Elongation factor-1 alpha mRNA is selectively translated following mitogenic stimulation

Decoding ribosome complexity: role of ribosomal proteins in cancer and disease

The ribosome is a remarkably complex machinery, at the interface with diverse cellular functions and processes. Evolutionarily conserved, yet intricately regulated, ribosomes play pivotal roles in decoding genetic information into the synthesis of proteins and in the generation of biomass critical for cellular physiological functions. Recent insights have revealed the existence of ribosome heterogeneity at multiple levels. Such heterogeneity extends to cancer, where aberrant ribosome biogenesis and function contribute to oncogenesis. This led to the emergence of the concept of 'onco-ribosomes', specific ribosomal variants with altered structural dynamics, contributing to cancer initiation and progression. Ribosomal proteins (RPs) are involved in many of these alterations, acting as critical factors for the translational reprogramming of cancer cells. In this review article, we highlight the roles of RPs in ribosome biogenesis, how mutations in RPs and their paralogues reshape the translational landscape, driving clonal evolution and therapeutic resistance. Furthermore, we present recent evidence providing new insights into post-translational modifications of RPs, such as ubiquitylation, UFMylation and phosphorylation, and how they regulate ribosome recycling, translational fidelity and cellular stress responses. Understanding the intricate interplay between ribosome complexity, heterogeneity and RP-mediated regulatory mechanisms in pathology offers profound insights into cancer biology and unveils novel therapeutic avenues targeting the translational machinery in cancer.

Translation of Human β-Actin mRNA is Regulated by mTOR Pathway

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase is a well-known master regulator of growth-dependent gene expression in higher eukaryotes. Translation regulation is an important function of the mTORC1 pathway that controls the synthesis of many ribosomal proteins and translation factors. Housekeeping genes such as β-actin (ACTB) are widely used as negative control genes in studies of growth-dependent translation. Here we demonstrate that translation of both endogenous and reporter ACTB mRNA is inhibited in the presence of mTOR kinase inhibitor (Torin1) and under amino acid starvation. Notably, 5’UTR and promoter of ACTB are sufficient for the mTOR-dependent translational response, and the degree of mTOR-sensitivity of ACTB mRNA translation is cell type-dependent.

Lys48 ubiquitination during the intraerythrocytic cycle of the rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium chabaudi

Ubiquitination tags proteins for different functions within the cell. One of the most abundant and studied ubiquitin modification is the Lys48 polyubiquitin chain that modifies proteins for their destruction by proteasome. In Plasmodium is proposed that post-translational regulation is fundamental for parasite development during its complex life-cycle; thus, the objective of this work was to analyze the ubiquitination during Plasmodium chabaudi intraerythrocytic stages. Ubiquitinated proteins were detected during intraerythrocytic stages of Plasmodium chabaudi by immunofluorescent microscopy, bidimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) combined with immunoblotting and mass spectrometry. All the studied stages presented protein ubiquitination and Lys48 polyubiquitination with more abundance during the schizont stage. Three ubiquitinated proteins were identified for rings, five for trophozoites and twenty for schizonts. Only proteins detected with a specific anti- Lys48 polyubiquitin antibody were selected for Mass Spectrometry analysis and two of these identified proteins were selected in order to detect the specific amino acid residues where ubiquitin is placed. Ubiquitinated proteins during the ring and trophozoite stages were related with the invasion process and in schizont proteins were related with nucleic acid metabolism, glycolysis and protein biosynthesis. Most of the ubiquitin detection was during the schizont stage and the Lys48 polyubiquitination during this stage was related to proteins that are expected to be abundant during the trophozoite stage. The evidence that these Lys48 polyubiquitinated proteins are tagged for destruction by the proteasome complex suggests that this type of post-translational modification is important in the regulation of protein abundance during the life-cycle and may also contribute to the parasite cell-cycle progression.

Ribosomal stress activates eEF2K-eEF2 pathway causing translation elongation inhibition and recruitment of terminal oligopyrimidine (TOP) mRNAs on polysomes

The synthesis of adequate amounts of ribosomes is an essential task for the cell. It is therefore not surprising that regulatory circuits exist to organize the synthesis of ribosomal components. It has been shown that defect in ribosome biogenesis (ribosomal stress) induces apoptosis or cell cycle arrest through activation of the tumor suppressor p53. This mechanism is thought to be implicated in the pathophysiology of a group of genetic diseases such as Diamond Blackfan Anemia which are called ribosomopathies. We have identified an additional response to ribosomal stress that includes the activation of eukaryotic translation elongation factor 2 kinase with a consequent inhibition of translation elongation. This leads to a translational reprogramming in the cell that involves the structurally defined group of messengers called terminal oligopyrimidine (TOP) mRNAs which encode ribosomal proteins and translation factors. In fact, while general protein synthesis is decreased by the impairment of elongation, TOP mRNAs are recruited on polysomes causing a relative increase in the synthesis of TOP mRNA-encoded proteins compared to other proteins. Therefore, in response to ribosomal stress, there is a change in the translation pattern of the cell which may help restore a sufficient level of ribosomes.

In silico motif analysis suggests an interplay of transcriptional and translational control in mTOR response

The short 5'-terminal oligopyrimidine tract (TOP) of 5' UTRs is a well-known regulatory sequence motif of mRNAs that are subject to growth-dependent translation. Specifically, translation of TOP mRNAs is regulated by the mTOR signaling pathway that is involved in cell proliferation, cancer development and aging. High throughput data permit detailed study of specific features of the mRNA TOP motif and its DNA origins at transcription start sites (TSS). Recently, ribosome profiling was used to identify mRNA targets of the mTOR pathway in PC3 cells. A novel pyrimidine-rich translational element (PRTE) was reported to play a key role without positional preferences within the 5' UTRs, unlike 5' TOP, which are strictly located at the 5' ends. In this study, we couple recently reported ribosome profiling data on the mTOR mRNA targets with the annotation of TSS obtained by HeliScopeCAGE. We confirm the canonical TOP and strong positional preferences of respective oligopyrimidine tracts (OP) straddling the experimentally validated TSS regions at the DNA level. Such OP localization ensures that transcription from OP segments creates the 5'-terminal TOP in the corresponding mRNAs. We demonstrate that OP are not overrepresented in downstream regions of 5' UTRs of mTOR targets. Finally, we highlight several mTOR target genes with broad and multimodal TSS spanning dozens of nucleotides that are only partically covered with an OP. Therefore, in such cases only a fraction of all produced mRNAs carry a TOP regulatory motif and, thus, respond to mTOR via TOP mechanism. We hypothesize that the interplay between transcription and translation may play a crucial role in the regulation of the mTOR response.

Genome-wide determination of RNA stability reveals hundreds of short-lived noncoding transcripts in mammals

Mammalian genomes produce huge numbers of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). However, the functions of most ncRNAs are unclear, and novel techniques that can distinguish functional ncRNAs are needed. Studies of mRNAs have revealed that the half-life of each mRNA is closely related to its physiological function, raising the possibility that the RNA stability of an ncRNA reflects its function. In this study, we first determined the half-lives of 11,052 mRNAs and 1418 ncRNAs in HeLa Tet-off (TO) cells by developing a novel genome-wide method, which we named 5′-bromo-uridine immunoprecipitation chase–deep sequencing analysis (BRIC-seq). This method involved pulse-labeling endogenous RNAs with 5′-bromo-uridine and measuring the ongoing decrease in RNA levels over time using multifaceted deep sequencing. By analyzing the relationship between RNA half-lives and functional categories, we found that RNAs with a long half-life (t_1/2 ≥ 4 h) contained a significant proportion of ncRNAs, as well as mRNAs involved in housekeeping functions, whereas RNAs with a short half-life (t_1/2 < 4 h) included known regulatory ncRNAs and regulatory mRNAs. The stabilities of a significant set of short-lived ncRNAs are regulated by external stimuli, such as retinoic acid treatment. In particular, we identified and characterized several novel long ncRNAs involved in cell proliferation from the group of short-lived ncRNAs. We designated this novel class of ncRNAs with a short half-life as Short-Lived noncoding Transcripts (SLiTs). We propose that the strategy of monitoring RNA half-life will provide a powerful tool for investigating hitherto functionally uncharacterized regulatory RNAs.

