has major effects on numerous aspects of substrate function, including subcellular localisation, regulation of their target genes, and interactions with other molecules. The modified SUMO-protein complex is a very transient state, and it thus facilitates rapid response and actions by the cell, when needed. Like phosphorylation, acetylation and ubiquitination, SUMOylation has been associated with a number of cellular processes. In addition to its nuclear role, important sides of mitochondrial activity, stress response signalling and the decision of cells to undergo senescence or apoptosis, have now been shown to involve the SUMO pathway. With ever increasing numbers of reports linking SUMO to human disease, like neurodegeneration and cancer metastasis, it is highly likely that novel and equally important functions of components of the SUMOylation process in cell signalling pathways will be elucidated in the near future.

Sumo control

Sumoylation, the covalent attachment of SUMO peptide to cellular proteins, is an essential regulator of protein function involved in a wide range of cellular events. Deregulation of the SUMO pathway is implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases, so it is important to understand how this system is controlled. Sumoylation is a highly dynamic regulatory mechanism, involving an energy dependent enzyme cascade for conjugation and another set of enzymes for deconjugation. In this chapter we will highlight the different mechanisms controlling the SUMO system.

Regulation of heat shock protein 60 and 72 expression in the failing heart

Heart failure, a progressive, fatal disease of the heart muscle, is a state of chronic inflammation and injury. Heat shock protein (HSP) 72, a ubiquitous protective protein that is well-established as cardioprotective, is not increased in heart failure. In contrast, HSP60 levels are doubled in the failing heart. We hypothesized that HSF-1 is not activated in heart failure and that the increased expression of HSP60 was driven by NFkappaB activation. To test this hypothesis, we measured levels of heat shock factor (HSF) -1 and -2, the transcription factors controlling HSP expression, which were increased in heart failure. There was no increased phosphorylation of serine 230 or serine 303/307 in HSF-1, which are thought to regulate its activity; EMSA showed no increase in HSF binding activity with heart failure. Nonetheless, mRNA was increased for HSP60, but not HSP72. In contrast to HSF, NFkappaB activity was increased in heart failure. HSP60, but not HSP72, contained NFkappaB binding elements. ChIP assay demonstrated increased binding of NFkappaB to both of the NFkappaB binding elements in the heart failure HSP60 gene. TNFalpha treatment was used to test the role of NFkappaB activation in HSP60 expression in a cardiac cell line. TNFalpha increased HSP60 expression, and this could be prevented by pretreatment with siRNA inhibiting p65 expression. In conclusion, HSP72 is not increased in heart failure because HSF activity is not changed; increased expression of HSP60 may be driven by NFkappaB activation.

Mutational analysis of human heat-shock transcription factor 1 reveals a regulatory role for oligomerization in DNA-binding specificity

HSF (heat-shock transcription factor) trimers bind to the HSE (heat-shock element) regulatory sequence of target genes and regulate gene expression. A typical HSE consists of at least three contiguous inverted repeats of the 5-bp sequence nGAAn. Yeast HSF is able to recognize discontinuous HSEs that contain gaps in the array of the nGAAn sequence; however, hHSF1 (human HSF1) fails to recognize such sites in vitro, in yeast and in HeLa cells. In the present study, we isolated suppressors of the temperature-sensitive growth defect of hHSF1-expressing yeast cells. Intragenic suppressors contained amino acid substitutions in the DNA-binding domain of hHSF1 that enabled hHSF1 to regulate the transcription of genes containing discontinuous HSEs. The substitutions facilitated hHSF1 oligomerization, suggesting that the DNA-binding domain is important for this conformational change. Furthermore, other oligomerization-prone derivatives of hHSF1 were capable of recognizing discontinuous HSEs. These results suggest that modulation of oligomerization is important for the HSE specificity of hHSF1 and imply that hHSF1 possesses the ability to bind to and regulate gene expression via various types of HSEs in diverse cellular processes.

