Marching to the beat of the ring: polypeptide translocation by AAA+ proteases

Temperature Matters: Bacterial Response to Temperature Change

Temperature is one of the most important factors in all living organisms for survival. Being a unicellular organism, bacterium requires sensitive sensing and defense mechanisms to tolerate changes in temperature. During a temperature shift, the structure and composition of various cellular molecules including nucleic acids, proteins, and membranes are affected. In addition, numerous genes are induced during heat or cold shocks to overcome the cellular stresses, which are known as heat- and cold-shock proteins. In this review, we describe the cellular phenomena that occur with temperature change and bacterial responses from a molecular perspective, mainly in Escherichia coli.

Targeting caseinolytic protease P and its AAA1 chaperone for tuberculosis treatment

Caseinolytic protease P with its AAA1 chaperone, known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)ClpP1P2 proteolytic machinery, maintains protein homeostasis in Mtb cells and is essential for bacterial survival. It is regarded as an important biological target with the potential to address the increasingly serious issue of multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB. Over the past 10 years, many MtbClpP1P2-targeted modulators have been identified and characterized, some of which have shown potent anti-TB activity. In this review, we describe current understanding of the substrates, structure and function of MtbClpP1P2, classify the modulators of this important protein machine into several categories based on their binding subunits or pockets, and discuss their binding details; Such information provides insights for use in candidate drug research and development of TB treatments by targeting MtbClpP1P2 proteolytic machinery.

Mechanism of AAA+ ATPase-mediated RuvAB-Holliday junction branch migration

The Holliday junction is a key intermediate formed during DNA recombination across all kingdoms of life1. In bacteria, the Holliday junction is processed by two homo-hexameric AAA+ ATPase RuvB motors, which assemble together with the RuvA-Holliday junction complex to energize the strand-exchange reaction2. Despite its importance for chromosome maintenance, the structure and mechanism by which this complex facilitates branch migration are unknown. Here, using time-resolved cryo-electron microscopy, we obtained structures of the ATP-hydrolysing RuvAB complex in seven distinct conformational states, captured during assembly and processing of a Holliday junction. Five structures together resolve the complete nucleotide cycle and reveal the spatiotemporal relationship between ATP hydrolysis, nucleotide exchange and context-specific conformational changes in RuvB. Coordinated motions in a converter formed by DNA-disengaged RuvB subunits stimulate hydrolysis and nucleotide exchange. Immobilization of the converter enables RuvB to convert the ATP-contained energy into a lever motion, which generates the pulling force driving the branch migration. We show that RuvB motors rotate together with the DNA substrate, which, together with a progressing nucleotide cycle, forms the mechanistic basis for DNA recombination by continuous branch migration. Together, our data decipher the molecular principles of homologous recombination by the RuvAB complex, elucidate discrete and sequential transition-state intermediates for chemo-mechanical coupling of hexameric AAA+ motors and provide a blueprint for the design of state-specific compounds targeting AAA+ motors.

AAA+ ATPases: structural insertions under the magnifying glass

AAA+ ATPases are a diverse protein superfamily which power a vast number of cellular processes, from protein degradation to genome replication and ribosome biogenesis. The latest advances in cryo-EM have resulted in a spectacular increase in the number and quality of AAA+ ATPase structures. This abundance of new information enables closer examination of different types of structural insertions into the conserved core, revealing discrepancies in the current classification of AAA+ modules into clades. Additionally, combined with biochemical data, it has allowed rapid progress in our understanding of structure-functional relationships and provided arguments both in favour and against the existence of a unifying molecular mechanism for the ATPase activity and action on substrates, stimulating further intensive research.

