Yeast protein translocation complex: isolation of two genes SEB1 and SEB2 encoding proteins homologous to the Sec61 beta subunit

Disruption of vacuolar protein sorting components of the HOPS complex leads to enhanced secretion of recombinant proteins in Pichia pastoris

Background

The yeast Pichia pastoris is a widely used host for the secretion of heterologous proteins. Despite being an efficient producer, we observed previously that certain recombinant proteins were mistargeted to the vacuole on their route to secretion. Simultaneous disruption of one vacuolar sorting pathway together with vacuolar proteases prevented this mis-sorting and resulted in higher levels of secreted heterologous protein. Inspired by the positive results, we now set out to investigate the influence of further parts of the vacuolar pathway, namely the Cvt-pathway and the homotypic fusion and protein sorting (HOPS) complex.

Results

Strains impaired in the Cvt pathway (∆atg11, ∆atg8) had no effect on secretion of the model protein carboxylesterase (CES), but resulted in lower secretion levels of the antibody fragment HyHEL-Fab. Disruption of genes involved in the HOPS complex led to vacuole-like compartments of the B category of vps mutants, which are characteristic for the deleted genes YPT7, VPS41 and VAM6. In particular ∆ypt7 and ∆vam6 strains showed an improvement in secreting the model proteins HyHEL-Fab and CES. Additional disruption of the vacuolar protease Pep4 and the potential protease Vps70 led to even further enhanced secretion in ∆ypt7 and ∆vam6 strains. Nevertheless, intracellular product accumulation was still observed. Therefore, the secretory route was strengthened by overexpression of early or late secretory genes in the vacuolar sorting mutants. Thereby, overexpression of Sbh1, a subunit of the ER translocation pore, significantly increased HyHEL-Fab secretion, leading up to fourfold higher extracellular Fab levels in the ∆ypt7 strain. The beneficial impact on protein secretion and the suitability of these strains for industrial applicability was confirmed in fed-batch cultivations.

Conclusions

Disruption of genes involved in the HOPS complex, especially YPT7, has a great influence on the secretion of the two different model proteins HyHEL-Fab and CES. Therefore, disruption of HOPS genes shows a high potential to increase secretion of other recombinant proteins as well. Secretion of HyHEL-Fab was further enhanced when overexpressing secretion enhancing factors. As the positive effect was also present in fed-batch cultivations, these modifications likely have promising industrial relevance.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12934-019-1155-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The yeast ERAD-C ubiquitin ligase Doa10 recognizes an intramembrane degron

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, surprisingly, the transmembrane protein Sbh2, which harbors an intramembrane degron, is a substrate of the ubiquitin-protein ligase Doa10.

Aberrant endoplasmic reticulum (ER) proteins are eliminated by ER-associated degradation (ERAD). This process involves protein retrotranslocation into the cytosol, ubiquitylation, and proteasomal degradation. ERAD substrates are classified into three categories based on the location of their degradation signal/degron: ERAD-L (lumen), ERAD-M (membrane), and ERAD-C (cytosol) substrates. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the membrane proteins Hrd1 and Doa10 are the predominant ERAD ubiquitin-protein ligases (E3s). The current notion is that ERAD-L and ERAD-M substrates are exclusively handled by Hrd1, whereas ERAD-C substrates are recognized by Doa10. In this paper, we identify the transmembrane (TM) protein Sec61 β-subunit homologue 2 (Sbh2) as a Doa10 substrate. Sbh2 is part of the trimeric Ssh1 complex involved in protein translocation. Unassembled Sbh2 is rapidly degraded in a Doa10-dependent manner. Intriguingly, the degron maps to the Sbh2 TM region. Thus, in contrast to the prevailing view, Doa10 (and presumably its human orthologue) has the capacity for recognizing intramembrane degrons, expanding its spectrum of substrates.

