Endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced mRNA splicing permits synthesis of transcription factor Hac1p/Ern4p that activates the unfolded protein response

Membrane-associated mRNAs: A Post-transcriptional Pathway for Fine-turning Gene Expression

Gene expression is a fundamental and highly regulated process involving a series of tightly coordinated steps, including transcription, post-transcriptional processing, translation, and post-translational modifications. A growing number of studies have revealed an additional layer of complexity in gene expression through the phenomenon of mRNA subcellular localization. mRNAs can be organized into membraneless subcellular structures within both the cytoplasm and the nucleus, but they can also targeted to membranes. In this review, we will summarize in particular our knowledge on localization of mRNAs to organelles, focusing on important regulators and available techniques for studying organellar localization, and significance of this localization in the broader context of gene expression regulation.

Hydrolytic activity of yeast oligosaccharyltransferase is enhanced when misfolded proteins accumulate in the endoplasmic reticulum

It is known that oligosaccharyltransferase (OST) has hydrolytic activity toward dolichol-linked oligosaccharides (DLO), which results in the formation of free N-glycans (FNGs), i.e. unconjugated oligosaccharides with structural features similar to N-glycans. The functional importance of this hydrolytic reaction, however, remains unknown. In this study, the hydrolytic activity of OST was characterized in yeast. It was shown that the hydrolytic activity of OST is enhanced in ubiquitin ligase mutants that are involved in endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation. Interestingly, this enhanced hydrolysis activity is completely suppressed in asparagine-linked glycosylation (alg) mutants, bearing mutations related to the biosynthesis of DLO, indicating that the effect of ubiquitin ligase on OST-mediated hydrolysis is context-dependent. The enhanced hydrolysis activity in ubiquitin ligase mutants was also found to be canceled upon treatment of the cells with dithiothreitol, a reagent that potently induces protein unfolding in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Our results clearly suggest that the hydrolytic activity of OST is enhanced under conditions in which the formation of unfolded proteins is promoted in the ER in yeast. The possible role of FNGs on protein folding is discussed.

Genetic inactivation of essential HSF1 reveals an isolated transcriptional stress response selectively induced by protein misfolding

Heat Shock Factor 1 (Hsf1) in yeast drives the basal transcription of key proteostasis factors and its activity is induced as part of the core heat shock response. Exploring Hsf1 specific functions has been challenging due to the essential nature of the HSF1 gene and the extensive overlap of target promoters with environmental stress response (ESR) transcription factors Msn2 and Msn4 (Msn2/4). In this study, we constructed a viable hsf1∆ strain by replacing the HSF1 open reading frame with genes that constitutively express Hsp40, Hsp70, and Hsp90 from Hsf1-independent promoters. Phenotypic analysis showed that the hsf1∆ strain grows slowly, is sensitive to heat as well as protein misfolding and accumulates protein aggregates. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the transcriptional response to protein misfolding induced by azetidine-2-carboxylic acid is fully dependent on Hsf1. In contrast, the hsf1∆ strain responded to heat shock through the ESR. Following HS, Hsf1 and Msn2/4 showed functional compensatory induction with stronger activation of the remaining stress pathway when the other branch was inactivated. Thus, we provide a long-overdue genetic test of the function of Hsf1 in yeast using the novel hsf1∆ construct. Our data highlight that the accumulation of misfolded proteins is uniquely sensed by Hsf1-Hsp70 chaperone titration inducing a highly selective transcriptional stress response.

Activation of CWI pathway through high hydrostatic pressure, enhancing glycerol efflux via the aquaglyceroporin Fps1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The fungal cell wall is the initial barrier for the fungi against diverse external stresses, such as osmolarity changes, harmful drugs, and mechanical injuries. This study explores the roles of osmoregulation and the cell-wall integrity (CWI) pathway in response to high hydrostatic pressure in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We demonstrate the roles of the transmembrane mechanosensor Wsc1 and aquaglyceroporin Fps1 in a general mechanism to maintain cell growth under high-pressure regimes. The promotion of water influx into cells at 25 MPa, as evident by an increase in cell volume and a loss of the plasma membrane eisosome structure, activates the CWI pathway through the function of Wsc1. Phosphorylation of Slt2, the downstream mitogen-activated protein kinase, was increased at 25 MPa. Glycerol efflux increases via Fps1 phosphorylation, which is initiated by downstream components of the CWI pathway, and contributes to the reduction in intracellular osmolarity under high pressure. The elucidation of the mechanisms underlying adaptation to high pressure through the well-established CWI pathway could potentially translate to mammalian cells and provide novel insights into cellular mechanosensation.

Dissociation of ERMES clusters plays a key role in attenuating the endoplasmic reticulum stress

In yeast, ERMES, which mediates phospholipid transport between the ER and mitochondria, forms a limited number of oligomeric clusters at ER-mitochondria contact sites in a cell. Although the number of the ERMES clusters appears to be regulated to maintain proper inter-organelle phospholipid trafficking, its underlying mechanism and physiological relevance remain poorly understood. Here, we show that mitochondrial dynamics control the number of ERMES clusters. Moreover, we find that ER stress causes dissociation of the ERMES clusters independently of Ire1 and Hac1, canonical ER-stress response pathway components, leading to a delay in the phospholipid transport from the ER to mitochondria. Our biochemical and genetic analyses strongly suggest that the impaired phospholipid transport contributes to phospholipid accumulation in the ER, expanding the ER for ER stress attenuation. We thus propose that the ERMES dissociation constitutes an overlooked pathway of the ER stress response that operates in addition to the canonical Ire1/Hac1-dependent pathway.

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Mitochondrial fusion and division regulate the clustering of the ERMES complex

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ER stress leads to dissociation of the ERMES clusters independently of Ire1 and Hac1

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The dissociated ERMES complexes have less activity in transporting phospholipids

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The defective phospholipid transport may cause the ER expansion to relieve ER stress

Self-association status-dependent inactivation of the endoplasmic reticulum stress sensor Ire1 by C-terminal tagging with artificial peptides

Upon endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, eukaryotic cells commonly induce unfolded protein response (UPR), which is triggered, at least partly, by the ER stress sensor Ire1. Upon ER stress, Ire1 is dimerized or forms oligomeric clusters, resulting in the activation of Ire1 as an endoribonuclease. In ER-stressed Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, HAC1 mRNA is spliced by Ire1 and then translated into a transcription factor that promotes the UPR. Herein, we report that Ire1 tagged artificially with irrelevant peptides at the C terminus is almost completely inactive when only dimerized, while it induced the UPR as well as untagged Ire1 when clustered. This finding suggests a fundamental difference between the dimeric and clustered forms of Ire1. By comparing UPR levels in S. cerevisiae cells carrying artificially peptide-tagged Ire1 to that in cells carrying untagged Ire1, we estimated the self-association status of Ire1 under various ER stress conditions.

