Importin β-type nuclear transport receptors have distinct binding affinities for Ran-GTP

Molecular basis of RanGTP-activated release of Histones H2A-H2B from Importin-9

Imp9 is the primary importin for shuttling H2A-H2B from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. It employs an unusual mechanism where the binding of RanGTP is insufficient to release H2A-H2B. The resulting stable RanGTP·Imp9·H2A-H2B complex gains nucleosome assembly activity with H2A-H2B able to be deposited into an assembling nucleosome in vitro. Using hydrogen-deuterium exchange coupled with mass spectrometry (HDX), we show that Imp9 stabilizes H2A-H2B beyond the direct-binding site, like other histone chaperones. HDX also shows that binding of RanGTP releases H2A-H2B contacts at Imp9 HEAT repeats 4-5, but not 18-19. DNA- and histone-binding surfaces of H2A-H2B are exposed in the ternary complex, facilitating nucleosome assembly. We also reveal that RanGTP has a weaker affinity for Imp9 when H2A-H2B is bound. Imp9 thus provides a connection between the nuclear import of H2A-H2B and its deposition into chromatin.

Molecular basis of RanGTP-activated nucleosome assembly with Histones H2A-H2B bound to Importin-9

Padavannil et al. 2019 show that Importin-9 (Imp9) transports Histones H2A-H2B from the cytoplasm to the nucleus using a non-canonical mechanism whereby binding of a GTP-bound Ran GTPase (RanGTP) fails to evict the H2A-H2B cargo. Instead, a stable complex forms, comprised of equimolar RanGTP, Imp9, and H2A-H2B. Unlike the binary Imp9•H2A-H2B complex, this RanGTP•Imp9•H2A-H2B ternary complex can release H2A-H2B to an assembling nucleosome. Here, we define the molecular basis for this RanGTP-activated nucleosome assembly by Imp9. We use hydrogen-deuterium exchange coupled with mass spectrometry and compare the dynamics and interfaces of the RanGTP•Imp9•H2A-H2B ternary complex to those in the Imp9•H2A-H2B or Imp9•RanGTP binary complexes. Our data are consistent with the Imp9•H2A-H2B structure by Padavannil et al. 2019 showing that Imp9 HEAT repeats 4-5 and 18-19 contact H2A-H2B, as well as many homologous importin•RanGTP structures showing that importin HEAT repeats 1 and 3, and the h8 loop, contact RanGTP. We show that Imp9 stabilizes H2A-H2B beyond the direct binding site, similar to other histone chaperones. Importantly, we reveal that binding of RanGTP releases H2A-H2B interaction at Imp9 HEAT repeats 4-5, but not 18-19. This exposes DNA- and histone-binding surfaces of H2A-H2B, thereby facilitating nucleosome assembly. We also reveal that RanGTP has a weaker affinity for Imp9 when H2A-H2B is bound. This may ensure that H2A-H2B is only released in high RanGTP concentrations near chromatin. We delineate the molecular link between the nuclear import of H2A-H2B and its deposition into chromatin by Imp9.

Significance

Imp9 is the primary importin for shuttling H2A-H2B from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. It employs an unusual mechanism where the binding of RanGTP alone is insufficient to release H2A-H2B. The resulting stable RanGTP•Imp9•H2A-H2B complex gains nucleosome assembly activity as H2A-H2B can be deposited onto an assembling nucleosome. We show that H2A-H2B is allosterically stabilized via interactions with both N- and C-terminal portions of Imp9, reinforcing its chaperone-like behavior. RanGTP binding causes H2A-H2B release from the N-terminal portion of Imp9 only. The newly-exposed H2A-H2B surfaces can interact with DNA or H3-H4 in nucleosome assembly. Imp9 thus plays a multi-faceted role in histone import, storage, and deposition regulated by RanGTP, controlling histone supply in the nucleus and to chromatin.

