Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator degradation depends on the lectins Htm1p/EDEM and the Cdc48 protein complex in yeast

HERC3 facilitates ERAD of select membrane proteins by recognizing membrane-spanning domains

Aberrant proteins located in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) undergo rapid ubiquitination by multiple ubiquitin (Ub) E3 ligases and are retrotranslocated to the cytosol as part of the ER-associated degradation (ERAD). Despite several ERAD branches involving different Ub E3 ligases, the molecular machinery responsible for these ERAD branches in mammalian cells remains not fully understood. Through a series of multiplex knockdown/knockout experiments with real-time kinetic measurements, we demonstrate that HERC3 operates independently of the ER-embedded ubiquitin ligases RNF5 and RNF185 (RNF5/185) to mediate the retrotranslocation and ERAD of misfolded CFTR. While RNF5/185 participates in the ERAD process of both misfolded ABCB1 and CFTR, HERC3 uniquely promotes CFTR ERAD. In vitro assay revealed that HERC3 directly interacts with the exposed membrane-spanning domains (MSDs) of CFTR but not with the MSDs embedded in liposomes. Therefore, HERC3 could play a role in the quality control of MSDs in the cytoplasm and might be crucial for the ERAD pathway of select membrane proteins.

Targeting ubiquitination machinery in cystic fibrosis: Where do we stand?

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease caused by mutations in CFTR gene expressing the anion selective channel CFTR located at the plasma membrane of different epithelial cells. The most commonly investigated variant causing CF is F508del. This mutation leads to structural defects in the CFTR protein, which are recognized by the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) quality control system. As a result, the protein is retained in the ER and degraded via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Although blocking ubiquitination to stabilize the CFTR protein has long been considered a potential pharmacological approach in CF, progress in this area has been relatively slow. Currently, no compounds targeting this pathway have entered clinical trials for CF. On the other hand, the emergence of Orkambi initially, and notably the subsequent introduction of Trikafta/Kaftrio, have demonstrated the effectiveness of molecular chaperone-based therapies for patients carrying the F508del variant and even showed efficacy against other variants. These treatments directly target the CFTR variant protein without interfering with cell signaling pathways. This review discusses the limits and potential future of targeting protein ubiquitination in CF.

Ligand-based virtual-screening identified a novel CFTR ligand which improves the defective cell surface expression of misfolded ABC transporters

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a monogenetic disease caused by the mutation of CFTR, a cAMP-regulated Cl- channel expressing at the apical plasma membrane (PM) of epithelia. ∆F508-CFTR, the most common mutant in CF, fails to reach the PM due to its misfolding and premature degradation at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Recently, CFTR modulators have been developed to correct CFTR abnormalities, with some being used as therapeutic agents for CF treatment. One notable example is Trikafta, a triple combination of CFTR modulators (TEZ/ELX/IVA), which significantly enhances the functionality of ΔF508-CFTR on the PM. However, there's room for improvement in its therapeutic effectiveness since TEZ/ELX/IVA doesn't fully stabilize ΔF508-CFTR on the PM. To discover new CFTR modulators, we conducted a virtual screening of approximately 4.3 million compounds based on the chemical structures of existing CFTR modulators. This effort led us to identify a novel CFTR ligand named FR3. Unlike clinically available CFTR modulators, FR3 appears to operate through a distinct mechanism of action. FR3 enhances the functional expression of ΔF508-CFTR on the apical PM in airway epithelial cell lines by stabilizing NBD1. Notably, FR3 counteracted the degradation of mature ΔF508-CFTR, which still occurs despite the presence of TEZ/ELX/IVA. Furthermore, FR3 corrected the defective PM expression of a misfolded ABCB1 mutant. Therefore, FR3 may be a potential lead compound for addressing diseases resulting from the misfolding of ABC transporters.

Yeast derlin Dfm1 employs a chaperone-like function to resolve misfolded membrane protein stress

Protein aggregates are a common feature of diseased and aged cells. Membrane proteins comprise a quarter of the proteome, and yet, it is not well understood how aggregation of membrane proteins is regulated and what effects these aggregates can have on cellular health. We have determined in yeast that the derlin Dfm1 has a chaperone-like activity that influences misfolded membrane protein aggregation. We establish that this function of Dfm1 does not require recruitment of the ATPase Cdc48 and it is distinct from Dfm1's previously identified function in dislocating misfolded membrane proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the cytosol for degradation. Additionally, we assess the cellular impacts of misfolded membrane proteins in the absence of Dfm1 and determine that misfolded membrane proteins are toxic to cells in the absence of Dfm1 and cause disruptions to proteasomal and ubiquitin homeostasis.

Protein Aggregation in the ER: Calm behind the Storm

As one of the largest organelles in eukaryotic cells, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) plays a vital role in the synthesis, folding, and assembly of secretory and membrane proteins. To maintain its homeostasis, the ER is equipped with an elaborate network of protein folding chaperones and multiple quality control pathways whose cooperative actions safeguard the fidelity of protein biogenesis. However, due to genetic abnormalities, the error-prone nature of protein folding and assembly, and/or defects or limited capacities of the protein quality control systems, nascent proteins may become misfolded and fail to exit the ER. If not cleared efficiently, the progressive accumulation of misfolded proteins within the ER may result in the formation of toxic protein aggregates, leading to the so-called “ER storage diseases”. In this review, we first summarize our current understanding of the protein folding and quality control networks in the ER, including chaperones, unfolded protein response (UPR), ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD), and ER-selective autophagy (ER-phagy). We then survey recent research progress on a few ER storage diseases, with a focus on the role of ER quality control in the disease etiology, followed by a discussion on outstanding questions and emerging concepts in the field.

Potential Physiological Relevance of ERAD to the Biosynthesis of GPI-Anchored Proteins in Yeast

Misfolded and/or unassembled secretory and membrane proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) may be retro-translocated into the cytoplasm, where they undergo ER-associated degradation, or ERAD. The mechanisms by which misfolded proteins are recognized and degraded through this pathway have been studied extensively; however, our understanding of the physiological role of ERAD remains limited. This review describes the biosynthesis and quality control of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins and briefly summarizes the relevance of ERAD to these processes. While recent studies suggest that ERAD functions as a fail-safe mechanism for the degradation of misfolded GPI-anchored proteins, several pieces of evidence suggest an intimate interaction between ERAD and the biosynthesis of GPI-anchored proteins.