Protein O-mannosyltransferases associate with the translocon to modify translocating polypeptide chains

O-Mannosylation and N-glycosylation are essential protein modifications that are initiated in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Protein translocation across the ER membrane and N-glycosylation are highly coordinated processes that take place at the translocon-oligosaccharyltransferase (OST) complex. In analogy, it was assumed that protein O-mannosyltransferases (PMTs) also act at the translocon, however, in recent years it turned out that prolonged ER residence allows O-mannosylation of un-/misfolded proteins or slow folding intermediates by Pmt1-Pmt2 complexes. Here, we reinvestigate protein O-mannosylation in the context of protein translocation. We demonstrate the association of Pmt1-Pmt2 with the OST, the trimeric Sec61, and the tetrameric Sec63 complex in vivo by co-immunoprecipitation. The coordinated interplay between PMTs and OST in vivo is further shown by a comprehensive mass spectrometry-based analysis of N-glycosylation site occupancy in pmtΔ mutants. In addition, we established a microsomal translation/translocation/O-mannosylation system. Using the serine/threonine-rich cell wall protein Ccw5 as a model, we show that PMTs efficiently mannosylate proteins during their translocation into microsomes. This in vitro system will help to unravel mechanistic differences between co- and post-translocational O-mannosylation.

Analysis of Sec61p and Ssh1p interactions in the ER membrane using the split-ubiquitin system

BACKGROUND

The split-ubiquitin system monitors interactions of transmembrane proteins in yeast. It is based on the formation of a quasi-native ubiquitin structure upon interaction of two proteins to which the N- and C-terminal halves of ubiquitin have been fused. In the system we use here ubiquitin formation leads to proteolytic cleavage liberating a transcription factor (PLV) from the C-ubiquitin (C) fusion protein which can then activate reporter genes. Generation of fusion proteins is, however, rife with problems, and particularly in transmembrane proteins often disturbs topology, structure and function.

RESULTS

We show that both the Sec61 protein which forms the principal protein translocation channel in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane, and its non-essential homologue, Ssh1p, when fused C-terminally to CPLV are inactive. In a heterozygous diploid Sec61-CPLV is present in protein translocation channels in the ER membrane without disturbing their function and displays a limited set of protein-protein interactions similar to those found for the wildtype protein using biochemical methods. Although its expression level is similar, Ssh1-CPLV interactions are less strong, and, in contrast to Sec61p, Ssh1p does not distinguish between Sbh1p and Sbh2p. We show that interactions can be monitored by reporter gene activity or directly by PLV cleavage, which is more sensitive, but leads to quantitatively different results.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that the split-ubiquitin system we used here has high fidelity, but low sensitivity and is of limited use for detection of new, transient interactions with protein translocation channels in the ER membrane.

N-acetylation and phosphorylation of Sec complex subunits in the ER membrane

Background

Covalent modifications of proteins provide a mechanism to control protein function. Here, we have investigated modifications of the heptameric Sec complex which is responsible for post-translational protein import into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). It consists of the Sec61 complex (Sec61p, Sbh1p, Sss1p) which on its own mediates cotranslational protein import into the ER and the Sec63 complex (Sec63p, Sec62p, Sec71p, Sec72p). Little is known about the biogenesis and regulation of individual Sec complex subunits.

Results

We show that Sbh1p when it is part of the Sec61 complex is phosphorylated on T5 which is flanked by proline residues. The phosphorylation site is conserved in mammalian Sec61ß, but only partially in birds, and not in other vertebrates or unicellular eukaryotes, suggesting convergent evolution. Mutation of T5 to A did not affect the ability of mutant Sbh1p to complement the growth defect in a Δsbh1Δsbh2 strain, and did not result in a hypophosphorylated protein which shows that alternate sites can be used by the T5 kinase. A survey of yeast phosphoproteome data shows that Sbh1p can be phosphorylated on multiple sites which are organized in two patches, one at the N-terminus of its cytosolic domain, the other proximal to the transmembrane domain. Surprisingly, although N-acetylation has been shown to interfere with ER targeting, we found that both Sbh1p and Sec62p are cotranslationally N-acetylated by NatA, and N-acetyl-proteome data indicate that Sec61p is modified by the same enzyme. Mutation of the N-acetylation site, however, did not affect Sec62p function in posttranslational protein import into the ER. Disabling NatA resulted in growth retardation, but not in co- or posttranslational translocation defects or instability of Sec62p or Sbh1p.

Conclusions

We conclude that N-acetylation of transmembrane and tail-anchored proteins does not interfere with their ER-targeting, and that Sbh1p phosphorylation on T5, which is not present in Sbh2p, plays a non-essential role specific to the Sec61 complex.