AKT promotes rRNA synthesis and cooperates with c-MYC to stimulate ribosome biogenesis in cancer

Precise regulation of ribosome biogenesis is fundamental to maintain normal cell growth and proliferation, and accelerated ribosome biogenesis is associated with malignant transformation. Here, we show that the kinase AKT regulates ribosome biogenesis at multiple levels to promote ribosomal RNA (rRNA) synthesis. Transcription elongation by RNA polymerase I, which synthesizes rRNA, required continuous AKT-dependent signaling, an effect independent of AKT's role in activating the translation-promoting complex mTORC1 (mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1). Sustained inhibition of AKT and mTORC1 cooperated to reduce rRNA synthesis and ribosome biogenesis by additionally limiting RNA polymerase I loading and pre-rRNA processing. In the absence of growth factors, constitutively active AKT increased synthesis of rRNA, ribosome biogenesis, and cell growth. Furthermore, AKT cooperated with the transcription factor c-MYC to synergistically activate rRNA synthesis and ribosome biogenesis, defining a network involving AKT, mTORC1, and c-MYC as a master controller of cell growth. Maximal activation of c-MYC-dependent rRNA synthesis in lymphoma cells required AKT activity. Moreover, inhibition of AKT-dependent rRNA transcription was associated with increased lymphoma cell death by apoptosis. These data indicate that decreased ribosome biogenesis is likely to be a fundamental component of the therapeutic response to AKT inhibitors in cancer.

Stress puts TIA on TOP

Under conditions of limited nutrients, eukaryotic cells reprogram protein expression in a way that slows growth but enhances survival. Recent data implicate stress granules, discrete cytoplasmic foci into which untranslated mRNPs are assembled during stress, in this process. In the October 1, 2011, issue of Genes & Development, Damgaard and Lykke-Andersen (p. 2057-2068) provide mechanistic insights into the regulation of a specific subset of mRNAs bearing 5'-terminal oligopyrimidine tracts (5'TOPs) by the structurally related stress granule proteins TIA-1 and TIAR.

Rapamycin selectively reduces the association of transcripts containing complex 5' UTRs with ribosomes in C4-2B prostate cancer cells

mTOR pathway inhibitors, specifically rapamycin and its derivatives, are promising therapeutics that targets downstream pathways including protein translation. We examined the effects of a series of inhibitors targeting various pathways on ribosomal polysome distribution, overall translation rates, and translation of specific mRNAs in the bone derived prostate cancer cell line, C4-2B. Treatment with either rapamycin, PD98059 or LY294002 failed to change the distribution of polysomes in sucrose gradients. Although no change in the accumulation of heavy polysomes was observed, there was an overall decrease in the rate of translation caused by treatment with rapamycin or LY294002. Inhibiting the MAPK pathway with PD98059 decreased overall translation by 20%, but had no effect on mRNAs containing a 5' terminal oligopyrimidine tract (TOP) sequences or those with complex 5' UTRs. In contrast, treatment with rapamycin for 24 h reduced overall translation by approximately 45% and affected the translation of mRNAs with complex 5' UTRs, specifically VEGF and HIF1alpha. After 24 h, LY294002 treatment alone decreased overall translation by 60%, more than was observed with rapamycin. Although LY294002 and similar inhibitors are effective at blocking prostate cancer cell growth, they act upstream of AKT and PTEN and cancer cells can find a way to bypass this inhibition. Thus, we propose that inhibiting downstream targets such as mTOR or targets of mTOR will provide rational approaches to developing new combination therapies focused on reducing growth of prostate cancer after arrival in the bone environment.

Methylguanine DNA methyltransferase-mediated drug resistance-based selective enrichment and engraftment of transplanted stem cells in skeletal muscle

Cell replacement therapy using stem cell transplantation holds much promise in the field of regenerative medicine. In the area of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase MGMT (P140K) gene-mediated drug resistance-based in vivo enrichment strategy of donor stem cells has been shown to achieve up to 75%-100% donor cell engraftment in the host's hematopoietic stem cell compartment following repeated rounds of selection. This strategy, however, has not been applied in any other organ system. We tested the feasibility of using this MGMT (P140K)-mediated enrichment strategy for cell transplantation in skeletal muscles of mice. We demonstrate that muscle cells expressing an MGMT (P140K) drug resistance gene can be protected and selectively enriched in response to alkylating chemotherapy both in vitro and in vivo. Upon transplantation of MGMT (P140K)-expressing male CD34(+ve) donor stem cells isolated from regenerating skeletal muscle into injured female muscle treated with alkylating chemotherapy, donor cells showed enhanced engraftment in the recipient muscle 7 days following transplantation as examined by quantitative-polymerase chain reaction using Y-chromosome specific primers. Fluorescent in situ hybridization analysis using a Y-chromosome paint probe revealed donor-derived de novo muscle fiber formation in the recipient muscle 14 days following transplantation, with approximately 12.5% of total nuclei within the regenerated recipient muscle being of donor origin. Following engraftment, the chemo-protected donor CD34(+ve) cells induced substantial endogenous regeneration of the chemo-ablated host muscle that is otherwise unable to self-regenerate. We conclude that the MGMT (P140K)-mediated enrichment strategy can be successfully implemented in muscle.

BPOZ-2 directly binds to eEF1A1 to promote eEF1A1 ubiquitylation and degradation and prevent translation

Bood POZ containing gene type 2 (BPOZ-2), which contains ankyrin repeats, NLS, BTB/POZ domains and LXXLL motifs, is an adaptor protein for the E3 ubiquitin ligase scaffold protein CUL3. We isolated a cDNA encoding eukaryotic elongation factor 1A1 (eEF1A1) as a BPOZ-2 binding protein by screening a human thymus cDNA library using a yeast two-hybrid system. eEF1A1 is essential for translation and is also involved in the 26S proteasome-dependent degradation of misfolded or unfolded proteins. The binding between BPOZ-2 and eEF1A1 was confirmed by pull-down and immunoprecipitation assays in vitro and in vivo, respectively. BPOZ-2 binds to eEF1A1 through the ankyrin repeats and both BTB/POZ domains in BPOZ-2 and Domains I and III in eEF1A1. BPOZ-2 and eEF1A1 over-expressed in HEK 293T cells co-localized as speckles within the cytoplasm. BPOZ-2 promoted eEF1A1 ubiquitylation and degradation, suggesting that eEF1A1 is a substrate of BPOZ-2. BPOZ-2 inhibited GTP binding to eEF1A1 and prevented translation in in vitro translation assay using rabbit reticulocytes.

Translation of nonSTOP mRNA is repressed post-initiation in mammalian cells

We investigated the fate of aberrant mRNAs lacking in-frame termination codons (called nonSTOP mRNA) in mammalian cells. We found that translation of nonSTOP mRNA was considerably repressed although a corresponding reduction of mRNA was not observed. The repression appears to be post-initiation since (i) repressed nonSTOP mRNAs were associated with polysomes, (ii) translation of IRES-initiated and uncapped nonSTOP mRNA were repressed, and (iii) protein production from nonSTOP mRNA associating with polysomes was significantly reduced when used to program an in vitro run-off translation assay. NonSTOP mRNAs distributed into lighter polysome fractions compared to control mRNAs encoding a stop codon, and a significant amount of heterogeneous polypeptides were produced during in vitro translation of nonSTOP RNAs, suggesting premature termination of ribosomes translating nonSTOP mRNA. Moreover, a run-off translation assay using hippuristanol and RNAse protection assays suggested the presence of a ribosome stalled at the 3' end of nonSTOP mRNAs. Taken together, these data indicate that ribosome stalling at the 3' end of nonSTOP mRNAs can block translation by preventing upstream translation events.