Folding and Quality Control of Glycoproteins

Folding of proteins is essential so that they can exert their functions. For proteins that transit the secretory pathway, folding occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and various chaperone systems assist in acquiring their correct folding/subunit formation. N-glycosylation is one of the most conserved posttranslational modification for proteins, and in eukaryotes it occurs in the ER. Consequently, eukaryotic cells have developed various systems that utilize N-glycans to dictate and assist protein folding, or if they consistently fail to fold properly, to destroy proteins for quality control and the maintenance of homeostasis of proteins in the ER.

Different SUMO paralogues determine the fate of wild-type and mutant CFTRs: biogenesis versus degradation

A pathway for cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) degradation is initiated by Hsp27, which cooperates with Ubc9 and binds to the common F508del mutant to modify it with SUMO-2/3. These SUMO paralogues form polychains, which are recognized by the ubiquitin ligase, RNF4, for proteosomal degradation. Here, protein array analysis identified the SUMO E3, protein inhibitor of activated STAT 4 (PIAS4), which increased wild-type (WT) and F508del CFTR biogenesis in CFBE airway cells. PIAS4 increased immature CFTR threefold and doubled expression of mature CFTR, detected by biochemical and functional assays. In cycloheximide chase assays, PIAS4 slowed immature F508del degradation threefold and stabilized mature WT CFTR at the plasma membrance. PIAS4 knockdown reduced WT and F508del CFTR expression by 40–50%, suggesting a physiological role in CFTR biogenesis. PIAS4 modified F508del CFTR with SUMO-1 in vivo and reduced its conjugation to SUMO-2/3. These SUMO paralogue-specific effects of PIAS4 were reproduced in vitro using purified F508del nucleotide-binding domain 1 and SUMOylation reaction components. PIAS4 reduced endogenous ubiquitin conjugation to F508del CFTR by ∼50% and blocked the impact of RNF4 on mutant CFTR disposal. These findings indicate that different SUMO paralogues determine the fates of WT and mutant CFTRs, and they suggest that a paralogue switch during biogenesis can direct these proteins to different outcomes: biogenesis versus degradation.

EDEM1's mannosidase-like domain binds ERAD client proteins in a redox-sensitive manner and possesses catalytic activity

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) degradation-enhancing α-mannosidase-like 1 protein (EDEM1) is a protein quality control factor that was initially proposed to recognize N-linked glycans on misfolded proteins through its mannosidase-like domain (MLD). However, recent studies have demonstrated that EDEM1 binds to some misfolded proteins in a glycan-independent manner, suggesting a more complex binding landscape for EDEM1. In this study, we have identified a thiol-dependent substrate interaction between EDEM1 and the α₁-antitrypsin ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD) clients Z and NHK, specifically through the single Cys residue on Z/NHK (Cys²⁵⁶), required for binding under stringent detergent conditions. In addition to the thiol-dependent interaction, the presence of weaker protein-protein interactions was confirmed, suggestive of bipartite client-binding properties. About four reactive thiols on EDEM1 were identified and were not directly responsible for the observed redox-sensitive binding by EDEM1. Moreover, a protein construct comprising the EDEM1 MLD had thiol-dependent binding properties along with its active glycan-trimming activities. Lastly, we identified an additional intrinsically disordered region (IDR) located at the C terminus of EDEM1 in addition to its previously identified N-terminal IDR. We also determined that both IDRs are required for binding to the ERAD component ERdj5 as an interaction with ERdj5 was not observed with the MLD alone. Together, our findings indicate that EDEM1 employs different binding modalities to interact with ERAD clients and ER quality control (ERQC) machinery partners and that some of these properties are shared with its homologues EDEM2 and EDEM3.

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.

Protein Quality Control of the Endoplasmic Reticulum and Ubiquitin-Proteasome-Triggered Degradation of Aberrant Proteins: Yeast Pioneers the Path

Cells must constantly monitor the integrity of their macromolecular constituents. Proteins are the most versatile class of macromolecules but are sensitive to structural alterations. Misfolded or otherwise aberrant protein structures lead to dysfunction and finally aggregation. Their presence is linked to aging and a plethora of severe human diseases. Thus, misfolded proteins have to be rapidly eliminated. Secretory proteins constitute more than one-third of the eukaryotic proteome. They are imported into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where they are folded and modified. A highly elaborated machinery controls their folding, recognizes aberrant folding states, and retrotranslocates permanently misfolded proteins from the ER back to the cytosol. In the cytosol, they are degraded by the highly selective ubiquitin-proteasome system. This process of protein quality control followed by proteasomal elimination of the misfolded protein is termed ER-associated degradation (ERAD), and it depends on an intricate interplay between the ER and the cytosol.

A Case for Sec61 Channel Involvement in ERAD

Proteins that misfold in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) need to be transported back to the cytosol for degradation by proteasomes, a process known as ER-associated degradation (ERAD). The first candidate discussed as a retrograde protein transport conduit was the Sec61 channel which is responsible for secretory protein transport into the ER during biogenesis. The Sec61 channel binds the proteasome 19S regulatory particle which can extract an ERAD substrate from the ER. Nevertheless its role as a general export channel has been dismissed, and Hrd1 and Der1 have been proposed as alternatives. The discovery of export-specific sec61 mutants and of mammalian ERAD substrates whose export is dependent on the 19S regulatory particle suggest that dismissal of a role of Sec61 in export may have been premature.

SYVN1, NEDD8, and FBXO2 Proteins Regulate ΔF508 Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) Ubiquitin-mediated Proteasomal Degradation

We previously reported that delivery of a microRNA-138 mimic or siRNA against SIN3A to cultured cystic fibrosis (ΔF508/ΔF508) airway epithelia partially restored ΔF508-cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)-mediated cAMP-stimulated Cl^- conductance. We hypothesized that dissecting this microRNA-138/SIN3A-regulated gene network would identify individual proteins contributing to the rescue of ΔF508-CFTR function. Among the genes in the network, we rigorously validated candidates using functional CFTR maturation and electrolyte transport assays in polarized airway epithelia. We found that depletion of the ubiquitin ligase SYVN1, the ubiquitin/proteasome system regulator NEDD8, or the F-box protein FBXO2 partially restored ΔF508-CFTR-mediated Cl^- transport in primary cultures of human cystic fibrosis airway epithelia. Moreover, knockdown of SYVN1, NEDD8, or FBXO2 in combination with corrector compound 18 further potentiated rescue of ΔF508-CFTR-mediated Cl^- conductance. This study provides new knowledge of the CFTR biosynthetic pathway. It suggests that SYVN1 and FBXO2 represent two distinct multiprotein complexes that may degrade ΔF508-CFTR in airway epithelia and identifies a new role for NEDD8 in regulating ΔF508-CFTR ubiquitination.

