ARE-binding protein ZFP36L1 interacts with CNOT1 to directly repress translation via a deadenylation-independent mechanism

The Conserved CNOT1 Interaction Motif of Tristetraprolin Regulates ARE-mRNA Decay Independently of the p38 MAPK-MK2 Kinase Pathway

The regulation of the mRNA decay activator Tristetraprolin (TTP) by the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway during the mammalian inflammatory response represents a paradigm for the control of mRNA turnover by signaling. TTP activity is regulated through multiple phosphorylation sites, including an evolutionary conserved serine in its CNOT1 Interacting Motif (CIM) whose phosphorylation disrupts an interaction with CNOT1 of the CCR4-NOT deadenylase complex. Here we present evidence that the TTP CIM recruits the CCR4-NOT deadenylase complex and activates mRNA degradation cooperatively with the conserved tryptophan residues of TTP, previously identified to interact with CNOT9. Surprisingly, the TTP CIM remains unphosphorylated and capable of promoting association with the CCR4-NOT complex and mRNA decay upon activation of p38-MAPK-activated kinase MK2, a well-established regulator of TTP activity. The CIM is instead targeted by other kinases including PKCα. These observations suggest that signaling pathways regulate TTP activity in a cooperative manner and that the p38 MAPK-MK2 kinase pathway relies on the activation of additional kinase pathway(s) to fully control TTP function.

CNOT1 regulates circadian behaviour through Per2 mRNA decay in a deadenylation-dependent manner

Circadian clocks are an endogenous internal timekeeping mechanism that drives the rhythmic expression of genes, controlling the 24 h oscillatory pattern in behaviour and physiology. It has been recently shown that post-transcriptional mechanisms are essential for controlling rhythmic gene expression. Controlling the stability of mRNA through poly(A) tail length modulation is one such mechanism. In this study, we show that Cnot1, encoding the scaffold protein of the CCR4-NOT deadenylase complex, is highly expressed in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the master timekeeper. CNOT1 deficiency in mice results in circadian period lengthening and alterations in the mRNA and protein expression patterns of various clock genes, mainly Per2. Per2 mRNA exhibited a longer poly(A) tail and increased mRNA stability in Cnot1+/- mice. CNOT1 is recruited to Per2 mRNA through BRF1 (ZFP36L1), which itself oscillates in antiphase with Per2 mRNA. Upon Brf1 knockdown, Per2 mRNA is stabilized leading to increased PER2 expression levels. This suggests that CNOT1 plays a role in tuning and regulating the mammalian circadian clock.

Differential regulation of mRNA fate by the human Ccr4-Not complex is driven by coding sequence composition and mRNA localization

BACKGROUND

Regulation of protein output at the level of translation allows for a rapid adaptation to dynamic changes to the cell's requirements. This precise control of gene expression is achieved by complex and interlinked biochemical processes that modulate both the protein synthesis rate and stability of each individual mRNA. A major factor coordinating this regulation is the Ccr4-Not complex. Despite playing a role in most stages of the mRNA life cycle, no attempt has been made to take a global integrated view of how the Ccr4-Not complex affects gene expression.

RESULTS

This study has taken a comprehensive approach to investigate post-transcriptional regulation mediated by the Ccr4-Not complex assessing steady-state mRNA levels, ribosome position, mRNA stability, and protein production transcriptome-wide. Depletion of the scaffold protein CNOT1 results in a global upregulation of mRNA stability and the preferential stabilization of mRNAs enriched for G/C-ending codons. We also uncover that mRNAs targeted to the ER for their translation have reduced translational efficiency when CNOT1 is depleted, specifically downstream of the signal sequence cleavage site. In contrast, translationally upregulated mRNAs are normally localized in p-bodies, contain disorder-promoting amino acids, and encode nuclear localized proteins. Finally, we identify ribosome pause sites that are resolved or induced by the depletion of CNOT1.

CONCLUSIONS

We define the key mRNA features that determine how the human Ccr4-Not complex differentially regulates mRNA fate and protein synthesis through a mechanism linked to codon composition, amino acid usage, and mRNA localization.

Regulation of Early Lymphocyte Development via mRNA Decay Catalyzed by the CCR4-NOT Complex

Development of lymphocytes is precisely regulated by various mechanisms. In addition to transcriptional rates, post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA abundance contributes to differentiation of lymphocytes. mRNA decay is a post-transcriptional mechanism controlling mRNA abundance. The carbon catabolite repression 4 (CCR4)-negative on TATA-less (NOT) complex controls mRNA longevity by catalyzing mRNA deadenylation, which is the rate-limiting step in the mRNA decay pathway. mRNA decay, regulated by the CCR4-NOT complex, is required for differentiation of pro-B to pre-B cells and V(D)J recombination in pro-B cells. In this process, it is likely that the RNA-binding proteins, ZFP36 ring finger protein like 1 and 2, recruit the CCR4-NOT complex to specific target mRNAs, thereby inducing cell quiescence of pro-B cells. A recent study showed that the CCR4-NOT complex participates in positive selection of thymocytes. Mechanistically, the CCR4-NOT deadenylase complex inhibits abnormal apoptosis by reducing the expression level of mRNAs encoding pro-apoptotic proteins, which are otherwise up-regulated during positive selection. We discuss mechanisms regulating CCR4-NOT complex-dependent mRNA decay in lymphocyte development and selection.

Translation Initiation Regulated by RNA-Binding Protein in Mammals: The Modulation of Translation Initiation Complex by Trans-Acting Factors

Protein synthesis is tightly regulated at each step of translation. In particular, the formation of the basic cap-binding complex, eukaryotic initiation factor 4F (eIF4F) complex, on the 5' cap structure of mRNA is positioned as the rate-limiting step, and various cis-elements on mRNA contribute to fine-tune spatiotemporal protein expression. The cis-element on mRNAs is recognized and bound to the trans-acting factors, which enable the regulation of the translation rate or mRNA stability. In this review, we focus on the molecular mechanism of how the assembly of the eIF4F complex is regulated on the cap structure of mRNAs. We also summarize the fine-tuned regulation of translation initiation by various trans-acting factors through cis-elements on mRNAs.

RNA decay machinery safeguards immune cell development and immunological responses

mRNA decay systems control mRNA abundance by counterbalancing transcription. Several recent studies show that mRNA decay pathways are crucial to conventional T and B cell development in vertebrates, in addition to suppressing autoimmunity and excessive inflammatory responses. Selective mRNA degradation triggered by the CCR4-NOT deadenylase complex appears to be required in lymphocyte development, cell quiescence, V(D)J (variable-diversity-joining) recombination, and prevention of inappropriate apoptosis in mice. Moreover, a recent study suggests that mRNA decay may be involved in preventing human hyperinflammatory disease. These findings imply that mRNA decay pathways in humans and mice do not simply maintain mRNA homeostatic turnover but can also precisely regulate immune development and immunological responses by selectively targeting mRNAs.