Grx5 glutaredoxin plays a central role in protection against protein oxidative damage in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Glutaredoxin exerts an antiapoptotic effect by regulating the redox state of Akt

Glutaredoxin (GRX) is a small dithiol protein involved in various cellular functions, including the redox regulation of certain enzyme activities. GRX functions via a disulfide exchange reaction by utilizing the active site Cys-Pro-Tyr-Cys. Here we demonstrated that overexpression of GRX protected cells from hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced apoptosis by regulating the redox state of Akt. Akt was transiently phosphorylated, dephosphorylated, and then degraded in cardiac H9c2 cells undergoing H2O2-induced apoptosis. Under stress, Akt underwent disulfide bond formation between Cys-297 and Cys-311 and dephosphorylation in accordance with an increased association with protein phosphatase 2A. Overexpression of GRX protected Akt from H2O2-induced oxidation and suppressed recruitment of protein phosphatase 2A to Akt, resulting in a sustained phosphorylation of Akt and inhibition of apoptosis. This effect was reversed by cadmium, an inhibitor of GRX. Furthermore an in vitro assay revealed that GRX reduced oxidized Akt in concert with glutathione, NADPH, and glutathione-disulfide reductase. Thus, GRX plays an important role in protecting cells from apoptosis by regulating the redox state of Akt.

Protein S-thiolation targets glycolysis and protein synthesis in response to oxidative stress in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The irreversible oxidation of cysteine residues can be prevented by protein S-thiolation, a process by which protein SH groups form mixed disulphides with low-molecular-mass thiols such as glutathione. We report here the target proteins which are modified in yeast cells in response to H(2)O(2). In particular, a range of glycolytic and related enzymes (Tdh3, Eno2, Adh1, Tpi1, Ald6 and Fba1), as well as translation factors (Tef2, Tef5, Nip1 and Rps5) are identified. The oxidative stress conditions used to induce S-thiolation are shown to inhibit GAPDH (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase), enolase and alcohol dehydrogenase activities, whereas they have no effect on aldolase, triose phosphate isomerase or aldehyde dehydrogenase activities. The inhibition of GAPDH, enolase and alcohol dehydrogenase is readily reversible once the oxidant is removed. In addition, we show that peroxide stress has little or no effect on glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase or 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, the enzymes that catalyse NADPH production via the pentose phosphate pathway. Thus the inhibition of glycolytic flux is proposed to result in glucose equivalents entering the pentose phosphate pathway for the generation of NADPH. Radiolabelling is used to confirm that peroxide stress results in a rapid and reversible inhibition of protein synthesis. Furthermore, we show that glycolytic enzyme activities and protein synthesis are irreversibly inhibited in a mutant that lacks glutathione, and hence cannot modify proteins by S-thiolation. In summary, protein S-thiolation appears to serve an adaptive function during exposure to an oxidative stress by reprogramming metabolism and protecting protein synthesis against irreversible oxidation.

Biochemical characterization of yeast mitochondrial Grx5 monothiol glutaredoxin

Grx5 is a yeast mitochondrial protein involved in iron-sulfur biogenesis that belongs to a recently described family of monothiolic glutaredoxin-like proteins. No member of this family has been biochemically characterized previously. Grx5 contains a conserved cysteine residue (Cys-60) and a non-conserved one (Cys-117). In this work, we have purified wild type and mutant C60S and C117S proteins and characterized their biochemical properties. A redox potential of -175 mV was calculated for wild type Grx5. The pKa values obtained by titration of mutant proteins with iodoacetamide at different pHs were 5.0 for Cys-60 and 8.2 for Cys-117. When Grx5 was incubated with glutathione disulfide, a transient mixed disulfide was formed between glutathione and the cystein 60 of the protein because of its low pKa. Binding of glutathione to Cys-60 promoted a decrease in the Cys-117 pKa value that triggered the formation of a disulfide bond between both cysteine residues of the protein, indicating that Cys-117 plays an essential role in the catalytic mechanism of Grx5. The disulfide bond in Grx5 could be reduced by GSH but at a rate at least 20 times slower than that observed for the reduction of glutaredoxin 1 from E. coli, a dithiolic glutaredoxin. This slow reduction rate could suggest that GSH may not be the physiologic reducing agent of Grx5. The fact that wild type Grx5 efficiently reduced a glutathiolated protein used as a substrate indicated that Grx5 may act as a thiol reductase inside the mitochondria.

Role of yeast glutaredoxins as glutathione S-transferases

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains two glutaredoxins, encoded by GRX1 and GRX2, that are required for resistance to reactive oxygen species. We recently reported that Grx1 is active as a glutathione peroxidase and can directly reduce hydroperoxides (Collinson, E. J., Wheeler, G. L., Garrido, E. O., Avery, A. M., Avery, S. V., and Grant, C. M. (2002) J. Biol. Chem. 277, 16712-16717). We now show that Grx2 is also a general hydroperoxidase, and kinetic data indicate that both enzymes have a similar pattern of activity, which is highest with hydrogen peroxide, followed by cumene hydroperoxide and tert-butyl hydroperoxide. Furthermore, both Grx1 and Grx2 are shown be active as glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), and their activity with model substrates such as 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene is similar to their activity with hydroperoxides. Analysis of the Grx1 active site residues shows that Cys-27, but not Cys-30, is required for both the peroxidase and transferase activities, indicating that these reactions proceed via a monothiol mechanism. Deletion analysis shows that Grx1 and Grx2 have an overlapping function with yeast GSTs, encoded by GTT1 and GTT2, and are responsible for the majority of cellular GST activity. In addition, multiple mutants lacking GRX1, GRX2, GTT1, and GTT2 show increased sensitivity to stress conditions, including exposure to xenobiotics, heat, and oxidants. In summary, glutaredoxins are multifunctional enzymes with oxidoreductase, peroxidase, and GST activity, and are therefore ideally suited to detoxify the wide range of xenobiotics and oxidants that can be generated during diverse stress conditions.