Role of the heat shock transcription factor, Hsf1, in a major fungal pathogen that is obligately associated with warm-blooded animals

All organisms have evolved mechanisms that protect them against environmental stress. The major fungal pathogen of humans, Candida albicans, has evolved robust stress responses that protect it against human immune defences and promote its pathogenicity. However, C. albicans is unlikely to be exposed to heat shock as it is obligatorily associated with warm-blooded animals. Therefore, we examined the role of the heat shock transcription factor (Hsf1) in this pathogen. We show that C. albicans expresses an evolutionarily conserved Hsf1 (orf19.4775) that is phosphorylated in response to heat shock, induces transcription via the heat shock element (HSE), contributes to the global transcriptional response to heat shock, and is essential for viability. Why has Hsf1 been conserved in this obligate animal saprophyte? We reasoned that Hsf1 might contribute to medically relevant stress responses. However, this is not the case, as an Hsf1-specific HSE-lacZ reporter is not activated by oxidative, osmotic, weak acid or pH stress. Rather, Hsf1 is required for the expression of essential chaperones in the absence of heat shock (e.g. Hsp104, Hsp90, Hsp70). Furthermore, Hsf1 regulates the expression of HSE-containing genes in response to growth temperature in C. albicans. Therefore, the main role of Hsf1 in this pathogen might be the homeostatic modulation of chaperone levels in response to growth temperature, rather than the activation of acute responses to sudden thermal transitions.

PARP-1 transcriptional activity is regulated by sumoylation upon heat shock

Heat shock and other environmental stresses rapidly induce transcriptional responses subject to regulation by a variety of post-translational modifications. Among these, poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation and sumoylation have received growing attention. Here we show that the SUMO E3 ligase PIASy interacts with the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase PARP-1, and that PIASy mediates heat shock-induced poly-sumoylation of PARP-1. Furthermore, PIASy, and hence sumoylation, appears indispensable for full activation of the inducible HSP70.1 gene. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments show that PIASy, SUMO and the SUMO-conjugating enzyme Ubc9 are rapidly recruited to the HSP70.1 promoter upon heat shock, and that they are subsequently released with kinetics similar to PARP-1. Finally, we provide evidence that the SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligase RNF4 mediates heat-shock-inducible ubiquitination of PARP-1, regulates the stability of PARP-1, and, like PIASy, is a positive regulator of HSP70.1 gene activity. These results, thus, point to a novel mechanism for regulating PARP-1 transcription function, and suggest crosstalk between sumoylation and RNF4-mediated ubiquitination in regulating gene expression in response to heat shock.

Sumoylation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 inhibits its acetylation and restrains transcriptional coactivator function

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) is a chromatin-associated nuclear protein and functions as a molecular stress sensor. At the cellular level, PARP1 has been implicated in a wide range of processes, such as maintenance of genome stability, cell death, and transcription. PARP1 functions as a transcriptional coactivator of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) and hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF1). In proteomic studies, PARP1 was found to be modified by small ubiquitin-like modifiers (SUMOs). Here, we characterize PARP1 as a substrate for modification by SUMO1 and SUMO3, both in vitro and in vivo. PARP1 is sumoylated at the single lysine residue K486 within its automodification domain. Interestingly, modification of PARP1 with SUMO does not affect its ADP-ribosylation activity but completely abrogates p300-mediated acetylation of PARP1, revealing an intriguing crosstalk of sumoylation and acetylation on PARP1. Genetic complementation of PARP1-depleted cells with wild-type and sumoylation-deficient PARP1 revealed that SUMO modification of PARP1 restrains its transcriptional coactivator function and subsequently reduces gene expression of distinct PARP1-regulated target genes.

SUMO conjugation contributes to immune deviation in nonobese diabetic mice by suppressing c-Maf transactivation of IL-4

It is not clear why the development of protective Th2 cells is poor in type 1 diabetes (T1D). c-Maf transactivates the IL-4 gene promoting Th2 cell development; therefore, abnormalities in c-Maf may contribute to reduced IL-4 production by CD4 cells from nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice. In this study we demonstrate that despite normal expression, c-Maf binds poorly to the IL-4 promoter (IL-4p) in NOD CD4 cells. Immunoblotting demonstrates that c-Maf can be modified at lysine 33 by SUMO-1 (small ubiquitin-like modifier 1). Sumoylation is facilitated by direct interaction with the E2-conjugating enzyme Ubc9 and increases following T cell stimulation. In transfected cells, sumoylation decreases c-Maf transactivation of IL-4p-driven luciferase reporter activity, reduces c-Maf binding to the IL-4p in chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, and enhances c-Maf localization into promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies. Sumoylation of c-Maf is increased in NOD CD4 cells as compared with CD4 cells from diabetes-resistant B10.D2 mice, suggesting that increased c-Maf sumoylation contributes to immune deviation in T1D by reducing c-Maf access to and transactivation of the IL-4 gene.