Sphingolipid depletion suppresses UPR activation and promotes galactose hypersensitivity in yeast models of classic galactosemia

Classic galactosemia is an inborn error of metabolism caused by deleterious mutations on the GALT gene, which encodes the Leloir pathway enzyme galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase. Previous studies have shown that the endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein response (UPR) is relevant to galactosemia, but the molecular mechanism behind the endoplasmic reticulum stress that triggers this response remains elusive. In the present work, we show that the activation of the UPR in yeast models of galactosemia does not depend on the binding of unfolded proteins to the ER stress sensor protein Ire1p since the protein domain responsible for unfolded protein binding to Ire1p is not necessary for UPR activation. Interestingly, myriocin - an inhibitor of the de novo sphingolipid synthesis pathway - inhibits UPR activation and causes galactose hypersensitivity in these models, indicating that myriocin-mediated sphingolipid depletion impairs yeast adaptation to galactose toxicity. Supporting the interpretation that the effects observed after myriocin treatment were due to a reduction in sphingolipid levels, the addition of phytosphingosine to the culture medium reverses all myriocin effects tested. Surprisingly, constitutively active UPR signaling did not prevent myriocin-induced galactose hypersensitivity suggesting multiple roles for sphingolipids in the adaptation of yeast cells to galactose toxicity. Therefore, we conclude that sphingolipid homeostasis has an important role in UPR activation and cellular adaptation in yeast models of galactosemia, highlighting the possible role of lipid metabolism in the pathophysiology of this disease.

The UPR regulator IRE1 promotes balanced organ development by restricting TOR-dependent control of cellular differentiation in Arabidopsis

Proteostasis of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is controlled by sophisticated signaling pathways that are collectively called the unfolded protein response (UPR) and are initiated by specialized ER membrane-associated sensors. The evidence that complete loss-of-function mutations of the most conserved of the UPR sensors, inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1), dysregulates tissue growth and development in metazoans and plants raises the fundamental question as to how IRE1 is connected to organismal growth. To address this question, we interrogated the Arabidopsis primary root, an established model for organ development, using the tractable Arabidopsis IRE1 mutant ire1a ire1b, which has marked root development defects in the absence of exogenous stress. We demonstrate that IRE1 is required to reach maximum rates of cell elongation and root growth. We also established that in the actively growing ire1a ire1b mutant root tips the Target of Rapamycin (TOR) kinase, a widely conserved pro-growth regulator, is hyperactive, and that, unlike cell proliferation, the rate of cell differentiation is enhanced in ire1a ire1b in a TOR-dependent manner. By functionally connecting two essential growth regulators, these results underpin a novel and critical role of IRE1 in organ development and indicate that, as cells exit an undifferentiated state, IRE1 is required to monitor TOR activity to balance cell expansion and maturation during organ biogenesis.

How Cells Deal with the Fluctuating Environment: Autophagy Regulation under Stress in Yeast and Mammalian Systems

Eukaryotic cells frequently experience fluctuations of the external and internal environments, such as changes in nutrient, energy and oxygen sources, and protein folding status, which, after reaching a particular threshold, become a type of stress. Cells develop several ways to deal with these various types of stress to maintain homeostasis and survival. Among the cellular survival mechanisms, autophagy is one of the most critical ways to mediate metabolic adaptation and clearance of damaged organelles. Autophagy is maintained at a basal level under normal growing conditions and gets stimulated by stress through different but connected mechanisms. In this review, we summarize the advances in understanding the autophagy regulation mechanisms under multiple types of stress including nutrient, energy, oxidative, and ER stress in both yeast and mammalian systems.

The cap-proximal RNA secondary structure inhibits preinitiation complex formation on HAC1 mRNA

Translation of HAC1 mRNA in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is derepressed when RNase Ire1 removes its intron via nonconventional cytosolic splicing in response to accumulation of unfolded proteins inside the endoplasmic reticulum. The spliced HAC1 mRNA is translated into a transcription factor that changes the cellular gene expression patterns to increase the protein folding capacity of cells. Previously, we showed that a segment of the intronic sequence interacts with the 5′-UTR of the unspliced mRNA, resulting in repression of HAC1 translation at the initiation stage. However, the exact mechanism of translational derepression is not clear. Here, we show that at least 11-base-pairing interactions between the 5′-UTR and intron (UI) are sufficient to repress HAC1 translation. We also show that overexpression of the helicase eukaryotic initiation factor 4A derepressed translation of an unspliced HAC1 mRNA containing only 11-bp interactions between the 5′-UTR and intronic sequences. In addition, our genetic screen identifies that single mutations in the UI interaction site could derepress translation of the unspliced HAC1 mRNA. Furthermore, we show that the addition of 24 RNA bases between the mRNA 5′-cap and the UI interaction site derepressed translation of the unspliced HAC1 mRNA. Together, our data provide a mechanistic explanation for why the cap-proximal UI–RNA duplex inhibits the recruitment of translating ribosomes to HAC1 mRNA, thus keeping mRNA translationally repressed.

Adaptation to Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Candida albicans Relies on the Activity of the Hog1 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase

Adaptation to ER stress is linked to the pathogenicity of C. albicans. The fungus responds to ER stress primarily by activating the conserved Ire1-Hac1-dependent unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway. Subsequently, when ER homeostasis is re-established, the UPR is attenuated in a timely manner, a facet that is unexplored in C. albicans. Here, we show that C. albicans licenses the HOG (high-osmolarity glycerol) MAPK pathway for abating ER stress as evidenced by activation and translocation of Hog1 to the nucleus during tunicamycin-induced ER stress. We find that, once activated, Hog1 attenuates the activity of Ire1-dependent UPR, thus facilitating adaptation to ER stress. We use the previously established assay, where the disappearance of the UPR-induced spliced HAC1 mRNA correlates with the re-establishment of ER homeostasis, to investigate attenuation of the UPR in C. albicans. hog1Δ/Δ cells retain spliced HAC1 mRNA levels for longer duration reflecting the delay in attenuating Ire1-dependent UPR. Conversely, compromising the expression of Ire1 (ire1 DX mutant strain) results in diminished levels of phosphorylated Hog1, restating the cross-talk between Ire1 and HOG pathways. Phosphorylation signal to Hog1 MAP kinase is relayed through Ssk1 in response to ER stress as inactivation of Ssk1 abrogates Hog1 phosphorylation in C. albicans. Additionally, Hog1 depends on its cytosolic as well as nuclear activity for mediating ER stress-specific responses in the fungus. Our results show that HOG pathway serves as a point of cross-talk with the UPR pathway, thus extending the role of this signaling pathway in promoting adaptation to ER stress in C. albicans. Additionally, this study integrates this MAPK pathway into the little known frame of ER stress adaptation pathways in C. albicans.

Determination of the Stability and Intracellular (Intra-Nuclear) Targeting and Recruitment of Pre-HAC1 mRNA in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae During the Activation of UPR

Nuclear degradation of pre-HAC1 mRNA and its subsequent targeting plays a vital role in the activation as well as attenuation of Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Accurate measurement of the degradation of precursor HAC1 mRNA therefore appears vital to determine the phase of activation or attenuation of this important intracellular signaling pathway. Typically, pre-HAC1 mRNA degradation is measured by the transcription shut-off experiment in which RNA Polymerase II transcription is inhibited by a potent transcription inhibitor to prevent the de novo synthesis of all Polymerase II transcripts followed by the measurement of the steady-state levels of a specific (e.g., pre-HAC1) mRNA at different times after the inhibition of the transcription. The rate of the decay is subsequently determined from the slope of the decay curve and is expressed as half-life (T_1/2). Estimation of the half-life values and comparison of this parameter determined under different physiological cues (such as in absence or presence of redox/ER/heat stress) gives a good estimate of the stability of the mRNA under these conditions and helps gaining an insight into the mechanism of the biological process such as activation or attenuation of UPR.Intra-nuclear targeting of the pre-HAC1 mRNA from the site of its transcription to the site of non-canonical splicing, where the kinase-endonuclease Ire1p clusters into the oligomeric structures constitutes an important aspect of the activation of Unfolded Protein Response pathway. These oligomeric structures are detectable as the Ire1p foci/spot in distinct locations across the nuclear-ER membrane under confocal micrograph using immunofluorescence procedure. Extent of the targeting of the pre-HAC1 mRNA is measurable in a quantified manner by co-expressing fluorescent-labeled pre-HAC1 mRNA and Ire1p protein followed by estimating their co-localization using FACS (Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorter) analysis. Here, we describe detailed protocol of both determination of intra-nuclear decay rate and targeting-frequency of pre-HAC1 mRNA that were optimized in our laboratory.