Lengthening contractions differentially affect p70s6k phosphorylation compared to isometric contractions in rat skeletal muscle

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if p70(s6k) phosphorylation is dependent on the mode of resistance exercise (e.g. isometric vs. lengthening). Two groups (n = 5 each) of Female Sprague Dawley rats, approximately 12 weeks old, were tested. Rats were anesthetized and indwelling electrodes used to stimulate the right hind limb muscles via the sciatic nerve. The tibialis anterior (TA) muscle of Group 1 rats were exposed to three sets of ten isometric resistance contractions while the TA of Group 2 rats were exposed to three sets of ten resistance contractions that involved lengthening. Contralateral TA muscles served as non-exercised controls. The TA muscle was harvested 6 h post exercise and then the rat was euthanized. Muscle samples were processed to compare p70(s6k) phosphorylation between groups. A single bout of TA contractions that involved muscle lengthening resulted in significantly (p < 0.05) higher levels of phospho-p70(s6k) six hours post exercise compared to controls and isometric contractions. The differences in total p70(s6k) six hours post exercise were not significantly different between groups. Results suggest that signal transduction pathways activated by isometric exercise may differ (i.e., a non-p70(s6k) activation pathway) from that activated by lengthening exercise.

Signalling to translation: how signal transduction pathways control the protein synthetic machinery

Recent advances in our understanding of both the regulation of components of the translational machinery and the upstream signalling pathways that modulate them have provided important new insights into the mechanisms by which hormones, growth factors, nutrients and cellular energy status control protein synthesis in mammalian cells. The importance of proper control of mRNA translation is strikingly illustrated by the fact that defects in this process or its control are implicated in a number of disease states, such as cancer, tissue hypertrophy and neurodegeneration. Signalling pathways such as those involving mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) and mitogen-activated protein kinases modulate the phosphorylation of translation factors, the activities of the protein kinases that act upon them and the association of RNA-binding proteins with specific mRNAs. These effects contribute both to the overall control of protein synthesis (which is linked to cell growth) and to the modulation of the translation or stability of specific mRNAs. However, important questions remain about both the contributions of individual regulatory events to the control of general protein synthesis and the mechanisms by which the translation of specific mRNAs is controlled.

Resistance exercise, muscle loading/unloading and the control of muscle mass

Muscle mass is determined by the difference between the rate of protein synthesis and degradation. If synthesis is greater than degradation, muscle mass will increase (hypertrophy) and when the reverse is true muscle mass will decrease (atrophy). Following resistance exercise/increased loading there is a transient increase in protein synthesis within muscle. This change in protein synthesis correlates with an increase in the activity of protein kinase B/Akt and mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin). mTOR increases protein synthesis by increasing translation initiation and by inducing ribosomal biogenesis. By contrast, unloading or inactivity results in a decrease in protein synthesis and a significant increase in muscle protein breakdown. The decrease in synthesis is due in part to the inactivation of mTOR and therefore a decrease in translation initiation, but also to a decrease in the rate of translation elongation. The increase in degradation is the result of a co-ordinated response of the calpains, lysosomal proteases and the ATP-dependent ubiquitin-proteosome. Caspase 3 and the calpains act upstream of the ubiquitin–proteosome system to assist in the complete breakdown of the myofibrillar proteins. Two muscle specific E3 ubiquitin ligases, MuRF1 and MAFbx/atrogen-1, have been identified as key regulators of muscle atrophy. In this chapter, these pathways and how the balance between anabolism and catabolism is affected by loading and unloading will be discussed.

Repression of protein synthesis and mTOR signaling in rat liver mediated by the AMPK activator aminoimidazole carboxamide ribonucleoside

The studies described herein were designed to investigate the effects of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-D-ribonucleoside (AICAR), an activator of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), on the translational control of protein synthesis and signaling through the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in rat liver. Effects of AICAR observed in vivo were compared with those obtained in an in situ perfused liver preparation to investigate activation of AMPK in the absence of accompanying changes in hormones and nutrients. AMPK became hyperphosphorylated, as assessed by a gel-shift analysis, in response to AICAR both in vivo and in situ; however, increased relative phosphorylation at the Thr172 site on the kinase was observed only in perfused liver. Phosphorylation of AMPK either in vivo or in situ was associated with a repression of protein synthesis as well as decreased phosphorylation of a number of targets of mTOR signaling including ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1, eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF)4G, and eIF4E-binding protein (4E-BP)1. The phosphorylation changes in eIF4G and 4E-BP1 were accompanied by a reduction in the amount of eIF4E present in the active eIF4E.eIF4G complex and an increase in the amount present in the inactive eIF4E.4E-BP1 complex. Reduced insulin signaling as well as differences in nutrient availability may have contributed to the effects observed in vivo as AICAR caused a fall in the serum insulin concentration. Overall, however, the results from both experimental models support a scenario in which AICAR directly represses protein synthesis and mTOR signaling in the liver through an AMPK-dependent mechanism.

Gene expression of energy and protein metabolism in hearts of hypertensive nitric oxide- or GSH-depleted mice

Hypertension demands cardiac synthetic and metabolic adaptations to increased afterload. We studied gene expression in two models of mild hypertension without overt left ventricular hypertrophy using the NO synthase inhibitor nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) and the glutathione depletor buthionine-S,R-sulfoximine (BSO). Mice were administered L-NNA, BSO, or water for 8 weeks. RNA of left ventricles was pooled per group, reverse transcribed, Cy3 and Cy5 labeled, and hybridized to cDNA microarrays. Normalized log(2) Cy3/Cy5 ratios of > or =0.7 or < or =-0.7 were considered significant. L-NNA and BSO both caused hypertension. Gene expression was regulated in cytoskeletal components in both models, protein synthesis in L-NNA-treated mice, and energy metabolism in BSO-treated mice. Energy metabolism genes shared several common transcription factor-binding sites such as Coup-Tf2, of which gene expression was increased in BSO-treated mice, and COMP-1. Characterization of the left ventricular adaptations as assessed with gene expression profiles reveals differential expression in energy and protein metabolism related to the pathogenetic background of the hypertension.

Hydrogen peroxide mediates Rac1 activation of S6K1

We previously reported that hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) mediates mitogen activation of ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) which plays an important role in cell proliferation and growth. In this study, we investigated a possible role of H2O2 as a molecular linker in Rac1 activation of S6K1. Overexpression of recombinant catalase in NIH-3T3 cells led to the drastic inhibition of H2O2 production by PDGF, which was accompanied by a decrease in S6K1 activity. Similarly, PDGF activation of S6K1 was significantly inhibited by transient transfection or stable transfection of the cells with a dominant-negative Rac1 (Rac1N17), while overexpression of constitutively active Rac1 (Rac1V12) in the cells led to an increase in basal activity of S6K1. In addition, stable transfection of Rat2 cells with Rac1N17 dramatically attenuated the H2O2 production by PDGF as compared with that in the control cells. In contrast, Rat2 cells stably transfected with Rac1V12 produced high level of H2O2 in the absence of PDGF, comparable to that in the control cells stimulated with PDGF. More importantly, elimination of H2O2 produced in Rat2 cells overexpressing Rac1V12 inhibited the Rac1V12 activation of S6K1, indicating the possible role of H2O2 as a mediator in the activation of S6K1 by Rac1. However, H2O2 could be also produced via other pathway, which is independent of Rac1 or PI3K, because in Rat2 cells stably transfected with Rac1N17, H2O2 could be produced by arsenite, which has been shown to be a stimulator of H2O2 production. Taken together, these results suggest that H2O2 plays a pivotal role as a mediator in Rac1 activation of S6K1.