RNA-controlled nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of mRNA decay factors regulates mRNA synthesis and a novel mRNA decay pathway

mRNA level is controlled by factors that mediate both mRNA synthesis and decay, including the 5' to 3' exonuclease Xrn1. Here we show that nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of several yeast mRNA decay factors plays a key role in determining both mRNA synthesis and decay. Shuttling is regulated by RNA-controlled binding of the karyopherin Kap120 to two nuclear localization sequences (NLSs) in Xrn1, location of one of which is conserved from yeast to human. The decaying RNA binds and masks NLS1, establishing a link between mRNA decay and Xrn1 shuttling. Preventing Xrn1 import, either by deleting KAP120 or mutating the two Xrn1 NLSs, compromises transcription and, unexpectedly, also cytoplasmic decay, uncovering a cytoplasmic decay pathway that initiates in the nucleus. Most mRNAs are degraded by both pathways - the ratio between them represents a full spectrum. Importantly, Xrn1 shuttling is required for proper responses to environmental changes, e.g., fluctuating temperatures, involving proper changes in mRNA abundance and in cell proliferation rate.

Karyopherin-mediated nucleocytoplasmic transport

Efficient and regulated nucleocytoplasmic trafficking of macromolecules to the correct subcellular compartment is critical for proper functions of the eukaryotic cell. The majority of the macromolecular traffic across the nuclear pores is mediated by the Karyopherin-β (or Kap) family of nuclear transport receptors. Work over more than two decades has shed considerable light on how the different Kap family members bring their respective cargoes into the nucleus or the cytoplasm in efficient and highly regulated manners. In this Review, we overview the main features and established functions of Kap family members, describe how Kaps recognize their cargoes and discuss the different ways in which these Kap-cargo interactions can be regulated, highlighting new findings and open questions. We also describe current knowledge of the import and export of the components of three large gene expression machines - the core replisome, RNA polymerase II and the ribosome - pointing out the questions that persist about how such large macromolecular complexes are trafficked to serve their function in a designated subcellular location.

Karyopherin enrichment at the nuclear pore complex attenuates Ran permeability

Ran is a small GTPase whose nucleotide-bound forms cycle through nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) to direct nucleocytoplasmic transport (NCT). Generally, Ran guanosine triphosphate (RanGTP) binds cargo-carrying karyopherin receptors (Kaps) in the nucleus and releases them into the cytoplasm following hydrolysis to Ran guanosine diphosphate (RanGDP). This generates a remarkably steep Ran gradient across the nuclear envelope that sustains compartment-specific cargo delivery and accumulation. However, because NPCs are permeable to small molecules of comparable size, it is unclear how an uncontrolled mixing of RanGTP and RanGDP is prevented. Here, we find that an NPC-enriched pool of karyopherin subunit beta 1 (KPNB1, hereafter referred to as Kapβ1) selectively mediates Ran diffusion across the pore but not passive molecules of similar size (e.g. GFP). This is due to RanGTP having a stronger binding interaction with Kapβ1 than RanGDP. For this reason, the RanGDP importer, nuclear transport factor 2, facilitates the return of RanGDP into the nucleus following GTP hydrolysis. Accordingly, the enrichment of Kapβ1 at NPCs may function as a retention mechanism that preserves the sharp transition of RanGTP and RanGDP in the nucleus and cytoplasm, respectively.

Engineered SUMO/protease system identifies Pdr6 as a bidirectional nuclear transport receptor

Cleavage of affinity tags by specific proteases can be exploited for highly selective affinity chromatography. The SUMO/SENP1 system is the most efficient for such application but fails in eukaryotic expression because it cross-reacts with endogenous proteases. Using a novel selection system, we have evolved the SUMOEu/SENP1Eu pair to orthogonality with the yeast and animal enzymes. SUMOEu fusions therefore remain stable in eukaryotic cells. Likewise, overexpressing a SENP1Eu protease is nontoxic in yeast. We have used the SUMOEu system in an affinity-capture-proteolytic-release approach to identify interactors of the yeast importin Pdr6/Kap122. This revealed not only further nuclear import substrates such as Ubc9, but also Pil1, Lsp1, eIF5A, and eEF2 as RanGTP-dependent binders and thus as export cargoes. We confirmed that Pdr6 functions as an exportin in vivo and depletes eIF5A and eEF2 from cell nuclei. Thus, Pdr6 is a bidirectional nuclear transport receptor (i.e., a biportin) that shuttles distinct sets of cargoes in opposite directions.