ATP-competitive partial antagonists of the IRE1α RNase segregate outputs of the UPR

The unfolded protein response (UPR) homeostatically matches endoplasmic reticulum (ER) protein-folding capacity to cellular secretory needs. However, under high or chronic ER stress, the UPR triggers apoptosis. This cell fate dichotomy is promoted by differential activation of the ER transmembrane kinase/endoribonuclease (RNase) IRE1α. We previously found that the RNase of IRE1α can be either fully activated or inactivated by ATP-competitive kinase inhibitors. Here we developed kinase inhibitors, partial antagonists of IRE1α RNase (PAIRs), that partially antagonize the IRE1α RNase at full occupancy. Biochemical and structural studies show that PAIRs promote partial RNase antagonism by intermediately displacing the helix αC in the IRE1α kinase domain. In insulin-producing β-cells, PAIRs permit adaptive splicing of Xbp1 mRNA while quelling destructive ER mRNA endonucleolytic decay and apoptosis. By preserving Xbp1 mRNA splicing, PAIRs allow B cells to differentiate into immunoglobulin-producing plasma cells. Thus, an intermediate RNase-inhibitory 'sweet spot', achieved by PAIR-bound IRE1α, captures a desirable conformation for drugging this master UPR sensor/effector.

The Role of the UPR Pathway in the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a mood disorder that affects millions worldwide and is associated with severe mood swings between mania and depression. The mood stabilizers valproate (VPA) and lithium (Li) are among the main drugs that are used to treat BD patients. However, these drugs are not effective for all patients and cause serious side effects. Therefore, better drugs are needed to treat BD patients. The main barrier to developing new drugs is the lack of knowledge about the therapeutic mechanism of currently available drugs. Several hypotheses have been proposed for the mechanism of action of mood stabilizers. However, it is still not known how they act to alleviate both mania and depression. The pathology of BD is characterized by mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and abnormalities in calcium signaling. A deficiency in the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway may be a shared mechanism that leads to these cellular dysfunctions. This is supported by reported abnormalities in the UPR pathway in lymphoblasts from BD patients. Additionally, studies have demonstrated that mood stabilizers alter the expression of several UPR target genes in mouse and human neuronal cells. In this review, we outline a new perspective wherein mood stabilizers exert their therapeutic mechanism by activating the UPR. Furthermore, we discuss UPR abnormalities in BD patients and suggest future research directions to resolve discrepancies in the literature.

Huntingtin and Its Role in Mechanisms of RNA-Mediated Toxicity

Huntington’s disease (HD) is caused by a CAG-repeat expansion mutation in the Huntingtin (HTT) gene. It is characterized by progressive psychiatric and neurological symptoms in combination with a progressive movement disorder. Despite the ubiquitous expression of HTT, pathological changes occur quite selectively in the central nervous system. Since the discovery of HD more than 150 years ago, a lot of research on molecular mechanisms contributing to neurotoxicity has remained the focal point. While traditionally, the protein encoded by the HTT gene remained the cynosure for researchers and was extensively reviewed elsewhere, several studies in the last few years clearly indicated the contribution of the mutant RNA transcript to cellular dysfunction as well. In this review, we outline recent studies on RNA-mediated molecular mechanisms that are linked to cellular dysfunction in HD models. These mechanisms include mis-splicing, aberrant translation, deregulation of the miRNA machinery, deregulated RNA transport and abnormal regulation of mitochondrial RNA. Furthermore, we summarize recent therapeutical approaches targeting the mutant HTT transcript. While currently available treatments are of a palliative nature only and do not halt the disease progression, recent clinical studies provide hope that these novel RNA-targeting strategies will lead to better therapeutic approaches.

Engineering of the unfolded protein response pathway in Pichia pastoris: enhancing production of secreted recombinant proteins

Folding and processing of proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) are major impediments in the production and secretion of proteins from Pichia pastoris (Komagataella sp.). Overexpression of recombinant genes can overwhelm the innate secretory machinery of the P. pastoris cell, and incorrectly folded proteins may accumulate inside the ER. To restore proper protein folding, the cell naturally triggers an unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway, which upregulates the expression of genes coding for chaperones and other folding-assisting proteins (e.g., Kar2p, Pdi1, Ero1p) via the transcription activator Hac1p. Unfolded/misfolded proteins that cannot be repaired are degraded via the ER-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway, which decreases productivity. Co-expression of selected UPR genes, along with the recombinant gene of interest, is a common approach to enhance the production of properly folded, secreted proteins. Such an approach, however, is not always successful and sometimes, protein productivity decreases because of an unbalanced UPR. This review summarizes successful chaperone co-expression strategies in P. pastoris that are specifically related to overproduction of foreign proteins and the UPR. In addition, it illustrates possible negative effects on the cell's physiology and productivity resulting from genetic engineering of the UPR pathway. We have focused on Pichia's potential for commercial production of valuable proteins and we aim to optimize molecular designs so that production strains can be tailored to suit a specific heterologous product. KEY POINTS: • Chaperones co-expressed with recombinant genes affect productivity in P. pastoris. • Enhanced UPR may impair strain physiology and promote protein degradation. • Gene copy number of the target gene and the chaperone determine the secretion rate.

Does Saccharomyces cerevisiae Require Specific Post-Translational Silencing against Leaky Translation of Hac1up?

HAC1 encodes a key transcription factor that transmits the unfolded protein response (UPR) from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the nucleus and regulates downstream UPR genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In response to the accumulation of unfolded proteins in the ER, Ire1p oligomers splice HAC1 pre-mRNA (HAC1^u) via a non-conventional process and allow the spliced HAC1 (HAC1ⁱ) to be translated efficiently. However, leaky splicing and translation of HAC1^u may occur in non-UPR cells to induce undesirable UPR. To control accidental UPR activation, multiple fail-safe mechanisms have been proposed to prevent leaky HAC1 splicing and translation and to facilitate rapid degradation of translated Hac1^up and Hac1ⁱp. Among proposed regulatory mechanisms is a degron sequence encoded at the 5′ end of the HAC1 intron that silences Hac1^up expression. To investigate the necessity of an intron-encoded degron sequence that specifically targets Hac1^up for degradation, we employed publicly available transcriptomic data to quantify leaky HAC1 splicing and translation in UPR-induced and non-UPR cells. As expected, we found that HAC1^u is only efficiently spliced into HAC1ⁱ and efficiently translated into Hac1ⁱp in UPR-induced cells. However, our analysis of ribosome profiling data confirmed frequent occurrence of leaky translation of HAC1^u regardless of UPR induction, demonstrating the inability of translation fail-safe to completely inhibit Hac1^up production. Additionally, among 32 yeast HAC1 surveyed, the degron sequence is highly conserved by Saccharomyces yeast but is poorly conserved by all other yeast species. Nevertheless, the degron sequence is the most conserved HAC1 intron segment in yeasts. These results suggest that the degron sequence may indeed play an important role in mitigating the accumulation of Hac1^up to prevent accidental UPR activation in the Saccharomyces yeast.