Regulation of chaperone effects on a yeast prion by cochaperone Sgt2

Yeast prions, based on self-seeded highly ordered fibrous aggregates (amyloids), serve as a model for human amyloid diseases. Propagation of yeast prions depends on the balance between chaperones of the Hsp100 and Hsp70 families. The yeast prion [PSI(+)] can be eliminated by an excess of the chaperone Hsp104. This effect is reversed by an excess of the chaperone Hsp70-Ssa. Here we show that the actions of Hsp104 and Ssa on [PSI(+)] are modulated by the small glutamine-rich tetratricopeptide cochaperone Sgt2. Sgt2 is conserved from yeast to humans, has previously been implicated in the guided entry of tail-anchored proteins (GET) trafficking pathway, and is known to interact with Hsps, cytosolic Get proteins, and tail-anchored proteins. We demonstrate that Sgt2 increases the ability of excess Ssa to counteract [PSI(+)] curing by excess Hsp104. Deletion of SGT2 also restores trafficking of a tail-anchored protein in cells with a disrupted GET pathway. One region of Sgt2 interacts both with the prion domain of Sup35 and with tail-anchored proteins. Sgt2 levels are increased in response to the presence of a prion when major Hsps are not induced. Our data implicate Sgt2 as an amyloid "sensor" and a regulator of chaperone targeting to different types of aggregation-prone proteins.

Exocyst Sec10 is involved in basolateral protein translation and translocation in the endoplasmic reticulum

BACKGROUND

Protein translation and translocation at the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) are the first steps in the secretory pathway. The translocon through which newly made proteins are translocated into or across the RER membrane consists of three main subunits: Sec61α, -β, and -γ. Sec61β facilitates translocation, and we and others have shown that the highly conserved eight-protein exocyst complex interacts with Sec61β. We have also shown that the exocyst is involved in basolateral, not apical, protein synthesis and delivery. Recently, however, exocyst involvement in apical protein delivery has been reported. Furthermore, we have shown that the exocyst is necessary for formation of primary cilia, organelles found on the apical surface.

METHODS

GST pulldown was performed on lysate of renal tubule cells to investigate biochemical interactions. Cell-free assays consisting of cell-free extracts from rabbit reticulocytes, pancreatic endoplasmic reticulum (ER) microsomal membranes, transcripts of cDNA from apical and basolateral proteins, ATP/GTP, amino acids, and (35)S-methionine for protein detection were used to investigate the role of the exocyst in synthesis of polarized proteins. P(32)-orthophosphate and immunoprecipitation with antibody against Sec61β was used to investigate Sec61β phosphorylation in exocyst Sec10-overexpressing cells.

RESULTS

Sec10 biochemically interacts with Sec61β using GST pulldown. Using cell-free assays, there is enhanced exocyst recruitment to endoplasmic reticulum membranes following exocyst depletion and basolateral G protein of vesicular stomatitis virus protein translation, compared to apical hemagglutinin of influenza virus protein translation. Finally, Sec10 overexpression increases Sec61β phosphorylation.

CONCLUSION

These data confirm that the exocyst is preferentially involved in basolateral protein translation and translocation, and may well act through the phosphorylation of Sec61β.

Sec61β controls sensitivity to platinum-containing chemotherapeutic agents through modulation of the copper-transporting ATPase ATP7A

The Sec61 protein translocon is a multimeric complex that transports proteins across lipid bilayers. We discovered that the Sec61β subunit modulates cellular sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents, particularly the platinum drugs. To investigate the mechanism, expression of Sec61β was constitutively knocked down in 2008 ovarian cancer cells. Sec61β knockdown (KD) resulted in 8-, 16.8-, and 9-fold resistance to cisplatin (cDDP), carboplatin, and oxaliplatin, respectively. Sec61β KD reduced the cellular accumulation of cDDP to 67% of that in parental cells. Baseline copper levels, copper uptake, and copper cytotoxicity were also reduced. Because copper transporters and chaperones regulate platinum drug accumulation and efflux, their expression in 2008 Sec61β-KD cells was analyzed; ATP7A was found to be 2- to 3-fold overexpressed, whereas there was no change in ATP7B, ATOX1, CTR1, or CTR2 levels. Cells lacking ATP7A did not exhibit increased cDDP resistance upon knockdown of Sec61β. Sec61β-KD cells also exhibited altered ATP7A cellular distribution. We conclude that Sec61β modulates the cytotoxicity of many chemotherapeutic agents, with the largest effect being on the platinum drugs. This modulation occurs through effects of Sec61β on the expression and distribution of ATP7A, which was shown previously to control platinum drug sequestration and cytotoxicity.