Glutathione--functions and metabolism in the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum

When present as a trophozoite in human erythrocytes, the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum exhibits an intense glutathione metabolism. Glutathione plays a role not only in antioxidative defense and in maintaining the reducing environment of the cytosol. Many of the known glutathione-dependent processes are directly related to the specific lifestyle of the parasite. Reduced glutathione (GSH) supports rapid cell growth by providing electrons for deoxyribonucleotide synthesis and it takes part in detoxifying heme, a product of hemoglobin digestion. Free radicals generated in the parasite can be scavenged in reaction sequences involving the thiyl radical GS* as well as the thiolate GS-. As a substrate of glutathione S-transferase, glutathione is conjugated to non-degradable compounds including antimalarial drugs. Furthermore, it is the coenzyme of the glyoxalase system which detoxifies methylglyoxal, a byproduct of the intense glycolysis taking place in the trophozoite. Proteins involved in GSH-dependent processes include glutathione reductase, glutaredoxins, glyoxalase I and II, glutathione S-transferases, and thioredoxins. These proteins, as well as the ATP-dependent enzymes of glutathione synthesis, are studied as factors in the pathophysiology of malaria but also as potential drug targets. Methylene blue, an inhibitor of the structurally known P. falciparum glutathione reductase, appears to be a promising antimalarial medication when given in combination with chloroquine.

Characterization of the redox properties of poplar glutaredoxin

The presence of glutaredoxins in plants is now well recognized, but their functions and natural substrates remain largely unknown. Recently, a poplar glutaredoxin has been biochemically characterized and several mutants have been engineered in order to explore its reactivity. This work focuses on some physiological functions of the enzyme. According to our findings, the poplar glutaredoxin can serve as an electron donor to the bacterial 3'-phosphoadenylylsulfate reductase as it supports both the catalysis by the enzyme in vitro and complements a methionine auxotroph strain of Escherichia coli. In addition, poplar glutaredoxin is able to reduce the Escherichia coli ribonucleotide reductase 1a (in vitro reduction of cytidine diphosphate). Although this glutaredoxin is described as an electron donor to a phloem-located peroxiredoxin, whose function is to detoxify hydroperoxides, we found that it does not directly reduce hydrogen peroxide or other alkyl hydroperoxides as described for yeast and rice glutaredoxins. However, the poplar glutaredoxin may be involved in the response to oxidative stress as its overexpression in Escherichia coli resulted in a higher resistance toward hydrogen peroxide, menadione, and tert-butyl hydroperoxide.

Hydrogen peroxide-induced carbonylation of key metabolic enzymes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: the involvement of the oxidative stress response regulators Yap1 and Skn7

H(2)O(2) induces a specific protein oxidation in yeast cells, and the glycolytic enzyme glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (Tdh) is a major target. Using a 2D-gel system to study protein carbonylation, it is shown in this work that both Tdh2p and Tdh3p isozymes were oxidized during exposure to H(2)O(2). In addition, we identified two other proteins carbonylated and inactivated: Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase and phosphoglycerate mutase. The oxidative inactivation of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase decreases the antioxidant capacity of yeast cells and probably contributes to H(2)O(2)-induced cell death. Cyclophilin 1 was also carbonylated, but CPH1 gene disruption did not affect peroxide stress sensitivity. The correlation between H(2)O(2) sensitivity and the accumulation of oxidized proteins was evaluated by assaying protein carbonyls in mutants deficient in the stress response regulators Yap1p and Skn7p. The results show that the high sensitivity of yap1delta and skn7delta mutants to H(2)O(2) was correlated with an increased induction of protein carbonylation. In wild-type cells, the acquisition of stress resistance by pre-exposure to a sublethal H(2)O(2) stress was associated with a lower accumulation of oxidized proteins. However, pre-exposure of yap1delta and skn7delta cells to 0.4 mM H(2)O(2) decreased protein carbonylation induced by 1.5 mM H(2)O(2), indicating that the adaptive mechanism involved in the protection of proteins from carbonylation is Yap1p- and Skn7p-independent.

