1‐Stearoyl‐2‐docosahexaenoyl‐phosphatidic acid interacts with and activates Praja‐1, the E3 ubiquitin ligase acting on the serotonin transporter in the brain

Human sphingomyelin synthase 1 generates diacylglycerol in the presence and absence of ceramide via multiple enzymatic activities

Sphingomyelin (SM) synthase 1 (SMS1), which is involved in lipodystrophy, deafness, and thrombasthenia, generates diacylglycerol (DG) and SM using phosphatidylcholine (PC) and ceramide as substrates. Here, we found that SMS1 possesses DG-generating activities via hydrolysis of PC and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) in the absence of ceramide and ceramide phosphoethanolamine synthase (CPES) activity. In the presence of the same concentration (4.7 mol%) of PC and ceramide, the amounts of DG produced by SMS and PC-phospholipase C (PLC) activities of SMS1 were approximately 65% and 35% of total DG production, respectively. PC-PLC activity showed substrate selectivity for saturated and/or monounsaturated fatty acid-containing PC species. A PC-PLC/SMS inhibitor, D609, inhibited only SMS activity. Mn2+ inhibited only PC-PLC activity. Intriguingly, DG attenuated SMS/CPES activities. Our study indicates that SMS1 is a unique enzyme with PC-PLC/PE-PLC/SMS/CPES activities.

Distinct regions of Praja-1 E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase selectively bind to docosahexaenoic acid-containing phosphatidic acid and diacylglycerol kinase δ

1-Stearoyl-2-docosahexaenoyl (18:0/22:6)-phosphatidic acid (PA) interacts with and activates Praja-1 E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase (full length: 615 aa) to ubiquitinate and degrade the serotonin transporter (SERT). SERT modulates serotonergic system activity and is a therapeutic target for depression, autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. Moreover, diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) δ2 (full length: 1214 aa) interacts with Praja-1 in addition to SERT and generates 18:0/22:6-PA, which binds and activates Praja-1. In the present study, we investigated the interaction of Praja-1 with 18:0/22:6-PA and DGKδ2 in more detail. We first found that the N-terminal one-third region (aa 1-224) of Praja-1 bound to 18:0/22:6-PA and that Lys141 in the region was critical for binding to 18:0/22:6-PA. In contrast, the C-terminal catalytic domain of Praja-1 (aa 446-615) interacted with DGKδ2. Additionally, the N-terminal half of the catalytic domain (aa 309-466) of DGKδ2 intensely bound to Praja-1. Moreover, the N-terminal region containing the pleckstrin homology and C1 domains (aa 1-308) and the C-terminal half of the catalytic domain (aa 762-939) of DGKδ2 weakly associated with Praja-1. Taken together, these results reveal new functions of the N-terminal (aa 1-224) and C-terminal (aa 446-615) regions of Praja-1 and the N-terminal half of the catalytic region (aa 309-466) of DGKδ2 as regulatory domains. Moreover, it is likely that the DGKδ2-Praja-1-SERT heterotrimer proximally arranges the 18:0/22:6-PA-producing catalytic domain of DGKδ2, the 18:0/22:6-PA-binding regulatory domain of Praja-1, the ubiquitin-protein ligase catalytic domain of Praja-1 and the ubiquitination acceptor site-containing SERT C-terminal region.

Saturated fatty acid- and/or monounsaturated fatty acid-containing phosphatidic acids selectively interact with heat shock protein 27

Diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) α, which is a key enzyme in the progression of cancer and, in contrast, in T-cell activity attenuation, preferentially produces saturated fatty acid (SFA)- and/or monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA)-containing phosphatidic acids (PAs), such as 16:0/16:0-, 16:0/18:0-, and 16:1/16:1-PA, in melanoma cells. In the present study, we searched for the target proteins of 16:0/16:0-PA in melanoma cells and identified heat shock protein (HSP) 27, which acts as a molecular chaperone and contributes to cancer progression. HSP27 more strongly interacted with PA than other phospholipids, including phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylglycerol, cardiolipin, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol 4-monophosphate, and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate. Moreover, HSP27 is more preferentially bound to SFA- and/or MUFA-containing PAs, including 16:0/16:0- and 16:0/18:1-PAs, than PUFA-containing PAs, including 18:0/20:4- and 18:0/22:6-PA. Furthermore, HSP27 and constitutively active DGKα expressed in COS-7 cells colocalized in a DGK activity-dependent manner. Notably, 16:0/16:0-PA, but not phosphatidylcholine or 16:0/16:0-phosphatidylserine, induced oligomer dissociation of HSP27, which enhances its chaperone activity. Intriguingly, HSP27 protein was barely detectable in Jurkat T cells, while the protein band was intensely detected in AKI melanoma cells. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that SFA- and/or MUFA-containing PAs produced by DGKα selectively target HSP27 and regulate its cancer-progressive function in melanoma cells but not in T cells.

Untargeted Metabolomic Analysis Reveals the Metabolic Disturbances and Exacerbation of Oxidative Stress in the Cerebral Cortex of a BTBR Mouse Model of Autism

The etiology and pathology of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are still poorly understood, which largely limit the treatment and diagnosis of ASDs. Emerging evidence supports that abnormal metabolites in the cerebral cortex of a BTBR mouse model of autism are involved in the pathogenesis of autism. However, systematic study on global metabolites in the cerebral cortex of BTBR mice has not been conducted. The current study aims to characterize metabolic changes in the cerebral cortex of BTBR mice by using an untargeted metabolomic approach based on UPLC-Q-TOF/MS. C57BL/6 J mice were used as a control group. A total of 14 differential metabolites were identified. Compared with the control group, the intensities of PI(16:0/22:5(4Z,7Z,10Z,13Z,16Z)), PC(22:6(4Z,7Z,10Z,13Z,16Z,19Z)/18:1(9Z)), PA(16:0/18:1(11Z)), 17-beta-estradiol-3-glucuronide, and N6,N6,N6-trimethyl-L-lysine decreased significantly (p < 0.01) and the intensities of 2-oxo-4-hydroxy-4-carboxy-5-ureidoimidazoline, LysoPC(20:4(5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z)/0:0), adenosine monophosphate, adenosine-5'-phosphosulfate, LacCer(d18:1/12:0),3-dehydro-L-gulonate, N-(1-deoxy-1-fructosyl)tryptophan, homovanillic acid, and LPA(0:0/18:1(9Z)) increased significantly (p < 0.01) in the BTBR group. These changes in metabolites were closely related to perturbations in lipid metabolism, energy metabolism, purine metabolism, sulfur metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and carnitine biosynthesis. Notably, exacerbation of the oxidative stress response caused by differential prooxidant metabolites led to alteration of antioxidative systems in the cerebral cortex and resulted in mitochondrial dysfunction, further leading to abnormal energy metabolism as an etiological mechanism of autism. A central role of abnormal metabolites in neurological functions associated with behavioral outcomes and disturbance of sulfur metabolism and carnitine biosynthesis were found in the cerebral cortex of BTBR mice, which helped increase our understanding for exploring the pathological mechanism of autism.

Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate-specific phospholipase C β1 selectively binds dipalmitoyl and distearoyl phosphatidic acids via Lys946 and Lys951