The ADP-binding kinase region of Ire1 directly contributes to its responsiveness to endoplasmic reticulum stress

Upon endoplasmic-reticulum (ER) stress, the ER-located transmembrane protein, Ire1, is autophosphorylated and acts as an endoribonuclease to trigger the unfolded protein response (UPR). Previous biochemical studies have shown that Ire1 exhibits strong endoribonuclease activity when its cytosolic kinase region captures ADP. Here, we asked how this event contributes to the regulation of Ire1 activity. At the beginning of this study, we obtained a luminal-domain mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ire1, deltaIdeltaIIIdeltaV/Y225H Ire1, which is deduced to be controlled by none of the luminal-side regulatory events. ER-stress responsiveness of deltaIdeltaIIIdeltaV/Y225H Ire1 was largely compromised by a further mutation on the kinase region, D797N/K799N, which allows Ire1 to be activated without capturing ADP. Therefore, in addition to the ER-luminal domain of Ire1, which monitors ER conditions, the kinase region is directly involved in the ER-stress responsiveness of Ire1. We propose that potent ER stress harms cells’ “vividness”, increasing the cytosolic ADP/ATP ratio, and eventually strongly activates Ire1. This mechanism seems to contribute to the suppression of inappropriately potent UPR under weak ER-stress conditions.

ER Stress-Sensor Proteins and ER-Mitochondrial Crosstalk-Signaling Beyond (ER) Stress Response

Recent studies undoubtedly show the importance of inter organellar connections to maintain cellular homeostasis. In normal physiological conditions or in the presence of cellular and environmental stress, each organelle responds alone or in coordination to maintain cellular function. The Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria are two important organelles with very specialized structural and functional properties. These two organelles are physically connected through very specialized proteins in the region called the mitochondria-associated ER membrane (MAM). The molecular foundation of this relationship is complex and involves not only ion homeostasis through the shuttling of calcium but also many structural and apoptotic proteins. IRE1alpha and PERK are known for their canonical function as an ER stress sensor controlling unfolded protein response during ER stress. The presence of these transmembrane proteins at the MAM indicates its potential involvement in other biological functions beyond ER stress signaling. Many recent studies have now focused on the non-canonical function of these sensors. In this review, we will focus on ER mitochondrial interdependence with special emphasis on the non-canonical role of ER stress sensors beyond ER stress.

Evolution and function of the epithelial cell-specific ER stress sensor IRE1β

Barrier epithelial cells lining the mucosal surfaces of the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts interface directly with the environment. As such, these tissues are continuously challenged to maintain a healthy equilibrium between immunity and tolerance against environmental toxins, food components, and microbes. An extracellular mucus barrier, produced and secreted by the underlying epithelium plays a central role in this host defense response. Several dedicated molecules with a unique tissue-specific expression in mucosal epithelia govern mucosal homeostasis. Here, we review the biology of Inositol-requiring enzyme 1β (IRE1β), an ER-resident endonuclease and paralogue of the most evolutionarily conserved ER stress sensor IRE1α. IRE1β arose through gene duplication in early vertebrates and adopted functions unique from IRE1α which appear to underlie the basic development and physiology of mucosal tissues.

Mechanisms coordinating ribosomal protein gene transcription in response to stress

While expression of ribosomal protein genes (RPGs) in the budding yeast has been extensively studied, a longstanding enigma persists regarding their co-regulation under fluctuating growth conditions. Most RPG promoters display one of two distinct arrangements of a core set of transcription factors (TFs) and are further differentiated by the presence or absence of the HMGB protein Hmo1. However, a third group of promoters appears not to be bound by any of these proteins, raising the question of how the whole suite of genes is co-regulated. We demonstrate here that all RPGs are regulated by two distinct, but complementary mechanisms driven by the TFs Ifh1 and Sfp1, both of which are required for maximal expression in optimal conditions and coordinated downregulation upon stress. At the majority of RPG promoters, Ifh1-dependent regulation predominates, whereas Sfp1 plays the major role at all other genes. We also uncovered an unexpected protein homeostasis-dependent binding property of Hmo1 at RPG promoters. Finally, we show that the Ifh1 paralog Crf1, previously described as a transcriptional repressor, can act as a constitutive RPG activator. Our study provides a more complete picture of RPG regulation and may serve as a paradigm for unravelling RPG regulation in multicellular eukaryotes.

The molecular mechanism and functional diversity of UPR signaling sensor IRE1

The endoplasmic reticulum is primarily responsible for protein folding and maturation. However, the organelle is subject to varied stress conditions from time to time, which lead to the activation of a signaling program known as the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) pathway. This pathway, upon sensing any disturbance in the protein-folding milieu sends signals to the nucleus and cytoplasm in order to restore homeostasis. One of the prime UPR signaling sensors is Inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1); an ER membrane embedded protein with dual enzyme activities, kinase and endoribonuclease. The ribonuclease activity of IRE1 results in Xbp1 splicing in mammals or Hac1 splicing in yeast. However, IRE1 can switch its substrate specificity to the mRNAs that are co-transnationally transported to the ER, a phenomenon known as Regulated IRE1 Dependent Decay (RIDD). IRE1 is also reported to act as a principal molecule that coordinates with other proteins and signaling pathways, which in turn might be responsible for its regulation. The current review highlights studies on IRE1 explaining the structural features and molecular mechanism behind its ribonuclease outputs. The emphasis is also laid on the molecular effectors, which directly or indirectly interact with IRE1 to either modulate its function or connect it to other pathways. This is important in understanding the functional pleiotropy of IRE1, by which it can switch its activity from pro-survival to pro-apoptotic, thus determining the fate of cells.

A Quantitative Analysis of Cellular Lipid Compositions During Acute Proteotoxic ER Stress Reveals Specificity in the Production of Asymmetric Lipids

The unfolded protein response (UPR) is central to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis by controlling its size and protein folding capacity. When activated by unfolded proteins in the ER-lumen or aberrant lipid compositions, the UPR adjusts the expression of hundreds of target genes to counteract ER stress. The proteotoxic drugs dithiothreitol (DTT) and tunicamycin (TM) are commonly used to induce misfolding of proteins in the ER and to study the UPR. However, their potential impact on the cellular lipid composition has never been systematically addressed. Here, we report the quantitative, cellular lipid composition of Saccharomyces cerevisiae during acute, proteotoxic stress in both rich and synthetic media. We show that DTT causes rapid remodeling of the lipidome when used in rich medium at growth-inhibitory concentrations, while TM has only a marginal impact on the lipidome under our conditions of cultivation. We formulate recommendations on how to study UPR activation by proteotoxic stress without interferences from a perturbed lipid metabolism. Furthermore, our data suggest an intricate connection between the cellular growth rate, the abundance of the ER, and the metabolism of fatty acids. We show that Saccharomyces cerevisiae can produce asymmetric lipids with two saturated fatty acyl chains differing substantially in length. These observations indicate that the pairing of saturated fatty acyl chains is tightly controlled and suggest an evolutionary conservation of asymmetric lipids and their biosynthetic machineries.