The ER Stress Surveillance (ERSU) pathway regulates daughter cell ER protein aggregate inheritance

Stress induced by cytoplasmic protein aggregates can have deleterious consequences for the cell, contributing to neurodegeneration and other diseases. Protein aggregates are also formed within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), although the fate of ER protein aggregates, specifically during cell division, is not well understood. By simultaneous visualization of both the ER itself and ER protein aggregates, we found that ER protein aggregates that induce ER stress are retained in the mother cell by activation of the ER Stress Surveillance (ERSU) pathway, which prevents inheritance of stressed ER. In contrast, under conditions of normal ER inheritance, ER protein aggregates can enter the daughter cell. Thus, whereas cytoplasmic protein aggregates are retained in the mother cell to protect the functional capacity of daughter cells, the fate of ER protein aggregates is determined by whether or not they activate the ERSU pathway to impede transmission of the cortical ER during the cell cycle.

Interference with ubiquitination in CFTR modifies stability of core glycosylated and cell surface pools

It is recognized that both wild-type and mutant CFTR proteins undergo ubiquitination at multiple lysines in the proteins and in one or more subcellular locations. We hypothesized that ubiquitin is added to specific sites in wild-type CFTR to stabilize it and at other sites to signal for proteolysis. Mass spectrometric analysis of wild-type CFTR identified ubiquitinated lysines 68, 710, 716, 1041, and 1080. We demonstrate that the ubiquitinated K710, K716, and K1041 residues stabilize wild-type CFTR, protecting it from proteolysis. The polyubiquitin linkage is predominantly K63. N-tail mutants, K14R and K68R, lead to increased mature band CCFTR, which can be augmented by proteasomal (but not lysosomal) inhibition, allowing trafficking to the surface. The amount of CFTR in the K1041R mutant was drastically reduced and consisted of bands A/B, suggesting that the site in transmembrane 10 (TM10) was critical to further processing beyond the proteasome. The K1218R mutant increases total and cell surface CFTR, which is further accumulated by proteasomal and lysosomal inhibition. Thus, ubiquitination at residue 1218 may destabilize wild-type CFTR in both the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and recycling pools. Small molecules targeting the region of residue 1218 to block ubiquitination or to preserving structure at residues 710 to 716 might be protein sparing for some forms of cystic fibrosis.

Unfolded protein response in hepatitis C virus infection

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA virus of clinical importance. The virus establishes a chronic infection and can progress from chronic hepatitis, steatosis to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The mechanisms of viral persistence and pathogenesis are poorly understood. Recently the unfolded protein response (UPR), a cellular homeostatic response to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, has emerged to be a major contributing factor in many human diseases. It is also evident that viruses interact with the host UPR in many different ways and the outcome could be pro-viral, anti-viral or pathogenic, depending on the particular type of infection. Here we present evidence for the elicitation of chronic ER stress in HCV infection. We analyze the UPR signaling pathways involved in HCV infection, the various levels of UPR regulation by different viral proteins and finally, we propose several mechanisms by which the virus provokes the UPR.

Previously unknown role for the ubiquitin ligase Ubr1 in endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein degradation

Quality control and degradation of misfolded proteins are essential processes of all cells. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the entry site of proteins into the secretory pathway in which protein folding occurs and terminally misfolded proteins are recognized and retrotranslocated across the ER membrane into the cytosol. Here, proteins undergo polyubiquitination by one of the membrane-embedded ubiquitin ligases, in yeast Hrd1/Der3 (HMG-CoA reductase degradation/degradation of the ER) and Doa10 (degradation of alpha), and are degraded by the proteasome. In this study, we identify cytosolic Ubr1 (E3 ubiquitin ligase, N-recognin) as an additional ubiquitin ligase that can participate in ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD) in yeast. We show that two polytopic ERAD substrates, mutated transporter of the mating type a pheromone, Ste6* (sterile), and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, undergo Ubr1-dependent degradation in the presence and absence of the canonical ER ubiquitin ligases. Whereas in the case of Ste6* Ubr1 is specifically required under stress conditions such as heat or ethanol or in the absence of the canonical ER ligases, efficient degradation of human cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator requires function of Ubr1 already in wild-type cells under standard growth conditions. Together with the Hsp70 (heat shock protein) chaperone Ssa1 (stress-seventy subfamily A) and the AAA-type ATPase Cdc48 (cell division cycle), Ubr1 directs the substrate to proteasomal degradation. These data unravel another layer of complexity in ERAD.

Two salt bridges differentially contribute to the maintenance of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) channel function

Previous studies have identified two salt bridges in human CFTR chloride ion channels, Arg(352)-Asp(993) and Arg(347)-Asp(924), that are required for normal channel function. In the present study, we determined how the two salt bridges cooperate to maintain the open pore architecture of CFTR. Our data suggest that Arg(347) not only interacts with Asp(924) but also interacts with Asp(993). The tripartite interaction Arg(347)-Asp(924)-Asp(993) mainly contributes to maintaining a stable s2 open subconductance state. The Arg(352)-Asp(993) salt bridge, in contrast, is involved in stabilizing both the s2 and full (f) open conductance states, with the main contribution being to the f state. The s1 subconductance state does not require either salt bridge. In confirmation of the role of Arg(352) and Asp(993), channels bearing cysteines at these sites could be latched into a full open state using the bifunctional cross-linker 1,2-ethanediyl bismethanethiosulfonate, but only when applied in the open state. Channels remained latched open even after washout of ATP. The results suggest that these interacting residues contribute differently to stabilizing the open pore in different phases of the gating cycle.