SUMO proteases: redox regulation and biological consequences

Small-ubiquitin modifier (SUMO) has emerged as a novel modification system that governs the activities of a wide spectrum of protein substrates. SUMO-specific proteases (SENP) are of particular interest, as they are responsible for both the maturation of SUMO precursors and for their deconjugation. The interruption of SENPs has been implicated in embryonic defects and carcinoma cells, indicating that a proper balance of SUMO conjugation and deconjugation is crucial. Recent advances in molecular and cellular biology have highlighted the distinct subcellular localization, and endopeptidase and isopeptidase activities of SENPs, suggesting that they are nonredundant. A better understanding of the molecular basis of SUMO recognition and hydrolytic cleavage has been obtained from the crystal structures of SENP-substrate complexes. While a number of proteomic studies have shown an upregulation of sumoylation, attention is now increasingly being directed towards the regulatory mechanism of sumoylation, in particular the oxidative effect. Findings on the oxidation-induced intermolecular disulfide of E1-E2 ligases and SENP1/2 have improved our understanding of the mechanism by which modification is switched up or down. More intriguingly, a growing body of evidence suggests that sumoylation cross-talks with other modifications, and that the upstream and downstream signaling pathway is co-regulated by more than one modifier.

System-wide changes to SUMO modifications in response to heat shock

Covalent conjugation of the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) proteins to target proteins regulates many important eukaryotic cellular mechanisms. Although the molecular consequences of the conjugation of SUMO proteins are relatively well understood, little is known about the cellular signals that regulate the modification of their substrates. Here, we show that SUMO-2 and SUMO-3 are required for cells to survive heat shock. Through quantitative labeling techniques, stringent purification of SUMOylated proteins, advanced mass spectrometric technology, and novel techniques of data analysis, we quantified heat shock-induced changes in the SUMOylation state of 766 putative substrates. In response to heat shock, SUMO was polymerized into polySUMO chains and redistributed among a wide range of proteins involved in cell cycle regulation; apoptosis; the trafficking, folding, and degradation of proteins; transcription; translation; and DNA replication, recombination, and repair. This comprehensive proteomic analysis of the substrates of a ubiquitin-like modifier (Ubl) identifies a pervasive role for SUMO proteins in the biologic response to hyperthermic stress.

Heat shock proteins as gatekeepers of proteolytic pathways-Implications for age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the major diagnosis for severe and irreversible central loss of vision in elderly people in the developed countries. The loss of vision involves primarily a progressive degeneration and cell death of postmitotic retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE), which secondarily evokes adverse effects on photoreceptor cells. The RPE cells are exposed to chronic oxidative stress from three sources: their high levels of oxygen consumption, their exposure to the high levels of lipid peroxidation derived from the photoreceptor outer segments and their exposure to constant light stimuli. Cells increase the expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) in order to normalize their growth conditions in response to various environmental stress factors, e.g. oxidative stress. The HSPs function as molecular chaperones by preventing the accumulation of cellular cytotoxic protein aggregates and assisting in correct folding of both nascent and misfolded proteins. Increased HSPs levels are observed in the retina of AMD patients, evidence of stressed tissue. A hallmark of RPE cell aging is lysosomal lipofuscin accumulation reflecting a weakened capacity to degrade proteins in lysosomes. The presence of lipofuscin increases the misfolding of intracellular proteins, which evokes additional stress in the RPE cells. If the capacity of HSPs to repair protein damages is overwhelmed, then the proteins are mainly cleared in proteasomes or in lysosomes. In this review, we discuss the role of heat shock proteins, proteasomes, and lysosomes and autophagic processes in RPE cell proteolysis and how these might be involved in development of AMD. In addition to classical lysosomal proteolysis, we focus on the increasing evidence that, HSPs, proteasomes and autophagy regulate protein turnover in the RPE cells and thus have important roles in AMD disease.