RCC1, a regulator of mitosis, is essential for DNA replication

Phosphorylation of RCC1 on Serine 11 Facilitates G1/S Transition in HPV E7-Expressing Cells

Persistent infection of high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) plays a causal role in cervical cancer. Regulator of chromosome condensation 1 (RCC1) is a critical cell cycle regulator, which undergoes a few post-translational modifications including phosphorylation. Here, we showed that serine 11 (S11) of RCC1 was phosphorylated in HPV E7-expressing cells. However, S11 phosphorylation was not up-regulated by CDK1 in E7-expressing cells; instead, the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway promoted S11 phosphorylation. Knockdown of AKT or inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway down-regulated phosphorylation of RCC1 S11. Furthermore, S11 phosphorylation occurred throughout the cell cycle, and reached its peak during the mitosis phase. Our previous data proved that RCC1 was necessary for the G1/S cell cycle progression, and in the present study we showed that the RCC1 mutant, in which S11 was mutated to alanine (S11A) to mimic non-phosphorylation status, lost the ability to facilitate G1/S transition in E7-expressing cells. Moreover, RCC1 S11 was phosphorylated by the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in HPV-positive cervical cancer SiHa and HeLa cells. We conclude that S11 of RCC1 is phosphorylated by the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and phosphorylation of RCC1 S11 facilitates the abrogation of G1 checkpoint in HPV E7-expressing cells. In short, our study explores a new role of RCC1 S11 phosphorylation in cell cycle regulation.

Regulator of Chromosome Condensation 2 Modulates Cell Cycle Progression, Tumorigenesis, and Therapeutic Resistance

Accurate regulation of cell cycle is important for normal tissue development and homeostasis. RCC2 (Regulator of Chromosome Condensation 2) play a role as chromosomal passenger complex (CPC) implicated in all cell cycle phases. RCC2 was initially identified as Ran guanine exchange factor (GEF) for small G proteins. Therefore, RCC2 plays a key role in oncogenesis of most cancers. RCC2 is implicated in Colorectal Cancer (CRC), Lung Adenocarcinoma (LUAD), breast cancer, and ovarian cancer. Expression level of RCC2 protein determines regulation of tumor cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and radio-chemotherapeutic resistance. In this review, we explored proteins that interact with RCC2 to modulate tumor development and cancer therapeutic resistance by regulation of cell cycle process through various signaling pathways.

Replisome Dynamics and Their Functional Relevance upon DNA Damage through the PCNA Interactome

Eukaryotic cells use copious measures to ensure accurate duplication of the genome. Various genotoxic agents pose threats to the ongoing replication fork that, if not efficiently dealt with, can result in replication fork collapse. It is unknown how replication fork is precisely controlled and regulated under different conditions. Here, we examined the complexity of replication fork composition upon DNA damage by using a PCNA-based proteomic screen to uncover known and unexplored players involved in replication and replication stress response. We used camptothecin or UV radiation, which lead to fork-blocking lesions, to establish a comprehensive proteomics map of the replisome under such replication stress conditions. We identified and examined two potential candidate proteins WIZ and SALL1 for their roles in DNA replication and replication stress response. In addition, our unbiased screen uncovered many prospective candidate proteins that help fill the knowledge gap in understanding chromosomal DNA replication and DNA repair.

Regulator of chromatin condensation 1 abrogates the G1 cell cycle checkpoint via Cdk1 in human papillomavirus E7-expressing epithelium and cervical cancer cells