Stairway to translocation: AAA+ motor structures reveal the mechanisms of ATP-dependent substrate translocation

Translocases of the AAA+ (ATPases Associated with various cellular Activities) family are powerful molecular machines that use the mechano-chemical coupling of ATP hydrolysis and conformational changes to thread DNA or protein substrates through their central channel for many important biological processes. These motors comprise hexameric rings of ATPase subunits, in which highly conserved nucleotide-binding domains form active-site pockets near the subunit interfaces and aromatic pore-loop residues extend into the central channel for substrate binding and mechanical pulling. Over the past 2 years, 41 cryo-EM structures have been solved for substrate-bound AAA+ translocases that revealed spiral-staircase arrangements of pore-loop residues surrounding substrate polypeptides and indicating a conserved hand-over-hand mechanism for translocation. The subunits' vertical positions within the spiral arrangements appear to be correlated with their nucleotide states, progressing from ATP-bound at the top to ADP or apo states at the bottom. Studies describing multiple conformations for a particular motor illustrate the potential coupling between ATP-hydrolysis steps and subunit movements to propel the substrate. Experiments with double-ring, Type II AAA+ motors revealed an offset of hydrolysis steps between the two ATPase domains of individual subunits, and the upper ATPase domains lacking aromatic pore loops frequently form planar rings. This review summarizes the critical advances provided by recent studies to our structural and functional understanding of hexameric AAA+ translocases, as well as the important outstanding questions regarding the underlying mechanisms for coordinated ATP-hydrolysis and mechano-chemical coupling.

Expanded Coverage of the 26S Proteasome Conformational Landscape Reveals Mechanisms of Peptidase Gating

The proteasome is the central protease for intracellular protein breakdown. Coordinated binding and hydrolysis of ATP by the six proteasomal ATPase subunits induces conformational changes that drive the unfolding and translocation of substrates into the proteolytic 20S core particle for degradation. Here, we combine genetic and biochemical approaches with cryo-electron microscopy and integrative modeling to dissect the relationship between individual nucleotide binding events and proteasome conformational dynamics. We demonstrate unique impacts of ATP binding by individual ATPases on the proteasome conformational distribution and report two conformational states of the proteasome suggestive of a rotary ATP hydrolysis mechanism. These structures, coupled with functional analyses, reveal key roles for the ATPases Rpt1 and Rpt6 in gating substrate entry into the core particle. This deepened knowledge of proteasome conformational dynamics reveals key elements of intersubunit communication within the proteasome and clarifies the regulation of substrate entry into the proteolytic chamber.

Structure of spastin bound to a glutamate-rich peptide implies a hand-over-hand mechanism of substrate translocation

Many members of the AAA+ ATPase family function as hexamers that unfold their protein substrates. These AAA unfoldases include spastin, which plays a critical role in the architecture of eukaryotic cells by driving the remodeling and severing of microtubules, which are cytoskeletal polymers of tubulin subunits. Here, we demonstrate that a human spastin binds weakly to unmodified peptides from the C-terminal segment of human tubulin α1A/B. A peptide comprising alternating glutamate and tyrosine residues binds more tightly, which is consistent with the known importance of glutamylation for spastin microtubule severing activity. A cryo-EM structure of the spastin-peptide complex at 4.2 Å resolution revealed an asymmetric hexamer in which five spastin subunits adopt a helical, spiral staircase configuration that binds the peptide within the central pore, whereas the sixth subunit of the hexamer is displaced from the peptide/substrate, as if transitioning from one end of the helix to the other. This configuration differs from a recently published structure of spastin from Drosophila melanogaster, which forms a six-subunit spiral without a transitioning subunit. Our structure resembles other recently reported AAA unfoldases, including the meiotic clade relative Vps4, and supports a model in which spastin utilizes a hand-over-hand mechanism of tubulin translocation and microtubule remodeling.

The AAA + ATPase TorsinA polymerizes into hollow helical tubes with 8.5 subunits per turn

TorsinA is an ER-resident AAA + ATPase, whose deletion of glutamate E303 results in the genetic neuromuscular disease primary dystonia. TorsinA is an unusual AAA + ATPase that needs an external activator. Also, it likely does not thread a peptide substrate through a narrow central channel, in contrast to its closest structural homologs. Here, we examined the oligomerization of TorsinA to get closer to a molecular understanding of its still enigmatic function. We observe TorsinA to form helical filaments, which we analyzed by cryo-electron microscopy using helical reconstruction. The 4.4 Å structure reveals long hollow tubes with a helical periodicity of 8.5 subunits per turn, and an inner channel of ~ 4 nm diameter. We further show that the protein is able to induce tubulation of membranes in vitro, an observation that may reflect an entirely new characteristic of AAA + ATPases. We discuss the implications of these observations for TorsinA function.