Subnuclear development of the zebrafish habenular nuclei requires ER translocon function

The dorsal habenular nuclei (Dh) of the zebrafish are characterized by significant left-right differences in gene expression, anatomy, and connectivity. Notably, the lateral subnucleus of the Dh (LsDh) is larger on the left side of the brain than on the right, while the medial subnucleus (MsDh) is larger on the right compared to the left. A screen for mutations that affect habenular laterality led to the identification of the sec61a-like 1(sec61al1) gene. In sec61al1(c163) mutants, more neurons in the LsDh and fewer in the MsDh develop on both sides of the brain. Generation of neurons in the LsDh occurs more rapidly and continues for a longer time period in mutants than in WT. Expression of Nodal pathway genes on the left side of the embryos is unaffected in mutants, as is the left sided placement of the parapineal organ, which promotes neurogenesis in the LsDh of WT embryos. Ultrastructural analysis of the epithalamus indicates that ventricular precursor cells, which form an epithelium in WT embryos, lose apical-basal polarity in sec61al1(c163) mutants. Our results show that in the absence of sec61al1, an excess of precursor cells for the LsDh exit the ventricular region and differentiate, resulting in formation of bilaterally symmetric habenular nuclei.

Sec61alpha is required for dorsal closure during Drosophila embryogenesis through its regulation of Dpp signaling

During dorsal closure in Drosophila, signaling events in the dorsalmost row of epidermal cells (DME cells) direct the migration of lateral epidermal sheets towards the dorsal midline where they fuse to enclose the embryo. A Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK) cascade in the DME cells induces the expression of Decapentaplegic (Dpp). Dpp signaling then regulates the cytoskeleton in the DME cells and amnioserosa to affect the cell shape changes necessary to complete dorsal closure. We identified a mutation in Sec61alpha that specifically perturbs dorsal closure. Sec61alpha encodes the main subunit of the translocon complex for co-translational import of proteins into the ER. JNK signaling is normal in Sec61alpha mutant embryos, but Dpp signaling is attenuated and the DME cells fail to maintain an actinomyosin cable as epithelial migration fails. Consistent with this model, dorsal closure is rescued in Sec61alpha mutant embryos by an activated form of the Dpp receptor Thick veins.

Hph1 and Hph2 are novel components of the Sec63/Sec62 posttranslational translocation complex that aid in vacuolar proton ATPase biogenesis

Hph1 and Hph2 are homologous integral endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane proteins required for Saccharomyces cerevisiae survival under environmental stress conditions. To investigate the molecular functions of Hph1 and Hph2, we carried out a split-ubiquitin-membrane-based yeast two-hybrid screen and identified their interactions with Sec71, a subunit of the Sec63/Sec62 complex, which mediates posttranslational translocation of proteins into the ER. Hph1 and Hph2 likely function in posttranslational translocation, as they interact with other Sec63/Sec62 complex subunits, i.e., Sec72, Sec62, and Sec63. hph1Δ hph2Δ cells display reduced vacuole acidification; increased instability of Vph1, a subunit of vacuolar proton ATPase (V-ATPase); and growth defects similar to those of mutants lacking V-ATPase activity. sec71Δ cells exhibit similar phenotypes, indicating that Hph1/Hph2 and the Sec63/Sec62 complex function during V-ATPase biogenesis. Hph1/Hph2 and the Sec63/Sec62 complex may act together in this process, as vacuolar acidification and Vph1 stability are compromised to the same extent in hph1Δ hph2Δ and hph1Δ hph2Δ sec71Δ cells. In contrast, loss of Pkr1, an ER protein that promotes posttranslocation assembly of Vph1 with V-ATPase subunits, further exacerbates hph1Δ hph2Δ phenotypes, suggesting that Hph1 and Hph2 function independently of Pkr1-mediated V-ATPase assembly. We propose that Hph1 and Hph2 aid Sec63/Sec62-mediated translocation of specific proteins, including factors that promote efficient biogenesis of V-ATPase, to support yeast cell survival during environmental stress.