Regulator of chromatin condensation 1 (RCC1) is a major guanine-nucleotide exchange factor for Ran GTPase and plays key roles in nucleo-cytoplasmic transport, mitosis, and nuclear envelope assembly. RCC1 is known to be a critical cell cycle regulator whose loss causes G1 phase arrest, but the molecular basis for this regulation is poorly understood. Furthermore, little is known about the relationship between RCC1 and carcinomas. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is highly associated with the development of cervical cancer. The expression and function of RCC1 in HPV-related cervical cancer and cell cycle regulation have not yet been explored. In this study, we first observed that RCC1 immunostaining was mildly increased in cervical cancer tissues and significantly upregulated in HPV E7-expressing cells; this localization was primarily nuclear. We showed that the transcription factor c-Jun transcriptionally upregulates RCC1 via a direct interaction with the RCC1 promoter. Moreover, siRNA-mediated knockdown of RCC1 inhibited G1/S cell cycle progression and DNA synthesis, while overexpression of RCC1 abrogated the G1 checkpoint. RCC1 knockdown downregulated the protein levels of the transcription factor E2F1, especially nuclear E2F1, by promoting its degradation in HPV E7-expressing cells. Overexpression of E2F1 rescued RCC1 knockdown-mediated inhibition of G1/S progression. Additionally, we showed that cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1), a known target of E2F1, is involved in G1 checkpoint regulation, as Cdk1 knockdown hindered G1/S progression, while Cdk1 overexpression rescued RCC1 knockdown-mediated effect on G1 cell cycle progression. Furthermore, RCC1 knockdown reduced HPV E7 protein levels, which may in turn downregulate E2F1. Our study explores the function of RCC1 in G1/S cell cycle progression and suggests that RCC1 may be involved in HPV E7-mediated genomic instability.

SUMOylation of the C-terminal domain of DNA topoisomerase IIα regulates the centromeric localization of Claspin

DNA topoisomerase II (TopoII) regulates DNA topology by its strand passaging reaction, which is required for genome maintenance by resolving tangled genomic DNA. In addition, TopoII contributes to the structural integrity of mitotic chromosomes and to the activation of cell cycle checkpoints in mitosis. Post-translational modification of TopoII is one of the key mechanisms by which its broad functions are regulated during mitosis. SUMOylation of TopoII is conserved in eukaryotes and plays a critical role in chromosome segregation. Using Xenopus laevis egg extract, we demonstrated previously that TopoIIα is modified by SUMO on mitotic chromosomes and that its activity is modulated via SUMOylation of its lysine at 660. However, both biochemical and genetic analyses indicated that TopoII has multiple SUMOylation sites in addition to Lys660, and the functions of the other SUMOylation sites were not clearly determined. In this study, we identified the SUMOylation sites on the C-terminal domain (CTD) of TopoIIα. CTD SUMOylation did not affect TopoIIα activity, indicating that its function is distinct from that of Lys660 SUMOylation. We found that CTD SUMOylation promotes protein binding and that Claspin, a well-established cell cycle checkpoint mediator, is one of the SUMOylation-dependent binding proteins. Claspin harbors 2 SUMO-interacting motifs (SIMs), and its robust association to mitotic chromosomes requires both the SIMs and TopoIIα-CTD SUMOylation. Claspin localizes to the mitotic centromeres depending on mitotic SUMOylation, suggesting that TopoIIα-CTD SUMOylation regulates the centromeric localization of Claspin. Our findings provide a novel mechanistic insight regarding how TopoIIα-CTD SUMOylation contributes to mitotic centromere activity.

RanBP1 governs spindle assembly by defining mitotic Ran-GTP production

Accurate control of the Ras-related nuclear protein (Ran) GTPase cycle depends on the regulated activity of regulator of chromosome condensation 1 (RCC1), Ran's nucleotide exchange factor. RanBP1 has been characterized as a coactivator of the Ran GTPase-activating protein RanGAP1. RanBP1 can also form a stable complex with Ran and RCC1, although the dynamics and function of this complex remain poorly understood. Here, we show that formation of the heterotrimeric RCC1/Ran/RanBP1 complex in M phase Xenopus egg extracts controls both RCC1's enzymatic activity and partitioning between the chromatin-bound and soluble pools of RCC1. This mechanism is critical for spatial control of Ran-guanosine triphosphate (GTP) gradients that guide mitotic spindle assembly. Moreover, phosphorylation of RanBP1 drives changes in the dynamics of chromatin-bound RCC1 pools at the metaphase-anaphase transition. Our findings reveal an important mitotic role for RanBP1, controlling the spatial distribution and magnitude of mitotic Ran-GTP production and thereby ensuring accurate execution of Ran-dependent mitotic events.

