Importance of a Surface Hydrophobic Pocket on Protein Phosphatase-1 Catalytic Subunit in Recognizing Cellular Regulators

Developing Isomeric Peptides for Mimicking the Sequence-Activity Landscapes of Enzyme Evolution

Enzymes catalyze almost all material conversion processes within living organisms, yet their natural evolution remains unobserved. Short peptides, derived from proteins and featuring active sites, have emerged as promising building blocks for constructing bioactive supramolecular materials that mimic native proteins through self-assembly. Herein, we employ histidine-containing isomeric tetrapeptides KHFF, HKFF, KFHF, HFKF, FKHF, and FHKF to craft supramolecular self-assemblies, aiming to explore the sequence-activity landscapes of enzyme evolution. Our investigations reveal the profound impact of peptide sequence variations on both assembly behavior and catalytic activity as hydrolytic simulation enzymes. During self-assembly, a delicate balance of multiple intermolecular interactions, particularly hydrogen bonding and aromatic-aromatic interactions, influences nanostructure formation, yielding various morphologies (e.g., nanofibers, nanospheres, and nanodiscs). Furthermore, the analysis of the structure-activity relationship demonstrates a strong correlation between the distribution of the His active site on the nanostructures and the formation of the catalytic microenvironment. This investigation of the sequence-structure-activity paradigm reflects how natural enzymes enhance catalytic activity by adjusting the primary structure during evolution, promoting fundamental research related to enzyme evolutionary processes.

The PPP1R15 Family of eIF2-alpha Phosphatase Targeting Subunits (GADD34 and CReP)

The vertebrate PPP1R15 family consists of the proteins GADD34 (growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible protein 34, the product of the PPP1R15A gene) and CReP (constitutive repressor of eIF2α phosphorylation, the product of the PPP1R15B gene), both of which function as targeting/regulatory subunits for protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) by regulating subcellular localization, modulating substrate specificity and assembling complexes with target proteins. The primary cellular function of these proteins is to facilitate the dephosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2-alpha (eIF2α) by PP1 during cell stress. In this review, we will provide a comprehensive overview of the cellular function, biochemistry and pharmacology of GADD34 and CReP, starting with a brief introduction of eIF2α phosphorylation via the integrated protein response (ISR). We discuss the roles GADD34 and CReP play as feedback inhibitors of the unfolded protein response (UPR) and highlight the critical function they serve as inhibitors of the PERK-dependent branch, which is particularly important since it can mediate cell survival or cell death, depending on how long the stressful stimuli lasts, and GADD34 and CReP play key roles in fine-tuning this cellular decision. We briefly discuss the roles of GADD34 and CReP homologs in model systems and then focus on what we have learned about their function from knockout mice and human patients, followed by a brief review of several diseases in which GADD34 and CReP have been implicated, including cancer, diabetes and especially neurodegenerative disease. Because of the potential importance of GADD34 and CReP in aspects of human health and disease, we will discuss several pharmacological inhibitors of GADD34 and/or CReP that show promise as treatments and the controversies as to their mechanism of action. This review will finish with a discussion of the biochemical properties of GADD34 and CReP, their regulation and the additional interacting partners that may provide insight into the roles these proteins may play in other cellular pathways. We will conclude with a brief outline of critical areas for future study.

Recent advances in caspase-3, breast cancer, and traditional Chinese medicine: a review

Caspases (cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinases) are a group of structurally similar proteases in the cytoplasm that can be involved in cell differentiation, programmed death, proliferation, and inflammatory generation. Experts have found that caspase-3 can serve as a terminal splicing enzyme in apoptosis and participate in the mechanism by which cytotoxic drugs kill cancer cells. Breast cancer (BC) has become the most common cancer among women worldwide, posing a severe threat to their lives. Finding new therapeutic targets for BC is the primary task of contemporary physicians. Numerous studies have revealed the close association between caspase-3 expression and BC. Caspase-3 is essential in BC's occurrence, invasion, and metastasis. In addition, Caspase-3 exerts anticancer effects by regulating cell death mechanisms. Traditional Chinese medicine acting through caspase-3 expression is increasingly used in clinical treatment. This review summarizes the biological mechanism of caspase-3 and research progress on BC. It introduces a variety of traditional Chinese medicine related to caspase-3 to provide new ideas for the clinical treatment of BC.