Cooperation between fibroblast growth factor receptor-4 and ErbB2 in regulation of cyclin D1 translation

Alterations in ErbB2 or fibroblast growth factor receptor-4 (FGFR-4) expression and activity occur in a significant fraction of breast cancers. Because signaling molecules and pathways cooperate to drive cancer progression, simultaneous targeting of multiple pathways is an appealing therapeutic strategy. With this in mind, we examined breast tumor cells for their sensitivity to the ErbB2 and FGFR inhibitors, PKI166 and PD173074, respectively. Simultaneous blocking of ErbB2 and FGFR-4 in MDA-MB-453 tumor cells had a stronger anti-proliferative effect than treatment with individual inhibitors. Examination of cell cycle regulators revealed a novel translation-mediated mechanism whereby ErbB2 and FGFR-4 cooperate to regulate cyclin D1 levels. Our results showed that FGFR-4 and ErbB2 via the MAPK and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B pathways, respectively, both contribute to the maintenance of constitutive activity of the mammalian target of rapamycin translational pathway. Dual inhibition of these receptors strongly blocked S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) activity and cyclin D1 translation, as attested by a decrease in cyclin D1 mRNA association with polysomes. Ectopic expression of active protein kinase B or active S6K1 abrogated the dual inhibitor-mediated down-regulation of cyclin D1 expression, demonstrating the importance of these FGFR-4/ErbB2 signaling targets in regulating cyclin D1 translation. S6K1 has the central role in this process, since small interfering RNA-targeted S6K1 depletion led to a decrease in cellular S6K1 activity and, as a consequence, repression of cyclin D1 expression. Thus, we propose a novel mechanism for controlling cyclin D1 expression downstream of combined activity of ErbB2 and FGFR-4 that involves S6K1-mediated translation.

S6K1(-/-)/S6K2(-/-) mice exhibit perinatal lethality and rapamycin-sensitive 5'-terminal oligopyrimidine mRNA translation and reveal a mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent S6 kinase pathway

Activation of 40S ribosomal protein S6 kinases (S6Ks) is mediated by anabolic signals triggered by hormones, growth factors, and nutrients. Stimulation by any of these agents is inhibited by the bacterial macrolide rapamycin, which binds to and inactivates the mammalian target of rapamycin, an S6K kinase. In mammals, two genes encoding homologous S6Ks, S6K1 and S6K2, have been identified. Here we show that mice deficient for S6K1 or S6K2 are born at the expected Mendelian ratio. Compared to wild-type mice, S6K1(-/-) mice are significantly smaller, whereas S6K2(-/-) mice tend to be slightly larger. However, mice lacking both genes showed a sharp reduction in viability due to perinatal lethality. Analysis of S6 phosphorylation in the cytoplasm and nucleoli of cells derived from the distinct S6K genotypes suggests that both kinases are required for full S6 phosphorylation but that S6K2 may be more prevalent in contributing to this response. Despite the impairment of S6 phosphorylation in cells from S6K1(-/-)/S6K2(-/-) mice, cell cycle progression and the translation of 5'-terminal oligopyrimidine mRNAs were still modulated by mitogens in a rapamycin-dependent manner. Thus, the absence of S6K1 and S6K2 profoundly impairs animal viability but does not seem to affect the proliferative responses of these cell types. Unexpectedly, in S6K1(-/-)/S6K2(-/-) cells, S6 phosphorylation persisted at serines 235 and 236, the first two sites phosphorylated in response to mitogens. In these cells, as well as in rapamycin-treated wild-type, S6K1(-/-), and S6K2(-/-) cells, this step was catalyzed by a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-dependent kinase, most likely p90rsk. These data reveal a redundancy between the S6K and the MAPK pathways in mediating early S6 phosphorylation in response to mitogens.

A 32 kDa protein?whose phosphorylation correlates with oncogenic Ras-induced cell cycle arrest in activatedXenopus egg extracts?is identified as ribosomal protein S6

Oncogenic Ras induces cell-cycle arrest in mammalian cells and in fertilized Xenopus eggs. How oncogenic Ras induces cell-cycle arrest remains unclear. We previously showed that oncogenic Ras induces cell-cycle arrest in activated Xenopus egg extracts (cycling extracts) and that the induced cell-cycle arrest correlates with hyperphosphorylation of a 32 kDa protein. However, the identity of the 32 kDa protein was not known. By using a sucrose density-gradient centrifugation, Triton X-100-acetic acid-urea (TAU)-gel electrophoresis, composite agarose-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (CAPAGE), SDS-PAGE, and partial tryptic peptide sequence analysis, the 32 kDa protein has now been identified as S6, a 40S subunit ribosomal protein. Hence, our results indicate that the oncogenic Ras-induced cell-cycle arrest is correlated with hyperphosphorylation of S6, suggesting that phosphorylation of S6 plays an important role in the induced cell-cycle arrest. It has been shown that conditional deletion of gene encoding S6 in mammalian cells prevents proliferation, demonstrating the importance of S6 in cell proliferation. The exact role S6 plays in cell proliferation is unclear. However, phosphorylation of S6 has been implicated in the regulation of protein synthesis. Thus, our results are consistent with the concept that oncogenic Ras induces S6 phosphorylation to influence protein synthesis, thereby contributing to the cell-cycle arrest. In addition, our results also demonstrate that composite agarose-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is suitable for the separation of large molecular complexes.

Role of mTOR Signalling in the Control of Translation Initiation and Elongation by Nutrients

Protein synthesis requires nutrients both as precursors (amino acids) and as a source of energy, since this process consumes a high proportion of cellular metabolic energy. Recent work has shown that both types of nutrients directly influence the activities of components of the translational machinery in mammalian cells. Amino acids positively regulate signalling through the mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, although the degree of dependency on external amino acids varies between cell types. mTOR signalling modulates several key components involved in mRNA translation, in particular (via repressor proteins) the cap-binding initiation factor eIF4E, the ribosomal protein S6 kinases, and elongation factor eEF2. The branched-chain amino acid leucine is the most effective one in most cell types. It is currently unclear how mammalian cells sense prevailing amino acid levels, although this may involve intracellular amino acids. Cellular ATP levels can also influence mTOR activity. The activities of some translation factors are modulated by mTOR-independent mechanisms. Examples include the regulation of eEF2 by cellular energy levels, which may be controlled via the AMP-activated protein kinase, and the activity of the guanine nucleotide-exchange factor eIF2B, which is modulated by amino acids and metabolic fuels.

Hydrogen peroxide mediates arsenite activation of p70(s6k) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase

To define the mechanism of arsenite-induced tumor promotion, we examined the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the signaling pathways of cells exposed to arsenite. Arsenite treatment resulted in the persistent activation of p70(s6k) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) which was accompanied by an increase in intracellular ROS production. The predominant produced appeared to be H(2)O(2), because the arsenite-induced increase in dichlorofluorescein (DCF) fluorescence was completely abolished by pretreatment with catalase but not with heat-inactivated catalase. Elimination of H(2)O(2) by catalase or N-acetyl-L-cysteine inhibited the arsenite-induced activation of p70(s6k) and ERK1/2, indicating the possible role of H(2)O(2) in the arsenite activation of the p70(s6k) and the ERK1/2 signaling pathways. A specific inhibitor of p70(s6k), rapamycin, and calcium chelators significantly blocked the activation of p70(s6k) induced by arsenite. While the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors wortmannin and LY294002 completely abrogated arsenite activation of p70(s6k), ERK1/2 activation by arsenite was not affected by these inhibitors, indicating that H(2)O(2) might act as an upstream molecule of PI3K as well as ERK1/2. Consistent with these results, none of the inhibitors impaired H(2)O(2) production by arsenite. DNA binding activity of AP-1, downstream of ERK1/2, was also inhibited by catalase, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, and the MEK inhibitor PD98059, which significantly blocked arsenite activation of ERK1/2. Taken together, these studies provide insight into mechanisms of arsenite-induced tumor promotion and suggest that H(2)O(2) plays a critical role in tumor promotion by arsenite through activation of the ERK1/2 and p70(s6k) signaling pathways.