Mitochondrial Hsp60, resistance to oxidative stress, and the labile iron pool are closely connected in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In the present study, we have analyzed the role of the molecular chaperone Hsp60 in protection of Saccharomyces cerevisiae against oxidative damage. We constructed mutant strains in which the levels of Hsp60 protein, compared with wild-type cells, were four times greater, and the addition of doxycycline gradually reduces them to 20% of wild-type. Under oxidative-stress conditions, the progressive decrease in Hsp60 levels in these mutants resulted in reduced cell viability and an increase in both cell peroxide species and protein carbonyl content. Protection of Fe/S-containing enzymes from oxidative inactivation was found to be dose-dependent with respect to Hsp60 levels. As these enzymes release their iron ions under oxidative-stress conditions, the intracellular labile iron pool, monitored with calcein, was higher in cells with reduced Hsp60 levels. Consistently, the iron chelator deferoxamine protected low Hsp60-expressing cells from both oxidant-induced death and protein oxidation. These results indicate that the role of Hsp60 in oxidative-stress defense is explained by protection of several Fe/S proteins, which prevent the release of iron ions and thereby avert further damage.

Structure-function analysis of yeast Grx5 monothiol glutaredoxin defines essential amino acids for the function of the protein

Grx5 defines a family of yeast monothiol glutaredoxins that also includes Grx3 and Grx4. All three proteins display significant sequence homology with proteins found from bacteria to humans. Grx5 is involved in iron/sulfur cluster assembly at the mitochondria, but the function of Grx3 and Grx4 is unknown. Three-dimensional modeling based on known dithiol glutaredoxin structures predicted a thioredoxin fold structure for Grx5. Positionally conserved amino acids in this glutaredoxin family were replaced in Grx5, and the effect on the biological function of the protein has been tested. For all changes studied, there was a correlation between the effects on several different phenotypes: sensitivity to oxidants, constitutive protein oxidation, ability for respiratory growth, auxotrophy for a number of amino acids, and iron accumulation. Cys(60) and Gly(61) are essential for Grx5 function, whereas other single or double substitutions in the same region had no phenotypic effects. Gly(115) and Gly(116) could be important for the formation of a glutathione cleft on the Grx5 surface, in contrast to adjacent Cys(117). Substitution of Phe(50) alters the beta-sheet in the thioredoxin fold structure and inhibits Grx5 function. None of the substitutions tested affect the structure at a significant enough level to reduce protein stability.

Macrophage-induced genes of Legionella pneumophila: protection from reactive intermediates and solute imbalance during intracellular growth

A promoter-probe strategy was devised to identify genes specifically expressed by Legionella pneumophila during growth within the macrophage. Random fragments from the L. pneumophila chromosome were inserted upstream of a promoterless phage T4 td gene, and fragments that led to complementation of thymine auxotrophy during intracellular growth of the bacterium were identified. Two different selection strategies were employed to eliminate promoters that were also active during extracellular growth of the bacterium. Some of these genes were identified independently by using both of the selection strategies. The factors identified include orthologs of efflux-mediated resistance determinants and transporters, a transporter involved in protection from osmotic stress, a stress response GTP-binding protein, a response regulator, a sensor kinase, and two systems that increase the reducing potential of the bacterium, one of which encodes the L. pneumophila ortholog of ahpC. Five of the clones analyzed here were fusions to promoters that were closely linked to genes encoding three-component chemiosmotic efflux pumps that export heavy metals or toxic organic compounds. Analysis of ahpC gene expression indicates that levels increased at least sevenfold during intracellular growth of the bacterium. Inactivation of several of the genes at their chromosomal loci had no effect on the intracellular growth rate of L. pneumophila in cultured macrophages. This suggests that a number of genes with increased expression during intracellular growth may be part of redundant systems that allow survival and growth under the conditions encountered within host cells.

Two isoforms of Saccharomyces cerevisiae glutaredoxin 2 are expressed in vivo and localize to different subcellular compartments

Glutaredoxin (Grx)2 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a member of the two-cysteine (dithiol) subfamily of Grxs involved in the defence against oxidative stress in yeast. Recombinant yeast Grx2p, expressed in Escherichia coli, behaves as a 'classical' Grx that efficiently catalyses the reduction of hydroxyethyl disulphide by GSH. Grx2p also catalyses the reduction of GSSG by dihydrolipoamide with even higher efficiency. Western blot analysis of S. cerevisiae crude extracts identifies two isoforms of Grx2p of 15.9 and 11.9 kDa respectively. The levels of these two isoforms reach a peak during the exponential phase of growth in normal yeast extract/peptone/dextrose ('YPD') medium, with the long form predominating over the short one. From immunochemical analysis of subcellular fractions, it is shown that both isoforms are present in mitochondria, but only the short one is detected in the cytosolic fraction. On the other hand, only the long form is prominent in microsomes. Mitochondrial isoforms should represent the processed and unprocessed products of an open reading frame (YDR513W), with a putative start codon 99 bp upstream of the GRX2 start codon described thus far. These results indicate that GRX2 contains two in-frame start codons, and that translation from the first AUG results in a product that is targeted to mitochondria. The cytosolic form would result either by initiation from the second AUG, or by differential processing of one single translation product.

