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Abstract
Neurons are highly specialized cells equipped with a sophisticated molecular machinery for the reception, integration, conduction and distribution of information. The evolutionary origin of neurons remains unsolved. How did novel and pre-existing proteins assemble into the complex machinery of the synapse and of the apparatus conducting current along the neuron? In this review, the step-wise assembly of functional modules in neuron evolution serves as a paradigm for the emergence and modification of molecular machinery in the evolution of cell types in multicellular organisms. The pre-synaptic machinery emerged through modification of calcium-regulated large vesicle release, while the postsynaptic machinery has different origins: the glutamatergic postsynapse originated through the fusion of a sensory signaling module and a module for filopodial outgrowth, while the GABAergic postsynapse incorporated an ancient actin regulatory module. The synaptic junction, in turn, is built around two adhesion modules controlled by phosphorylation, which resemble septate and adherens junctions. Finally, neuronal action potentials emerged via a series of duplications and modifications of voltage-gated ion channels. Based on these origins, key molecular innovations are identified that led to the birth of the first neuron in animal evolution.
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Lee K, Yoo KS, Park YS, Kim HK. Activity of Arhgef4 is modulated through Staufen1 in neurons. Neurosci Lett 2021; 756:135962. [PMID: 34022264 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.135962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The role of Arhgef4, also known as adenomatous polyposis coli (APC)-stimulated guanine nucleotide exchange factor 1 (Asef1), has been identified in colorectal cancers. Interestingly, Arhgef4 is more highly expressed in brain regions than intestinal regions, suggesting a role in neurons. In our previous study, we reported that Arhgef4 negatively regulates the level of PSD-95 in excitatory post-synaptic regions by binding with Staufen1. However, modulation of Arhgef4 guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) activity in neurons has not been reported. We examined the configuration of protein interactions when Arhgef4 binds to APC and/or Staufen1. Arhgef4 simultaneously binds to Staufen1 with APC. Staufen1 overexpression blocked the GEF activity of Arhgef4. Consistent with this, Staufen1 overexpression blocked the Arhgef4-induced increase in dendritic protrusions in cultured neurons. Taken together, our data suggest that the GEF activity of Arhgef4 could be negatively modulated by Staufen1 binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kina Lee
- Department of Medicine and Microbiology, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki-Seo Yoo
- Department of Medicine and Microbiology, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Seok Park
- Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyong Kyu Kim
- Department of Medicine and Microbiology, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Republic of Korea.
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Wang X, Ni D, Liu Y, Lu S. Rational Design of Peptide-Based Inhibitors Disrupting Protein-Protein Interactions. Front Chem 2021; 9:682675. [PMID: 34017824 PMCID: PMC8128998 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.682675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are well-established as a class of promising drug targets for their implications in a wide range of biological processes. However, drug development toward PPIs is inevitably hampered by their flat and wide interfaces, which generally lack suitable pockets for ligand binding, rendering most PPI systems "undruggable." Here, we summarized drug design strategies for developing peptide-based PPI inhibitors. Importantly, several quintessential examples toward well-established PPI targets such as Bcl-2 family members, p53-MDM2, as well as APC-Asef are presented to illustrate the detailed schemes for peptide-based PPI inhibitor development and optimizations. This review supplies a comprehensive overview of recent progresses in drug discovery targeting PPIs through peptides or peptidomimetics, and will shed light on future therapeutic agent development toward the historically "intractable" PPI systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuefei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Duan Ni
- The Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Yaqin Liu
- Medicinal Bioinformatics Center, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shaoyong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Medicinal Bioinformatics Center, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Yoo KS, Lee K, Lee YS, Oh WJ, Kim HK. Rho Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor 4 (Arhgef4) Deficiency Enhances Spatial and Object Recognition Memory. Exp Neurobiol 2020; 29:334-343. [PMID: 33154196 PMCID: PMC7649087 DOI: 10.5607/en20049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) play multiple functional roles in neurons. In a previous study, we reported that Arhgef4 (Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor 4) functioned as a negative regulator of the excitatory synaptic function by sequestering postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95). However, the role of Arhgef4 in behavior has not been examined. We performed comprehensive behavioral tests in knockout (KO) mice to investigate of the effects of Arhgef4 deficiency. We found that the expressed PSD-95 particle size was significantly increased in hippocampal neuronal cultures from Arhgef4 KO mice, which is consistent with the previous in vitro findings. Arhgef4 KO mice exhibited general motor activity and anxiety-like behavior comparable to those of the wild type littermates. However, spatial memory and object recognition memory were significantly enhanced in the Arhgef4 KO mice. Taken together, these data confirm the role of Arhgef4 as a negative synaptic regulator at the behavioral level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki-Seo Yoo
- Department of Medicine and Microbiology, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Kina Lee
- Department of Medicine and Microbiology, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Yong-Seok Lee
- Department of Physiology, Department of Biomedical Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Won-Jong Oh
- Neurovascular Unit Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41062, Korea
| | - Hyong Kyu Kim
- Department of Medicine and Microbiology, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
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Yoo KS, Lee K, Oh JY, Lee H, Park H, Park YS, Kim HK. Postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) is transported by KIF5 to dendritic regions. Mol Brain 2019; 12:97. [PMID: 31753031 PMCID: PMC6873588 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-019-0520-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) is a pivotal postsynaptic scaffolding protein in excitatory neurons. Although the transport and regulation of PSD-95 in synaptic regions is well understood, dendritic transport of PSD-95 before synaptic localization still remains to be clarified. To evaluate the role of KIF5, conventional kinesin, in the dendritic transport of PSD-95 protein, we expressed a transport defective form of KIF5A (ΔMD) that does not contain the N-terminal motor domain. Expression of ΔMD significantly decreased PSD-95 level in the dendrites. Consistently, KIF5 was associated with PSD-95 in in vitro and in vivo assays. This interaction was mediated by the C-terminal tail regions of KIF5A and the third PDZ domain of PSD-95. Additionally, the ADPDZ3 (the association domain of NMDA receptor and PDZ3 domain) expression significantly reduced the levels of PSD-95, glutamate receptor 1 (GluA1) in dendrites. The association between PSD-95 and KIF5A was dose-dependent on Staufen protein, suggesting that the Staufen plays a role as a regulatory role in the association. Taken together, our data suggest a new mechanism for dendritic transport of the AMPA receptor-PSD-95.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki-Seo Yoo
- Department of Medicine and Microbiology, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-ro, Seowon-gu, Cheongju, 28644, South Korea
| | - Kina Lee
- Department of Medicine and Microbiology, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-ro, Seowon-gu, Cheongju, 28644, South Korea
| | - Jun-Young Oh
- Department of Medicine and Microbiology, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-ro, Seowon-gu, Cheongju, 28644, South Korea.,Department of Structure and Function of Neural Network, Korea Brain Research Institute, 61 Cheomdan-ro, Dong-gu, Daegu, 41068, South Korea
| | - Hyoeun Lee
- Department of Structure and Function of Neural Network, Korea Brain Research Institute, 61 Cheomdan-ro, Dong-gu, Daegu, 41068, South Korea
| | - Hyungju Park
- Department of Structure and Function of Neural Network, Korea Brain Research Institute, 61 Cheomdan-ro, Dong-gu, Daegu, 41068, South Korea
| | - Young Seok Park
- Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-ro, Seowon-gu, Cheongju, 28644, South Korea
| | - Hyong Kyu Kim
- Department of Medicine and Microbiology, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-ro, Seowon-gu, Cheongju, 28644, South Korea.
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