The evolutionarily conserved ESRE stress response network is activated by ROS and mitochondrial damage

Background

Mitochondrial dysfunction causes or contributes to a wide variety of pathologies, including neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, metabolic diseases, and aging. Cells actively surveil a number of mitochondrial readouts to ensure that cellular homeostasis is maintained.

Results

In this article, we characterize the role of the ethanol and stress response element (ESRE) pathway in mitochondrial surveillance and show that it is robustly activated when the concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cell increases. While experiments were mostly performed in Caenorhabditis elegans, we observed similar gene activation profile in human cell lines. The linear relationship between ROS and ESRE activation differentiates ESRE from known mitochondrial surveillance pathways, such as the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPR^mt), which monitor mitochondrial protein import. The ability of the ESRE network to be activated by increased ROS allows the cell to respond to oxidative and reductive stresses. The ESRE network works in tandem with other mitochondrial surveillance mechanisms as well, in a fashion that suggests a partially redundant hierarchy. For example, mutation of the UPR^mt pathway results in earlier and more robust activation of the ESRE pathway. Interestingly, full expression of ATFS-1, a key transcription factor for the UPR^mt, requires the presence of an ESRE motif in its promoter region.

Conclusion

The ESRE pathway responds to mitochondrial damage by monitoring ROS levels. This response is conserved in humans. The ESRE pathway is activated earlier when other mitochondrial surveillance pathways are unavailable during mitochondrial crises, potentially to mitigate stress and restore health. However, the exact mechanisms of pathway activation and crosstalk remain to be elucidated. Ultimately, a better understanding of this network, and its role in the constellation of mitochondrial and cellular stress networks, will improve healthspan.

Localization elements and zip codes in the intracellular transport and localization of messenger RNAs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Intracellular trafficking and localization of mRNAs provide a mechanism of regulation of expression of genes with excellent spatial control. mRNA localization followed by localized translation appears to be a mechanism of targeted protein sorting to a specific cell-compartment, which is linked to the establishment of cell polarity, cell asymmetry, embryonic axis determination, and neuronal plasticity in metazoans. However, the complexity of the mechanism and the components of mRNA localization in higher organisms prompted the use of the unicellular organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a simplified model organism to study this vital process. Current knowledge indicates that a variety of mRNAs are asymmetrically and selectively localized to the tip of the bud of the daughter cells, to the vicinity of endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, and nucleus in this organism, which are connected to diverse cellular processes. Interestingly, specific cis-acting RNA localization elements (LEs) or RNA zip codes play a crucial role in the localization and trafficking of these localized mRNAs by providing critical binding sites for the specific RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). In this review, we present a comprehensive account of mRNA localization in S. cerevisiae, various types of localization elements influencing the mRNA localization, and the RBPs, which bind to these LEs to implement a number of vital physiological processes. Finally, we emphasize the significance of this process by highlighting their connection to several neuropathological disorders and cancers. This article is categorized under: RNA Export and Localization > RNA Localization.

Ribosome depurination by ricin leads to inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced HAC1 mRNA splicing on the ribosome

Ricin undergoes retrograde transport to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and ricin toxin A chain (RTA) enters the cytosol from the ER. Previous reports indicated that RTA inhibits activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) in yeast and in mammalian cells. Both precursor (preRTA) and mature form of RTA (mRTA) inhibited splicing of HAC1^u (u for uninduced) mRNA, suggesting that UPR inhibition occurred on the cytosolic face of the ER. Here, we examined the role of ribosome binding and depurination activity on inhibition of the UPR using mRTA mutants. An active-site mutant with very low depurination activity, which bound ribosomes as WT RTA, did not inhibit HAC1^u mRNA splicing. A ribosome-binding mutant, which showed reduced binding to ribosomes but retained depurination activity, inhibited HAC1^u mRNA splicing. This mutant allowed separation of the UPR inhibition by RTA from cytotoxicity because it reduced the rate of depurination. The ribosome-binding mutant inhibited the UPR without affecting IRE1 oligomerization or cleavage of HAC1^u mRNA at the splice site junctions. Inhibition of the UPR correlated with the depurination level, suggesting that ribosomes play a role in splicing of HAC1^u mRNA. We show that HAC1^u mRNA is associated with ribosomes and does not get processed on depurinated ribosomes, thereby inhibiting the UPR. These results demonstrate that RTA inhibits HAC1^u mRNA splicing through its depurination activity on the ribosome without directly affecting IRE1 oligomerization or the splicing reaction and provide evidence that IRE1 recognizes HAC1^u mRNA that is associated with ribosomes.

Cellular Stress-Modulating Drugs Can Potentially Be Identified by in Silico Screening with Connectivity Map (CMap)

Accompanied by increased life span, aging-associated diseases, such as metabolic diseases and cancers, have become serious health threats. Recent studies have documented that aging-associated diseases are caused by prolonged cellular stresses such as endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, mitochondrial stress, and oxidative stress. Thus, ameliorating cellular stresses could be an effective approach to treat aging-associated diseases and, more importantly, to prevent such diseases from happening. However, cellular stresses and their molecular responses within the cell are typically mediated by a variety of factors encompassing different signaling pathways. Therefore, a target-based drug discovery method currently being used widely (reverse pharmacology) may not be adequate to uncover novel drugs targeting cellular stresses and related diseases. The connectivity map (CMap) is an online pharmacogenomic database cataloging gene expression data from cultured cells treated individually with various chemicals, including a variety of phytochemicals. Moreover, by querying through CMap, researchers may screen registered chemicals in silico and obtain the likelihood of drugs showing a similar gene expression profile with desired and chemopreventive conditions. Thus, CMap is an effective genome-based tool to discover novel chemopreventive drugs.

Constitutive XBP-1s-mediated activation of the endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein response protects against pathological tau

To endure over the organismal lifespan, neurons utilize multiple strategies to achieve protein homeostasis (proteostasis). Some homeostatic mechanisms act in a subcellular compartment-specific manner, but others exhibit trans-compartmental mechanisms of proteostasis. To identify pathways protecting neurons from pathological tau protein, we employed a transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans model of human tauopathy exhibiting proteostatic disruption. We show normal functioning of the endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein response (UPR^ER) promotes clearance of pathological tau, and loss of the three UPR^ER branches differentially affects tauopathy phenotypes. Loss of function of xbp-1 and atf-6 genes, the two main UPR^ER transcription factors, exacerbates tau toxicity. Furthermore, constitutive activation of master transcription factor XBP-1 ameliorates tauopathy phenotypes. However, both ATF6 and PERK branches of the UPR^ER participate in amelioration of tauopathy by constitutively active XBP-1, possibly through endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein degradation (ERAD). Understanding how the UPR^ER modulates pathological tau accumulation will inform neurodegenerative disease mechanisms.