Structural basis for the nuclear import and export functions of the biportin Pdr6/Kap122

Importins ferry proteins into nuclei while exportins carry cargoes to the cytoplasm. In the accompanying paper in this issue (Vera Rodriguez et al. 2019. J. Cell Biol. https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201812091), we discovered that Pdr6 is a biportin that imports, e.g., the SUMO E2 ligase Ubc9 while depleting the translation factor eIF5A from the nuclear compartment. In this paper, we report the structures of key transport intermediates, namely, of the Ubc9•Pdr6 import complex, of the RanGTP•Pdr6 heterodimer, and of the trimeric RanGTP•Pdr6•eIF5A export complex. These revealed nonlinear transport signals, chaperone-like interactions, and how the RanGTPase system drives Pdr6 to transport Ubc9 and eIF5A in opposite directions. The structures also provide unexpected insights into the evolution of transport selectivity. Specifically, they show that recognition of Ubc9 by Pdr6 differs fundamentally from that of the human Ubc9-importer Importin 13. Likewise, Pdr6 recognizes eIF5A in a nonhomologous manner compared with the mammalian eIF5A-exporter Exportin 4. This suggests that the import of Ubc9 and active nuclear exclusion of eIF5A evolved in different eukaryotic lineages more than once and independently from each other.

Karyopherins regulate nuclear pore complex barrier and transport function

Kapinos et al. show that nuclear pore complex permeability and cargo release functionalities are concomitantly regulated by karyopherin occupancy and turnover in a systematic continuum. This highlights increasingly important roles for the soluble nucleocytoplasmic transport machinery that depart from established views of the nuclear pore complex selectivity mechanism.

Nucleocytoplasmic transport is sustained by karyopherins (Kaps) and a Ran guanosine triphosphate (RanGTP) gradient that imports nuclear localization signal (NLS)–specific cargoes (NLS-cargoes) into the nucleus. However, how nuclear pore complex (NPC) barrier selectivity, Kap traffic, and NLS-cargo release are systematically linked and simultaneously regulated remains incoherent. In this study, we show that Kapα facilitates Kapβ1 turnover and occupancy at the NPC in a RanGTP-dependent manner that is directly coupled to NLS-cargo release and NPC barrier function. This is underpinned by the binding affinity of Kapβ1 to phenylalanine–glycine nucleoporins (FG Nups), which is comparable with RanGTP·Kapβ1, but stronger for Kapα·Kapβ1. On this basis, RanGTP is ineffective at releasing standalone Kapβ1 from NPCs. Depleting Kapα·Kapβ1 by RanGTP further abrogates NPC barrier function, whereas adding back Kapβ1 rescues it while Kapβ1 turnover softens it. Therefore, the FG Nups are necessary but insufficient for NPC barrier function. We conclude that Kaps constitute integral constituents of the NPC whose barrier, transport, and cargo release functionalities establish a continuum under a mechanism of Kap-centric control.

A physical model describing the interaction of nuclear transport receptors with FG nucleoporin domain assemblies

The permeability barrier of nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) controls bulk nucleocytoplasmic exchange. It consists of nucleoporin domains rich in phenylalanine-glycine motifs (FG domains). As a bottom-up nanoscale model for the permeability barrier, we have used planar films produced with three different end-grafted FG domains, and quantitatively analyzed the binding of two different nuclear transport receptors (NTRs), NTF2 and Importin β, together with the concomitant film thickness changes. NTR binding caused only moderate changes in film thickness; the binding isotherms showed negative cooperativity and could all be mapped onto a single master curve. This universal NTR binding behavior - a key element for the transport selectivity of the NPC - was quantitatively reproduced by a physical model that treats FG domains as regular, flexible polymers, and NTRs as spherical colloids with a homogeneous surface, ignoring the detailed arrangement of interaction sites along FG domains and on the NTR surface.