Sss1p is required to complete protein translocon activation

Protein translocation across the endoplasmic reticulum membrane occurs at the Sec61 translocon. This has two essential subunits, the channel-forming multispanning membrane protein Sec61p/Sec61α and the tail-anchored Sss1p/Sec61γ, which has been proposed to “clamp” the channel. We have analyzed the function of Sss1p using a series of domain mutants and found that both the cytosolic and transmembrane clamp domains of Sss1p are essential for protein translocation. Our data reveal that the cytosolic domain is required for Sec61p interaction but that the transmembrane clamp domain is required to complete activation of the translocon after precursor targeting to Sec61p.

Transcriptional responses in honey bee larvae infected with chalkbrood fungus

Background

Diseases and other stress factors working synergistically weaken honey bee health and may play a major role in the losses of bee populations in recent years. Among a large number of bee diseases, chalkbrood has been on the rise. We present here the experimental identification of honey bee genes that are differentially expressed in response to infection of honey bee larvae with the chalkbrood fungus, Ascosphaera apis.

Results

We used cDNA-AFLP ^®Technology to profile transcripts in infected and uninfected bee larvae. From 64 primer combinations, over 7,400 transcriptionally-derived fragments were obtained A total of 98 reproducible polymorphic cDNA-AFLP fragments were excised and sequenced, followed by quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis of these and additional samples.

We have identified a number of differentially-regulated transcripts that are implicated in general mechanisms of stress adaptation, including energy metabolism and protein transport. One of the most interesting differentially-regulated transcripts is for a chitinase-like enzyme that may be linked to anti-fungal activities in the honey bee larvae, similarly to gut and fat-body specific chitinases found in mosquitoes and the red flour beetle. Surprisingly, we did not find many components of the well-characterized NF-κB intracellular signaling pathways to be differentially-regulated using the cDNA-AFLP approach. Therefore, utilizing qRT-PCR, we probed some of the immune related genes to determine whether the lack of up-regulation of their transcripts in our analysis can be attributed to lack of immune activation or to limitations of the cDNA-AFLP approach.

Conclusions

Using a combination of cDNA-AFLP and qRT-PCR analyses, we were able to determine several key transcriptional events that constitute the overall effort in the honey bee larvae to fight natural fungal infection. Honey bee transcripts identified in this study are involved in critical functions related to transcriptional regulation, apoptotic degradation of ubiquitinated proteins, nutritional regulation, and RNA processing. We found that immune regulation of the anti-fungal responses in honey bee involves highly coordinated activation of both NF-κB signaling pathways, leading to production of anti-microbial peptides. Significantly, activation of immune responses in the infected bee larvae was associated with down-regulation of major storage proteins, leading to depletion of nutritional resources.

Genomic analysis of severe hypersensitivity to hygromycin B reveals linkage to vacuolar defects and new vacuolar gene functions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The vacuole of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been a seminal model for studies of lysosomal trafficking, biogenesis, and function. Several yeast mutants defective in such vacuolar events have been unable to grow at low levels of hygromycin B, an aminoglycoside antibiotic. We hypothesized that such severe hypersensitivity to hygromycin B (hhy) is linked to vacuolar defects and performed a genomic screen for the phenotype using a haploid deletion strain library of non-essential genes. Fourteen HHY genes were initially identified and were subjected to bioinformatics analyses. The uncovered hhy mutants were experimentally characterized with respect to vesicular trafficking, vacuole morphology, and growth under various stress and drug conditions. The combination of bioinformatics analyses and phenotypic characterizations implicate defects in vesicular trafficking, vacuole fusion/fission, or vacuole function in all hhy mutants. The collection was enriched for sensitivity to monensin, indicative of vacuolar trafficking defects. Additionally, all hhy mutants showed severe sensitivities to rapamycin and caffeine, suggestive of TOR kinase pathway defects. Our experimental results also establish a new role in vacuolar and vesicular functions for two genes: PAF1, encoding a RNAP II-associated protein required for expression of cell cycle-regulated genes, and TPD3, encoding the regulatory subunit of protein phosphatase 2A. Thus, our results support linkage between severe hypersensitivity to hygromycin B and vacuolar defects.

Functional characterization of the trans-membrane domain interactions of the Sec61 protein translocation complex beta-subunit

Background

In eukaryotic cells co- and post-translational protein translocation is mediated by the trimeric Sec61 complex. Currently, the role of the Sec61 complex β-subunit in protein translocation is poorly understood. We have shown previously that in Saccharomyces cerevisiae the trans-membrane domain alone is sufficient for the function of the β-subunit Sbh1p in co-translational protein translocation. In addition, Sbh1p co-purifies not only with the protein translocation channel subunits Sec61p and Sss1p, but also with the reticulon family protein Rtn1p.