Phospholipase C (PLC) β1 hydrolyzes 1-stearoyl-2-arachidonoyl (18:0/20:4)-phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) 4,5-bisphosphate to produce diacylglycerol, which is converted to phosphatidic acid (PtdOH), in the PtdIns cycle and plays pivotal roles in intracellular signal transduction. The present study identified PLCβ1 as a PtdOH-binding protein using PtdOH-containing liposomes. Moreover, the comparison of the binding of PLCβ1 to various PtdOH species, including 14:0/14:0-PtdOH, 16:0/16:0-PtdOH, 16:0/18:1-PtdOH, 18:0/18:1-PtdOH, 18:0/18:0-PtdOH, 18:1/18:1-PtdOH, 18:0/20:4-PtdOH, and 18:0/22:6-PtdOH, indicated that the interaction of PLCβ1 with 16:0/16:0-PtdOH was the strongest. The PLCβ1-binding activity of 18:0/18:0-PtdOH was almost the same as the binding activity of 16:0/16:0-PtdOH. Furthermore, the binding of PLCβ1 to 16:0/16:0-PtdOH was substantially stronger than 16:0/16:0-phosphatidylserine, 16:0/16:0/16:0/16:0-cardiolipin, 16:0/16:0-PtdIns, and 18:0/20:4-PtdIns. We revealed that a PLCβ1 mutant whose Lys946 and Lys951 residues were replaced with Glu (PLCβ1-KE) did not interact with 16:0/16:0-PtdOH and failed to localize to the plasma membrane in Neuro-2a cells. Retinoic acid-dependent increase in neurite length and numbers was significantly inhibited in PLCβ1-expressing cells; however, this considerable attenuation was not detected in the cells expressing PLCβ1-KE. Overall, these results strongly suggest that PtdOHs containing only saturated fatty acids, including 16:0/16:0-PtdOH, which are not derived from the PtdIns cycle, selectively bind to PLCβ1 and regulate its function.

Distinct glycerophospholipids potentiate Gsα-activated adenylyl cyclase activity

Nine mammalian adenylyl cyclases (AC) are pseudoheterodimers with two hexahelical membrane domains, which are isoform-specifically conserved. Previously we proposed that these membrane domains are orphan receptors (https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.13098; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cellsig.2020.109538). Lipids extracted from fetal bovine serum at pH 1 inhibited several mAC activities. Guided by a lipidomic analysis we tested glycerophospholipids as potential ligands. Contrary to expectations we surprisingly discovered that 1-stearoyl-2-docosahexaenoyl-phosphatidic acid (SDPA) potentiated Gsα-activated activity of human AC isoform 3 seven-fold. The specificity of fatty acyl esters at glycerol positions 1 and 2 was rather stringent. 1-Stearoyl-2-docosahexaenoyl-phosphatidylserine and 1-stearoyl-2-docosahexaenoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine significantly potentiated several Gsα-activated mAC isoforms to different extents. SDPA appears not interact with forskolin activation of AC isoform 3. SDPA enhanced Gsα-activated AC activities in membranes from mouse brain cortex. The action of SDPA was reversible. Unexpectedly, SDPA did not affect cAMP generation in HEK293 cells stimulated by isoproterenol, PGE₂ and adenosine, virtually excluding a role as an extracellular ligand and, instead, suggesting an intracellular role. In summary, we discovered a new dimension of intracellular AC regulation by chemically defined glycerophospholipids.

Docosahexaenoic acid-containing phosphatidic acid interacts with clathrin coat assembly protein AP180 and regulates its interaction with clathrin

The clathrin coat assembly protein AP180 drives endocytosis, which is crucial for numerous physiological events, such as the internalization and recycling of receptors, uptake of neurotransmitters and entry of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, by interacting with clathrin. Moreover, dysfunction of AP180 underlies the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, it is important to understand the mechanisms of assembly and, especially, disassembly of AP180/clathrin-containing cages. Here, we identified AP180 as a novel phosphatidic acid (PA)-binding protein from the mouse brain. Intriguingly, liposome binding assays using various phospholipids and PA species revealed that AP180 most strongly bound to 1-stearoyl-2-docosahexaenoyl-PA (18:0/22:6-PA) to a comparable extent as phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P₂), which is known to associate with AP180. An AP180 N-terminal homology domain (1–289 aa) interacted with 18:0/22:6-PA, and a lysine-rich motif (K38–K39–K40) was essential for binding. The 18:0/22:6-PA in liposomes in 100 nm diameter showed strong AP180-binding activity at neutral pH. Notably, 18:0/22:6-PA significantly attenuated the interaction of AP180 with clathrin. However, PI(4,5)P₂ did not show such an effect. Taken together, these results indicate the novel mechanism by which 18:0/22:6-PA selectively regulates the disassembly of AP180/clathrin-containing cages.