Structure of Vps4 with circular peptides and implications for translocation of two polypeptide chains by AAA+ ATPases

Many AAA+ ATPases form hexamers that unfold protein substrates by translocating them through their central pore. Multiple structures have shown how a helical assembly of subunits binds a single strand of substrate, and indicate that translocation results from the ATP-driven movement of subunits from one end of the helical assembly to the other end. To understand how more complex substrates are bound and translocated, we demonstrated that linear and cyclic versions of peptides bind to the S. cerevisiae AAA+ ATPase Vps4 with similar affinities, and determined cryo-EM structures of cyclic peptide complexes. The peptides bind in a hairpin conformation, with one primary strand equivalent to the single chain peptide ligands, while the second strand returns through the translocation pore without making intimate contacts with Vps4. These observations indicate a general mechanism by which AAA+ ATPases may translocate a variety of substrates that include extended chains, hairpins, and crosslinked polypeptide chains.

Functional degradation: A mechanism of NLRP1 inflammasome activation by diverse pathogen enzymes

Inflammasomes are multiprotein platforms that initiate innate immunity by recruitment and activation of caspase-1. The NLRP1B inflammasome is activated upon direct cleavage by the anthrax lethal toxin protease. However, the mechanism by which cleavage results in NLRP1B activation is unknown. In this study, we find that cleavage results in proteasome-mediated degradation of the amino-terminal domains of NLRP1B, liberating a carboxyl-terminal fragment that is a potent caspase-1 activator. Proteasome-mediated degradation of NLRP1B is both necessary and sufficient for NLRP1B activation. Consistent with our functional degradation model, we identify IpaH7.8, a Shigella flexneri ubiquitin ligase secreted effector, as an enzyme that induces NLRP1B degradation and activation. Our results provide a unified mechanism for NLRP1B activation by diverse pathogen-encoded enzymatic activities.

Structure and mechanism of the ESCRT pathway AAA+ ATPase Vps4

The progression of ESCRT (Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport) pathways, which mediate numerous cellular membrane fission events, is driven by the enzyme Vps4. Understanding of Vps4 mechanism is, therefore, of fundamental importance in its own right and, moreover, it is highly relevant to the understanding of many related AAA+ ATPases that function in multiple facets of cell biology. Vps4 unfolds its ESCRT-III protein substrates by translocating them through its central hexameric pore, thereby driving membrane fission and recycling of ESCRT-III subunits. This mini-review focuses on recent advances in Vps4 structure and mechanism, including ideas about how Vps4 translocates and unfolds ESCRT-III subunits. Related AAA+ ATPases that share structural features with Vps4 and likely utilize an equivalent mechanism are also discussed.

Structure and Function of the 26S Proteasome

As the endpoint for the ubiquitin-proteasome system, the 26S proteasome is the principal proteolytic machine responsible for regulated protein degradation in eukaryotic cells. The proteasome's cellular functions range from general protein homeostasis and stress response to the control of vital processes such as cell division and signal transduction. To reliably process all the proteins presented to it in the complex cellular environment, the proteasome must combine high promiscuity with exceptional substrate selectivity. Recent structural and biochemical studies have shed new light on the many steps involved in proteasomal substrate processing, including recognition, deubiquitination, and ATP-driven translocation and unfolding. In addition, these studies revealed a complex conformational landscape that ensures proper substrate selection before the proteasome commits to processive degradation. These advances in our understanding of the proteasome's intricate machinery set the stage for future studies on how the proteasome functions as a major regulator of the eukaryotic proteome.

Structure of the mitochondrial inner membrane AAA+ protease YME1 gives insight into substrate processing

We present an atomic model of a substrate-bound inner mitochondrial membrane AAA+ quality control protease in yeast, YME1. Our ~3.4-angstrom cryo-electron microscopy structure reveals how the adenosine triphosphatases (ATPases) form a closed spiral staircase encircling an unfolded substrate, directing it toward the flat, symmetric protease ring. Three coexisting nucleotide states allosterically induce distinct positioning of tyrosines in the central channel, resulting in substrate engagement and translocation to the negatively charged proteolytic chamber. This tight coordination by a network of conserved residues defines a sequential, around-the-ring adenosine triphosphate hydrolysis cycle that results in stepwise substrate translocation. A hingelike linker accommodates the large-scale nucleotide-driven motions of the ATPase spiral relative to the planar proteolytic base. The translocation mechanism is likely conserved for other AAA+ ATPases.