TD-60 is required for interphase cell cycle progression

We previously identified TD-60 (RCC2) as a mitotic centromere-associated protein that is necessary for proper completion of mitosis. We now report that TD-60 is an essential regulator of cell cycle progression during interphase. siRNA suppression blocks progression of mammalian G₁/S phase cells and progression of G₂ cells into mitosis. Prolonged arrest occurs both in non-transformed cells and in transformed cells lacking functional p53. TD-60 associates with Rac1 and Arf6 and has recently been demonstrated to be an element of α5β1 integrin and cortactin interactomes. These associations with known elements of cell cycle control, together with our data, suggest that TD-60 is an essential component of one or more signaling pathways that drive cell cycle progression. During mitosis, TD-60 is required for correct assembly of the mitotic spindle and activation of key mitotic proteins. In contrast, in interphase TD-60 promotes cell cycle progression through what must be distinct mechanisms. TD-60 thus appears to be one of the growing categories of proteins that "moonlight," or have more than one distinct cellular function.

Docking of a specialized PIP Box onto chromatin-bound PCNA creates a degron for the ubiquitin ligase CRL4Cdt2

Substrates of the E3 ubiquitin ligase CRL4(Cdt2), including Cdt1 and p21, contain a PCNA-binding motif called a PIP box. Upon binding of the PIP box to PCNA on chromatin, CRL4(Cdt2) is recruited and the substrate is ubiquitylated. Importantly, a PIP box cannot be sufficient for destruction, as most PIP box proteins are stable. Using Xenopus egg extracts, we identify two sequence elements in CRL4(Cdt2) substrates that promote their proteolysis: a specialized PIP box that confers exceptionally efficient PCNA binding and a basic amino acid 4 residues downstream of the PIP box, which recruits CRL4(Cdt2) to the substrate-PCNA complex. We also identify two mechanisms that couple CRL4(Cdt2)-dependent proteolysis to the chromatin-bound form of PCNA, ensuring that this proteolysis pathway is active only in S phase or after DNA damage. Thus, CRL4(Cdt2) recognizes an unusual degron, which is assembled specifically on chromatin via the binding of a specialized PIP box to PCNA.

Proteomic analysis of mantle-cell lymphoma by protein microarray

Mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL) is a unique subtype of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that behaves aggressively and remains incurable. In order to understand the pathogenesis of MCL and design new therapies, it is important to accurately analyze molecular changes in pathways dysregulated in MCL. We used antibody microarrays to compare patterns of protein expression between CD19(+) purified B lymphocytes from normal tonsil and 7 cases of histologically confirmed MCL. Protein overexpression was defined as a higher than 1.3-fold or 2-fold increase in at least 67% of tumor samples compared with normal B-cell control. Of the polypeptides, 77 were overexpressed using the higher than 1.3-fold cutoff, and 13 were overexpressed using the 2-fold cutoff. These included cell cycle regulators (regulator of chromosome condensation 1 [RCC1], murine double minute 2 [MDM2]), a kinase (citron Rho-interacting kinase [CRIK]), chaperone proteins (heat shock 90-kDa protein [Hsp90], Hsp10), and phosphatase regulators (A-kinase anchor protein 1 [AKAP149], protein phosphatase 5 [PP5], and inhibitor 2). The elevated expression of some of these polypeptides was confirmed by immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry, whereas elevated expression of others could not be confirmed, illustrating the importance of confirmatory studies. This study describes a novel technique that identifies proteins dysregulated in MCL.

Inhibition of nuclear import and cell-cycle progression by mutated forms of the dynamin-like GTPase MxB

Mx proteins form a subfamily of the dynamin-like GTPases, which have well established roles in cellular trafficking. Some Mx proteins (e.g., human MxA) have antiviral activity and are tightly regulated by type I IFNs. Others (e.g., human MxB) lack antiviral activity and are thought to have normal cellular functions that remain undefined. Consistent with this hypothesis, we report that MxB is expressed without IFN treatment. MxB seems to be exclusively extranuclear and is concentrated at the cytoplasmic face of nuclear pores, suggesting a role in their regulation. We find that expression of dominant negative (GTPase-defective) MxB mutants efficiently blocks nuclear import and causes a delay in G(1)/S cell-cycle progression. MxB depletion using RNA interference (RNAi) leads to a similar cell-cycle defect but does not block nuclear import. MxB therefore seems not to be required for nuclear import per se but may instead regulate its efficiency and/or kinetics. These studies indicate an unexpected role for a dynamin-like protein in nucleocytoplasmic trafficking and suggest that a related function might be usurped by its antiviral relatives.