The Roles of Diacylglycerol Kinase α in Cancer Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis

Simple Summary

Diacylglycerol (DG) kinase (DGK) phosphorylates DG to generate phosphatidic acid (PA). DGKα is highly expressed in several refractory cancer cells, including melanoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and glioblastoma cells, attenuates apoptosis, and promotes proliferation. In cancer cells, PA produced by DGKα plays an important role in proliferation/antiapoptosis. In addition to cancer cells, DGKα is highly abundant in T cells and induces a nonresponsive state (anergy), representing the main mechanism by which advanced cancers avoid immune action. In T cells, DGKα induces anergy through DG consumption. Therefore, a DGKα-specific inhibitor is expected to be a dual effective anticancer treatment that inhibits cancer cell proliferation and simultaneously activates T cell function. Moreover, the inhibition of DGKα synergistically enhances the anticancer effects of programmed cell death-1/programmed cell death ligand 1 blockade. Taken together, DGKα inhibition provides a promising new treatment strategy for refractory cancers.

Abstract

Diacylglycerol (DG) kinase (DGK) phosphorylates DG to generate phosphatidic acid (PA). The α isozyme is activated by Ca²⁺ through its EF-hand motifs and tyrosine phosphorylation. DGKα is highly expressed in several refractory cancer cells including melanoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and glioblastoma cells. In melanoma cells, DGKα is an antiapoptotic factor that activates nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) through the atypical protein kinase C (PKC) ζ-mediated phosphorylation of NF-κB. DGKα acts as an enhancer of proliferative activity through the Raf–MEK–ERK pathway and consequently exacerbates hepatocellular carcinoma progression. In glioblastoma and melanoma cells, DGKα attenuates apoptosis by enhancing the phosphodiesterase (PDE)-4A1–mammalian target of the rapamycin pathway. As PA activates PKCζ, Raf, and PDE, it is likely that PA generated by DGKα plays an important role in the proliferation/antiapoptosis of cancer cells. In addition to cancer cells, DGKα is highly abundant in T cells and induces a nonresponsive state (anergy), which represents the main mechanism by which advanced cancers escape immune action. In T cells, DGKα attenuates the activity of Ras-guanyl nucleotide-releasing protein, which is activated by DG and avoids anergy through DG consumption. Therefore, a DGKα-specific inhibitor is expected to be a dual effective anticancer treatment that inhibits cancer cell proliferation and simultaneously enhances T cell functions. Moreover, the inhibition of DGKα synergistically enhances the anticancer effects of programmed cell death-1/programmed cell death ligand 1 blockade. Taken together, DGKα inhibition provides a promising new treatment strategy for refractory cancers.

The SAC1 phosphatase domain of synaptojanin-1 is activated by interacting with polyunsaturated fatty acid-containing phosphatidic acids

Although there are many phosphatidic acid (PA) molecular species based on its fatty acyl compositions, their interacting partners have been poorly investigated. Here, we identified synaptojanin-1 (SYNJ1), Parkinson's disease-related protein that is essential for regulating clathrin-mediated synaptic vesicle endocytosis via dually dephosphorylating D5 and D4 position phosphates from phosphatidylinositol (PI) (4,5)-bisphosphate, as a 1-stearoyl-2-docosahexaenoyl (18:0/22:6)-PA-binding protein. SYNJ1 failed to substantially associate with other acidic phospholipids. Although SYNJ1 interacted with 18:0/20:4-PA in addition to 18:0/22:6-PA, the association of the enzyme with 16:0/16:0-, 16:0/18:1-, 18:0/18:0-, or 18:1/18:1-PA was not considerable. 18:0/20:4- and 18:0/22:6-PAs bound to SYNJ1 via its SAC1 domain, which preferentially hydrolyses D4 position phosphate. Moreover, 18:0/20:4- and 18:0/22:6-PA selectively enhanced the D4-phosphatase activity, but not the D5-phosphatase activity, of SYNJ1.