ATP-driven processes of peroxisomal matrix protein import

In peroxisomal matrix protein import two processes directly depend on the binding and hydrolysis of ATP, both taking place at the late steps of the peroxisomal import cycle. First, ATP hydrolysis is required to initiate a ubiquitin-transfer cascade to modify the import (co-)receptors. These receptors display a dual localization in the cytosol and at the peroxisomal membrane, whereas only the membrane bound fraction receives the ubiquitin modification. The second ATP-dependent process of the import cycle is carried out by the two AAA+-proteins Pex1p and Pex6p. These ATPases form a heterohexameric complex, which is recruited to the peroxisomal import machinery by the membrane anchor protein Pex15p. The Pex1p/Pex6p complex recognizes the ubiquitinated import receptors, pulls them out of the membrane and releases them into the cytosol. There the deubiquitinated receptors are provided for further rounds of import. ATP binding and hydrolysis are required for Pex1p/Pex6p complex formation and receptor export. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the peroxisomal import cascade. In particular, we will focus on the ATP-dependent processes, which are so far best understood in the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

When, how and why? Regulated proteolysis by the essential FtsH protease in Escherichia coli

Cellular proteomes are dynamic and adjusted to permanently changing conditions by ATP-fueled proteolytic machineries. Among the five AAA+ proteases in Escherichia coli FtsH is the only essential and membrane-anchored metalloprotease. FtsH is a homohexamer that uses its ATPase domain to unfold and translocate substrates that are subsequently degraded without the need of ATP in the proteolytic chamber of the protease domain. FtsH eliminates misfolded proteins in the context of general quality control and properly folded proteins for regulatory reasons. Recent trapping approaches have revealed a number of novel FtsH substrates. This review summarizes the substrate diversity of FtsH and presents details on the surprisingly diverse recognition principles of three well-characterized substrates: LpxC, the key enzyme of lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis; RpoH, the alternative heat-shock sigma factor and YfgM, a bifunctional membrane protein implicated in periplasmic chaperone functions and cytoplasmic stress adaptation.

Mini review: ATP-dependent proteases in bacteria

AAA(+) proteases are universal barrel-like and ATP-fueled machines preventing the accumulation of aberrant proteins and regulating the proteome according to the cellular demand. They are characterized by two separate operating units, the ATPase and peptidase domains. ATP-dependent unfolding and translocation of a substrate into the proteolytic chamber is followed by ATP-independent degradation. This review addresses the structure and function of bacterial AAA(+) proteases with a focus on the ATP-driven mechanisms and the coordinated movements in the complex mainly based on the knowledge of ClpXP. We conclude by discussing strategies how novel protease substrates can be trapped by mutated AAA(+) protease variants. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 105: 505-517, 2016.

Structural insights into the functional cycle of the ATPase module of the 26S proteasome

In eukaryotic cells, the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is responsible for the regulated degradation of intracellular proteins. The 26S holocomplex comprises the core particle (CP), where proteolysis takes place, and one or two regulatory particles (RPs). The base of the RP is formed by a heterohexameric AAA⁺ ATPase module, which unfolds and translocates substrates into the CP. Applying single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and image classification to samples in the presence of different nucleotides and nucleotide analogs, we were able to observe four distinct conformational states (s1 to s4). The resolution of the four conformers allowed for the construction of atomic models of the AAA⁺ ATPase module as it progresses through the functional cycle. In a hitherto unobserved state (s4), the gate controlling access to the CP is open. The structures described in this study allow us to put forward a model for the 26S functional cycle driven by ATP hydrolysis.

An atomic structure of the human 26S proteasome

We report the cryo-EM structure of the human 26S proteasome at an average resolution of 3.5 Å, allowing atomic modeling of 28 subunits in the core particle (CP) and 18 subunits in the regulatory particle (RP). The C-terminal residues of Rpt3 and Rpt5 subunits in the RP can be seen inserted into surface pockets formed between adjacent α subunits in the CP. Each of the six Rpt subunits contains a bound nucleotide, and the central gate of the CP α-ring is closed despite RP association. The six pore 1 loops in the Rpt ring are arranged similarly to a spiral staircase along the axial channel of substrate transport, which is constricted by the pore 2 loops. We also determined the cryo-EM structure of the human proteasome bound to the deubiquitinating enzyme USP14 at 4.35-Å resolution. Together, our structures provide a framework for mechanistic understanding of eukaryotic proteasome function.