Supramolecular Peptide Nanostructures Regulate Catalytic Efficiency and Selectivity

We report three constitutionally isomeric tetrapeptides, each comprising one glutamic acid (E) residue, one histidine (H) residue, and two lysine (KS ) residues functionalized with side-chain hydrophobic S-aroylthiooxime (SATO) groups. Depending on the order of amino acids, these amphiphilic peptides self-assembled in aqueous solution into different nanostructures:nanoribbons, a mixture of nanotoroids and nanoribbons, or nanocoils. Each nanostructure catalyzed hydrolysis of a model substrate, with the nanocoils exhibiting the greatest rate enhancement and the highest enzymatic efficiency. Coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, analyzed with unsupervised machine learning, revealed clusters of H residues in hydrophobic pockets along the outer edge of the nanocoils, providing insight for the observed catalytic rate enhancement. Finally, all three supramolecular nanostructures catalyzed hydrolysis of the l-substrate only when a pair of enantiomeric Boc-l/d-Phe-ONp substrates were tested. This study highlights how subtle molecular-level changes can influence supramolecular nanostructures, and ultimately affect catalytic efficiency.

Artificial phosphatase upon premicellar nanoarchitectonics of lanthanum complexes with long-chained imidazole derivatives

Four novel long chain-containing tridentate imidazole derivatives (Lⁿ, n = 1, 2, 3, 4) were synthesized for in situ formation of mononuclear lanthanum(III) complexes as artificial phosphodiesterases. These in-situ formed La(III) complexes (named LaLⁿ) were used to catalyze the transesterification of 2-hydroxypropyl p-nitrophenyl phosphate (HPNP), a classic RNA model. Critical aggregation concentrations (CAC) were determined for the as-prepared tridentate imidazole derivatives as ligands and corresponding mixtures of equivalent ligand and La³⁺ ion with a mole rate of 1:1. It denotes that the introduction of La³⁺ ion increases the CAC values of imidazole derivatives by about 2 to 3 folds. Foaming test shows that the foam height is positively correlated with the length of hydrophobic chain. Transesterification of HPNP mediated by LaLⁿ nanoarchitectonics indicates that the introducing of hydrophobic chain benefits rate enhancement, showing excess three orders of magnitude acceleration under physiological conditions (pH 7.0, 25 °C). Moreover, catalytic reactivities of these La(III) complexes increased along with the increase in chain length: LaL¹ < LaL² < LaL³ < LaL⁴, suggesting a positive correlation to hydrophobic chain length.

Virtual Screening, Molecular Modelling and Biochemical Studies to Exploit PF14_0660 as a Target to Identify Novel Anti-malarials

Background:

Malaria Parasite relies heavily on signal transduction pathways to control growth, the progression of the life cycle and sustaining stress for its survival. Unlike kinases, Plasmodium&#039;s phosphatome is one of the smallest and least explored for identifying drug target for clinical intervention. PF14_0660 is a putative protein present on the chromosome 14 of Plasmodium falciparum genome.

Methods:

Multiple sequence alignment of PF14_0660 with other known protein phosphatase indicate the presence of phosphatase motif with specific residues essential for metal binding, catalysis and providing structural stability. PF14_0660 is a mixed &#945;/&#946; type of protein with several &#946; -sheet and α-helix arranged to form βαβαβα sub-structure. The surface properties of PF14_0660 is conserved with another phosphate of this family, but it profoundly diverges from the host protein tyrosine phosphatase. PF14_0660 was cloned, over-expressed and protein is exhibiting phosphatase activity in a dose-dependent manner. Docking of Heterocyclic compounds from chemical libraries into the PF14_0660 active site found nice fitting of several candidate molecules.