Nuclear mRNA degradation tunes the gain of the unfolded protein response in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Unfolded protein response (UPR) is triggered by the accumulation of unfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which is accomplished by a dramatic induction of genes encoding ER chaperones. Activation of these genes involves their rapid transcription by Hac1p, encoded by the HAC1 precursor transcript harboring an intron and a bipartite element (3′-BE) in the 3′-UTR. ER stress facilitates intracellular targeting and recruitment of HAC1 pre-mRNA to Ire1p foci (requiring 3′-BE), leading to its non-spliceosomal splicing mediated by Ire1p/Rlg1p. A critical concentration of the pre-HAC1 harboring a functional 3′-BE element is governed by its 3′→5′ decay by the nuclear exosome/DRN. In the absence of stress, pre-HAC1 mRNA undergoes a rapid and kinetic 3′→5′ decay leading to a precursor pool, the majority of which lack the BE element. Stress, in contrast, causes a diminished decay, thus resulting in the production of a population with an increased abundance of pre-HAC1 mRNA carrying an intact BE, which facilitates its more efficient recruitment to Ire1p foci. This mechanism plays a crucial role in the timely activation of UPR and its prompt attenuation following the accomplishment of homeostasis. Thus, a kinetic mRNA decay provides a novel paradigm for mRNA targeting and regulation of gene expression.

Translation Control of HAC1 by Regulation of Splicing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Hac1p is a key transcription factor regulating the unfolded protein response (UPR) induced by abnormal accumulation of unfolded/misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The accumulation of unfolded/misfolded proteins is sensed by protein Ire1p, which then undergoes trans-autophosphorylation and oligomerization into discrete foci on the ER membrane. HAC1 pre-mRNA, which is exported to the cytoplasm but is blocked from translation by its intron sequence looping back to its 5’UTR to form base-pair interaction, is transported to the Ire1p foci to be spliced, guided by a cis-acting bipartite element at its 3’UTR (3’BE). Spliced HAC1 mRNA can be efficiently translated. The resulting Hac1p enters the nucleus and activates, together with coactivators, a large number of genes encoding proteins such as protein chaperones to restore and maintain ER homeostasis and secretary protein quality control. This review details the translation regulation of Hac1p production, mediated by the nonconventional splicing, in the broad context of translation control and summarizes the evolution and diversification of the UPR signaling pathway among fungal, metazoan and plant lineages.

Lipid bilayer stress and proteotoxic stress-induced unfolded protein response deploy divergent transcriptional and non-transcriptional programmes

The unfolded protein response (UPR) is activated by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and is designed to restore cellular homeostasis through multiple intracellular signalling pathways. In mammals, the UPR programme regulates the expression of hundreds of genes in response to signalling from ATF6, IRE1, and PERK. These three highly conserved stress sensors are activated by the accumulation of unfolded proteins within the ER. Alternatively, IRE1 and PERK sense generalised lipid bilayer stress (LBS) at the ER while ATF6 is activated by an increase of specific sphingolipids. As a result, the UPR supports cellular robustness as a broad-spectrum compensatory pathway that is achieved by deploying a tailored transcriptional programme adapted to the source of ER stress. This review summarises the current understanding of the three ER stress transducers in sensing proteotoxic stress and LBS. The plasticity of the UPR programme in the context of different sources of ER stress will also be discussed.

How to design an optimal sensor network for the unfolded protein response

Cellular protein homeostasis requires continuous monitoring of stress in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Stress-detection networks control protein homeostasis by mitigating the deleterious effects of protein accumulation, such as aggregation and misfolding, with precise modulation of chaperone production. Here, we develop a coarse model of the unfolded protein response in yeast and use multi-objective optimization to determine which sensing and activation strategies optimally balance the trade-off between unfolded protein accumulation and chaperone production. By comparing a stress-sensing mechanism that responds directly to the level of unfolded protein in the ER to a mechanism that is negatively regulated by unbound chaperones, we show that chaperone-mediated sensors are more efficient than sensors that detect unfolded proteins directly. This results from the chaperone-mediated sensor having separate thresholds for activation and deactivation. Finally, we demonstrate that a sensor responsive to both unfolded protein and unbound chaperone does not further optimize homeostatic control. Our results suggest a strategy for designing stress sensors and may explain why BiP-mitigated ER stress-sensing networks have evolved.

The cellular response to protein misfolding in the endoplasmic reticulum

In eukaryotic cells, accumulation of unfolded proteins in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) leads to a stress response. Cells respond to ER stress by upregulating the synthesis of ER resident protein chaperones, thus increasing the folding capacity in this organelle. In addition, this response also activates pathways to induce programmed cell death. The stress-induced chaperone synthesis is regulated at the level of transcription. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the transmembrane protein, Ire1p, with both serine/threonine kinase and site-specific endoribonuclease activities is implicated as the sensor of unfolded proteins in the ER that transmits the signal from the ER to activate transcription in the nucleus. Activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway also requires the bZIP transcription factor, Haclp. Although HACl is transcribed constitutively, the mRNA is poorly translated. Upon accumulation of unfolded proteins, Ire1p generates a new processed form of HACl mRNA that is efficiently translated by removal of a 252 base sequence. Using the yeast-interaction trap system we identified additional components of the UPR. A yeast transcriptional coactivator complex, Gcn5p/Ada, which is composed of Gcn5p, Ada2p, Ada3p, and Ada5p, was identified that interacts with Ire1p and Hac1p. Deletion of GCN5, ADA2, and/or ADA3 reduces, and deletion of ADA5 completely abrogates, the transcriptional induction in response to misfolded protein in the ER. A protein phosphatase, Ptc2p, was also identified as a negative regulator of the UPR that directly interacts with and dephosphorylates activated Ire1p. Recently, two mammalian homologues of Ire1p, IRE1 and IRE2, were identified. hIre1p, is preferentially localized to the nuclear envelope and requires a functional nuclease activity to transmit the UPR. These results indicate that some features of the UPR are conserved from yeast to humans and may be composed of a multicomponent complex that is regulated by phosphorylation status and is associated with the nuclear envelope to regulate processes including transcriptional induction and mRNA processing. We propose that activation of Ire1p induces splicing of HACl mRNA as well as engages and targets the Gcn5/Ada/Hac1 protein complex to genes that are transcriptionally activated in response to unfolded protein in the ER. The transcriptional activation is facilitated by targeting the histone acetylase, Gcn5p in yeast, to promote histone acetylation at chromatin encoding ER stress-responsive genes. In addition, activation of Ire1p leads to increased lipid biosynthesis, thereby allowing ER expansion to accommodate increasing lumenal constituents. Under conditions of more severe stress, cells activate an Ire1p-dependent death pathway that is mediated through induction of GADD153/CHOP.

The Unfolded Protein Response Pathway in the Yeast Kluyveromyces lactis. A Comparative View among Yeast Species

Eukaryotic cells have evolved signalling pathways that allow adaptation to harmful conditions that disrupt endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis. When the function of the ER is compromised in a condition known as ER stress, the cell triggers the unfolded protein response (UPR) in order to restore ER homeostasis. Accumulation of misfolded proteins due to stress conditions activates the UPR pathway. In mammalian cells, the UPR is composed of three branches, each containing an ER sensor (PERK, ATF6 and IRE1). However, in yeast species, the only sensor present is the inositol-requiring enzyme Ire1. To cope with unfolded protein accumulation, Ire1 triggers either a transcriptional response mediated by a transcriptional factor that belongs to the bZIP transcription factor family or an mRNA degradation process. In this review, we address the current knowledge of the UPR pathway in several yeast species: Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Candida glabrata, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Candida albicans. We also include unpublished data on the UPR pathway of the budding yeast Kluyveromyces lactis. We describe the basic components of the UPR pathway along with similarities and differences in the UPR mechanism that are present in these yeast species.