Results

We used random mutagenesis to generate novel Sbh1p mutants in order to functionally map the Sbh1p trans-membrane domain. These mutants were analyzed for their interactions with Sec61p and how they support co-translational protein translocation. The distribution of mutations identifies one side of the Sbh1p trans-membrane domain α-helix that is involved in interactions with Sec61p and that is important for Sbh1p function in protein translocation. At the same time, these mutations do not affect Sbh1p interaction with Rtn1p. Furthermore we show that Sbh1p is found in protein complexes containing not only Rtn1p, but also the two other reticulon-like proteins Rtn2p and Yop1p.

Conclusion

Our results identify functionally important amino acids in the Sbh1p trans-membrane domain. In addition, our results provide additional support for the involvement of Sec61β in processes unlinked to protein translocation.

Sec61beta, a subunit of the Sec61 protein translocation channel at the endoplasmic reticulum, is involved in the transport of Gurken to the plasma membrane

Background

Protein translocation across the membrane of the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) is the first step in the biogenesis of secretory and membrane proteins. Proteins enter the ER by the Sec61 translocon, a proteinaceous channel composed of three subunits, α, β and γ. While it is known that Sec61α forms the actual channel, the function of the other two subunits remains to be characterized.

Results

In the present study we have investigated the function of Sec61β in Drosophila melanogaster. We describe its role in the plasma membrane traffic of Gurken, the ligand for the Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) receptor in the oocyte. Germline clones of the mutant allele of Sec61β show normal translocation of Gurken into the ER and transport to the Golgi complex, but further traffic to the plasma membrane is impeded. The defect in plasma membrane traffic due to absence of Sec61β is specific for Gurken and is not due to a general trafficking defect.

Conclusion

Based on our study we conclude that Sec61β, which is part of the ER protein translocation channel affects a post-ER step during Gurken trafficking to the plasma membrane. We propose an additional role of Sec61β beyond protein translocation into the ER.

Inter-species complementation of the translocon beta subunit requires only its transmembrane domain

In eukaryotes, proteins enter the secretory pathway through the translocon pore of the endoplasmic reticulum. This protein translocation channel is composed of three major subunits, called Sec61alpha, beta and gamma in mammals. Unlike the other subunits, the beta subunit is dispensable for translocation and cell viability in all organisms studied. Intriguingly, the knockout of the Sec61beta encoding genes results in different phenotypes in different species. Nevertheless, the beta subunit shows a high level of sequence homology across species, suggesting the conservation of a biological function that remains ill-defined. To address its cellular roles, we characterized the homolog of Sec61beta in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe (Sbh1p). Here, we show that the knockout of sbh1(+) results in severe cold sensitivity, increased sensitivity to cell-wall stress, and reduced protein secretion at 23 degrees C. Sec61beta homologs from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and human complement the knockout of sbh1(+) in S. pombe. As in S. cerevisiae, the transmembrane domain (TMD) of S. pombe Sec61beta is sufficient to complement the phenotypes resulting from the knockout of the entire encoding gene. Remarkably, the TMD of Sec61beta from S. cerevisiae and human also complement the gene knockouts in both yeasts. Together, these observations indicate that the TMD of Sec61beta exerts a cellular function that is conserved across species.

The transmembrane domain is sufficient for Sbh1p function, its association with the Sec61 complex, and interaction with Rtn1p

The Sec61 protein translocation complex in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane is composed of three subunits. The alpha-subunit, called Sec61p in yeast, is a multispanning membrane protein that forms the protein conducting channel. The functions of the smaller, carboxyl-terminally tail-anchored beta subunit Sbh1p, its close homologue Sbh2p, and the gamma subunit Sss1p are not well understood. Here we show that co-translational protein translocation into the ER is reduced in sbh1Delta sbh2Delta cells, whereas there is a limited reduction of post-translational translocation and no effect on export of a mutant form of alpha-factor precursor for ER-associated degradation in the cytosol. The translocation defect and the temperature-sensitive growth phenotype of sbh1Delta sbh2Delta cells were rescued by expression of the transmembrane domain of Sbh1p alone, and the Sbh1p transmembrane domain was sufficient for coimmunoprecipitation with Sec61p and Sss1p. Furthermore, we show that Sbh1p co-precipitates with the ER transmembrane protein Rtn1p. Sbh1p-Rtn1p complexes do not appear to contain Sss1p and Sec61p. Our results define the transmembrane domain as the minimal functional domain of the Sec61beta homologue Sbh1p in ER translocation, identify a novel interaction partner for Shb1p, and imply that Sbh1p has additional functions that are not directly linked to protein translocation in association with the Sec61 complex.