The identification of a novel human homologue of the SH3 binding glutamic acid-rich (SH3BGR) gene establishes a new family of highly conserved small proteins related to Thioredoxin Superfamily

The SH3 binding glutamic acid-rich (SH3BGR) gene was cloned in an effort to identify genes located to human chromosome 21, within the congenital heart disease region, and expressed in the developing heart. After the identification of SH3BGR, two human homologous genes, SH3BGRL and SH3BGRL3, were identified and mapped to chromosome Xq13.3 and 1p34.3-35, respectively. SH3BGRL and SH3BGRL3 code for small proteins similar to the N-terminal region of the SH3BGR protein. SH3BGRL3 protein shows a significant similarity to Glutaredoxin 1 of Escherichia coli, and all the three proteins are predicted to belong to Thioredoxin-like protein Superfamily. Here we describe the identification and characterization of an additional human homologue of SH3BGR, named SH3BGRL2. The SH3BGRL2 gene maps to chromosome 6q13-15 and its messenger RNA has a large 3' untranslated region containing several AUUUA repeats. SH3BGRL2 codes for a protein of 107 amino acids, which, like SH3BGRL and SH3BGRL3 proteins, is highly homologous to the N-terminal region of the SH3BGR protein and appears to be related to Glutaredoxins and to PKC-interacting cousin of thioredoxin homology domain. We propose that the identification of SH3BGRL2 establishes a novel family of human genes, coding for highly conserved small proteins belonging to Thioredoxin-like protein Superfamily.

Regulation of protein S-thiolation by glutaredoxin 5 in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The irreversible oxidation of cysteine residues can be prevented by protein S-thiolation, a process by which protein -SH groups form mixed disulfides with low molecular weight thiols such as glutathione. We report here that this protein modification is not a simple response to the cellular redox state, since different oxidants lead to different patterns of protein S-thiolation. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis shows that glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is the major target for modification following treatment with hydroperoxides (hydrogen peroxide or tert-butylhydroperoxide), whereas this enzyme is unaffected following cellular exposure to the thiol oxidant diamide. Further evidence that protein S-thiolation is tightly regulated in response to oxidative stress is provided by the finding that the Tdh3 GAPDH isoenzyme, and not the Tdh2 isoenzyme, is S-thiolated following exposure to H(2)O(2) in vivo, whereas both GAPDH isoenzymes are S-thiolated when H(2)O(2) is added to cell-free extracts. This indicates that cellular factors are likely to be responsible for the difference in GAPDH S-thiolation observed in vivo rather than intrinsic structural differences between the GAPDH isoenzymes. To begin to search for factors that can regulate the S-thiolation process, we investigated the role of the glutaredoxin family of oxidoreductases. We provide the first evidence that protein dethiolation in vivo is regulated by a monothiol-glutaredoxin rather than the classical glutaredoxins, which contain two active site cysteine residues. In particular, glutaredoxin 5 is required for efficient dethiolation of the Tdh3 GAPDH isoenzyme.

The yeast glutaredoxins are active as glutathione peroxidases

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains two glutaredoxins, encoded by GRX1 and GRX2, which are active as glutathione-dependent oxidoreductases. Our studies show that changes in the levels of glutaredoxins affect the resistance of yeast cells to oxidative stress induced by hydroperoxides. Elevating the gene dosage of GRX1 or GRX2 increases resistance to hydroperoxides including hydrogen peroxide, tert-butyl hydroperoxide and cumene hydroperoxide. The glutaredoxin-mediated resistance to hydroperoxides is dependent on the presence of an intact glutathione system, but does not require the activity of phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidases (GPX1-3). Rather, the mechanism appears to be mediated via glutathione conjugation and removal from the cell because it is absent in strains lacking glutathione-S-transferases (GTT1, GTT2) or the GS-X pump (YCF1). We show that the yeast glutaredoxins can directly reduce hydroperoxides in a catalytic manner, using reducing power provided by NADPH, GSH, and glutathione reductase. With cumene hydroperoxide, high pressure liquid chromatography analysis confirmed the formation of the corresponding cumyl alcohol. We propose a model in which the glutathione peroxidase activity of glutaredoxins converts hydroperoxides to their corresponding alcohols; these can then be conjugated to GSH by glutathione-S-transferases and transported into the vacuole by Ycf1.

The disulfide redox system of Schistosoma mansoni and the importance of a multifunctional enzyme, thioredoxin glutathione reductase

Schistosoma mansoni, a causative agent of schistosomiasis, is a major cause of human morbidity in tropical countries. Adult schistosomes, which reside in the hepatic portal system, are exposed to reactive oxygen compounds through respiration and as a result of the host immune response. To minimize oxidative stress schistosomes must possess adequate mechanisms of detoxification. Major detoxification systems rely on reducing equivalents from the disulfide oxidoreductases glutathione and thioredoxin. Therefore, maintenance of adequate levels of these thiols in a reduced form is critical. Here we show that S. mansoni possess an unusual thiol redox system centered on thioredoxin glutathione reductase. This enzyme represents an unusual fusion of a pyridine nucleotide disulfide oxidoreductase with a redox active glutaredoxin extension. Furthermore, we predict that this is a selenocysteine protein. Immunoprecipitation, western blot and inhibitor studies show that this protein has thioredoxin reductase, glutathione reductase, and glutaredoxin activities. Most importantly, we show that thioredoxin glutathione reductase appears to be the major, if not the sole enzyme for these activities in adult worms, completely replacing thioredoxin reductase and glutathione reductase. This is the first example of an organism with a redox system based exclusively on thioredoxin glutathione reductase.