CpG methylation of DNA restricts prereplication complex assembly in Xenopus egg extracts

In a Xenopus egg replication system, the origin recognition complex (ORC) does not bind to CpG methylated DNA and DNA replication is inhibited. Insertion of low density CpG DNA of at least 1.2 kb into methylated plasmids rescues both replication and ORC binding. Using this pseudo-origin, we find that ORC binding is restricted to low-CpG-density DNA; however, MCM is loaded onto both weakly and highly methylated DNA and occupies at least approximately 2 kb of DNA. Replication initiates coincident with MCM, and even the most distally bound MCM is associated with sites of replication initiation. These results suggest that in metazoans MCM is loaded onto and initiates replication over a large region distant from ORC.

The disruption of ND10 during herpes simplex virus infection correlates with the Vmw110- and proteasome-dependent loss of several PML isoforms

The small nuclear structures known as ND10 or PML nuclear bodies have been implicated in a variety of cellular processes including response to stress and interferons, oncogenesis, and viral infection, but little is known about their biochemical properties. Recently, a ubiquitin-specific protease enzyme (named HAUSP) and a ubiquitin-homology family protein (PIC1) have been found associated with ND10. HAUSP binds strongly to Vmw110, a herpesvirus regulatory protein which has the ability to disrupt ND10, while PIC1 was identified as a protein which interacts with PML, the prototype ND10 protein. We have investigated the role of ubiquitin-related pathways in the mechanism of ND10 disruption by Vmw110 and the effect of virus infection on PML stability. The results show that the disruption of ND10 during virus infection correlates with the loss of several PML isoforms and this process is dependent on active proteasomes. The PML isoforms that are most sensitive to virus infection correspond closely to those which have recently been identified as being covalently conjugated to PIC1. In addition, a large number of PIC1-protein conjugates can be detected following transfection of a PIC1 expression plasmid, and many of these are also eliminated in a Vmw110-dependent manner during virus infection. These observations provide a biochemical mechanism to explain the observed effects of Vmw110 on ND10 and suggest a simple yet powerful mechanism by which Vmw110 might function during virus infection.

The balance of RanBP1 and RCC1 is critical for nuclear assembly and nuclear transport

Ran is a small GTPase that is essential for nuclear transport, mRNA processing, maintenance of structural integrity of nuclei, and cell cycle control. RanBP1 is a highly conserved Ran guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor. We sought to use Xenopus egg extracts for the development of an in vitro assay for RanBP1 activity in nuclear assembly, protein import, and DNA replication. Surprisingly, when we used anti-RanBP1 antibodies to immunodeplete RanBP1 from Xenopus egg extracts, we found that the extracts were also depleted of RCC1, Ran's guanine nucleotide exchange factor, suggesting that these proteins form a stable complex. In contrast to previous observations using extracts that had been depleted of RCC1 only, extracts lacking both RanBP1 and RCC1 (codepleted extracts) did not exhibit defects in assays of nuclear assembly, nuclear transport, or DNA replication. Addition of either recombinant RanBP1 or RCC1 to codepleted extracts to restore only one of the depleted proteins caused abnormal nuclear assembly and inhibited nuclear transport and DNA replication in a manner that could be rescued be further addition of RCC1 or RanBP1, respectively. Exogenous mutant Ran proteins could partially rescue nuclear function in extracts without RanBP1 or without RCC1, in a manner that was correlated with their nucleotide binding state. These results suggest that little RanBP1 or RCC1 is required for nuclear assembly, nuclear import, or DNA replication in the absence of the other protein. The results further suggest that the balance of GTP- and GDP-Ran is critical for proper nuclear assembly and function in vitro.