Protein hyperproduction in fungi by design

The secretion of enzymes used by fungi to digest their environment has been exploited by humans for centuries for food and beverage production. More than a century after the first biotechnology patent, we know that the enzyme cocktails secreted by these amazing organisms have tremendous use across a number of industrial processes. Secreting the maximum titer of enzymes is critical to the economic feasibility of these processes. Traditional mutagenesis and screening approaches have generated the vast majority of strains used by industry for the production of enzymes. Until the emergence of economical next generation DNA sequencing platforms, the majority of the genes mutated in these screens remained uncharacterized at the sequence level. In addition, mutagenesis comes with a cost to an organism’s fitness, making tractable rational strain design approaches an attractive alternative. As an alternative to traditional mutagenesis and screening, controlled manipulation of multiple genes involved in processes that impact the ability of a fungus to sense its environment, regulate transcription of enzyme-encoding genes, and efficiently secrete these proteins will allow for rational design of improved fungal protein production strains.

IreA Controls Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Induced Autophagy and Survival through Homeostasis Recovery

The unfolded protein response (UPR) is an adaptive pathway that restores cellular homeostasis after endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. The ER-resident kinase/RNase Ire1 is the only UPR sensor conserved during evolution. Autophagy, a lysosomal degradative pathway, also contributes to the recovery of cell homeostasis after ER stress, but the interplay between these two pathways is still poorly understood. We describe the Dictyostelium discoideum ER stress response and characterize its single bona fide Ire1 orthologue, IreA. We found that tunicamycin (TN) triggers a gene-expression reprogramming that increases the protein folding capacity of the ER and alleviates ER protein load. Further, IreA is required for cell survival after TN-induced ER stress and is responsible for nearly 40% of the transcriptional changes induced by TN. The response of Dictyostelium cells to ER stress involves the combined activation of an IreA-dependent gene expression program and the autophagy pathway. These two pathways are independently activated in response to ER stress but, interestingly, autophagy requires IreA at a later stage for proper autophagosome formation. We propose that unresolved ER stress in cells lacking IreA causes structural alterations of the ER, leading to a late-stage blockade of autophagy clearance. This unexpected functional link may critically affect eukaryotic cell survival under ER stress.

SHRED Is a Regulatory Cascade that Reprograms Ubr1 Substrate Specificity for Enhanced Protein Quality Control during Stress

When faced with proteotoxic stress, cells mount adaptive responses to eliminate aberrant proteins. Adaptive responses increase the expression of protein folding and degradation factors to enhance the cellular quality control machinery. However, it is unclear whether and how this augmented machinery acquires new activities during stress. Here, we uncover a regulatory cascade in budding yeast that consists of the hydrophilin protein Roq1/Yjl144w, the HtrA-type protease Ynm3/Nma111, and the ubiquitin ligase Ubr1. Various stresses stimulate ROQ1 transcription. The Roq1 protein is cleaved by Ynm3. Cleaved Roq1 interacts with Ubr1, transforming its substrate specificity. Altered substrate recognition by Ubr1 accelerates proteasomal degradation of misfolded as well as native proteins at the endoplasmic reticulum membrane and in the cytosol. We term this pathway stress-induced homeostatically regulated protein degradation (SHRED) and propose that it promotes physiological adaptation by reprogramming a key component of the quality control machinery.

Cold atmospheric pressure plasma causes protein denaturation and endoplasmic reticulum stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAP) does not cause thermal damage or generate toxic residues; hence, it is projected as an alternative agent for sterilization in food and pharmaceutical industries. The fungicidal effects of CAP have not yet been investigated as extensively as its bactericidal effects. We herein examined the effects of CAP on yeast proteins using a new CAP system with an improved processing capacity. We demonstrated that protein ubiquitination and the formation of protein aggregates were induced in the cytoplasm of yeast cells by the CAP treatment. GFP-tagged Tsa1 and Ssa1, an H₂O₂-responsive molecular chaperone and constitutively expressed Hsp70, respectively, formed cytoplasmic foci in CAP-treated cells. Furthermore, Tsa1 was essential for the formation of Ssa1-GFP foci. These results indicate that the denaturation of yeast proteins was caused by CAP, at least partially, in a H₂O₂-dependent manner. Furthermore, misfolded protein levels in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the oligomerization of Ire1, a key sensor of ER stress, were enhanced by the treatment with CAP, indicating that CAP causes ER stress in yeast cells as a specific phenomenon to eukaryotic cells. The pretreatment of yeast cells at 37 °C significantly alleviated cell death caused by CAP. Our results strongly suggest that the induction of protein denaturation is a primary mechanism of the fungicidal effects of CAP.

Unfolded protein response transducer IRE1-mediated signaling independent of XBP1 mRNA splicing is not required for growth and development of medaka fish

When activated by the accumulation of unfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum, metazoan IRE1, the most evolutionarily conserved unfolded protein response (UPR) transducer, initiates unconventional splicing of XBP1 mRNA. Unspliced and spliced mRNA are translated to produce pXBP1(U) and pXBP1(S), respectively. pXBP1(S) functions as a potent transcription factor, whereas pXBP1(U) targets pXBP1(S) to degradation. In addition, activated IRE1 transmits two signaling outputs independent of XBP1, namely activation of the JNK pathway, which is initiated by binding of the adaptor TRAF2 to phosphorylated IRE1, and regulated IRE1-dependent decay (RIDD) of various mRNAs in a relatively nonspecific manner. Here, we conducted comprehensive and systematic genetic analyses of the IRE1-XBP1 branch of the UPR using medaka fish and found that the defects observed in XBP1-knockout or IRE1-knockout medaka were fully rescued by constitutive expression of pXBP1(S). Thus, the JNK and RIDD pathways are not required for the normal growth and development of medaka. The unfolded protein response sensor/transducer IRE1-mediated splicing of XBP1 mRNA encoding its active downstream transcription factor to maintain the homeostasis of the endoplasmic reticulum is sufficient for growth and development of medaka fish.

Bypass of Activation Loop Phosphorylation by Aspartate 836 in Activation of the Endoribonuclease Activity of Ire1

The bifunctional protein kinase-endoribonuclease Ire1 initiates splicing of the mRNA for the transcription factor Hac1 when unfolded proteins accumulate in the endoplasmic reticulum. Activation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ire1 coincides with autophosphorylation of its activation loop at S840, S841, T844, and S850. Mass spectrometric analysis of Ire1 expressed in Escherichia coli identified S837 as another potential phosphorylation site in vivo. Mutation of all five potential phosphorylation sites in the activation loop decreased, but did not completely abolish, splicing of HAC1 mRNA, induction of KAR2 and PDI1 mRNAs, and expression of a β-galactosidase reporter activated by Hac1ⁱ. Phosphorylation site mutants survive low levels of endoplasmic reticulum stress better than IRE1 deletions strains. In vivo clustering and inactivation of Ire1 are not affected by phosphorylation site mutants. Mutation of D836 to alanine in the activation loop of phosphorylation site mutants nearly completely abolished HAC1 splicing, induction of KAR2, PDI1, and β-galactosidase reporters, and survival of ER stress, but it had no effect on clustering of Ire1. By itself, the D836A mutation does not confer a phenotype. These data argue that D836 can partially substitute for activation loop phosphorylation in activation of the endoribonuclease domain of Ire1.