Grx5 is a mitochondrial glutaredoxin required for the activity of iron/sulfur enzymes

Yeast cells contain a family of three monothiol glutaredoxins: Grx3, 4, and 5. Absence of Grx5 leads to constitutive oxidative damage, exacerbating that caused by external oxidants. Phenotypic defects associated with the absence of Grx5 are suppressed by overexpression of SSQ1 and ISA2, two genes involved in the synthesis and assembly of iron/sulfur clusters into proteins. Grx5 localizes at the mitochondrial matrix, like other proteins involved in the synthesis of these clusters, and the mature form lacks the first 29 amino acids of the translation product. Absence of Grx5 causes: 1) iron accumulation in the cell, which in turn could promote oxidative damage, and 2) inactivation of enzymes requiring iron/sulfur clusters for their activity. Reduction of iron levels in grx5 null mutants does not restore the activity of iron/sulfur enzymes, and cell growth defects are not suppressed in anaerobiosis or in the presence of disulfide reductants. Hence, Grx5 forms part of the mitochondrial machinery involved in the synthesis and assembly of iron/sulfur centers.

Characterization of Escherichia coli null mutants for glutaredoxin 2

Three Escherichia coli glutaredoxins catalyze GSH-disulfide oxidoreductions, but the atypical 24-kDa glutaredoxin 2 (Grx2, grxB gene), in contrast to the 9-kDa glutaredoxin 1 (Grx1, grxA gene) and glutaredoxin 3 (Grx3, grxC gene), is not a hydrogen donor for ribonucleotide reductase. To improve the understanding of glutaredoxin function, a null mutant for grxB (grxB(-)) was constructed and combined with other mutations. Null mutants for grxB or all three glutaredoxin genes were viable in rich and minimal media with little changes in their growth properties. Expression of leaderless alkaline phosphatase showed that Grx1 and Grx2 (but not Grx3) contributed in the reduction of cytosolic protein disulfides. Moreover, Grx1 could catalyze disulfide formation in the oxidizing cytosol of combined null mutants for glutathione reductase and thioredoxin 1. grxB(-) cells were more sensitive to hydrogen peroxide and other oxidants and showed increased carbonylation of intracellular proteins, particularly in the stationary phase. Significant up-regulation of catalase activity was observed in null mutants for thioredoxin 1 and the three glutaredoxins, whereas up-regulation of glutaredoxin activity was observed in catalase-deficient strains with additional defects in the thioredoxin pathway. The expression of catalases is thus interconnected with the thioredoxin/glutaredoxin pathways in the antioxidant response.

Exploring the active site of plant glutaredoxin by site-directed mutagenesis

Six mutants (Y26A, C27S, Y29F, Y29P, C30S and Y26W/Y29P) have been engineered in order to explore the active site of poplar glutaredoxin (Grx) (Y26CPYC30). The cysteinic mutants indicate that Cys 27 is the primary nucleophile. Phe is a good substitute for Tyr 29, but the Y29P mutant was inactive. The Y26A mutation caused a moderate loss of activity. The YCPPC and WCPPC mutations did not improve the reactivity of Grx with the chloroplastic NADP-malate dehydrogenase, a well known target of thioredoxins (Trxs). The results are discussed in relation with the known biochemical properties of Grx and Trx.

Sit4p protein phosphatase is required for sensitivity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Kluyveromyces lactis zymocin

We have identified two Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes that, in high copy, confer resistance to Kluyveromyces lactis zymocin, an inhibitor that blocks cells in the G(1) phase of the cell cycle prior to budding and DNA replication. One gene (GRX3) encodes a glutaredoxin and is likely to act at the level of zymocin entry into sensitive cells, while the other encodes Sap155p, one of a family of four related proteins that function positively and interdependently with the Sit4p protein phosphatase. Increased SAP155 dosage protects cells by influencing the sensitivity of the intracellular target and is unique among the four SAP genes in conferring zymocin resistance in high copy, but is antagonized by high-copy SAP185 or SAP190. Since cells lacking SIT4 or deleted for both SAP185 and SAP190 are also zymocin resistant, our data support a model whereby high-copy SAP155 promotes resistance by competition with the endogenous levels of SAP185 and SAP190 expression. Zymocin sensitivity therefore requires a Sap185p/Sap190p-dependent function of Sit4p protein phosphatase. Mutations affecting the RNA polymerase II Elongator complex also confer K. lactis zymocin resistance. Since sit4Delta and SAP-deficient strains share in common several other phenotypes associated with Elongator mutants, Elongator function may be a Sit4p-dependent process.