Dopamine and the phosphorylated dopamine transporter are increased in the diacylglycerol kinase η-knockout mouse brain

The molecular mechanisms generating the mania-like abnormal behaviors caused by diacylglycerol (DG) kinase (DGK) η deficiency remain unclear. Here, we found that DGKη knockout markedly increased dopamine (DA) levels in the midbrain (DA-producing region, 2.8-fold) and cerebral cortex (DA projection region, 1.2-fold). Moreover, DGKη deficiency significantly augmented phosphorylated DA transporter (DAT) levels (1.4-fold increase), which induce DA efflux to the synaptic cleft, in the cerebral cortex. Moreover, phosphorylation levels of protein kinase C-β, which is activated by DG and involved in DAT phosphorylation, were also increased. DAT expressed in Neuro-2a cells recruited DGKη to the plasma membrane and colocalized with it. These results strongly suggest that dopaminergic hyperfunction caused by DGKη deficiency in the brain leads to mania-like behaviors.

Sphingomyelin synthase-related protein generates diacylglycerol via the hydrolysis of glycerophospholipids in the absence of ceramide

Diacylglycerol (DG) is a well-established lipid second messenger. Sphingomyelin synthase (SMS)-related protein (SMSr) produces DG and ceramide phosphoethanolamine (CPE) by the transfer of phosphoethanolamine from phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) to ceramide. We previously reported that human SMSr overexpressed in COS-7 cells significantly increased DG levels, particularly saturated and/or monounsaturated fatty acid-containing DG molecular species, and provided DG to DG kinase (DGK) δ, which regulates various pathophysiological events, including epidermal growth factor-dependent cell proliferation, type 2 diabetes, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, mammalian SMSr puzzlingly produces only trace amounts of CPE/DG. To clarify this discrepancy, we highly purified SMSr and examined its activities other than CPE synthase. Intriguingly, purified SMSr showed a DG-generating activity via hydrolysis of PE, phosphatidic acid (PA), phosphatidylinositol (PI), and phosphatidylcholine (PC) in the absence of ceramide. DG generation through the PA phosphatase (PAP) activity of SMSr was approximately 300-fold higher than that with PE and ceramide. SMSr hydrolyzed PI ten times stronger than PI(4,5)bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P₂). The PAP and PC-phospholipase C (PLC) activities of SMSr were inhibited by propranolol, a PAP inhibitor, and by D609, an SMS/PC-PLC inhibitor. Moreover, SMSr showed substrate selectivity for saturated and/or monounsaturated fatty acid-containing PA molecular species, but not arachidonic-acid-containing PA, which is exclusively generated in the PI(4,5)P₂ cycle. We confirmed that SMSr expressed in COS-7 cells showed PAP and PI-PLC activities. Taken together, our study indicated that SMSr possesses previously unrecognized enzyme activities, PAP and PI/PE/PC-PLC, and constitutes a novel DG/PA signaling pathway together with DGKδ, which is independent of the PI(4,5)P₂ cycle.

New Era of Diacylglycerol Kinase, Phosphatidic Acid and Phosphatidic Acid-Binding Protein

Diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) phosphorylates diacylglycerol (DG) to generate phosphatidic acid (PA). Mammalian DGK consists of ten isozymes (α–κ) and governs a wide range of physiological and pathological events, including immune responses, neuronal networking, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, fragile X syndrome, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. DG and PA comprise diverse molecular species that have different acyl chains at the sn-1 and sn-2 positions. Because the DGK activity is essential for phosphatidylinositol turnover, which exclusively produces 1-stearoyl-2-arachidonoyl-DG, it has been generally thought that all DGK isozymes utilize the DG species derived from the turnover. However, it was recently revealed that DGK isozymes, except for DGKε, phosphorylate diverse DG species, which are not derived from phosphatidylinositol turnover. In addition, various PA-binding proteins (PABPs), which have different selectivities for PA species, were recently found. These results suggest that DGK–PA–PABP axes can potentially construct a large and complex signaling network and play physiologically and pathologically important roles in addition to DGK-dependent attenuation of DG–DG-binding protein axes. For example, 1-stearoyl-2-docosahexaenoyl-PA produced by DGKδ interacts with and activates Praja-1, the E3 ubiquitin ligase acting on the serotonin transporter, which is a target of drugs for obsessive-compulsive and major depressive disorders, in the brain. This article reviews recent research progress on PA species produced by DGK isozymes, the selective binding of PABPs to PA species and a phosphatidylinositol turnover-independent DG supply pathway.