Results:

Compound PPinh6, PPinh 7 and PPinh 5 are exhibiting antimalarial activity with an IC50 of 1.4 &#177; 0.2&#181;M, 3.8 &#177; 0.3 &#181;M and 9.4 ± 0.6&#181M respectively. Compound PPinh 6 and PPinh 7 are inhibiting intracellular PF14_0660 phosphatase activity and killing parasite through the generation of reactive oxygen species.

Conclusion:

Hence, a combination of molecular modelling, virtual screening and biochemical study allowed us to explore the potentials of PF14_0660 as a drug target to design anti-malarials.

Molecular interactions connecting the function of the serine-arginine-rich protein SRSF1 to protein phosphatase 1

Splicing generates many mRNA strands from a single precursor mRNA, expanding the proteome and enhancing intracellular diversity. Both initial assembly and activation of the spliceosome require an essential family of splicing factors called serine-arginine (SR) proteins. Protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) regulates the SR proteins by controlling phosphorylation of a C-terminal arginine-serine-rich (RS) domain. These modifications are vital for the subcellular localization and mRNA splicing function of the SR protein. Although PP1 has been shown to dephosphorylate the prototype SR protein splicing factor 1 (SRSF1), the molecular nature of this interaction is not understood. Here, using NMR spectroscopy, we identified two electrostatic residues in helix α2 and a hydrophobic residue in helix α1 in the RNA recognition motif 1 (RRM1) of SRSF1 that constitute a binding surface for PP1. Substitution of these residues dissociated SRSF1 from PP1 and enhanced phosphatase activity, reducing phosphorylation in the RS domain. These effects lead to shifts in alternative splicing patterns that parallel increases in SRSF1 diffusion from speckles to the nucleoplasm brought on by regiospecific decreases in RS domain phosphorylation. Overall, these findings establish a molecular and biological connection between PP1-targeted amino acids in an RRM with the phosphorylation state and mRNA-processing function of an SR protein.

Redirecting SR Protein Nuclear Trafficking through an Allosteric Platform

Although phosphorylation directs serine-arginine (SR) proteins from nuclear storage speckles to the nucleoplasm for splicing function, dephosphorylation paradoxically induces similar movement, raising the question of how such chemical modifications are balanced in these essential splicing factors. In this new study, we investigated the interaction of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) with the SR protein splicing factor (SRSF1) to understand the foundation of these opposing effects in the nucleus. We found that RNA recognition motif 1 (RRM1) in SRSF1 binds PP1 and represses its catalytic function through an allosteric mechanism. Disruption of RRM1-PP1 interactions reduces the phosphorylation status of the RS domain in vitro and in cells, redirecting SRSF1 in the nucleus. The data imply that an allosteric SR protein-phosphatase platform balances phosphorylation levels in a "goldilocks" region for the proper subnuclear storage of an SR protein splicing factor.

Regulation of OGT by URI in Response to Glucose Confers c-MYC-Dependent Survival Mechanisms

Cancer cells can adapt and survive under low nutrient conditions, but underlying mechanisms remain poorly explored. We demonstrate here that glucose maintains a functional complex between the co-chaperone URI, PP1γ, and OGT, the enzyme catalyzing O-GlcNAcylation. Glucose deprivation induces the activation of PKA, which phosphorylates URI at Ser-371, resulting in PP1γ release and URI-mediated OGT inhibition. Low OGT activity reduces O-GlcNAcylation and promotes c-MYC degradation to maintain cell survival. In the presence of glucose, PP1γ-bound URI increases OGT and c-MYC levels. Accordingly, mice expressing non-phosphorylatable URI (S371A) in hepatocytes exhibit high OGT activity and c-MYC stabilization, accelerating liver tumorigenesis in agreement with c-MYC oncogenic functions. Our work uncovers that URI-regulated OGT confers c-MYC-dependent survival functions in response to glucose fluctuations.