Plasmodium falciparum possesses a classical glutaredoxin and a second, glutaredoxin-like protein with a PICOT homology domain

The genes coding for two different proteins with homologies to glutaredoxins have been identified in the genome of the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Both genes were amplified from a gametocytic cDNA and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The smaller protein (named PfGrx-1) with 12.4 kDa in size exhibits the typical glutaredoxin active site motif "CPYC," shows glutathione-dependent glutaredoxin activity in the beta-hydroxyethyl disulfide (HEDS) assay, and reduces Trypanosoma brucei ribonucleotide reductase. Glutathione:HEDS transhydrogenase activity (approximately 60 milliunits/mg of protein) was clearly detectable in trophozoite extracts from eight different P. falciparum strains and did not differ between chloroquine-resistant and -sensitive parasites. Five different antimalarial drugs at 100 microm did not significantly influence isolated PfGrx-1 activity. In contrast, the second protein (deduced mass 19.9 kDa) with homology to glutaredoxins (31% identity to Schizosaccharomyces pombe in a 140-amino acid overlap) was not active in the HEDS assay; however, its general dithiol reducing activity was demonstrated in the insulin assay in the presence of dithiothreitol. Interestingly, the sequence contains a PICOT (for protein kinase C-interacting cousin of thioredoxin) homology domain, which might suggest regulatory functions of the protein. We named this protein PfGLP-1, for P. falciparum 1-Cys-glutaredoxin-like protein-1. In contrast to glutaredoxins, PfGLP-1 could not be reduced by glutathione. This is the first report on glutaredoxin-like proteins in the family of Plasmodia.

Identification and characterization of a new mammalian glutaredoxin (thioltransferase), Grx2

A thiol/disulfide oxidoreductase component of the GSH system, glutaredoxin (Grx), is involved in the reduction of GSH-based mixed disulfides and participates in a variety of cellular redox pathways. A single cytosolic Grx (Grx1) was previously described in mammals. We now report identification and characterization of a second mammalian Grx, designated Grx2. Grx2 exhibited 36% identity with Grx1 and had a disulfide active center containing the Cys-Ser-Tyr-Cys motif. Grx2 was encoded in the genomes of mammals and birds and expressed in a variety of cell types. The gene for human Grx2 consisted of four exons and three introns, spanned 10 kilobase pairs, and localized to chromosome 1q31.2-31.3. The coding sequence was present in all exons, with the first exon encoding a mitochondrial signal peptide. The mitochondrial leader sequence was also present in mouse and rat Grx2 sequences and was shown to direct either Grx2 or green fluorescent protein to mitochondria. Alternative splicing forms of mammalian Grx2 mRNAs were identified that differed in sequences upstream of exon 2. To functionally characterize the new protein, human and mouse Grx2 proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli, and the purified proteins were shown to reduce mixed disulfides formed between GSH and S-sulfocysteine, hydroxyethyldisulfide, or cystine. Grx1 and Grx2 were sensitive to inactivation by iodoacetamide and H(2)O(2) and exhibited similar pH dependence of catalytic activity. However, H(2)O(2)-inactivated Grx2 could only be reactivated with 5 mm GSH, whereas Grx1 could also be reactivated with dithiothreitol or thioredoxin/thioredoxin reductase. The Grx2 structural model suggested a common reaction mechanism for this class of proteins. The data provide the first example of a mitochondrial Grx and also indicate the occurrence of a second functional Grx in mammals.

Solution structure of Escherichia coli glutaredoxin-2 shows similarity to mammalian glutathione-S-transferases

Glutaredoxin 2 (Grx2) from Escherichia coli is distinguished from other glutaredoxins by its larger size, low overall sequence identity and lack of electron donor activity with ribonucleotide reductase. However, catalysis of glutathione (GSH)-dependent general disulfide reduction by Grx2 is extremely efficient. The high-resolution solution structure of E. coli Grx2 shows a two-domain protein, with residues 1 to 72 forming a classical "thioredoxin-fold" glutaredoxin domain, connected by an 11 residue linker to the highly helical C-terminal domain, residues 84 to 215. The active site, Cys9-Pro10-Tyr11-Cys12, is buried in the interface between the two domains, but Cys9 is solvent-accessible, consistent with its role in catalysis. The structures reveal the hither to unknown fact that Grx2 is structurally similar to glutathione-S-transferases (GST), although there is no obvious sequence homology. The similarity of these structures gives important insights into the functional significance of a new class of mammalian GST-like proteins, the single-cysteine omega class, which have glutaredoxin oxidoreductase activity rather than GSH-S-transferase conjugating activity. E. coli Grx 2 is structurally and functionally a member of this new expanding family of large glutaredoxins. The primary function of Grx2 as a GST-like glutaredoxin is to catalyze reversible glutathionylation of proteins with GSH in cellular redox regulation including stress responses.

Cloning and expression of a novel human glutaredoxin (Grx2) with mitochondrial and nuclear isoforms

Glutaredoxin (Grx) is a glutathione-dependent hydrogen donor for ribonucleotide reductase. Today glutaredoxins are known as a multifunctional family of GSH-disulfide-oxidoreductases belonging to the thioredoxin fold superfamily. In contrast to Escherichia coli and yeast, a single human glutaredoxin is known. We have identified and cloned a novel 18-kDa human dithiol glutaredoxin, named glutaredoxin-2 (Grx2), which is 34% identical to the previously known cytosolic 12-kDa human Grx1. The human Grx2 sequence contains three characteristic regions of the glutaredoxin family: the dithiol/disulfide active site, CSYC, the GSH binding site, and a hydrophobic surface area. The human Grx2 gene, located at chromosome 1q31.2--31.3, consisted of five exons that were transcribed to a 0.9-kilobase human Grx2 mRNA ubiquitously expressed in several tissues. Two alternatively spliced Grx2 mRNA isoforms that differed in their 5' region were identified. These corresponded to alternative proteins with a common 125-residue C-terminal Grx domain but with different N-terminal extensions of 39 and 40 residues, respectively. The 125-residue Grx domain and the two full-length variants were expressed in E. coli and exhibited GSH-dependent hydroxyethyl disulfide and dehydroascorbate reducing activities. Western blot analysis of subcellular fractions from Jurkat cells with a specific anti-Grx2 antibody showed that human Grx2 was predominantly located in the nucleus but also present in the mitochondria. We further showed that one of the mRNA isoforms corresponding to Grx2a encoded a functional N-terminal mitochondrial translocation signal.