The Lhs1/GRP170 chaperones facilitate the endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation of the epithelial sodium channel

The epithelial sodium channel, ENaC, plays a critical role in maintaining salt and water homeostasis, and not surprisingly defects in ENaC function are associated with disease. Like many other membrane-spanning proteins, this trimeric protein complex folds and assembles inefficiently in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which results in a substantial percentage of the channel being targeted for ER-associated degradation (ERAD). Because the spectrum of factors that facilitates the degradation of ENaC is incomplete, we developed yeast expression systems for each ENaC subunit. We discovered that a conserved Hsp70-like chaperone, Lhs1, is required for maximal turnover of the ENaC α subunit. By expressing Lhs1 ATP binding mutants, we also found that the nucleotide exchange properties of this chaperone are dispensable for ENaC degradation. Consistent with the precipitation of an Lhs1-αENaC complex, Lhs1 holdase activity was instead most likely required to support the ERAD of αENaC. Moreover, a complex containing the mammalian Lhs1 homolog GRP170 and αENaC co-precipitated, and GRP170 also facilitated ENaC degradation in human, HEK293 cells, and in a Xenopus oocyte expression system. In both yeast and higher cell types, the effect of Lhs1 on the ERAD of αENaC was selective for the unglycosylated form of the protein. These data establish the first evidence that Lhs1/Grp170 chaperones can act as mediators of ERAD substrate selection.

The endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation pathways of budding yeast

Protein misfolding is a common cellular event that can produce intrinsically harmful products. To reduce the risk, quality control mechanisms are deployed to detect and eliminate misfolded, aggregated, and unassembled proteins. In the secretory pathway, it is mainly the endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) pathways that perform this role. Here, specialized factors are organized to monitor and process the folded states of nascent polypeptides. Despite the complex structures, topologies, and posttranslational modifications of client molecules, the ER mechanisms are the best understood among all protein quality-control systems. This is the result of convergent and sometimes serendipitous discoveries by researchers from diverse fields. Although major advances in ER quality control and ERAD came from all model organisms, this review will focus on the discoveries culminating from the simple budding yeast.

Expression and purification of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is a chloride channel, that when mutated, can give rise to cystic fibrosis in humans.There is therefore considerable interest in this protein, but efforts to study its structure and activity have been hampered by the difficulty of expressing and purifying sufficient amounts of the protein^1-3. Like many 'difficult' eukaryotic membrane proteins, expression in a fast-growing organism is desirable, but challenging, and in the yeast S. cerevisiae, so far low amounts were obtained and rapid degradation of the recombinant protein was observed ^4-9. Proteins involved in the processing of recombinant CFTR in yeast have been described^6-9 .In this report we describe a methodology for expression of CFTR in yeast and its purification in significant amounts. The protocol describes how the earlier proteolysis problems can be overcome and how expression levels of CFTR can be greatly improved by modifying the cell growth conditions and by controlling the induction conditions, in particular the time period prior to cell harvesting. The reagants associated with this protocol (murine CFTR-expressing yeast cells or yeast plasmids) will be distributed via the US Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, which has sponsored the research. An article describing the design and synthesis of the CFTR construct employed in this report will be published separately (Urbatsch, I.; Thibodeau, P. et al., unpublished). In this article we will explain our method beginning with the transformation of the yeast cells with the CFTR construct - containing yeast plasmid (Fig. 1). The construct has a green fluorescent protein (GFP) sequence fused to CFTR at its C-terminus and follows the system developed by Drew et al. (2008)¹⁰. The GFP allows the expression and purification of CFTR to be followed relatively easily. The JoVE visualized protocol finishes after the preparation of microsomes from the yeast cells, although we include some suggestions for purification of the protein from the microsomes. Readers may wish to add their own modifications to the microsome purification procedure, dependent on the final experiments to be carried out with the protein and the local equipment available to them. The yeast-expressed CFTR protein can be partially purified using metal ion affinity chromatography, using an intrinsic polyhistidine purification tag. Subsequent size-exclusion chromatography yields a protein that appears to be >90% pure, as judged by SDS-PAGE and Coomassie-staining of the gel.

Assays to measure ER-associated degradation in yeast

Endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) is a process that clears the early secretory pathway of misfolded proteins. Though ERAD is of basic biological importance, the clinical importance of this pathway is emphasized by the fact that mutations that render a protein subject to the ERAD quality control pathway underlie the cause of several diseases. The yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is a valuable and frequently used model system to study biological processes, such as ERAD, as it is a relatively simple model system for which numerous biochemical and genetic tools are available. In addition, the ERAD system is highly conserved between yeast and man. In this chapter, we describe two methods for the analysis of model substrates that undergo catabolism via the ERAD pathway using S. cerevisiae. In particular, we will describe non-radioactive degradation assays and the analysis of substrate ubiquitylation in vivo with or without the use of ubiquitin overexpression systems. We also describe technical hurdles, which we have encountered in our research, and highlight remedies to overcome them.

A ubiquitin independent degradation pathway utilized by a hepatitis B virus envelope protein to limit antigen presentation

Hepatitis B virus envelope glycoproteins Large (L), Middle (M) and Small (S) are targets of the host cellular immune system. The extent to which the host recognizes viral antigens presented by infected cells is believed to play a decisive role in determining if an infection will be resolved or become chronic. As with other antigens, HBV envelope polypeptides must be degraded, presumably by cellular proteasomes, to be presented by the MHC I pathway. We have used M as a model to study this process and determine how ER quality control monitors these foreign polymeric proteins and disposes of them through the ER-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway. Using both wild type and mutant HBV M protein, we found that unlike most ERAD substrates, which require ubiquitination for retrotranslocation and degradation, the HBV M protein, which only contains two lysine residues, can undergo rapid and complete, ubiquitin independent, proteasome dependent degradation. The utilization of this pathway had a functional consequence, since proteins degraded through it, were poorly presented via MHC I. To test the hypothesis that the level of ubiquitination, independent of protein degradation, controls the level of antigen presentation, we inserted two additional lysines into both the wild type and mutant M protein. Amazingly, while the addition of the lysine residues dramatically increased the level of ubiquitination, it did not alter the rate of degradation. However and remarkably, the increased ubiquitination was associated with a dramatic increase in the level of antigen presentation. In conclusion, using the HBV surface protein as a model, we have identified a novel ubiquitin independent degradation pathway and determined that this pathway can have implications for antigen presentation and potentially viral pathogenesis.