An intriguing shift occurs in the novel protein phosphatase 1 binding partner, TCTEX1D4: evidence of positive selection in a pika model

T-complex testis expressed protein 1 domain containing 4 (TCTEX1D4) contains the canonical phosphoprotein phosphatase 1 (PPP1) binding motif, composed by the amino acid sequence RVSF. We identified and validated the binding of TCTEX1D4 to PPP1 and demonstrated that indeed this protein is a novel PPP1 interacting protein. Analyses of twenty-one mammalian species available in public databases and seven Lagomorpha sequences obtained in this work showed that the PPP1 binding motif ₉₀RVSF₉₃ is present in all of them and is flanked by a palindromic sequence, PLGS, except in three species of pikas (Ochotona princeps, O. dauurica and O. pusilla). Furthermore, for the Ochotona species an extra glycosylation site, motif ₉₆NLS₉₈, and the loss of the palindromic sequence were observed. Comparison with other lagomorphs suggests that this event happened before the Ochotona radiation. The d_N/d_S for the sequence region comprising the PPP1 binding motif and the flanking palindrome highly supports the hypothesis that for Ochotona species this region has been evolving under positive selection. In addition, mutational screening shows that the ability of pikas TCTEX1D4 to bind to PPP1 is maintained, although the PPP1 binding motif is disrupted, and the N- and C-terminal surrounding residues are also abrogated. These observations suggest pika as an ideal model to study novel PPP1 complexes regulatory mechanisms.

Protein phosphatase 1γ isoforms linked interactions in the brain

Posttranslational protein modifications, in particular reversible protein phosphorylation, are important regulatory mechanisms involved in cellular signaling transduction pathways. Thousands of human proteins are phosphorylatable and the tight regulation of phosphorylation states is crucial for cell maintenance and development. Protein phosphorylation occurs primarily on serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues, through the antagonistic actions of protein kinases and phosphatases. The catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1), a major Ser/Thr-phosphatase, associates with a large variety of regulatory subunits that define substrate specificity and determine specific cellular pathway responses. PP1 has been shown to bind to different proteins in the brain in order to execute key and differential functions. This work reports the identification of proteins expressed in the human brain that interact with PP1γ1 and PP1γ2 isoforms by the yeast two-hybrid method. An extensive search of PP1-binding motifs was performed for the proteins identified, revealing already known PP1 regulators but also novel interactors. Moreover, our results were integrated with the data of PP1γ interacting proteins from several public web databases, permitting the development of physical maps of the novel interactions. The PP1γ interactome thus obtained allowed for the identification of novel PP1 interacting proteins, supporting novel functions of PP1γ isoforms in the human brain.

Protein phosphatase 1α interacting proteins in the human brain

Protein Phosphatase 1 (PP1) is a major serine/threonine-phosphatase whose activity is dependent on its binding to regulatory subunits known as PP1 interacting proteins (PIPs), responsible for targeting PP1 to a specific cellular location, specifying its substrate or regulating its action. Today, more than 200 PIPs have been described involving PP1 in panoply of cellular mechanisms. Moreover, several PIPs have been identified that are tissue and event specific. In addition, the diversity of PP1/PIP complexes can further be achieved by the existence of several PP1 isoforms that can bind preferentially to a certain PIP. Thus, PP1/PIP complexes are highly specific for a particular function in the cell, and as such, they are excellent pharmacological targets. Hence, an in-depth survey was taken to identify specific PP1α PIPs in human brain by a high-throughput Yeast Two-Hybrid approach. Sixty-six proteins were recognized to bind PP1α, 39 being novel PIPs. A large protein interaction databases search was also performed to integrate with the results of the PP1α Human Brain Yeast Two-Hybrid and a total of 246 interactions were retrieved.