Nucleocytoplasmic transport of macromolecules

Nucleocytoplasmic transport is a complex process that consists of the movement of numerous macromolecules back and forth across the nuclear envelope. All macromolecules that move in and out of the nucleus do so via nuclear pore complexes that form large proteinaceous channels in the nuclear envelope. In addition to nuclear pores, nuclear transport of macromolecules requires a number of soluble factors that are found both in the cytoplasm and in the nucleus. A combination of biochemical, genetic, and cell biological approaches have been used to identify and characterize the various components of the nuclear transport machinery. Recent studies have shown that both import to and export from the nucleus are mediated by signals found within the transport substrates. Several studies have demonstrated that these signals are recognized by soluble factors that target these substrates to the nuclear pore. Once substrates have been directed to the pore, most transport events depend on a cycle of GTP hydrolysis mediated by the small Ras-like GTPase, Ran, as well as other proteins that regulate the guanine nucleotide-bound state of Ran. Many of the essential factors have been identified, and the challenge that remains is to determine the exact mechanism by which transport occurs. This review attempts to present an integrated view of our current understanding of nuclear transport while highlighting the contributions that have been made through studies with genetic organisms such as the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Perturbations in the spi1p GTPase cycle of Schizosaccharomyces pombe through its GTPase-activating protein and guanine nucleotide exchange factor components result in similar phenotypic consequences

spi1p of Schizosaccharomyces pombe is a structural homolog of the mammalian GTPase Ran. The distribution between the GTP- and GDP-bound forms of the protein is regulated by evolutionarily conserved gene products, rna1p and pim1p, functioning as GTPase-activating protein (GAP) and guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF), respectively. Antibodies to spi1p, pim1p, and rna1p were generated and used to demonstrate that pim1p is exclusively nuclear, while rna1p is cytoplasmic. A loss of pim1p GEF activity or an increase in the rna1p GAP activity correlates with a change in the localization of the GTPase from predominantly nuclear to uniformly distributed, suggesting that the two forms are topologically segregated and that the nucleotide-bound state of spi1p may dictate its intracellular localization. We demonstrate that the phenotype of cells overproducing the GAP resembles the previously reported phenotype of mutants with alterations in the GEF: the cells are arrested in the cell cycle as septated, binucleated cells with highly condensed chromatin, fragmented nuclear envelopes, and abnormally wide septa. Consistent with the expectation that either an increased dosage of the GAP or a mutation in the GEF would lead to an increase of the spi1p-GDP/spi1p-GTP ratio relative to that of wild-type cells, overexpression of the GAP together with a mutation in the GEF is synthetically lethal. The similar phenotypic consequences of altering the functioning of the nuclear GEF or the cytoplasmic GAP suggest that there is a single pool of the spi1p GTPase that shuttles between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Phenotypically, rna1 null mutants, in which spi1p-GTP would be expected to accumulate, resemble pim1(ts) and rna1p-overproducing cells, in which spi1p-GDP would be expected to accumulate. Taken together, these results support the hypothesis that the balance between the GDP- and GTP-bound forms of spi1p mediates the host of nuclear processes that are adversely affected when the functioning of different components of this system is perturbed in various organisms.

Direct and indirect association of the small GTPase ran with nuclear pore proteins and soluble transport factors: studies in Xenopus laevis egg extracts

Ran is a small GTPase that is required for protein import, mRNA export, and the maintenance of nuclear structures. To gain a better understanding of Ran's role in the nucleus, we have sought to use Xenopus egg extracts for the purification and characterization of proteins from egg extracts bound with a high affinity to a glutathione-S-transferase-Ran fusion protein (GST-Ran). We found that GST-Ran associates specifically with at least 10 extract proteins. We determined the identifies of six Ran-interacting proteins (Rips), and found that they include RanBP2/Nup358, Nup153, Importin beta, hsc70, RCC1, and RanBP1. On the basis of peptide sequence, a seventh Rip (p88) seems to be similar but not identical to Fug1/RanGAP1, the mammalian Ran-GTPase-activating protein. Gel filtration analysis of endogenous extract proteins suggests that Importin beta acts as a primary GTP-Ran effector. Both Ran and Importin beta are coimmunoprecipitated by anti-p340RanBP2 antibodies in the presence of nonhydrolyzable GTP analogues, suggesting that Ran-Importin beta complexes interact with p340RanBP2. Two other Rips, p18 and p88, are coprecipitated with p340RanBP2 in a nucleotide-independent manner. Analysis of the Ran-GTPase pathway in Xenopus extracts allows the examination of interactions between Ran-associated proteins under conditions that resemble in vivo conditions more closely than in assays with purified components, and it thereby allows additional insights into the molecular mechanism of nuclear transport.