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator intracellular processing, trafficking, and opportunities for mutation-specific treatment

Recent advances in basic science have greatly expanded our understanding of the cystic fibrosis (CF) transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), the chloride and bicarbonate channel that is encoded by the gene, which is mutated in patients with CF. We review the structure, function, biosynthetic processing, and intracellular trafficking of CFTR and discuss the five classes of mutations and their impact on the CF phenotype. The therapeutic discussion is focused on the significant progress toward CFTR mutation-specific therapies. We review the results of encouraging clinical trials examining orally administered therapeutics, including agents that promote read-through of class I mutations (premature termination codons); correctors, which overcome the CFTR misfolding that characterizes the common class II mutation F508del; and potentiators, which enhance the function of class III or IV mutated CFTR at the plasma membrane. Long-term outcomes from successful mutation-specific treatments could finally answer the question that has been lingering since and even before the CFTR gene discovery: Will therapies that specifically restore CFTR-mediated chloride secretion slow or arrest the deleterious cascade of events leading to chronic infection, bronchiectasis, and end-stage lung disease?

The Cdc48 machine in endoplasmic reticulum associated protein degradation

The AAA-type ATPase Cdc48 (named p97/VCP in mammals) is a molecular machine in all eukaryotic cells that transforms ATP hydrolysis into mechanic power to unfold and pull proteins against physical forces, which make up a protein's structure and hold it in place. From the many cellular processes, Cdc48 is involved in, its function in endoplasmic reticulum associated protein degradation (ERAD) is understood best. This quality control process for proteins of the secretory pathway scans protein folding and discovers misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), the organelle, destined for folding of these proteins and their further delivery to their site of action. Misfolded lumenal and membrane proteins of the ER are detected by chaperones and lectins and retro-translocated out of the ER for degradation. Here the Cdc48 machinery, recruited to the ER membrane, takes over. After polyubiquitylation of the protein substrate, Cdc48 together with its dimeric co-factor complex Ufd1-Npl4 pulls the misfolded protein out and away from the ER membrane and delivers it to down-stream components for degradation by a cytosolic proteinase machine, the proteasome. The known details of the Cdc48-Ufd1-Npl4 motor complex triggered process are subject of this review article.

Saccharomyces cerivisiae as a model system for kidney disease: what can yeast tell us about renal function?

Ion channels, solute transporters, aquaporins, and factors required for signal transduction are vital for kidney function. Because mutations in these proteins or in associated regulatory factors can lead to disease, an investigation into their biogenesis, activities, and interplay with other proteins is essential. To this end, the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, represents a powerful experimental system. Proteins expressed in yeast include the following: 1) ion channels, including the epithelial sodium channel, members of the inward rectifying potassium channel family, and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator; 2) plasma membrane transporters, such as the Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase, the Na(+)-phosphate cotransporter, and the Na(+)-H(+) ATPase; 3) aquaporins 1-4; and 4) proteins such as serum/glucocorticoid-induced kinase 1, phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1, Rh glycoprotein kidney, and trehalase. The variety of proteins expressed and studied emphasizes the versatility of yeast, and, because of the many available tools in this organism, results can be obtained rapidly and economically. In most cases, data gathered using yeast have been substantiated in higher cell types. These attributes validate yeast as a model system to explore renal physiology and suggest that research initiated using this system may lead to novel therapeutics.

Protein folding and quality control in the endoplasmic reticulum: Recent lessons from yeast and mammalian cell systems

The evolution of eukaryotes was accompanied by an increased need for intracellular communication and cellular specialization. Thus, a more complex collection of secreted and membrane proteins had to be synthesized, modified, and folded. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) thereby became equipped with devoted enzymes and associated factors that both catalyze the production of secreted proteins and remove damaged proteins. A means to modify ER function to accommodate and destroy misfolded proteins also evolved. Not surprisingly, a growing number of human diseases are linked to various facets of ER function. Each of these topics will be discussed in this article, with an emphasis on recent reports in the literature that employed diverse models.

Biochemical and biophysical approaches to probe CFTR structure

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) is a multi-domain integral membrane protein central to epithelial fluid secretion (see Chapter 21). Its activity is defective in the recessive genetic disease cystic fibrosis (CF). The most common CF-causing mutation is F508del in the first nucleotide binding domain (NBD1) of CFTR. This mutation is found on at least one allele of more than 90% of all CF patients. It is known to interfere with the trafficking/maturation of CFTR through the secretory pathway, leading to a loss-of-function at the plasma membrane. Notably, correction of the trafficking defect by addition of intragenic second-site suppressor mutations, or the alteration of bulk solvent conditions, such as by reducing the temperature or adding osmolytes, leads to appearance of functional channels at the membrane--thus, the rescued F508del-CFTR retains measurable function. High-resolution structural models of NBD1 from X-ray crystallographic data indicate that F508 is exposed on the surface of the domain in a position predicted by homologous ABC transporter structures to lie at the interface with the intracellular loops (ICLs) connecting the transmembrane spans. Determining the relative impact of the F508del mutation directly on NBD1 folding or on steps of domain assembly or both domain folding and assembly requires methods for evaluating the structure and stability of the isolated domain.

A Cdc48p-associated factor modulates endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation, cell stress, and ubiquitinated protein homeostasis

The hexameric AAA-ATPase, Cdc48p, catalyzes an array of cellular activities, including endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated degradation (ERAD), ER/Golgi membrane dynamics, and DNA replication. Accumulating data suggest that unique Cdc48p partners, such as Npl4p-Ufd1p and Ubx1p/Shp1p (p47 in vertebrates), target Cdc48p for these diverse functions. Other Cdc48p-associated proteins have been identified, but the interplay among these factors and their activities is largely cryptic. We now report on a previously uncharacterized Cdc48p-associated protein, Ydr049p, also known as Vms1p, which binds Cdc48p at both the ER membrane and in the cytosol under non-stressed conditions. Loss of YDR049 modestly slows the degradation of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator but does not impede substrate ubiquitination, suggesting that Ydr049p acts at a postubiquitination step in the ERAD pathway. Consistent with Ydr049p playing a role in Cdc48p substrate release, ydr049 mutant cells accumulate Cdc48p-bound ubiquitinated proteins at the ER membrane. Moreover, YDR049 interacts with genes encoding select UBX (ubiquitin regulatory X) and UFD (ubiquitin fusion degradation) proteins, which are Cdc48p partners. Exacerbated growth defects are apparent in some of the mutant combinations, and synergistic effects on the degradation of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator and CPY*, which is a soluble ERAD substrate, are evident in specific ydr049-ufd and -ubx mutants. These data suggest that Ydr049p acts in parallel with Cdc48p partners to modulate ERAD and other cellular activities.