The PP1 binding code: a molecular-lego strategy that governs specificity

Ser/Thr protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) is a single-domain hub protein with nearly 200 validated interactors in vertebrates. PP1-interacting proteins (PIPs) are ubiquitously expressed but show an exceptional diversity in brain, testis and white blood cells. The binding of PIPs is mainly mediated by short motifs that dock to surface grooves of PP1. Although PIPs often contain variants of the same PP1 binding motifs, they differ in the number and combination of docking sites. This molecular-lego strategy for binding to PP1 creates holoenzymes with unique properties. The PP1 binding code can be described as specific, universal, degenerate, nonexclusive and dynamic. PIPs control associated PP1 by interference with substrate recruitment or access to the active site. In addition, some PIPs have a subcellular targeting domain that promotes dephosphorylation by increasing the local concentration of PP1. The diversity of the PP1 interactome and the properties of the PP1 binding code account for the exquisite specificity of PP1 in vivo.

Identification of the human testis protein phosphatase 1 interactome

Protein phosphorylation is a critical regulatory mechanism in cellular signalling. To this end, PP1 is a major eukaryotic serine/threonine-specific phosphatase whose cellular functions, in turn, depend on complexes it forms with PP1 interacting proteins-PIPs. The importance of the testis/sperm-enriched variant, PP1γ2, in sperm motility and spermatogenesis has previously been shown. Given the key role of PIPs, it is imperative to identify the physiologically relevant PIPs in testis and sperm. Hence, we performed Yeast Two-Hybrid screens of a human testis cDNA library using as baits the different PP1 isoforms and also a proteomic approach aimed at identifying PP1γ2 binding proteins. To the best of our knowledge this is the largest data set of the human testis PP1 interactome. We report the identification of 77 proteins in human testis and 7 proteins in human sperm that bind PP1. The data obtained increased the known PP1 interactome by reporting 72 novel interactions. Confirmation of the interaction of PP1 with 5 different proteins was also further validated by co-immunoprecipitation or protein overlays. The data here presented provides important insights towards the function of these proteins and opens new possibilities for future research. In fact, such diversity in PP1 regulators makes them excellent targets for pharmacological intervention.

Avicin D: a protein reactive plant isoprenoid dephosphorylates Stat 3 by regulating both kinase and phosphatase activities

Avicins, a class of electrophilic triterpenoids with pro-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, have been shown to induce redox-dependant post-translational modification of cysteine residues to regulate protein function. Based on (a) the cross-talk that occurs between redox and phosphorylation processes, and (b) the role of Stat3 in the process of apoptosis and carcinogenesis, we chose to study the effects of avicins on the processes of phosphorylation/dephosphorylation in Stat3. Avicins dephosphorylate Stat3 in a variety of human tumor cell lines, leading to a decrease in the transcriptional activity of Stat3. The expression of Stat3-regulated proteins such as c-myc, cyclin D1, Bcl2, survivin and VEGF were reduced in response to avicin treatment. Underlying avicin-induced dephosphorylation of Stat3 was dephosphorylation of JAKs, as well as activation of protein phosphatase-1. Downregulation of both Stat3 activity and expression of Stat 3-controlled pro-survival proteins, contributes to the induction of apoptosis in avicin treated tumor cells. Based on the role of Stat3 in inflammation and wounding, and the in vivo inhibition of VEGF by avicins in a mouse skin carcinogenesis model, it is likely that avicin-induced inhibition of Stat3 activity results in the suppression of the pro-inflammatory and pro-oxidant stromal environment of tumors. Activation of PP-1, which also acts as a cellular economizer, combined with the redox regulation by avicins, can aid in redirecting metabolism from growth promoting anabolic to energy sparing pathways.