A nuclear export signal is essential for the cytosolic localization of the Ran binding protein, RanBP1

RanBP1 is a Ran/TC4 binding protein that can promote the interaction between Ran and beta-importin /beta-karyopherin, a component of the docking complex for nuclear protein cargo. This interaction occurs through a Ran binding domain (RBD). Here we show that RanBP1 is primarily cytoplasmic, but the isolated RBD accumulates in the nucleus. A region COOH-terminal to the RBD is responsible for this cytoplasmic localization. This domain acts heterologously, localizing a nuclear cyclin B1 mutant to the cytoplasm. The domain contains a nuclear export signal that is necessary but not sufficient for the nuclear export of a functional RBD In transiently transfected cells, epitope-tagged RanBP1 promotes dexamethasone-dependent nuclear accumulation of a glucocorticoid receptor-green fluorescent protein fusion, but the isolated RBD potently inhibits this accumulation. The cytosolic location of RanBP1 may therefore be important for nuclear protein import. RanBP1 may provide a key link between the nuclear import and export pathways.

Allele-specific suppression of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae prp20 mutation by overexpression of a nuclear serine/threonine protein kinase

The yeast PRP20 protein is homologous to the RCC1 protein of higher eukaryotes and is required for mRNA export and maintenance of nuclear structure. RCC1/PRP20 act as guanine nucleotide exchange factors for the nuclear Ras-like Ran/GSP1 proteins. In a search for prp20-10 allele-specific high-copy-number suppressors, the KSP1 locus, encoding a serine/threonine protein kinase was isolated. Ksp1p is a nuclear protein that is not essential for vegetative growth of yeast. Inactivation of the kinase activity by a mutation affecting the catalytic center of the Ksp1p eliminated the suppressing activity. Based on the isolation of a protein kinase as a high-copy-number suppressor, the phosphorylation of Prp20p was examined. In vivo labeling experiments showed that Prp20p is a phosphoprotein; however, deletion of the KSP1 kinase did not affect Prp20p phosphorylation.

RNA polymerase III transcription in synthetic nuclei assembled in vitro from defined DNA templates

Although much is known of the basic control of transcription, little is understood of the way in which the structural organization of the nucleus affects transcription. Synthetic nuclei, assembled de novo in extracts of Xenopus eggs, would be predicted to have a large potential for approaching the role of nuclear structure in RNA biogenesis. Synthetic nuclei provide a system in which the genetic content of the nuclei, as well as the structural and enzymatic proteins within the nuclei, can be manipulated. In this study, we have begun to examine transcription in such nuclei by using the most simple of templates, RNA polymerase III (pol III)-transcribed genes. DNA encoding tRNA or 5S genes was added to an assembly extract, and nuclei were formed entirely from the pol III templates. Conditions which allowed nuclear assembly and pol III transcription to take place efficiently and simultaneously in the assembly extract were found. To examine whether pol III transcription could initiate within synthetic nuclei, or instead was inhibited in nuclei and initiated only on rare unincorporated templates, we identified transcriptional inhibitors that were excluded from nuclei. We found that these inhibitors, heparin and dextran sulfate, blocked pol III transcription in the absence of assembly but did not do so following nuclear assembly. At the concentrations used, the inhibitors had no deleterious effect on nuclear structure itself or on nuclear import. We conclude that pol III transcription is active in synthetic nuclei, and this conclusion is further strengthened by the finding that pol III transcripts could be coisolated with synthetic nuclei. The rapid and direct transcriptional analysis possible with pol III templates, coupled with the simple experimental criteria developed in this study for distinguishing between nuclear and non-nuclear transcription, should now allow a molecular analysis of the effect of nuclear structure on transcriptional and posttranscriptional control.