Applications of proteomic technologies for understanding the premature proteolysis of CFTR

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by mutations in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, which encodes an ATP-dependent anion channel. Disease-causing mutations can affect channel biogenesis, trafficking or function, and result in reduced ion transport at the apical surface of many tissues. The most common CFTR mutation is a deletion of phenylalanine at position 508 (DeltaF508), which results in a misfolded protein that is prematurely targeted for degradation. This article focuses on how proteomic approaches have been utilized to explore the mechanisms of premature proteolysis in CF. Additionally, we emphasize the potential for proteomic-based technologies in expanding our understanding of CF pathophysiology and therapeutic approaches.

Role of the ubiquitin system in regulating ion transport

Ion channels and transporters play a critical role in ion and fluid homeostasis and thus in normal animal physiology and pathology. Tight regulation of these transmembrane proteins is therefore essential. In recent years, many studies have focused their attention on the role of the ubiquitin system in regulating ion channels and transporters, initialed by the discoveries of the role of this system in processing of Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator (CFTR), and in regulating endocytosis of the epithelial Na(+) channel (ENaC) by the Nedd4 family of ubiquitin ligases (mainly Nedd4-2). In this review, we discuss the role of the ubiquitin system in ER Associated Degradation (ERAD) of ion channels, and in the regulation of endocytosis and lysosomal sorting of ion channels and transporters, focusing primarily in mammalian cells. We also briefly discuss the role of ubiquitin like molecules (such as SUMO) in such regulation, for which much less is known so far.

Sorting things out through endoplasmic reticulum quality control

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a highly organized and specialized organelle optimized for the production of proteins. It is comprised of a highly interconnected network of tubules that contain a large set of resident proteins dedicated to the maturation and processing of proteins that traverse the eukaryotic secretory pathway. As protein maturation is an imperfect process, frequently resulting in misfolding and/or the formation of aggregates, proteins are subjected to a series of evaluation processes within the ER. Proteins deemed native are sorted for anterograde trafficking, while immature or non-native proteins are initially retained in the ER in an attempt to rescue the aberrant products. Terminally misfolded substrates are eventually targeted for turnover through the ER-associated degradation or ERAD pathway to protect the cell from the release of a defective product. A clearer picture of the identity of the machinery involved in these quality control evaluation processes and their mechanisms of actions has emerged over the past decade.

The endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation of the epithelial sodium channel requires a unique complement of molecular chaperones

The epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is composed of a single copy of an alpha-, beta-, and gamma-subunit and plays an essential role in water and salt balance. Because ENaC assembles inefficiently after its insertion into the ER, a substantial percentage of each subunit is targeted for ER-associated degradation (ERAD). To define how the ENaC subunits are selected for degradation, we developed novel yeast expression systems for each ENaC subunit. Data from this analysis suggested that ENaC subunits display folding defects in more than one compartment and that subunit turnover might require a unique group of factors. Consistent with this hypothesis, yeast lacking the lumenal Hsp40s, Jem1 and Scj1, exhibited defects in ENaC degradation, whereas BiP function was dispensable. We also discovered that Jem1 and Scj1 assist in ENaC ubiquitination, and overexpression of ERdj3 and ERdj4, two lumenal mammalian Hsp40s, increased the proteasome-mediated degradation of ENaC in vertebrate cells. Our data indicate that Hsp40s can act independently of Hsp70 to select substrates for ERAD.

The use of in vitro assays to measure endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation

Approximately one-third of all newly translated polypeptides interact with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), an event that is essential to target these nascent proteins to distinct compartments within the cell or to the extracellular milieu. Thus, the ER houses molecular chaperones that augment the folding of this diverse group of macromolecules. The ER also houses the enzymes that catalyze a multitude of posttranslational modifications. If, however, proteins misfold or are improperly modified in the ER they are proteolyzed via a process known as ER-associated degradation (ERAD). During ERAD, substrates are selected by molecular chaperones and chaperone-like proteins. They are then delivered to the cytoplasmic proteasome and hydrolyzed. In most cases, delivery and proteasome-targeting require the covalent attachment of ubiquitin. The discovery and underlying mechanisms of the ERAD pathway have been aided by the development of in vitro assays that employ components derived from the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These assays recapitulate the selection of ERAD substrates, the "retrotranslocation" of selected polypeptides from the ER into the cytoplasm, and the proteasome-mediated degradation of the substrate. The ubiquitination of integral membrane ERAD substrates has also been reconstituted.

Endoplasmic reticulum associated protein degradation: a chaperone assisted journey to hell

Recognition and elimination of misfolded proteins are essential cellular processes. More than thirty percent of the cellular proteins are proteins of the secretory pathway. They fold in the lumen or membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum from where they are sorted to their site of action. The folding process, as well as any refolding after cell stress, depends on chaperone activity. In case proteins are unable to acquire their native conformation, chaperones with different substrate specificity and activity guide them to elimination. For most misfolded proteins of the endoplasmic reticulum this requires retro-translocation to the cytosol and polyubiquitylation of the misfolded protein by an endoplasmic reticulum associated machinery. Thereafter ubiquitylated proteins are guided to the proteasome for degradation. This review summarizes our up to date knowledge of chaperone classes and chaperone function in endoplasmic reticulum associated degradation of protein waste.