Direct interaction between myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) and protein phosphatase 1alpha represses MEF2-dependent gene expression

The myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) transcription factors play important roles in neuronal, cardiac, and skeletal muscle tissues. MEF2 serves as a nuclear sensor, integrating signals from several signaling cascades through protein-protein interactions with kinases, chromatin remodeling factors, and other transcriptional regulators. Here, we report a novel interaction between the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 1alpha (PP1alpha) and MEF2. Interaction occurs within the nucleus, and binding of PP1alpha to MEF2 potently represses MEF2-dependent transcription. The interaction utilizes uncharacterized domains in both PP1alpha and MEF2, and PP1alpha phosphatase activity is not obligatory for MEF2 repression. Moreover, a MEF2-PP1alpha regulatory complex leads to nuclear retention and recruitment of histone deacetylase 4 to MEF2 transcription complexes. PP1alpha-mediated repression of MEF2 overrides the positive influence of calcineurin signaling, suggesting PP1alpha exerts a dominant level of control over MEF2 function. Indeed, PP1alpha-mediated repression of MEF2 function interferes with the prosurvival effect of MEF2 in primary hippocampal neurons. The PP1alpha-MEF2 interaction constitutes a potent locus of control for MEF2-dependent gene expression, having potentially important implications for neuronal cell survival, cardiac remodeling in disease, and terminal differentiation of vascular, cardiac, and skeletal muscle.

The nonconserved N-terminus of protein phosphatases 1 influences its active site

Protein phosphatase 1 consists of a secondary structure arrangement, conserved in the serine/threonine protein phosphatase gene family, flanked by nonconserved N-terminal and C-terminal domains. The deletion mutant of PP1 with the 8 nonconserved N-terminal residues removed was designated PP1-(9-330). PP1-(9-330) had a higher activity and affinity than PP1 when assayed against four different substrates, and it also demonstrated a 6-fold higher sensitivity to the inhibitor okadaic acid. This suggested that the N-terminal domain suppressed the activity of PP1 and interfered with its inhibition by okadaic acid. The ANS fluorescence intensity of PP1-(9-330) was greater than that of PP1, which implies that the hydrophobic groove running from active site in the truncated PP1 was more hydrophobic than in PP1. Our findings provide evidence that the nonconserved N-terminus of PP1 functions as an important regulatory domain that influences the active site and its pertinent properties.

The N-terminal domain influences the structure and property of protein phosphatase 1

The protein phosphatase 1 has conserved cores in PPP gene family flanked by non-conserved N-terminal domains. PP1 with residues 1-8 deleted or substituted by residues 1-42 of calcineurin catalytic subunit were designated PP1-(9-330) and CNA(1-42)-PP1(9-330), respectively. When compared with PP1, PP1-(9-330) had higher and CNA(1-42)-PP1(9-330) had lower activity with three kinds of substrates; PP1-(9-330) has higher and CNA(1-42)-PP1(9-330) has lower sensitivity to okadaic acid. These results imply that the N-terminal residues influence the activity and sensitivity to inhibitors of PP1. PP1-(9-330), PP1, and CNA(1-42)-PP1(9-330) displayed increasing K (m) and decreasing V (max) with three kinds of substrates, which suggest that the N-terminal residues are connected with the substrates affinity and catalytic efficiency of PP1. PP1-(9-330) has higher and CNA(1-42)-PP1(9-330) has lower fluorescence intensity than PP1, and the emission wavelength maximum was blue-shifted from PP1 to PP1-(9-330) and red-shifted from PP1 to CNA(1-42)-PP1(9-330). Our findings provide evidence that the N-terminal domain is an important region influencing the structure and properties of PP1.