The Ran/TC4 GTPase-binding domain: identification by expression cloning and characterization of a conserved sequence motif

Ran/TC4 is an essential, nuclear GTPase implicated in the initiation of DNA replication, entry into and exit from mitosis, and in nuclear RNA and protein transport through the nuclear pore complex. This diversity of functions suggests that Ran interacts with a large number of down-stream targets. Using an overlay assay, we detected a family of putative target proteins that associate with GTP-bound Ran. The sequence of only one such protein, HTF9a/RanBP1, is known. We have now cloned two additional Ran-binding proteins, allowing identification of a distinctive, highly conserved sequence motif of approximately 150 residues. This motif represents a minimal Ran-binding domain that stabilizes the GTP-bound state of Ran. The isolated domain also functions as a coactivator of Ran-GTPase-activating protein. Mutation of a conserved residue within the Ran-binding domain of HTF9a protein drastically reduced Ran binding. Ran-binding proteins coimmunoprecipitated with epitope-tagged Ran from cell lysates, suggesting that these proteins may associate in vivo. A previously uncharacterized Caenorhabditis elegans gene could encode a protein (96 kDa) possessing two Ran-binding domains. This open reading frame also contains similarities to nucleoporins, suggesting a functional link between Ran and nuclear pore complexes.

Separate domains of the Ran GTPase interact with different factors to regulate nuclear protein import and RNA processing

The small Ras-related GTP binding and hydrolyzing protein Ran has been implicated in a variety of processes, including cell cycle progression, DNA synthesis, RNA processing, and nuclear-cytosolic trafficking of both RNA and proteins. Like other small GTPases, Ran appears to function as a switch: Ran-GTP and Ran-GDP levels are regulated both by guanine nucleotide exchange factors and GTPase activating proteins, and Ran-GTP and Ran-GDP interact differentially with one or more effectors. One such putative effector, Ran-binding protein 1 (RanBP1), interacts selectively with Ran-GTP. Ran proteins contain a diagnostic short, acidic, carboxyl-terminal domain, DEDDDL, which, at least in the case of human Ran, is required for its role in cell cycle regulation. We show here that this domain is required for the interaction between Ran and RanBP1 but not for the interaction between Ran and a Ran guanine nucleotide exchange factor or between Ran and a Ran GTPase activating protein. In addition, Ran lacking this carboxyl-terminal domain functions normally in an in vitro nuclear protein import assay. We also show that RanBP1 interacts with the mammalian homolog of yeast protein RNA1, a protein involved in RNA transport and processing. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that Ran functions directly in at least two pathways, one, dependent on RanBP1, that affects cell cycle progression and RNA export, and another, independent of RanBP1, that affects nuclear protein import.

A mutation in the RCC1-related protein pim1 results in nuclear envelope fragmentation in fission yeast

Members of the RCC1 protein family are chromatin-associated guanine nucleotide exchange factors that have been implicated in diverse cellular processes in various organisms, yet no consensus has been reached as to their primary biological role. The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, a single-celled eukaryote, provides an in vivo system in which to study the RCC1/Ran switch by using a temperature-sensitive mutant in the RCC1-related protein pim1. Mitotic entry in the pim1-d1ts mutant is normal, but mitotic exit leads to the accumulation of cells arrested with a medial septum and condensed chromosomes. Although the yeast nuclear envelope normally remains intact throughout the cell cycle, we found a striking fragmentation of the nuclear envelope in the pim1-d1ts mutant following mitosis. This resulted in chromatin that was no longer compartmentalized and an accumulation of pore-containing membranes in the cytoplasm. The development of this terminal phenotype was dependent on the passage of cells through mitosis and was coincident with the loss of viability. We propose that pim1 is required for the reestablishment of nuclear structure following mitosis in fission yeast.