Transport Selectivity of Nuclear Pores, Phase Separation, and Membraneless Organelles

Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) provide a selective passageway for receptor-mediated active transport between nucleus and cytoplasm, while maintaining the distinct molecular compositions of both compartments at large. In this review we discuss how NPCs gain a remarkable sorting selectivity from non-globular FG domains and their phase separation into dense polymer meshworks. The resulting sieve-like FG hydrogels are effective barriers to normal macromolecules but are at the same time highly permeable to shuttling nuclear transport receptors, which bind to FG motifs as well as to their designated cargoes. Phase separation driven by disordered protein domains was recently also recognized as being pivotal to the formation of membraneless organelles, making it an important emerging principle in cell biology.

Small GTP-binding protein Ran is regulated by posttranslational lysine acetylation

Ran is a small GTP-binding protein of the Ras superfamily regulating fundamental cellular processes: nucleo-cytoplasmic transport, nuclear envelope formation and mitotic spindle assembly. An intracellular Ran•GTP/Ran•GDP gradient created by the distinct subcellular localization of its regulators RCC1 and RanGAP mediates many of its cellular effects. Recent proteomic screens identified five Ran lysine acetylation sites in human and eleven sites in mouse/rat tissues. Some of these sites are located in functionally highly important regions such as switch I and switch II. Here, we show that lysine acetylation interferes with essential aspects of Ran function: nucleotide exchange and hydrolysis, subcellular Ran localization, GTP hydrolysis, and the interaction with import and export receptors. Deacetylation activity of certain sirtuins was detected for two Ran acetylation sites in vitro. Moreover, Ran was acetylated by CBP/p300 and Tip60 in vitro and on transferase overexpression in vivo. Overall, this study addresses many important challenges of the acetylome field, which will be discussed.

In vivo biochemical analyses reveal distinct roles of β-importins and eEF1A in tRNA subcellular traffic

Huang et al. developed in vivo β-importin complex co-IP assays to study the interactions of β-importins with tRNAs. Los1 (exportin-t) interacts with both unspliced and spliced tRNAs. In contrast, Msn5 (exportin-5) primarily interacts with spliced aminoacylated tRNAs. They demonstrate that Tef1/2 assembles with Msn5–tRNA complexes in a RanGTP-dependent manner.

Bidirectional tRNA movement between the nucleus and the cytoplasm serves multiple biological functions. To gain a biochemical understanding of the mechanisms for tRNA subcellular dynamics, we developed in vivo β-importin complex coimmunoprecipitation (co-IP) assays using budding yeast. Our studies provide the first in vivo biochemical evidence that two β-importin family members, Los1 (exportin-t) and Msn5 (exportin-5), serve overlapping but distinct roles in tRNA nuclear export. Los1 assembles complexes with RanGTP and tRNA. Both intron-containing pre-tRNAs and spliced tRNAs, regardless of whether they are aminoacylated, assemble into Los1–RanGTP complexes, documenting that Los1 participates in both primary nuclear export and re-export of tRNAs to the cytoplasm. In contrast, β-importin Msn5 preferentially assembles with RanGTP and spliced, aminoacylated tRNAs, documenting its role in tRNA nuclear re-export. Tef1/2 (the yeast form of translation elongation factor 1α [eEF1A]) aids the specificity of Msn5 for aminoacylated tRNAs to form a quaternary complex consisting of Msn5, RanGTP, aminoacylated tRNA, and Tef1/2. Assembly and/or stability of this quaternary complex requires Tef1/2, thereby facilitating efficient re-export of aminoacylated tRNAs to the cytoplasm.