Transduction of growth or mitogenic signals into translational activation of TOP mRNAs is fully reliant on the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-mediated pathway but requires neither S6K1 nor rpS6 phosphorylation

Translation of terminal oligopyrimidine tract (TOP) mRNAs, which encode multiple components of the protein synthesis machinery, is known to be controlled by mitogenic stimuli. We now show that the ability of cells to progress through the cell cycle is not a prerequisite for this mode of regulation. TOP mRNAs can be translationally activated when PC12 or embryonic stem (ES) cells are induced to grow (increase their size) by nerve growth factor and retinoic acid, respectively, while remaining mitotically arrested. However, both growth and mitogenic signals converge via the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase)-mediated pathway and are transduced to efficiently translate TOP mRNAs. Translational activation of TOP mRNAs can be abolished by LY294002, a PI3-kinase inhibitor, or by overexpression of PTEN as well as by dominant-negative mutants of PI3-kinase or its effectors, PDK1 and protein kinase Balpha (PKBalpha). Likewise, overexpression of constitutively active PI3-kinase or PKBalpha can relieve the translational repression of TOP mRNAs in quiescent cells. Both mitogenic and growth signals lead to phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 (rpS6), which precedes the translational activation of TOP mRNAs. Nevertheless, neither rpS6 phosphorylation nor its kinase, S6K1, is essential for the translational response of these mRNAs. Thus, TOP mRNAs can be translationally activated by growth or mitogenic stimuli of ES cells, whose rpS6 is constitutively unphosphorylated due to the disruption of both alleles of S6K1. Similarly, complete inhibition of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and its effector S6K by rapamycin in various cell lines has only a mild repressive effect on the translation of TOP mRNAs. It therefore appears that translation of TOP mRNAs is primarily regulated by growth and mitogenic cues through the PI3-kinase pathway, with a minor role, if any, for the mTOR pathway.

Response of rat muscle to acute resistance exercise defined by transcriptional and translational profiling

To further understand molecular mechanisms underlying skeletal muscle hypertrophy, expression profiles of translationally and transcriptionally regulated genes were characterized following an acute bout of maximally activated eccentric contractions. Experiments demonstrated that translational mechanisms contribute to acute gene expression changes following high resistance contractions with two candidate mRNAs, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and elongation factor-1 alpha (EF1alpha), targeted to the heavier polysomal fractions after a bout of contractions. Gene profiling was performed using Affymetrix Rat U34A GeneChips with either total RNA or polysomal RNA at one and six hours following contractions. There were 18 genes that changed expression at one hour and 70 genes that were different (60 genes increased:10 genes decreased)at six hours after contractions. The model from this profiling suggests that following high resistance contractions skeletal muscle shares a common growth profile with proliferating cells exposed to serum. This cluster of genes can be classified as "growth" genes and is commonly associated with progression of the cell cycle. However, a unique aspect was that there was induction of a cluster of tumour suppressor or antigrowth genes. We propose that this cluster of "antigrowth" genes is induced by the stress of contractile activity and may act to maintain skeletal muscle in the differentiated state. From the profiling results, further experiments determined that p53 levels increased in skeletal muscle at 6 h following contractions. This novel finding of p53 induction following exercise also demonstrates the power of expression profiling for identification of novel pathways involved in the response to muscle contraction.

Regulation of mammalian translation factors by nutrients

Protein synthesis requires both amino acids, as precursors, and a substantial amount of metabolic energy. It is well established that starvation or lack of nutrients impairs protein synthesis in mammalian cells and tissues. Branched chain amino acids are particularly effective in promoting protein synthesis. Recent work has revealed important new information about the mechanisms involved in these effects. A number of components of the translational machinery are regulated through signalling events that require the mammalian target of rapamycin, mTOR. These include translational repressor proteins (eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding proteins, 4E-BPs) and protein kinases that act upon the small ribosomal subunit (S6 kinases). Amino acids, especially leucine, positively regulate mTOR signalling thereby relieving inhibition of translation by 4E-BPs and activating the S6 kinases, which can also regulate translation elongation. However, the molecular mechanisms by which amino acids modulate mTOR signalling remain unclear. Protein synthesis requires a high proportion of the cell's metabolic energy, and recent work has revealed that metabolic energy, or fuels such as glucose, also regulate targets of the mTOR pathway. Amino acids and glucose modulate a further important regulatory step in translation initiation, the activity of the guanine nucleotide-exchange factor eIF2B. eIF2B controls the recruitment of the initiator methionyl-tRNA to the ribosome and is activated by insulin. However, in the absence of glucose or amino acids, insulin no longer activates eIF2B. Since control of eIF2B is independent of mTOR, these data indicate the operation of additional, and so far unknown, regulatory mechanisms that control eIF2B activity.

Constitutive activation of p70S6k in cancer cells

The mitogen-stimulated serine/threonine kinase p70S6k plays an important role in the progression of cells from G0/G1 to S phase of the cell cycle by translational up-regulation of a family of mRNA transcripts family of mRNA transcripts which contain polypyrimidine tract at their 5 transcriptional start site. Here, we report that p70S6k was constitutively phosphorylated and activated to various degrees in serum-deprived AGS, A2058, HT-1376, MG63, MCF7, MDA-MB-435S, MDA-MB-231 and MB-157. Rapamycin treatment induced a significant dephosphorylation and inactivation of p70S6k in all cancer cell lines, while wortmannin, a specific inhibitor of PI3-K, caused a mild dephosphorylation of p70S6k in AGS, MDA-MB-435S and MB-157. In addition, SQ20006, methylxanthine phosphodiesterase inhibitor, reduced the phosphorylation of p70S6k in all cancer cells tested. Consistent with inhibitory effect of rapamycin on p70S6k activity, rapamycin inhibited [3H]-thymidine incorporation and increased the number of cells at G0/G1 phase. Furthermore, these inhibitory effects were accompanied by the decrease in growth of cancer cells. Taken together, the results indicate that the antiproliferative activity of rapamycin might be attributed to cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase in human cancer cells through the inhibition of constitutively activated p70S6k of cancer cells and suggest p70S6k as a potential target for therapeutic strategies aimed at preventing or inhibiting tumor growth.

VIIa/tissue factor interaction results in a tissue factor cytoplasmic domain-independent activation of protein synthesis, p70, and p90 S6 kinase phosphorylation

FVIIa binding to tissue factor (TF) and subsequent signal transduction have now been implicated in a variety of pathophysiological processes, including cytokine production during sepsis, tumor angiogenesis and neoangiogenesis, and leukocyte diapedesis. The molecular details, however, by which FVIIa/TF affects gene expression and cellular physiology, remain obscure. Here we show that FVIIa induces a transient phosphorylation of p70/p85(S6K) and p90(RSK) in BHK cells stably transfected with either full-length TF or with a cytoplasmic domain-truncated TF but not in wild type BHK cells. Phosphorylation of these kinases was also observed in HaCaT cells, expressing endogenous TF. Phosphorylation of p70/p85(S6K) coincided with protein kinase B and GSK-3beta phosphorylation. Activation of p70/p85(S6K) was sensitive to inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and to rapamycin, whereas phosphorylation of p90(RSK) was sensitive to PD98059. FVIIa stimulation of p70/p85(S6K) and p90(RSK) correlated with phosphorylation of the eukaryotic initiation factor eIF-4E, up-regulation of protein levels of eEF1alpha and eEF2, and enhanced [(35)S]methionine incorporation. These effects were not influenced by inhibitors of thrombin or FXa generation and were strictly dependent on the presence of the extracellular domain of TF, but they did not require the intracellular portion of TF. We propose that a TF cytoplasmic domain-independent stimulation of protein synthesis via activation of S6 kinase contributes to FVIIa effects in pathophysiology.