The endoplasmic reticulum: A hub of protein quality control in health and disease

One third of the eukaryotic proteome is synthesized at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), whose unique properties provide a folding environment substantially different from the cytosol. A healthy, balanced proteome in the ER is maintained by a network of factors referred to as the ER quality control (ERQC) machinery. This network consists of various protein folding chaperones and modifying enzymes, and is regulated by stress response pathways that prevent the build-up as well as the secretion of potentially toxic and aggregation-prone misfolded protein species. Here, we describe the components of the ERQC machinery, investigate their response to different forms of stress, and discuss the consequences of ERQC break-down.

Acetic Acid Causes Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Induces the Unfolded Protein Response in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Since acetic acid inhibits the growth and fermentation ability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, it is one of the practical hindrances to the efficient production of bioethanol from a lignocellulosic biomass. Although extensive information is available on yeast response to acetic acid stress, the involvement of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and unfolded protein response (UPR) has not been addressed. We herein demonstrated that acetic acid causes ER stress and induces the UPR. The accumulation of misfolded proteins in the ER and activation of Ire1p and Hac1p, an ER-stress sensor and ER stress-responsive transcription factor, respectively, were induced by a treatment with acetic acid stress (>0.2% v/v). Other monocarboxylic acids such as propionic acid and sorbic acid, but not lactic acid, also induced the UPR. Additionally, ire1Δ and hac1Δ cells were more sensitive to acetic acid than wild-type cells, indicating that activation of the Ire1p-Hac1p pathway is required for maximum tolerance to acetic acid. Furthermore, the combination of mild acetic acid stress (0.1% acetic acid) and mild ethanol stress (5% ethanol) induced the UPR, whereas neither mild ethanol stress nor mild acetic acid stress individually activated Ire1p, suggesting that ER stress is easily induced in yeast cells during the fermentation process of lignocellulosic hydrolysates. It was possible to avoid the induction of ER stress caused by acetic acid and the combined stress by adjusting extracellular pH.

Mn3O4nanoparticles cause endoplasmic reticulum stress-dependent toxicity to Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Model figure illustrating the toxicity mechanism of Mn₃O₄NPs to yeast cells.

IRE1α nucleotide sequence cleavage specificity in the unfolded protein response

Inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1) is a conserved sensor of the unfolded protein response that has protein kinase and endoribonuclease (RNase) enzymatic activities and thereby initiates HAC1/XBP1 splicing. Previous studies demonstrated that human IRE1α (hIRE1α) does not cleave Saccharomyces cerevisiae HAC1 mRNA. Using an in vitro cleavage assay, we show that adenine to cytosine nucleotide substitution at the +1 position in the 3' splice site of HAC1 RNA is required for specific cleavage by hIRE1α. A similar restricted nucleotide specificity in the RNA substrate was observed for XBP1 splicing in vivo. Together these findings underscore the essential role of cytosine nucleotide at +1 in the 3' splice site for determining cleavage specificity of hIRE1α.

Silence without stress

Two mechanisms ensure that the mRNA encoding Hac1 protein, a transcription factor involved in the unfolded protein response, is only translated when it is needed.

The fail-safe mechanism of post-transcriptional silencing of unspliced HAC1 mRNA

HAC1 encodes a transcription factor that is the central effector of the unfolded protein response (UPR) in budding yeast. When the UPR is inactive, HAC1 mRNA is stored as an unspliced isoform in the cytoplasm and no Hac1 protein is detectable. Intron removal is both necessary and sufficient to relieve the post-transcriptional silencing of HAC1 mRNA, yet the precise mechanism by which the intron prevents Hac1 protein accumulation has remained elusive. Here, we show that a combination of inhibited translation initiation and accelerated protein degradation—both dependent on the intron—prevents the accumulation of Hac1 protein when the UPR is inactive. Functionally, both components of this fail-safe silencing mechanism are required to prevent ectopic production of Hac1 protein and concomitant activation of the UPR. Our results provide a mechanistic understanding of HAC1 regulation and reveal a novel strategy for complete post-transcriptional silencing of a cytoplasmic mRNA.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.20069.001

Molecular machines called ribosomes read the genetic instructions in an mRNA molecule and then translate them to make proteins. However, cells do not translate all of the template mRNAs that they have available into proteins; instead they have a number of ways to block the process to control when certain proteins are made.

In budding yeast, the mRNA that codes for a protein called Hac1 is always present in the cell but the protein is normally not detected. The Hac1 protein is responsible for helping the cell deal with certain types of stress, so it only accumulates when the cell is experiencing such stresses. The mRNA that encodes Hac1 (referred to as HAC1 mRNA) contains a sequence called an intron. These sequences are normally cut out of mRNAs before they are read by the ribosome. However, the intron in the HAC1 mRNA is unusual, because it is only removed when cells are subjected to stress. The rest of the time, this intron serves to block the production of Hac1 through a poorly understood mechanism.

Now, Di Santo et al. show the HAC1 mRNA uses two strategies to keep itself fully repressed—both of which involve its intron. One strategy relies on a structure formed in the HAC1 mRNA that prevents ribosomes from starting translation in the first place. However, this block is occasionally bypassed, causing some Hac1 protein to be produced when it should not be. To deal with this, the Hac1 protein that is produced contains a short protein sequence, encoded by the intron, that targets this unneeded protein for degradation. These two strategies together comprise a “fail-safe” mechanism to completely repress the HAC1 mRNA.

Following on from these findings, it will be important to determine whether other mRNAs – both in budding yeast and in other species including humans – use a similar fail-safe strategy to block proteins from being made when they should not be.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.20069.002

Biotechnological advances towards an enhanced peroxidase production in Pichia pastoris

Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is a high-demand enzyme for applications in diagnostics, bioremediation, biocatalysis and medicine. Current HRP preparations are isolated from horseradish roots as mixtures of biochemically diverse isoenzymes. Thus, there is a strong need for a recombinant production process enabling a steady supply with enzyme preparations of consistent high quality. However, most current recombinant production systems are limited at titers in the low mg/L range. In this study, we used the well-known yeast Pichia pastoris as host for recombinant HRP production. To enhance recombinant enzyme titers we systematically evaluated engineering approaches on the secretion process, coproduction of helper proteins, and compared expression from the strong methanol-inducible PAOX1 promoter, the strong constitutive PGAP promoter, and a novel bidirectional promoter PHTX1. Ultimately, coproduction of HRP and active Hac1 under PHTX1 control yielded a recombinant HRP titer of 132mg/L after 56h of cultivation in a methanol-independent and easy-to-do bioreactor cultivation process. With regard to the many versatile applications for HRP, the establishment of a microbial host system suitable for efficient recombinant HRP production was highly overdue. The novel HRP production platform in P. pastoris presented in this study sets a new benchmark for this medically relevant enzyme.