The Inner Nuclear Membrane Protein Nemp1 Is a New Type of RanGTP-Binding Protein in Eukaryotes

The inner nuclear membrane (INM) protein Nemp1/TMEM194A has previously been suggested to be involved in eye development in Xenopus, and contains two evolutionarily conserved sequences in the transmembrane domains (TMs) and the C-terminal region, named region A and region B, respectively. To elucidate the molecular nature of Nemp1, we analyzed its interacting proteins through those conserved regions. First, we found that Nemp1 interacts with itself and lamin through the TMs and region A, respectively. Colocalization of Nemp1 and lamin at the INM suggests that the interaction with lamin participates in the INM localization of Nemp1. Secondly, through yeast two-hybrid screening using region B as bait, we identified the small GTPase Ran as a probable Nemp1-binding partner. GST pulldown and co-immunoprecipitation assays using region B and Ran mutants revealed that region B binds directly to the GTP-bound Ran through its effector domain. Immunostaining experiments using transfected COS-7 cells revealed that full-length Nemp1 recruits Ran near the nuclear envelope, suggesting a role for Nemp1 in the accumulation of RanGTP at the nuclear periphery. At the neurula-to-tailbud stages of Xenopus embryos, nemp1 expression overlapped with ran in several regions including the eye vesicles. Co-knockdown using antisense morpholino oligos for nemp1 and ran caused reduction of cell densities and severe eye defects more strongly than either single knockdown alone, suggesting their functional interaction. Finally we show that Arabidopsis thaliana Nemp1-orthologous proteins interact with A. thaliana Ran, suggesting their evolutionally conserved physical and functional interactions possibly in basic cellular functions including nuclear transportation. Taken together, we conclude that Nemp1 represents a new type of RanGTP-binding protein.

Structures of Ras superfamily effector complexes: What have we learnt in two decades?

The Ras superfamily small G proteins are master regulators of a diverse range of cellular processes and act via downstream effector molecules. The first structure of a small G protein-effector complex, that of Rap1A with c-Raf1, was published 20 years ago. Since then, the structures of more than 60 small G proteins in complex with their effectors have been published. These effectors utilize a diverse array of structural motifs to interact with the G protein fold, which we have divided into four structural classes: intermolecular β-sheets, helical pairs, other interactions, and pleckstrin homology (PH) domains. These classes and their representative structures are discussed and a contact analysis of the interactions is presented, which highlights the common effector-binding regions between and within the small G protein families.

Nup98 FG domains from diverse species spontaneously phase-separate into particles with nuclear pore-like permselectivity

Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) conduct massive transport mediated by shuttling nuclear transport receptors (NTRs), while keeping nuclear and cytoplasmic contents separated. The NPC barrier in Xenopus relies primarily on the intrinsically disordered FG domain of Nup98. We now observed that Nup98 FG domains of mammals, lancelets, insects, nematodes, fungi, plants, amoebas, ciliates, and excavates spontaneously and rapidly phase-separate from dilute (submicromolar) aqueous solutions into characteristic 'FG particles'. This required neither sophisticated experimental conditions nor auxiliary eukaryotic factors. Instead, it occurred already during FG domain expression in bacteria. All Nup98 FG phases rejected inert macromolecules and yet allowed far larger NTR cargo complexes to rapidly enter. They even recapitulated the observations that large cargo-domains counteract NPC passage of NTR⋅cargo complexes, while cargo shielding and increased NTR⋅cargo surface-ratios override this inhibition. Their exquisite NPC-typical sorting selectivity and strong intrinsic assembly propensity suggest that Nup98 FG phases can form in authentic NPCs and indeed account for the permeability properties of the pore.

Separate responses of karyopherins to glucose and amino acid availability regulate nucleocytoplasmic transport

The subcellular distribution of yeast β-importins inverts upon acute glucose deprivation, likely due to collapse of the RanGTP nuclear–cytoplasmic gradient. This redistribution of β-importins likely results in rapid widespread alterations of the traffic of macromolecules between the nucleus and cytoplasm in response to glucose limitation.