Diacylglycerol kinase η regulates C2C12 myoblast proliferation through the mTOR signaling pathway

Diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) phosphorylates diacylglycerol to produce phosphatidic acid (PA). The η isozyme of DGK is abundantly expressed in C2C12 myoblasts. However, the role of DGKη in skeletal muscle cells remains unknown. In the present study, we showed that DGKη was downregulated at an early stage of myogenic differentiation. The knockdown of DGKη by siRNAs significantly inhibited C2C12 myoblast proliferation but did not inhibit differentiation. Moreover, the suppression of DGKη expression decreased the expression levels of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which is a key regulator of cell proliferation, and fatty acid synthase (FASN), which catalyzes the de novo synthesis of fatty acids for cell proliferation and is transcriptionally regulated via mTOR signaling. Furthermore, the knockdown of mTOR or raptor, which is a component of mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1), decreased the amount of FASN. These results indicate that DGKη regulates myoblast proliferation through the mTOR (mTORC1)-FASN pathway. Interestingly, the knockdown of mTOR reduced the expression levels of DGKη, implying mutual regulation between DGKη and mTOR. In DGKη-knockdown myoblasts, C30-C36-PA species, mTOR activators, were decreased, suggesting that the modulation of mTOR activity through these PA species also plays an important role in myoblast proliferation.

Polyunsaturated fatty acid-containing phosphatidic acids selectively interact with L-lactate dehydrogenase A and induce its secondary structural change and inactivation

Phosphatidic acid (PA) consists of various molecular species that have different fatty acyl chains at the sn-1 and sn-2 positions; and consequently, mammalian cells contain at least 50 structurally distinct PA molecular species. However, the different roles of each PA species are poorly understood. In the present study, we attempted to identify dipalmitoyl (16:0/16:0)-PA-binding proteins from mouse skeletal muscle using liposome precipitation and tandem mass spectrometry analysis. We identified L-lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) A, which catalyzes conversion of pyruvate to lactate and is a key checkpoint of anaerobic glycolysis critical for tumor growth, as a 16:0/16:0-PA-binding protein. LDHA did not substantially associate with other phospholipids, such as phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, phosphoinositides and cardiolipin at physiological pH (7.4), indicating that LDHA specifically bound to PA. Interestingly, 18:0/18:0-, 18:0/20:4- and 18:0/22:6-PA also interacted with LDHA, and their binding activities were stronger than 16:0/16:0-PA at pH 7.4. Moreover, circular dichroism spectrometry showed that 18:0/20:4- and 18:0/22:6-PA, but not 16:0/16:0- or 18:0/18:0-PA, significantly reduced the α-helical structure of LDHA. Furthermore, 18:0/20:4- and 18:0/22:6-PA attenuated LDH activity. Taken together, we demonstrated for the first time that LDHA is a PA-binding protein and is a unique PA-binding protein that is structurally and functionally controlled by associating with 18:0/20:4- and 18:0/22:6-PA.

Phosphatidic acid: an emerging versatile class of cellular mediators

Lipids function not only as the major structural components of cell membranes, but also as molecular messengers that transduce signals to trigger downstream signaling events in the cell. Phosphatidic acid (PA), the simplest and a minor class of glycerophospholipids, is a key intermediate for the synthesis of membrane and storage lipids, and also plays important roles in mediating diverse cellular and physiological processes in eukaryotes ranging from microbes to mammals and higher plants. PA comprises different molecular species that can act differently, and is found in virtually all organisms, tissues, and organellar membranes, with variations in total content and molecular species composition. The cellular levels of PA are highly dynamic in response to stimuli and multiple enzymatic reactions can mediate its production and degradation. Moreover, its unique physicochemical properties compared with other glycerophospholipids allow PA to influence membrane structure and dynamics, and interact with various proteins. PA has emerged as a class of new lipid mediators modulating various signaling and cellular processes via its versatile effects, such as membrane tethering, conformational changes, and enzymatic activities of target proteins, and vesicular trafficking.