Rapamycin induces binding activity to the terminal oligopyrimidine tract of ribosomal protein mRNA in rats

The immunosuppressant rapamycin selectively suppresses the translation of mRNAs containing a terminal oligopyrimidine (TOP) tract adjacent to the cap structure. trans-Acting factors that bind to the 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR) of TOP mRNAs may be involved in selective translational repression. Some of these factors are regulated by rapamycin-responsive signaling pathways. To identify candidates for the selective trans-acting factor, we examined whether administration of rapamycin alters the binding activity of proteins that bind to RNA containing the TOP element of mouse ribosomal protein (r-protein) L32 mRNA. Preadministration with Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) prior to rapamycin treatment resulted in increased translational efficiency of r-protein L32 mRNA in submaxillary lymph node (SLN; 2.3-fold), thymus (1.5-fold), and parotid gland (PG; 1.6-fold). Translation of r-protein L32 or elongation factor 1A mRNAs in SLN and PG from FCA-pretreated rats were sensitive to rapamycin administration and the binding ability of p56 was generally increased in extracts from these tissues. On the other hand, in thymus, rapamycin had no effect on the translational efficiency of TOP mRNAs and no p56 binding was detected in the extracts from FCA-pretreated animals. Coadministration of FK506, another immunosuppressive macrolide, increased the p56 TOP-RNA-binding activity and induced selective translational repression of TOP mRNAs in a dose-dependent manner, even in thymus. These findings indicate that p56 is a plausible candidate for the trans-acting factor responsible for regulating the translation of TOP mRNA by a rapamycin-sensitive pathway and that TOP mRNA translational regulation may be responsible for the tissue specificity of rapamycin.

Nerve growth factor specifically stimulates translation of eukaryotic elongation factor 1A-1 (eEF1A-1) mRNA by recruitment to polyribosomes in PC12 cells

During postnatal brain development the level of peptide elongation factor-1A (eEF1A-1) expression declines and that of the highly homologous isoform, eEF1A-2, increases in neurons. eEF1A-1 is implicated in cytoskeletal interactions, tumorigenesis, differentiation, and the absence of eEF1A-2 is implicated in neurodegeneration in the mouse mutant, wasted. The translation of eEF1A-1 mRNA is up-regulated via mitogenic stimulation. However, it is not known if eEF1A-1 mRNA translation is regulated by neurotrophins or if its synthesis is differentially regulated than that of the neuronal isoform, eEF1A-2. Regulated translation of these factors by neurotrophins, particularly by the Trk class of neurotrophin receptors, would implicate them in differentiation, survival, and neuronal plasticity. In this study, we investigated the effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) stimulation on the synthesis of eEF1A-1 and eEF1A-2. We found that NGF stimulation causes a preferential synthesis of eEF1A-1 over eEF1A-2 in PC12 cells. We analyzed the co-sedimentation of eEF1A-1 mRNA with polyribosome fractions in sucrose gradients, and found that NGF stimulation enriched the presence of eEF1A-1 mRNA in polyribosomes, indicating that the translation of eEF1A-1 mRNA is regulated by NGF. Inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (LY 294002), mammalian target of rapamycin (rapamycin), and the NGF receptor, TrkA (K-252a), but not of mitogen-activated protein kinase (PD 98059), prevented the recruitment of eEF1A-1 mRNA to polyribosomes. The mobilization of eEF1A-1 mRNA to polyribosomes was rapamycin-sensitive in both proliferating and differentiated PC12 cells, indicating the importance of this pathway during differentiation. Our data shows that after growth factor withdrawal, an NGF-signaling pathway stimulates eEF1A-1 mRNA translation in proliferating and differentiated PC12 cells. Therefore, eEF1A-1 mRNA is a specific translational target of TrkA signaling.

Amino acid-induced translation of TOP mRNAs is fully dependent on phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-mediated signaling, is partially inhibited by rapamycin, and is independent of S6K1 and rpS6 phosphorylation

Vertebrate TOP mRNAs contain an oligopyrimidine tract at their 5' termini (5'TOP) and encode components of the translational machinery. Previously it has been shown that they are subject to selective translational repression upon growth arrest and that their translational behavior correlates with the activity of S6K1. We now show that the translation of TOP mRNAs is rapidly repressed by amino acid withdrawal and that this nutritional control depends strictly on the integrity of the 5'TOP motif. However, neither phosphorylation of ribosomal protein (rp) S6 nor activation of S6K1 per se is sufficient to relieve the translational repression of TOP mRNAs in amino acid-starved cells. Likewise, inhibition of S6K1 activity and rpS6 phosphorylation by overexpression of dominant-negative S6K1 mutants failed to suppress the translational activation of TOP mRNAs in amino acid-refed cells. Furthermore, TOP mRNAs were translationally regulated by amino acid sufficiency in embryonic stem cells lacking both alleles of the S6K1 gene. Inhibition of mTOR by rapamycin led to fast and complete repression of S6K1, as judged by rpS6 phosphorylation, but to only partial and delayed repression of translational activation of TOP mRNAs. In contrast, interference in the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase)-mediated pathway by chemical or genetic manipulations blocked rapidly and completely the translational activation of TOP mRNAs. It appears, therefore, that translational regulation of TOP mRNAs, at least by amino acids, (i) is fully dependent on PI3-kinase, (ii) is partially sensitive to rapamycin, and (iii) requires neither S6K1 activity nor rpS6 phosphorylation.

Translation control: bridging the gap between genomics and proteomics?

mRNA profiling enables the expression levels of thousands of transcripts in a cell to be monitored simultaneously. Nevertheless, analyses in yeast and mammalian cells have demonstrated that mRNA levels alone are unreliable indicators of the corresponding protein abundances. This discrepancy between mRNA and protein levels argues for the relevance of additional control mechanisms besides transcription. As translational control is a major mechanism regulating gene expression, the use of translated mRNA in profiling experiments might depict the proteome more closely than does the use of total mRNA. This would combine the technical potential of genomics with the physiological relevance of proteomics.

Translational control in vertebrate development

Translational control plays a large role in vertebrate oocyte maturation and contributes to the induction of the germ layers. Translational regulation is also observed in the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation. The features of an mRNA that mediate translational control are found both in the 5' and in the 3' untranslated regions (UTRs). In the 5' UTR, secondary structure, the binding of proteins, and the presence of upstream open reading frames can interfere with the association of initiation factors with the cap, or with scanning of the initiation complex. The 3' UTR can mediate translational activation by directing cytoplasmic polyadenylation and can confer translational repression by interference with the assembly of initiation complexes. Besides mRNA-specific translational control elements, the nonspecific RNA-binding proteins contribute to the modulation of translation in development. This review discusses examples of translational control and their relevance for developmental regulation.

Regulation of elongation factor-1alpha expression by growth factors and anti-receptor blocking antibodies

The epidermal growth factor (EGF) family and its receptors regulate normal and cancerous epithelial cell proliferation, a process that could be suppressed by anti-receptor blocking antibodies. Polypeptide elongation factor-1alpha (EF-1alpha) is a multifunctional protein whose levels are positively correlated with the proliferative state of cells. To identify genes, whose expression may be modulated by anti-receptor blocking antibodies, we performed a differential display screening and isolated differentially expressed cDNAs. Isolates from one clone were 100% identical to human EF-1alpha. Both EGF and heregulin-beta1 (HRG) induced EF-1alpha promoter activity and mRNA and protein expression. Growth factor-mediated EF-1alpha expression was effectively blocked by pretreatment with humanized anti-EGF receptor antibody C225 or anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) antibody herceptin. Mutants and pharmacological inhibitors of p38(MAPK) and MEK, but not phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, suppressed both constitutive and HRG-induced stimulation of EF-1alpha promoter activity in MCF-7 cells. Deletion analysis of the promoter suggested the requirement of the -393 to -204 region for growth factor-mediated transcription of EF-1alpha. Fine mapping and point mutation studies revealed a role of the SP1 site in the observed HRG-mediated regulation of the EF-1alpha promoter. In addition, we also provide new evidence to suggest that HRG stimulation of the EF-1alpha promoter involves increased physical interactions with acetylated histone H3 and histone H4. These results suggest that regulation of EF-1alpha expression by extracellular signals that function through human EGF receptor family members that are widely deregulated in human cancers and that growth factor regulation of EF-1alpha expression involve histone acetylation.