ERAD substrate recognition in budding yeast

During protein synthesis, the orderly progression of folding, modification, and assembly is paramount to function and vis-à-vis cellular viability. Accordingly, sophisticated quality control mechanisms have evolved to monitor protein maturation throughout the cell. Proteins failing at any step are segregated and degraded as a preventative measure against potential toxicity. Although protein quality control is generally poorly understood, recent research advances in endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) pathways have provided the most detailed view so far. The discovery of distinct substrate processing sites established a biochemical basis for genetic profiles of model misfolded proteins. Detailed mechanisms for substrate recognition were recently uncovered. For some proteins, sequential glycan trimming steps set a time window for folding. Proteins still unfolded at the final stage expose a specific degradation signal recognized by the ERAD machinery. Through this mechanism, the system does not in fact know that a molecule is "misfolded". Instead, it goes by the premise that proteins past due have veered off their normal folding pathways and therefore aberrant.

Ubiquitylation in the ERAD Pathway

Ubiquitylation is a protein modification mechanism, which is found in a multitude of cellular processes like DNA repair and replication, cell signaling, intracellular trafficking and also, very prominently, in selective protein degradation. One specific protein degradation event in the cell concerns the elimination of misfolded proteins to prevent disastrous malfunctioning of cellular pathways. The most complex of these ubiquitylation dependent elimination pathways of misfolded proteins is associated with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Proteins, which enter the endoplasmic reticulum for secretion, are folded in this organelle and transported to their site of action. A rigid protein quality control check retains proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum, which fail to fold properly and sends them back to the cytosol for elimination by the proteasome. This requires crossing of the misfolded protein of the endoplasmic reticulum membrane and polyubiquitylation in the cytosol by the ubiquitin-activating, ubiquitin-conjugating and ubiquitin-ligating enzyme machinery.Ubiquitylation is required for different steps of the ER-associated degradation process (ERAD). It facilitates efficient extraction of the ubiquitylated misfolded proteins from and out of the ER membrane by the Cdc48-Ufd1-Npl4 complex and thereby triggers their retro translocation to the cytosol. In addition, the modification with ubiquitin chains guarantees guidance, recognition and binding of the misfolded proteins to the proteasome in the cytosol for efficient degradation.

CFTR function and prospects for therapy

Mutations in the gene coding for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) epithelial anion channel cause cystic fibrosis (CF). The multidomain integral membrane glycoprotein, a member of the adenine nucleotide-binding cassette (ABC) transporter family, conserved in metazoan salt-transporting tissues, is required to control ion and fluid homeostasis on epithelial surfaces. This review considers different therapeutic strategies that have arisen from knowledge of CFTR structure and function as well as its biosynthetic processing, intracellular trafficking, and turnover.

AAA ATPase p97/VCP: cellular functions, disease and therapeutic potential

p97/VCP, a member of the AAA-ATPase super family, has been associated with a wide variety of essential cellular protein pathways com prising: (i) nuclear envelope reconstruction, (ii) cell cycle, (iii) Golgi reassembly, (iv) suppression of apoptosis and (v) DNA-damage response [1-6]. In addition, vasolin-containing protein (VCP) dislodges the ubiquitinated proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and chaperones them to the cytosol for proteasomal degradation by endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) [7]. The interactions of VCP in the endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway determine the substrate selection for proteasomal degradation. Moreover, the interaction with VCP is also required for the ubiquitination of substrate. VCP is phosphorylated by the master cellular kinase, Akt as a mechanism to regulate ERAD [8]. These multiple interactions in protein degradation pathways points to central role of VCP in misfolded protein degradation. VCP has a poly-glutamine and ubiquitin-binding capacity and is involved in proteasomal degradation, cytosolic aggregation and processing of polyQ and polyUb aggregates in neurodegenerative and other misfolded protein diseases [9, 10]. Mutations in VCP gene are also linked to a protein deposition disorder, IBMFD [11]. We propose VCP as a therapeutic target for diseases caused by cytosolic protein aggregation or degradation of misfolded protein. We predict that selective interference of VCP interaction(s) with aberrant protein or its ERAD function will be an effective therapeutic site to rescue functional misfolded protein in diseases like cystic fibrosis and alpha-1-trypsin deficiency. The control of VCP expression is also proposed to be a potential therapeutic target in ex-polyQ-induced neurodegenerative diseases [12]. The further functional characterization of VCP and associated proteins in these diseases will help in designing of selective therapeutics.

Role of N-linked oligosaccharides in the biosynthetic processing of the cystic fibrosis membrane conductance regulator

The epithelial chloride channel CFTR is a glycoprotein that is modified by two N-linked oligosaccharides. The most common mutant CFTR protein in patients with cystic fibrosis, DeltaF508, is misfolded and retained by ER quality control. As oligosaccharide moieties of glycoproteins are known to mediate interactions with ER lectin chaperones, we investigated the role of N-linked glycosylation in the processing of wild-type and DeltaF508 CFTR. We found that N-glycosylation and ER lectin interactions are not major determinants of trafficking of wild-type and DeltaF508 from the ER to the plasma membrane. Unglycosylated CFTR, generated by removal of glycosylation sites or treatment of cells with the N-glycosylation inhibitor tunicamycin, did not bind calnexin, but did traffic to the cell surface and exhibited chloride channel activity. Most importantly, unglycosylated DeltaF508 CFTR still could not escape quality control in the early secretory pathway and remained associated with the ER. However, the absence of N-linked oligosaccharides did reduce the stability of wild-type CFTR, causing significantly more-rapid turnover in post-ER compartments. Surprisingly, the individual N-linked carbohydrates do not play equivalent roles and modulate the fate of the wild-type protein in different ways in its early biosynthetic pathway.

Dissecting the ER-associated degradation of a misfolded polytopic membrane protein

It remains unclear how misfolded membrane proteins are selected and destroyed during endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD). For example, chaperones are thought to solubilize aggregation-prone motifs, and some data suggest that these proteins are degraded at the ER. To better define how membrane proteins are destroyed, the ERAD of Ste6p(*), a 12 transmembrane protein, was reconstituted. We found that specific Hsp70/40s act before ubiquitination and facilitate Ste6p(*) association with an E3 ubiquitin ligase, suggesting an active role for chaperones. Furthermore, polyubiquitination was a prerequisite for retrotranslocation, which required the Cdc48 complex and ATP. Surprisingly, the substrate was soluble, and extraction was independent of a ubiquitin chain extension enzyme (Ufd2p). However, Ufd2p increased the degree of ubiquitination and facilitated degradation. These data indicate that polytopic membrane proteins can be extracted from the ER, and define the point of action of chaperones and the requirement for Ufd2p during membrane protein quality control.