Structure of the human 26S proteasome at a resolution of 3.9 Å

Protein degradation in eukaryotic cells is performed by the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System (UPS). The 26S proteasome holocomplex consists of a core particle (CP) that proteolytically degrades polyubiquitylated proteins, and a regulatory particle (RP) containing the AAA-ATPase module. This module controls access to the proteolytic chamber inside the CP and is surrounded by non-ATPase subunits (Rpns) that recognize substrates and deubiquitylate them before unfolding and degradation. The architecture of the 26S holocomplex is highly conserved between yeast and humans. The structure of the human 26S holocomplex described here reveals previously unidentified features of the AAA-ATPase heterohexamer. One subunit, Rpt6, has ADP bound, whereas the other five have ATP in their binding pockets. Rpt6 is structurally distinct from the other five Rpt subunits, most notably in its pore loop region. For Rpns, the map reveals two main, previously undetected, features: the C terminus of Rpn3 protrudes into the mouth of the ATPase ring; and Rpn1 and Rpn2, the largest proteasome subunits, are linked by an extended connection. The structural features of the 26S proteasome observed in this study are likely to be important for coordinating the proteasomal subunits during substrate processing.

[Interaction of DNA Aptamers with the ATP-Dependent Lon Protease from Escherichia coli]

ATP-dependent Lon protease of E. coli (Ec-Lon) is a key enzyme of the quality control system of the cell proteome. Ec-Lon subunit comprises N-terminal non-catalytic region, ATPase module and proteolytic domain (serine-lysine endopeptidase). A distinctive feature of the Ec-Lon is its ability to interact with DNA, however either DNA binding site(s) or the role ofthe complex Ec-Lon · DNA have not yet been characterized. A promising tool for the study of molecular mechanisms of interaction between nucleic acids and protein ligands are known to be aptamers (small nucleic acids with high specificity to organic compounds of different nature). Ec-Lon-protease was found to form complexes with the previously obtained thrombin aptamers whose molecules comprise the duplex domains and G-quadruplex region. The aptamer affinities to the enzyme have been characterized. The synthesis of novel aptamers specific to Ec-Lon protease is planed for studying the mechanism of the enzyme-DNA complexation.

A Single α Helix Drives Extensive Remodeling of the Proteasome Lid and Completion of Regulatory Particle Assembly

Most short-lived eukaryotic proteins are degraded by the proteasome. A proteolytic core particle (CP) capped by regulatory particles (RPs) constitutes the 26S proteasome complex. RP biogenesis culminates with the joining of two large subcomplexes, the lid and base. In yeast and mammals, the lid appears to assemble completely before attaching to the base, but how this hierarchical assembly is enforced has remained unclear. Using biochemical reconstitutions, quantitative cross-linking/mass spectrometry, and electron microscopy, we resolve the mechanistic basis for the linkage between lid biogenesis and lid-base joining. Assimilation of the final lid subunit, Rpn12, triggers a large-scale conformational remodeling of the nascent lid that drives RP assembly, in part by relieving steric clash with the base. Surprisingly, this remodeling is triggered by a single Rpn12 α helix. Such assembly-coupled conformational switching is reminiscent of viral particle maturation and may represent a commonly used mechanism to enforce hierarchical assembly in multisubunit complexes.

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First in vitro reconstitution of RP assembly with completely recombinant components

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Electron microscopy and cross-linking reveal massive remodeling of a lid precursor

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Remodeling of the lid relieves steric clash with the RP base to promote RP assembly

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Lid remodeling can be triggered by a single C-terminal α helix in the Rpn12 subunit

Gates, Channels, and Switches: Elements of the Proteasome Machine

The proteasome has emerged as an intricate machine that has dynamic mechanisms to regulate the timing of its activity, its selection of substrates, and its processivity. The 19-subunit regulatory particle (RP) recognizes ubiquitinated proteins, removes ubiquitin, and injects the target protein into the proteolytic chamber of the core particle (CP) via a narrow channel. Translocation into the CP requires substrate unfolding, which is achieved through mechanical force applied by a hexameric ATPase ring of the RP. Recent cryoelectron microscopy (cryoEM) studies have defined distinct conformational states of the RP, providing illustrative snapshots of what appear to be progressive steps of substrate engagement. Here, we bring together this new information with molecular analyses to describe the principles of proteasome activity and regulation.