Inhibition of protein synthesis by didemnins: cell potency and SAR

Synthetic and naturally occurring didemnins are potent and specific inhibitors of protein synthesis in vitro. Structure-activity analysis indicates a requirement for the intact macrocycle; however, the smaller ring size represented by the didemnin analogue, tamandarin A, is equipotent to didemnin B. Replacement of the N,O-dimethyltyrosine by a N-methylphenylalanine or N-methylleucine residue is also well-tolerated. The rank order for inhibition of protein synthesis in vitro appears to be retained in MCF-7 cells, albeit at much higher potency. This increase in potency is explained for the first time by data indicating that MCF-7 cells can accumulate didemnin B up to 2-3 orders of magnitude compared to the growth medium.

Synthesis of the translational apparatus is regulated at the translational level

The synthesis of many mammalian proteins associated with the translational apparatus is selectively regulated by mitogenic and nutritional stimuli, at the translational level. The apparent advantages of the regulation of gene expression at the translational level are the speed and the readily reversible nature of the response to altering physiological conditions. These two features enable cells to rapidly repress the biosynthesis of the translational machinery upon shortage of amino acids or growth arrest, thus rapidly blocking unnecessary energy wastage. Likewise, when amino acids are replenished or mitogenic stimulation is applied, then cells can rapidly respond in resuming the costly biosynthesis of the translational apparatus. A structural hallmark, common to mRNAs encoding many components of the translational machinery, is the presence of a 5' terminal oligopyrimidine tract (5'TOP), referred to as TOP mRNAs. This structural motif comprises the core of the translational cis-regulatory element of these mRNAs. The present review focuses on the mechanism underlying the translational control of TOP mRNAs upon growth and nutritional stimuli. A special emphasis is put on the pivotal role played by ribosomal protein S6 kinase (S6K) in this mode of regulation, and the upstream regulatory pathways, which might be engaged in transducing external signals into activation of S6K. Finally, the possible involvement of pyrimidine-binding proteins in the translational control of TOP mRNAs is discussed.

Role of S6 phosphorylation and S6 kinase in cell growth

This article reviews our current knowledge of the role of ribosomal protein S6 phosphorylation and the S6 kinase (S6K) signaling pathway in the regulation of cell growth and proliferation. Although 40S ribosomal protein S6 phosphorylation was first described 25 years ago, it only recently has been implicated in the translational up-regulation of mRNAs coding for the components of protein synthetic apparatus. These mRNAs contain an oligopyrimidine tract at their 5' transcriptional start site, termed a 5'TOP, which has been shown to be essential for their regulation at the translational level. In parallel, a great deal of information has accumulated concerning the identification of the signaling pathway and the regulatory phosphorylation sites involved in controlling S6K activation. Despite this knowledge we are only beginning to identify the direct upstream elements involved in growth factor-induced kinase activation. Use of the immunosupressant rapamycin, a bacterial macrolide, in conjunction with dominant interfering and activated forms of S6K1 has helped to establish the role of this signaling cascade in the regulation of growth and proliferation. In addition, current studies employing the mouse as well as Drosophila melanogaster have provided new insights into physiological function of S6K in the animal. Deletion of the S6K1 gene in mouse cells led to an animal of reduced size and the identification of the S6K1 homolog, S6K2, whereas loss of dS6K function in Drosophila demonstrated its paramount importance in development and growth control.

Rapid up-regulation of peptide elongation factor EF-1alpha protein levels is an immediate early event during oxidative stress-induced apoptosis

Hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) induces apoptosis in cultured cells, in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with H(2)O(2) causes decreased mitochondrial respiration, along with DNA degradation and the formation of an oligonucleosomal ladder, all hallmarks of apoptotic cell death. In this report, we investigate alterations in expression of a peptide elongation factor, EF-1alpha, during oxidative challenge. EF-1alpha protein levels undergo rapid increase upon treatment with H(2)O(2); however, whereas sublethal doses of H(2)O(2) stimulate only transient increases of EF-1alpha protein levels, lethal doses produce sustained elevation of EF-1alpha levels. Furthermore, pretreatment of H9c2(2-1) cells with transcriptional inhibitors fails to abolish the oxidant-induced increase in EF-1alpha, and Northern blotting analysis reveals that EF-1alpha mRNA levels remain steady throughout the H(2)O(2) treatment period, suggesting that the up-regulation of EF-1alpha is mediated posttranscriptionally. Transient transfection with an antisense EF-1alpha cDNA protects against hydrogen peroxide-mediated cytotoxicity in proportion to the degree of repression of EF-1alpha protein levels, suggesting that up-regulation of EF-1alpha plays a role in expediting the execution of the apoptotic program in response to oxidative stress.

The human elongation factor 1 A-2 gene (EEF1A2): complete sequence and characterization of gene structure and promoter activity

The eukaryotic elongation factor 1 A (eEF1A, formerly EF1alpha) is a key factor in protein synthesis, where it promotes the transfer of aminoacylated tRNAs to the A site of the ribosome. Two differentially expressed isoforms of eEF1A, designated eEF1A-1 and eEF1A-2, are found in mammals. Here we report the isolation and sequencing of the gene (HGMW-approved symbol EEF1A2) coding for the human eEF1A-2 isoform. Furthermore, we characterize the gene structure and the activity of the promoter. Isolation of overlapping clones from human libraries revealed that the human eEF1A-2 gene spans approximately 10 kb and consists of eight exons. The intron-exon boundaries of human EEF1A2 and EEF1A1 are conserved, yet the gene of the eEF1A-2 isoform is larger than the eEF1A-1 gene because of enlarged introns. Primer extension analysis identified the predominant transcription start site 166 bp upstream of the AUG codon. The start site maps to an adenine located within a consensus initiator element. Sequencing of a 2-kb 5'-flanking promoter region revealed no TATA element. However, several putative cis-regulatory elements were discovered. The 5'-promoter activity was characterized by transient transfection experiments. Progressive deletions of the upstream promoter region defined a minimal promoter region, ranging from -16 to +92, that is sufficient to drive transcription.

Autocrine phosphorylation of p70(S6k) in response to acute stretch in myotubes

Phosphorylation of 70-KDa S6 kinase (p70(S6k)) is correlated with in vivo skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Experiments tested whether mechanical stretch is sufficient to increase p70(S6k) phosphorylation in skeletal myotubes. Immediately following stretch, there was a small increase in p70(S6k) phosphorylation (63.2 +/- 8.5%) with maximal phosphorylation at 3 h (129.5 +/- 22.2%) and it remained elevated through 24 h (46.0 +/- 17.2%). To test whether an autocrine mechanism is involved, unstretched myotubes were incubated with medium from the stretch group for 10 min. Conditioned medium resulted in the phosphorylation of p70(S6k) in unstretched myotubes (92.8 +/- 28.9%) to levels comparable to the 3-h stretch group. These data indicate that p70(S6k) is phosphorylated in stretched myotubes via a mechanism that most likely involves an autocrine signaling pathway.

Translational control of ribosomal protein L4 mRNA is required for rapid neurite regeneration

Under some circumstances neurons can be primed to rapidly regenerate injured neuritic processes independent of new gene expression. Such transcription-independent neurite extension occurs in adult rat sensory neurons cultured after sciatic nerve crush and in NGF-differentiated PC12 cells whose neurites have been mechanically sheared. In the PC12 cells, neurite regeneration occurs by means of translational control of mRNAs which were transcribed prior to neurite injury. The survival of such translationally regulated mRNAs is relatively short in the differentiated PC12 cells (< or =10 h). By subtractive hybridization, we have isolated a short-lived mRNA from differentiated PC12 cells. This mRNA, which encodes the ribosomal protein L4, is translationally regulated during neurite regeneration in PC12 cells. Antisense oligonucleotides to L4 mRNA inhibit neurite regeneration from the differentiated PC12 cells as well as axonal elongation from conditioned sensory neurons, indicating that ongoing translation of L4 mRNA is needed for these forms of rapid transcription-independent neurite growth. Taken together, these data point to the importance of translational regulation of existing neuronal mRNAs in the regenerative responses to neuronal injury. Although there are other examples of neuronal translational control, there are no other known neuronal proteins whose levels are regulated predominantly by translational rather than transcriptional control.