Gp78 cooperates with RMA1 in endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation of CFTRDeltaF508

Misfolded or improperly assembled proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) are exported into the cytosol and degraded via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, a process termed ER-associated degradation (ERAD). Saccharomyces cerevisiae Hrd1p/Der3p is an ER membrane-spanning ubiquitin ligase that participates in ERAD of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) when CFTR is exogenously expressed in yeast cells. Two mammalian orthologues of yeast Hrd1p/Der3p, gp78 and HRD1, have been reported. Here, we demonstrate that gp78, but not HRD1, participates in ERAD of the CFTR mutant CFTRDeltaF508, by specifically promoting ubiquitylation of CFTRDeltaF508. Domain swapping experiments and deletion analysis revealed that gp78 binds to CFTRDeltaF508 through its ubiquitin binding region, the so-called coupling of ubiquitin to ER degradation (CUE) domain. Gp78 polyubiquitylated in vitro an N-terminal ubiquitin-glutathione-S-transferase (GST)-fusion protein, but not GST alone. This suggests that gp78 recognizes the ubiquitin that is already conjugated to CFTRDeltaF508 and catalyzes further polyubiquitylation of CFTRDeltaF508 in a manner similar to that of a multiubiquitin chain assembly factor (E4). Furthermore, we revealed by small interfering RNA methods that the ubiquitin ligase RMA1 functioned as an E3 enzyme upstream of gp78. Our data demonstrates that gp78 cooperates with RMA1 with E4-like activity in the ERAD of CFTRDeltaF508.

Two distinct pathways for cyclooxygenase-2 protein degradation

Cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2) are N-glycosylated, endoplasmic reticulum-resident, integral membrane proteins that catalyze the committed step in prostanoid synthesis. COX-1 is constitutively expressed in many types of cells, whereas COX-2 is usually expressed inducibly and transiently. The control of COX-2 protein expression occurs at several levels, and overexpression of COX-2 is associated with pathologies such as colon cancer. Here we have investigated COX-2 protein degradation and demonstrate that it can occur through two independent pathways. One pathway is initiated by post-translational N-glycosylation at Asn-594. The N-glycosyl group is then processed, and the protein is translocated to the cytoplasm, where it undergoes proteasomal degradation. We provide evidence from site-directed mutagenesis that a 27-amino acid instability motif (27-IM) regulates posttranslational N-glycosylation of Asn-594. This motif begins with Glu-586 8 residues upstream of the N-glycosylation site and ends with Lys-612 near the C terminus at Leu-618. Key elements of the 27-IM include a helix involving residues Glu-586 to Ser-596 with Asn-594 near the end of this helix and residues Leu-610 and Leu-611, which are located in an apparently unstructured downstream region of the 27-IM. The last 16 residues of the 27-IM, including Leu-610 and Leu-611, appear to promote N-glycosylation of Asn-594 perhaps by causing this residue to become exposed to appropriate glycosyl transferases. A second pathway for COX-2 protein degradation is initiated by substrate-dependent suicide inactivation. Suicide-inactivated protein is then degraded. The biochemical steps have not been resolved, but substrate-dependent degradation is not inhibited by proteasome inhibitors or inhibitors of lysosomal proteases. The pathway involving the 27-IM occurs at a constant rate, whereas degradation through the substrate-dependent process is coupled to the rate of substrate turnover.

The role of the UPS in cystic fibrosis

CF is an inherited autosomal recessive disease whose lethality arises from malfunction of CFTR, a single chloride (Cl^-) ion channel protein. CF patients harbor mutations in the CFTR gene that lead to misfolding of the resulting CFTR protein, rendering it inactive and mislocalized. Hundreds of CF-related mutations have been identified, many of which abrogate CFTR folding in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). More than 70% of patients harbor the ΔF508 CFTR mutation that causes misfolding of the CFTR proteins. Consequently, mutant CFTR is unable to reach the apical plasma membrane of epithelial cells that line the lungs and gut, and is instead targeted for degradation by the UPS. Proteins located in both the cytoplasm and ER membrane are believed to identify misfolded CFTR for UPS-mediated degradation. The aberrantly folded CFTR protein then undergoes polyubiquitylation, carried out by an E1-E2-E3 ubiquitin ligase system, leading to degradation by the 26S proteasome. This ubiquitin-dependent loss of misfolded CFTR protein can be inhibited by the application of ‘corrector’ drugs that aid CFTR folding, shielding it from the UPS machinery. Corrector molecules elevate cellular CFTR protein levels by protecting the protein from degradation and aiding folding, promoting its maturation and localization to the apical plasma membrane. Combinatory application of corrector drugs with activator molecules that enhance CFTR Cl^- ion channel activity offers significant potential for treatment of CF patients.

Publication history: Republished from Current BioData's Targeted Proteins database (TPdb; ).

Subcellular trafficking of the yeast plasma membrane ABC transporter, Pdr5, is impaired by a mutation in the N-terminal nucleotide-binding fold

The plasma membrane ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter, Pdr5p, mediates resistance to many different xenobiotic compounds in yeast. We have isolated several mutated forms that fail to confer resistance to cycloheximide and itraconazole. Here, we examined two variants, the expression of which was abnormally low when cells reach the stationary phase of growth. The Pdr5(1157) variant lacked the C-terminal transmembrane domain due to the presence of a nonsense mutation at codon 1158. The second variant, Pdr5(L183P), contained a Leu183Pro substitution close to the Walker A motif in the N-terminal nucleotide-binding domain. This substitution impaired UTPase activity as well as protein stability. The Pdr5(L183P) variant induced the unfolded protein response and was targeted to the proteasome for degradation. Fluorescence microscopy showed that the highly unstable Pdr5(L183P) was mislocalized to endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated compartments, whereas the truncated Pdr5(1157) protein was retained in the ER. When threonine 363 (located in the first nucleotide-binding domain, close to the Walker B motif) in Pdr5(L183P) was replaced with isoleucine, this double mutant conferred partial drug resistance. These results suggest that Pdr5p requires a properly folded nucleotide-binding domain for trafficking to the plasma membrane.