Role of AAA(+)-proteins in peroxisome biogenesis and function

Mutations in the PEX1 gene, which encodes a protein required for peroxisome biogenesis, are the most common cause of the Zellweger spectrum diseases. The recognition that Pex1p shares a conserved ATP-binding domain with p97 and NSF led to the discovery of the extended family of AAA+-type ATPases. So far, four AAA+-type ATPases are related to peroxisome function. Pex6p functions together with Pex1p in peroxisome biogenesis, ATAD1/Msp1p plays a role in membrane protein targeting and a member of the Lon-family of proteases is associated with peroxisomal quality control. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the AAA+-proteins involved in peroxisome biogenesis and function.

Allosteric communication in the dynein motor domain

Dyneins power microtubule motility using ring-shaped, AAA-containing motor domains. Here, we report X-ray and electron microscopy (EM) structures of yeast dynein bound to different ATP analogs, which collectively provide insight into the roles of dynein's two major ATPase sites, AAA1 and AAA3, in the conformational change mechanism. ATP binding to AAA1 triggers a cascade of conformational changes that propagate to all six AAA domains and cause a large movement of the "linker," dynein's mechanical element. In contrast to the role of AAA1 in driving motility, nucleotide transitions in AAA3 gate the transmission of conformational changes between AAA1 and the linker, suggesting that AAA3 acts as a regulatory switch. Further structural and mutational studies also uncover a role for the linker in regulating the catalytic cycle of AAA1. Together, these results reveal how dynein's two major ATP-binding sites initiate and modulate conformational changes in the motor domain during motility.

PiZ mouse liver accumulates polyubiquitin conjugates that associate with catalytically active 26S proteasomes

Accumulation of aggregation-prone human alpha 1 antitrypsin mutant Z (AT-Z) protein in PiZ mouse liver stimulates features of liver injury typical of human alpha 1 antitrypsin type ZZ deficiency, an autosomal recessive genetic disorder. Ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis by the 26S proteasome counteracts AT-Z accumulation and plays other roles that, when inhibited, could exacerbate the injury. However, it is unknown how the conditions of AT-Z mediated liver injury affect the 26S proteasome. To address this question, we developed a rapid extraction strategy that preserves polyubiquitin conjugates in the presence of catalytically active 26S proteasomes and allows their separation from deposits of insoluble AT-Z. Compared to WT, PiZ extracts had about 4-fold more polyubiquitin conjugates with no apparent change in the levels of the 26S and 20S proteasomes, and unassembled subunits. The polyubiquitin conjugates had similar affinities to ubiquitin-binding domain of Psmd4 and co-purified with similar amounts of catalytically active 26S complexes. These data show that polyubiquitin conjugates were accumulating despite normal recruitment to catalytically active 26S proteasomes that were available in excess, and suggest that a defect at the 26S proteasome other than compromised binding to polyubiquitin chain or peptidase activity played a role in the accumulation. In support of this idea, PiZ extracts were characterized by high molecular weight, reduction-sensitive forms of selected subunits, including ATPase subunits that unfold substrates and regulate access to proteolytic core. Older WT mice acquired similar alterations, implying that they result from common aspects of oxidative stress. The changes were most pronounced on unassembled subunits, but some subunits were altered even in the 26S proteasomes co-purified with polyubiquitin conjugates. Thus, AT-Z protein aggregates indirectly impair degradation of polyubiquitinated proteins at the level of the 26S proteasome, possibly by inducing oxidative stress-mediated modifications that compromise substrate delivery to proteolytic core.