Translational control of viral gene expression in eukaryotes

As obligate intracellular parasites, viruses rely exclusively on the translational machinery of the host cell for the synthesis of viral proteins. This relationship has imposed numerous challenges on both the infecting virus and the host cell. Importantly, viruses must compete with the endogenous transcripts of the host cell for the translation of viral mRNA. Eukaryotic viruses have thus evolved diverse mechanisms to ensure translational efficiency of viral mRNA above and beyond that of cellular mRNA. Mechanisms that facilitate the efficient and selective translation of viral mRNA may be inherent in the structure of the viral nucleic acid itself and can involve the recruitment and/or modification of specific host factors. These processes serve to redirect the translation apparatus to favor viral transcripts, and they often come at the expense of the host cell. Accordingly, eukaryotic cells have developed antiviral countermeasures to target the translational machinery and disrupt protein synthesis during the course of virus infection. Not to be outdone, many viruses have answered these countermeasures with their own mechanisms to disrupt cellular antiviral pathways, thereby ensuring the uncompromised translation of virion proteins. Here we review the varied and complex translational programs employed by eukaryotic viruses. We discuss how these translational strategies have been incorporated into the virus life cycle and examine how such programming contributes to the pathogenesis of the host cell.

Hydrogen peroxide activates p70(S6k) signaling pathway

We investigated a possible role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in p70(S6k) activation, which plays an important role in the progression of cells from G(0)/G(1) to S phase of the cell cycle by translational up-regulation of a family of mRNA transcripts that encode for components of the protein synthetic machinery. Treatment of mouse epidermal cell JB6 with H(2)O(2) generated extracellularly by glucose/glucose oxidase led to the activation of p70(S6k) and p90(Rsk) and to phosphorylation of p42(MAPK)/p44(MAPK). The activation of p70(S6k) and p90(Rsk) was dose-dependent and transient, maximal activities being in extracts treated for 15 and 30 min, respectively. Further characterization of ROS-induced activation of p70(S6k) using specific inhibitors for p70(S6k) signaling pathway, rapamycin, and wortmannin revealed that ROS acted upstream of the rapamycin-sensitive component FRAP/RAFT and wortmannin-sensitive component phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, because both inhibitors caused the inhibition of ROS-induced p70(S6k) activity. In addition, Ca(2+) chelation also inhibited ROS-induced activation of p70(S6k), indicating that Ca(2+) is a mediator of p70(S6k) activation by ROS. However, down-regulation of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-responsive protein kinase C (PKC) by chronic pretreatment with TPA or a specific PKC inhibitor Ro-31-8220 did not block the activation of p70(S6k) by ROS, indicating that the activation of TPA-responsive PKC was not required for stimulation of p70(S6k) activity by H(2)O(2) in JB6 cells. Exposure of JB6 cells to platelet-derived growth factor or epidermal growth factor led to a rapid increase in H(2)O(2), phosphorylation, and activation of p70(S6k), which were antagonized by the pretreatment of catalase. Taken together, the results suggest that ROS act as a messenger in growth factor-induced p70(S6k) signaling pathway.

Regulation of Src-family protein tyrosine kinase transcription during lymphocyte ontogeny

The distribution and quantity of cellular signaling elements influence response patterns to a variety of stimuli. As protein tyrosine phosphorylation is a requisite event induced by a majority of surface receptors, and protein tyrosine kinases of the src-family (src-PTKs) act as proximal transducers for many hematopoietic receptors, we have designed a quantitative RT-PCR assay to measure src-family PTK expression during critical stages of lymphocyte ontogeny. With this assay we demonstrate that the distal promoter element regulating expression of lck, a src-PTK essential for T-cell development and activation, is similarly regulated during ontogeny of T and B cells. However, lck transcript abundance is drastically reduced in B lineage cells, suggesting that transcriptional elements influencing lck promoter activity are modulated in these cells. Moreover, although transcripts encoding the src-PTK fyn accumulate at 0.1% of lck mRNA levels in thymocytes, diminished activity of the lck distal promoter in the B-cell background brings lck and fyn transcript levels to near equivalence in this population. Importantly, transcripts arising from the lck distal promoter element and the fyn locus are similarly upregulated during developmental transitions associated with antigen-receptor expression in both B and T cells. These findings suggest that although the magnitude of lck and fyn expression is differentially regulated in B and T cells, expression at these loci is similarly developmentally programmed during ontogeny of both lymphocyte lineages.

Cloning of aSchizosaccharomyces pombehomologue of elongation factor 1 alpha by two-hybrid selection of calmodulin-binding proteins

This study reports the cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding elongation factor 1-alpha (EF1alpha) from the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. The cDNA was cloned from an Schizosaccharomyces pombe expression library by a two-hybrid selection for clones encoding calmodulin (CaM)-binding proteins. The predicted protein is highly homologous to mammalian EF1alpha, indicating a strong tendency towards conservation of the primary amino acid sequence. The protein was expressed as a glutathione S-transferase fusion in both bacteria and in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. The bacterial protein was shown by solution assay to compete with CaM kinase II for CaM. The CaM binding domain was localized to the C-terminus of the protein by this method. Expression of full-length EF1alpha in vivo caused an increase in cell cycle length and a decreased rate of growth as evidenced by a lack of elongated cells in slowly dividing cultures. This effect appears to involve CaM binding because a truncation mutant version of EF1alpha lacking the CaM binding domain did not cause cell cycle delay.Key words: calmodulin, two-hybrid selection, calmodulin-binding protein, yeast, cell proliferation.

Identification of differentially expressed genes in Con A-activated carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) leucocytes

A cDNA library was constructed from the message RNA (mRNA) obtained from Con A-induced head kidney (HK) leucocytes of carp (Cyprinus carpio L.). Differential screening of the cDNA was carried out by hybridization against the total cDNA probes from normal, Con A-uninduced HK leucocytes or Con A-induced HK leucocytes of carp. The differential expression patterns of certain cDNA clones were confirmed by Southern-blot and Northern-blot analysis. Single-pass of the sequencing analysis and homology search in Genbank (EMBL) revealed those differentially expressed cDNA clones encode for cytochrome c oxidase sub-unit II and III (COII and COIII), elongation factor-1 beta (EF-1 beta), bleomycin hydrolase (BH), heat shock cognate protein 70 (HSC70) and 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA).

TOP mRNAs are translationally inhibited by a titratable repressor in both wheat germ extract and reticulocyte lysate

Vertebrate TOP mRNAs contain a 5' terminal oligopyrimidine tract (5' TOP), which is subject to selective translational repression in non-growing cells or in cell-free translation systems. In the present study, we monitored in vitro the effect of increasing amounts of a 16 nucleotides long oligoribonucleotide representing the 5' terminus of mouse ribosomal protein S16 mRNA on the translation of TOP and non-TOP mRNAs. Our results demonstrate that the wild-type sequence (but not its mutant counterparts) derepresses the translation of mRNAs containing 5' TOP motifs, but failed to stimulate the translation of non-TOP mRNAs, even if the latter differed only by a single nucleotide from their 5' TOP-containing counterparts. Similar results have been obtained with both wheat germ extract and rabbit reticulocyte lysate. It appears, therefore, that translational repression of TOP mRNAs is achieved in vitro by the accumulation of a titratable repressor rather than by the loss of an activator and that this repressor recognizes multiple TOP mRNAs with a diverse set of 5' TOP motifs.