Biochemical and genetic analysis of the yeast proteome with a movable ORF collection

Functional analysis of the proteome is an essential part of genomic research. To facilitate different proteomic approaches, a MORF (moveable ORF) library of 5854 yeast expression plasmids was constructed, each expressing a sequence-verified ORF as a C-terminal ORF fusion protein, under regulated control. Analysis of 5573 MORFs demonstrates that nearly all verified ORFs are expressed, suggests the authenticity of 48 ORFs characterized as dubious, and implicates specific processes including cytoskeletal organization and transcriptional control in growth inhibition caused by overexpression. Global analysis of glycosylated proteins identifies 109 new confirmed N-linked and 345 candidate glycoproteins, nearly doubling the known yeast glycome.

Golgi inheritance in small buds of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is linked to endoplasmic reticulum inheritance

According to the cisternal maturation hypothesis, endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-derived membranes nucleate new Golgi cisternae. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae offers a unique opportunity to test this idea because small buds contain both ER and Golgi structures early in the cell cycle. We previously predicted that mutants defective in ER inheritance also would show defects in Golgi inheritance. Surprisingly, studies of S. cerevisiae have not revealed the expected link between ER and Golgi inheritance. Here, we revisit this issue by generating mutant strains in which many of the small buds are devoid of detectable ER. These strains also show defects in the inheritance of both early and late Golgi cisternae. Strikingly, virtually all of the buds that lack ER also lack early Golgi cisternae. Our results fit with the idea that membranes exported from the ER coalesce with vesicles derived from existing Golgi compartments to generate new Golgi cisternae. This basic mechanism of Golgi inheritance may be conserved from yeast to vertebrate cells.

Sec3p is needed for the spatial regulation of secretion and for the inheritance of the cortical endoplasmic reticulum

Sec3p is a component of the exocyst complex that tethers secretory vesicles to the plasma membrane at exocytic sites in preparation for fusion. Unlike all other exocyst structural genes, SEC3 is not essential for growth. Cells lacking Sec3p grow and secrete surprisingly well at 25 degrees C; however, late markers of secretion, such as the vesicle marker Sec4p and the exocyst subunit Sec8p, localize more diffusely within the bud. Furthermore, sec3Delta cells are strikingly round relative to wild-type cells and are unable to form pointed mating projections in response to alpha factor. These phenotypes support the proposed role of Sec3p as a spatial landmark for secretion. We also find that cells lacking Sec3p exhibit a dramatic defect in the inheritance of cortical ER into the bud, whereas the inheritance of mitochondria and Golgi is unaffected. Overexpression of Sec3p results in a prominent patch of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) marker Sec61p-GFP at the bud tip. Cortical ER inheritance in yeast has been suggested to involve the capture of ER tubules at the bud tip. Sec3p may act in this process as a spatial landmark for cortical ER inheritance.

Sec61p serves multiple roles in secretory precursor binding and translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum membrane

The evolutionarily conserved Sec61 protein complex mediates the translocation of secretory proteins into the endoplasmic reticulum. To investigate the role of Sec61p, which is the main subunit of this complex, we generated recessive, cold-sensitive alleles of sec61 that encode stably expressed proteins with strong defects in translocation. The stage at which posttranslational translocation was blocked was probed by chemical crosslinking of radiolabeled secretory precursors added to membranes isolated from wild-type and mutant strains. Two classes of sec61 mutants were distinguished. The first class of mutants was defective in preprotein docking onto a receptor site of the translocon that included Sec61p itself. The second class of mutants allowed docking of precursors onto the translocon but was defective in the ATP-dependent release of precursors from this site that in wild-type membranes leads to pore insertion and full translocation. Only mutants of the second class were partially suppressed by overexpression of SEC63, which encodes a subunit of the Sec61 holoenzyme complex responsible for positioning Kar2p (yeast BiP) at the translocation channel. These mutants thus define two early stages of translocation that require SEC61 function before precursor protein transfer across the endoplasmic reticulum membrane.