Global analysis of Escherichia coli gene expression during the acetate-induced acid tolerance response

The ability of Escherichia coli to survive at low pH is strongly affected by environmental factors, such as composition of the growth medium and growth phase. Exposure to short-chain fatty acids, such as acetate, proprionate, and butyrate, at neutral or nearly neutral pH has also been shown to increase acid survival of E. coli and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. To investigate the basis for acetate-induced acid tolerance in E. coli O157:H7, genes whose expression was altered by exposure to acetate were identified using gene arrays. The expression of 60 genes was reduced by at least twofold; of these, 48 encode components of the transcription-translation machinery. Expression of 26 genes increased twofold or greater following treatment with acetate. This included six genes whose products are known to be important for survival at low pH. Five of these genes, as well as six other acetate-induced genes, are members of the E. coli RpoS regulon. RpoS, the stress sigma factor, is known to be required for acid tolerance induced by growth at nonlethal low pH or by entry into stationary phase. Disruption of the rpoS gene by a transposon insertion mutation also prevented acetate-induced acid tolerance. However, induction of RpoS expression did not appear to be sufficient to activate the acid tolerance response. Treatment with either NaCl or sodium acetate (pH 7.0) increased expression of an rpoS::lacZ fusion protein, but only treatment with acetate increased acid survival.

Selenoprotein oxidoreductase with specificity for thioredoxin and glutathione systems

Thioredoxin (Trx) and glutathione (GSH) systems are considered to be two major redox systems in animal cells. They are reduced by NADPH via Trx reductase (TR) or oxidized GSH (GSSG) reductase and further supply electrons for deoxyribonucleotide synthesis, antioxidant defense, and redox regulation of signal transduction, transcription, cell growth, and apoptosis. We cloned and characterized a pyridine nucleotide disulfide oxidoreductase, Trx and GSSG reductase (TGR), that exhibits specificity for both redox systems. This enzyme contains a selenocysteine residue encoded by the TGA codon. TGR can reduce Trx, GSSG, and a GSH-linked disulfide in in vitro assays. This unusual substrate specificity is achieved by an evolutionary conserved fusion of the TR and glutaredoxin domains. These observations, together with the biochemical probing and molecular modeling of the TGR structure, suggest a mechanism whereby the C-terminal selenotetrapeptide serves a role of a protein-linked GSSG and shuttles electrons from the disulfide center within the TR domain to either the glutaredoxin domain or Trx.

A genetic investigation of the essential role of glutathione: mutations in the proline biosynthesis pathway are the only suppressors of glutathione auxotrophy in yeast

In an attempt to elucidate the essential function of glutathione in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we searched for suppressors of the GSH auxotrophy of Deltagsh1, a strain lacking the rate-limiting enzyme of glutathione biosynthesis. We found that specific mutations of PRO2, the second enzyme in proline biosynthesis, permitted the growth of Deltagsh1 in the absence of exogenous GSH. The suppression mechanism by alleles of PRO2 involved the biosynthesis of a trace amount of glutathione. Deletion of PRO1, the first enzyme of the proline biosynthesis pathway, or PRO2 eliminated the suppression, suggesting that gamma-glutamyl phosphate, the product of Pro1 and the physiological substrate of Pro2, is required as an obligate substrate of suppressor alleles of PRO2 for glutathione synthesis. A mutagenesis of a Deltagsh1 strain also lacking the proline pathway failed to generate any suppressor mutants under either aerobic or anaerobic conditions, confirming that glutathione is essential in yeast. This essential function is not related to DNA synthesis based on the terminal phenotype of glutathione-depleted cells or to toxic accumulation of non-native protein disulfides. Analysis of the suppressor strain demonstrates that normal glutathione levels are required for the tolerance to oxidants under acute, but not chronic stress conditions.

Adaptive response of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to reactive oxygen species: defences, damage and death

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been extensively utilised to address the mechanisms underlying the oxidative stress response. The antioxidant defences can be induced either by respiratory growth or in the presence of pro-oxidants. The cell response involves the transcriptional control of genes by protein regulators that have been recently identified and post-translational activation of pre-existing defences. The current state of the art regarding the induction of antioxidant defences during respiratory growth and by exposure to hydrogen peroxide is reviewed.