The importin-β family members (karyopherins) mediate the majority of nucleocytoplasmic transport. Msn5 and Los1, members of the importin-β family, function in tRNA nuclear export. tRNAs move bidirectionally between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Nuclear tRNA accumulation occurs upon amino acid (aa) or glucose deprivation. To understand the mechanisms regulating tRNA subcellular trafficking, we investigated whether Msn5 and Los1 are regulated in response to nutrient availability. We provide evidence that tRNA subcellular trafficking is regulated by distinct aa-sensitive and glucose-sensitive mechanisms. Subcellular distributions of Msn5 and Los1 are altered upon glucose deprivation but not aa deprivation. Redistribution of tRNA exportins from the nucleus to the cytoplasm likely provides one mechanism for tRNA nuclear distribution upon glucose deprivation. We extended our studies to other members of the importin-β family and found that all tested karyopherins invert their subcellular distributions upon glucose deprivation but not aa deprivation. Glucose availability regulates the subcellular distributions of karyopherins likely due to alteration of the RanGTP gradient since glucose deprivation causes redistribution of Ran. Thus nuclear–cytoplasmic distribution of macromolecules is likely generally altered upon glucose deprivation due to collapse of the RanGTP gradient and redistribution of karyopherins between the nucleus and the cytoplasm.

Enzymatically driven transport: a kinetic theory for nuclear export

Nuclear import and export are often considered inverse processes whereby transport receptors ferry protein cargo through the nuclear pore. In contrast to import, where the reversible binding of receptor to nuclear RanGTP leads to a balanced bidirectional exchange, termination of export by physiologically irreversible hydrolysis of the Ran-bound GTP leads to unidirectional transport. We present a concise mathematical model that predicts protein distributions and kinetic rates for receptor-mediated nuclear export, which further exhibit an unexpected pseudolinear relation one to the other. Predictions of the model are verified with permeabilized and live cell measurements.

Blm10 facilitates nuclear import of proteasome core particles

Short-lived proteins are degraded by proteasome complexes, which contain a proteolytic core particle (CP) but differ in the number of regulatory particles (RPs) and activators. A recently described member of conserved proteasome activators is Blm10. Blm10 contains 32 HEAT-like modules and is structurally related to the nuclear import receptor importin/karyopherin β. In proliferating yeast, RP-CP assemblies are primarily nuclear and promote cell division. During quiescence, RP-CP assemblies dissociate and CP and RP are sequestered into motile cytosolic proteasome storage granuli (PSG). Here, we show that CP sequestration into PSG depends on Blm10, whereas RP sequestration into PSG is independent of Blm10. PSG rapidly clear upon the resumption of cell proliferation and proteasomes are relocated into the nucleus. Thereby, Blm10 facilitates nuclear import of CP. Blm10-bound CP serves as an import receptor-cargo complex, as Blm10 mediates the interaction with FG-rich nucleoporins and is dissociated from the CP by Ran-GTP. Thus, Blm10 represents the first CP-dedicated nuclear import receptor in yeast.

Ran-dependent nuclear export mediators: a structural perspective

Nuclear export is an essential eukaryotic activity. It proceeds through nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) and is mediated by soluble receptors that shuttle between nucleus and cytoplasm. RanGTPase-dependent export mediators (exportins) constitute the largest class of these carriers and are functionally highly versatile. All of these exportins load their substrates in response to RanGTP binding in the nucleus and traverse NPCs as ternary RanGTP-exportin-cargo complexes to the cytoplasm, where GTP hydrolysis leads to export complex disassembly. The different exportins vary greatly in their substrate range. Recent structural studies of both protein- and RNA-specific exporters have illuminated how exportins bind their cargoes, how Ran triggers cargo loading and how export complexes are disassembled in the cytoplasm. Here, we review the current state of knowledge and highlight emerging principles as well as prevailing questions.