Structural basis for regulation of protein phosphatase 1 by inhibitor-2

The functional specificity of type 1 protein phosphatases (PP1) depends on the associated regulatory/targeting and inhibitory subunits. To gain insights into the mechanism of PP1 regulation by inhibitor-2, an ancient and intrinsically disordered regulator, we solved the crystal structure of the complex to 2.5A resolution. Our studies show that, when complexed with PP1c, I-2 acquires three regions of order: site 1, residues 12-17, binds adjacent to a region recognized by many PP1 regulators; site 2, amino acids 44-56, interacts along the RVXF binding groove through an unsuspected sequence, KSQKW; and site 3, residues 130-169, forms alpha-helical regions that lie across the substrate-binding cleft. Specifically, residues 148-151 interact at the catalytic center, displacing essential metal ions, accounting for both rapid inhibition and slower inactivation of PP1c. Thus, our structure provides novel insights into the mechanism of PP1 inhibition and subsequent reactivation, has broad implications for the physiological regulation of PP1, and highlights common inhibitory interactions among phosphoprotein phosphatase family members.

Expression of Human Protein Phosphatase-1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Highlights the Role of Phosphatase Isoforms in Regulating Eukaryotic Functions

Human (PP1) isoforms, PP1alpha, PP1beta, PP1gamma1, and PP1gamma2, differ in primary sequences at N and C termini that potentially bind cellular regulators and define their physiological functions. The GLC7 gene encodes the PP1 catalytic subunit with >80% sequence identity to human PP1 and is essential for viability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In yeast, Glc7p regulates glycogen and protein synthesis, actin cytoskeleton, gene expression, and cell division. We substituted human PP1 for Glc7p in yeast to investigate the ability of individual isoforms to catalyze Glc7p functions. S. cerevisiae expressing human PP1 isoforms were viable. PP1alpha-expressing yeast grew more rapidly than strains expressing other isoforms. On the other hand, PP1alpha-expressing yeast accumulated less glycogen than PP1beta-or PP1gamma1-expressing yeast. Yeast expressing human PP1 were indistinguishable from WT yeast in glucose derepression. However, unlike WT yeast, strains expressing human PP1 failed to sporulate. Analysis of chimeric PP1alpha/beta subunits highlighted a critical role for their unique N termini in defining PP1alpha and PP1beta functions in yeast. Biochemical studies established that the differing association of PP1 isoforms with the yeast glycogen-targeting subunit, Gac1p, accounted for their differences in glycogen synthesis. In contrast to human PP1 expressed in Escherichia coli, enzymes expressed in yeast displayed in vitro biochemical properties closely resembling PP1 from mammalian tissues. Thus, PP1 expression in yeast should facilitate future structure-function studies of this protein serine/threonine phosphatase.

Conditional transgenesis and recombination to study the molecular mechanisms of brain plasticity and memory

In the postgenomic era, a primary focus of mouse genetics is to elucidate the role of individual genes in vivo. However, in the nervous system, studying the contribution of specific genes to brain functions is difficult because the brain is a highly complex organ with multiple neuroanatomical structures, orchestrating virtually every function in the body. Further, higher-order brain functions such as learning and memory simultaneously recruit several signaling cascades in different subcellular compartments and have highly fine-tuned spatial and temporal components. Conditional transgenic and gene targeting methodologies, however, now offer valuable tools with improved spatial and temporal resolution for appropriate studies of these functions. This chapter provides an overview of these tools and describes how they have helped gain better understanding of the role of candidate genes such as the NMDA receptor, the protein kinase CaMKIIIalpha, the protein phosphatases calcineurin and PP1, or the transcription factor CREB, in the processes of learning and memory. This review illustrates the broad and innovative applicability of these methodologies to the study of brain plasticity and cognitive functions.

Docking interactions in protein kinase and phosphatase networks

To achieve high biological specificity, protein kinases and phosphatases often recognize their targets through interactions that occur outside of the active site. Although the role of modular protein-protein interaction domains in kinase and phosphatase signaling has been well characterized, it is becoming clear that many kinases and phosphatases utilize docking interactions - recognition of a short peptide motif in target partners by a groove on the catalytic domain that is separate from the active site. Docking is particularly prevalent in serine/threonine kinases and phosphatases, and is a versatile organizational tool for building complex signaling networks; it confers a high degree of specificity and, in some cases, allosteric regulation.