Roles of the glutathione- and thioredoxin-dependent reduction systems in the Escherichia coli and saccharomyces cerevisiae responses to oxidative stress

The glutathione- and thioredoxin-dependent reduction systems are responsible for maintaining the reduced environment of the Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae cytosol. Here we examine the roles of these two cellular reduction systems in the bacterial and yeast defenses against oxidative stress. The transcription of a subset of the genes encoding glutathione biosynthetic enzymes, glutathione reductases, glutaredoxins, thioredoxins, and thioredoxin reductases, as well as glutathione- and thioredoxin-dependent peroxidases is clearly induced by oxidative stress in both organisms. However, only some strains carrying mutations in single genes are hypersensitive to oxidants. This is due, in part, to the redundant effects of the gene products and the overlap between the two reduction systems. The construction of strains carrying mutations in multiple genes is helping to elucidate the different roles of glutathione and thioredoxin, and studies with such strains have recently revealed that these two reduction systems modulate the activities of the E. coli OxyR and SoxR and the S. cerevisiae Yap1p transcriptional regulators of the adaptive responses to oxidative stress.

Role of the glutathione/glutaredoxin and thioredoxin systems in yeast growth and response to stress conditions

Sulphydryl groups (-SH) play a remarkably broad range of roles in the cell, and the redox status of cysteine residues can affect both the structure and the function of numerous enzymes, receptors and transcription factors. The intracellular milieu is usually a reducing environment as a result of high concentrations of the low-molecular-weight thiol glutathione (GSH). However, reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are the products of normal aerobic metabolism, as well as naturally occurring free radical-generating compounds, can alter this redox balance. A number of cellular factors have been implicated in the regulation of redox homeostasis, including the glutathione/glutaredoxin and thioredoxin systems. Glutaredoxins and thioredoxins are ubiquitous small heat-stable oxidoreductases that have proposed functions in many cellular processes, including deoxyribonucleotide synthesis, repair of oxidatively damaged proteins, protein folding and sulphur metabolism. This review describes recent findings in the lower eukaryote Saccharomyces cerevisiae that are leading to a better understanding of their role in redox homeostasis in eukaryotic cell metabolism.

Cloning, expression and regulation of Schizosaccharomyces pombe gene encoding thioltransferase

The genomic DNA encoding thioltransferase was isolated from Schizosaccharomyces pombe using the polymerase chain reaction. The amplified DNA fragment was confirmed by Southern hybridization, completely digested with HindIII and BamHI, and then ligated into the yeast-Escherichia coli shuttle vector pRS316, which resulted in plasmid pEH1. The insert of plasmid pEH1 was transferred into the multi-copy vector YEp357 to generate plasmid pYEH1. The determined nucleotide sequence harbors an open reading frame consisting of four exons and three introns, which encodes a polypeptide of 101 amino acids with a molecular mass of 11261 Da. Thioltransferase activity was increased 1.6-fold in Saccharomyces cerevisiae containing plasmid pYEH1, and 1.8- and 2.7-fold in S. pombe containing plasmid pEH1 and pYEH1, respectively. The upstream sequence and the region encoding the N-terminal six amino acids were fused into promoterless beta-galactosidase gene of the shuttle vector YEp357R to generate the fusion plasmid pYEHR1. Synthesis of beta-galactosidase from the fusion plasmid was found to be enhanced by zinc and NO-generating S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine.

Stress-controlled transcription factors, stress-induced genes and stress tolerance in budding yeast

The transcriptional response to environmental changes is a major topic in both basic and applied research. From a basic point of view, to understand this response includes unravelling how the stress signal is sensed and transduced to the nucleus, to identify which genes are induced under each stress condition and, finally, to establish the phenotypic consequences of this induction in stress tolerance. The possibility of using genetic approaches has made the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae a compelling model to study stress response at a molecular level. Moreover, this information can be used to isolate and characterise stress-related proteins in higher eukaryotes and to design strategies to increase stress resistance in organisms of industrial interest. In this review the progress made in recent years is discussed.

A single glutaredoxin or thioredoxin gene is essential for viability in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Glutaredoxins and thioredoxins are small heat-stable oxidoreductases that have been conserved throughout evolution. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains two gene pairs encoding cytoplasmic glutaredoxins (GRX1, GRX2) and thioredoxins (TRX1, TRX2). We report here that the quadruple trx1 trx2 grx1 grx2 mutant is inviable and that either a single glutaredoxin or a single thioredoxin (i.e. grx1 grx2 trx1, grx1 grx2 trx2, grx1 trx1 trx2, grx2 trx1 trx2) is essential for viability. Loss of both thioredoxins has been reported previously to lead to methionine auxotrophy consistent with thioredoxins being the sole reductants for 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulphate reductase (PAPS) in yeast. However, we present evidence for the existence of a novel yeast hydrogen donor for PAPS reductase, as strains lacking both thioredoxins assimilated sulphate under conditions that minimized the generation of reactive oxygen species (low aeration and absence of functional mitochondria). In addition, the assimilation of [35S]-sulphate was approximately 60-fold higher in the trx1 trx2 grx1 and trx1 trx2 grx2 mutants compared with the trx1 trx2 mutant. Furthermore, in contrast to the trx1 trx2 mutant, the trx1 trx2 grx2 mutant grew on minimal agar plates, and the trx1 trx2 grx1 mutant grew on minimal agar plates under anaerobic conditions. We propose a model in which the novel reductase activity normally functions in the repair of oxidant-mediated protein damage but, under conditions that minimize the generation of reactive oxygen species, it can serve as a hydrogen donor for PAPS reductase.