Characterization of the accessory protein ClpT1 from Arabidopsis thaliana: oligomerization status and interaction with Hsp100 chaperones

BACKGROUND

The caseinolytic protease (Clp) is crucial for chloroplast biogenesis and proteostasis. The Arabidopsis Clp consists of two heptameric rings (P and R rings) assembled from nine distinct subunits. Hsp100 chaperones (ClpC1/2 and ClpD) are believed to dock to the axial pores of Clp and then transfer unfolded polypeptides destined to degradation. The adaptor proteins ClpT1 and 2 attach to the protease, apparently blocking the chaperone binding sites. This competition was suggested to regulate Clp activity. Also, monomerization of ClpT1 from dimers in the stroma triggers P and R rings association. So, oligomerization status of ClpT1 seems to control the assembly of the Clp protease.

RESULTS

In this work, ClpT1 was obtained in a recombinant form and purified. In solution, it mostly consists of monomers while dimers represent a small fraction of the population. Enrichment of the dimer fraction could only be achieved by stabilization with a crosslinker reagent. We demonstrate that ClpT1 specifically interacts with the Hsp100 chaperones ClpC2 and ClpD. In addition, ClpT1 stimulates the ATPase activity of ClpD by more than 50% when both are present in a 1:1 molar ratio. Outside this optimal proportion, the stimulatory effect of ClpT1 on the ATPase activity of ClpD declines.

CONCLUSIONS

The accessory protein ClpT1 behaves as a monomer in solution. It interacts with the chloroplastic Hsp100 chaperones ClpC2 and ClpD and tightly modulates the ATPase activity of the latter. Our results provide new experimental evidence that may contribute to revise and expand the existing models that were proposed to explain the roles of this poorly understood regulatory protein.

Emerging mechanistic insights into AAA complexes regulating proteasomal degradation

The 26S proteasome is an integral element of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and, as such, responsible for regulated degradation of proteins in eukaryotic cells. It consists of the core particle, which catalyzes the proteolysis of substrates into small peptides, and the regulatory particle, which ensures specificity for a broad range of substrates. The heart of the regulatory particle is an AAA-ATPase unfoldase, which is surrounded by non-ATPase subunits enabling substrate recognition and processing. Cryo-EM-based studies revealed the molecular architecture of the 26S proteasome and its conformational rearrangements, providing insights into substrate recognition, commitment, deubiquitylation and unfolding. The cytosol proteasomal degradation of polyubiquitylated substrates is tuned by various associating cofactors, including deubiquitylating enzymes, ubiquitin ligases, shuttling ubiquitin receptors and the AAA-ATPase Cdc48/p97. Cdc48/p97 and its cofactors function upstream of the 26S proteasome, and their modular organization exhibits some striking analogies to the regulatory particle. In archaea PAN, the closest regulatory particle homolog and Cdc48 even have overlapping functions, underscoring their intricate relationship. Here, we review recent insights into the structure and dynamics of the 26S proteasome and its associated machinery, as well as our current structural knowledge on the Cdc48/p97 and its cofactors that function in the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS).

Chance, destiny, and the inner workings of ClpXP

AAA+ proteases are responsible for protein degradation in all branches of life. Using single-molecule and ensemble assays, Cordova et al. investigate how the bacterial protease ClpXP steps through a substrate's polypeptide chain and construct a quantitative kinetic model that recapitulates the interplay between stochastic and deterministic behaviors of ClpXP.

Deep classification of a large cryo-EM dataset defines the conformational landscape of the 26S proteasome

The 26S proteasome is a 2.5 MDa molecular machine that executes the degradation of substrates of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. The molecular architecture of the 26S proteasome was recently established by cryo-EM approaches. For a detailed understanding of the sequence of events from the initial binding of polyubiquitylated substrates to the translocation into the proteolytic core complex, it is necessary to move beyond static structures and characterize the conformational landscape of the 26S proteasome. To this end we have subjected a large cryo-EM dataset acquired in the presence of ATP and ATP-γS to a deep classification procedure, which deconvolutes coexisting conformational states. Highly variable regions, such as the density assigned to the largest subunit, Rpn1, are now well resolved and rendered interpretable. Our analysis reveals the existence of three major conformations: in addition to the previously described ATP-hydrolyzing (ATPh) and ATP-γS conformations, an intermediate state has been found. Its AAA-ATPase module adopts essentially the same topology that is observed in the ATPh conformation, whereas the lid is more similar to the ATP-γS bound state. Based on the conformational ensemble of the 26S proteasome in solution, we propose a mechanistic model for substrate recognition, commitment, deubiquitylation, and translocation into the core particle.