Partial inhibition of PP1 alters bidirectional synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus

Synaptic plasticity is an important cellular mechanism that underlies memory formation. In brain areas involved in memory such as the hippocampus, long-term synaptic plasticity is bidirectional. Major forms of bidirectional plasticity encompass long-term potentiation (LTP), LTP reversal (depotentiation) and long-term depression (LTD). Protein kinases and protein phosphatases are important players in the induction of both LTP and LTD, and the serine/threonine protein phosphatase-1 (PP1), in particular, has emerged as a key phosphatase in these processes. The goal of the present study was to assess the contribution of PP1 to bidirectional plasticity and examine the impact of a partial inhibition of PP1 on LTP, LTD and depotentiation in the mouse hippocampus. For this, we used transgenic mice expressing an active PP1 inhibitor (I-1*) inducibly in forebrain neurons. We show that partial inhibition of PP1 by I-1* expression alters the properties of bidirectional plasticity by inducing a shift of synaptic responses towards potentiation. At low-frequency stimulation, PP1 inhibition decreases LTD in a frequency-dependent fashion. It favours potentiation over depression at intermediate frequencies and increases LTP at high frequency. Consistently, it also impairs depotentiation. These results indicate that the requirement of bidirectional plasticity for PP1 is frequency-dependent and that a broad range of plasticity is negatively constrained by PP1, a feature that may correlate with the property of PP1 to constrain learning efficacy and promote forgetting.

Site-specific dephosphorylation of doublecortin (DCX) by protein phosphatase 1 (PP1)

Mutations in doublecortin (DCX) cause X-linked lissencephaly ("smooth brain") and double cortex syndrome in humans. DCX is highly phosphorylated in migrating neurons. Here, we demonstrate that dephosphorylation of specific sites phosphorylated by JNK is mediated by Neurabin II, which recruits the phosphatase PP1. During cortical development, the expression pattern of PP1 is widespread, while the expression of DCX and Neurabin II is dynamic, and they are coexpressed in migrating neurons. In vitro, DCX is site-specific dephosphorylated by PP1 without the presence of Neurabin II, this dephosphorylation requires an intact RVXF motif in DCX. Overexpression of the coiled-coil domain of Neurabin II, which is sufficient for interacting with DCX and recruiting the endogenous Neurabin II with PP1, induced dephosphorylation of DCX on one of the JNK-phosphorylated sites. We hypothesize that the transient recruitment of DCX to different scaffold proteins, JIP-1/2, which will regulate its phosphorylation by JNK, and Neurabin II, which will regulate its dephosphorylation by PP1, plays an important role in normal neuronal migration.

Protein phosphatase-1 inhibitor-3 is co-localized to the nucleoli and centrosomes with PP1γ1 and PP1α, respectively

In this study, we show that protein phosphatase-1 (PP1) inhibitor-3 (Inh3) is localized to the nucleoli and centrosomes in interphase HEK 293 cells. Inh3 exhibited a specific co-localization to the nucleoli with PP1gamma1, and to the centrosomes with PP1alpha. These findings indicate that Inh3 may act as a modulator of PP1 functions in the processes of cytokinesis, as well as of nucleolar events. The specificity of the interaction of Inh3 with the PP1 isoforms was also demonstrated in vitro, where Inh3 co-immunoprecipitated with PP1alpha and PP1gamma1, but not with PP1beta. The nuclear localization signal of Inh3 was identified as a N-terminal basic cluster (33RKRK36), while nucleolar localization was shown to be dependent on a C-terminal basic cluster (94HRKGRRR100). The importance of the individual basic residues was quantitatively assessed by site-directed mutagenesis and a novel use of laser scanning cytometry.