Co-activation of RanGTPase and inhibition of GTP dissociation by Ran-GTP binding protein RanBP1

RCC1 (the regulator of chromosome condensation) stimulates guanine nucleotide dissociation on the Ras-related nuclear protein Ran. Both polypeptides are components of a regulatory pathway that has been implicated in regulating DNA replication, onset of and exit from mitosis, mRNA processing and transport, and import of proteins into the nucleus. In a search for further members of the RCC1-Ran signal pathway, we have identified proteins of 23, 45 and 300 kDa which tightly bind to Ran-GTP but not Ran-GDP. The purified soluble 23 kDa Ran binding protein RanBP1 does not activate RanGTPase, but increases GTP hydrolysis induced by the RanGTPase-activating protein RanGAP1 by an order of magnitude. In the absence of RanGAP, it strongly inhibits RCC1-induced exchange of Ran-bound GTP. In addition, it forms a stable complex with nucleotide-free RCC1-Ran. With these properties, it differs markedly from guanine diphosphate dissociation inhibitors which preferentially prevent the exchange of protein-bound GDP and in some cases were shown to inhibit GAP-induced GTP hydrolysis. RanBP1 is the first member of a new class of proteins regulating the binding and hydrolysis of GTP by Ras-related proteins.

The GTP-bound form of the yeast Ran/TC4 homologue blocks nuclear protein import and appearance of poly(A)+ RNA in the cytoplasm

Ran/TC4, a Ras-like GTP-binding protein, and its nucleotide exchanger, RCC1, have been implicated in control of protein movement into the nucleus and cytoplasmic accumulation of mRNA. Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains two homologues of the mammalian Ran/TC4, encoded by the GSP1 and GSP2 genes. We have constructed yeast strains that overproduce either wild-type Gsp1 or a form of Gsp1 with glycine-21 converted to valine (Gsp1-G21V), which we show stabilizes the GTP-bound form. Cells producing Gsp1-G21V have defects in localization of nuclear proteins; nuclear proteins accumulate in the cytoplasm following galactose induction of Gsp1-G21V. Similarly, cells producing Gsp1-G21V retain poly(A)+ RNA in their nuclei. These findings suggest that hydrolysis of GTP by Ran/TC4 is necessary for proper import of proteins into the nucleus and appearance of poly(A)+ RNA in the cytoplasm.

Nuclear assembly is independent of linker histones

The role of linker histones in the assembly of functional nuclei was examined with the use of a cell-free extract of Xenopus eggs that transforms condensed sperm chromatin into DNA-replication-competent pronuclei. When linker histones were removed from the extract, the resultant pronuclei were indistinguishable from those formed in the complete extract. The assembly of functional nuclear membrane, nuclear lamina, and prereplication centers allowed identical DNA replication efficiencies. Thus, linker histones are not required for the assembly of morphologically normal nuclei capable of DNA replication.

A mutant form of the Ran/TC4 protein disrupts nuclear function in Xenopus laevis egg extracts by inhibiting the RCC1 protein, a regulator of chromosome condensation

The Ran protein is a small GTPase that has been implicated in a large number of nuclear processes including transport. RNA processing and cell cycle checkpoint control. A similar spectrum of nuclear activities has been shown to require RCC1, the guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for Ran. We have used the Xenopus laevis egg extract system and in vitro assays of purified proteins to examine how Ran or RCC1 could be involved in these numerous processes. In these studies, we employed mutant Ran proteins to perturb nuclear assembly and function. The addition of a bacterially expressed mutant form of Ran (T24N-Ran), which was predicted to be primarily in the GDP-bound state, profoundly disrupted nuclear assembly and DNA replication in extracts. We further examined the molecular mechanism by which T24N-Ran disrupts normal nuclear activity and found that T24N-Ran binds tightly to the RCC1 protein within the extract, resulting in its inactivation as a GEF. The capacity of T24N-Ran-blocked interphase extracts to assemble nuclei from de-membranated sperm chromatin and to replicate their DNA could be restored by supplementing the extract with excess RCC1 and thereby providing excess GEF activity. Conversely, nuclear assembly and DNA replication were both rescued in extracts lacking RCC1 by the addition of high levels of wild-type GTP-bound Ran protein, indicating that RCC1 does not have an essential function beyond its role as a GEF in interphase Xenopus extracts.

Remodeling sperm chromatin in Xenopus laevis egg extracts: the role of core histone phosphorylation and linker histone B4 in chromatin assembly

We find that the remodeling of the condensed Xenopus laevis sperm nucleus into the paternal pronucleus in egg extracts is associated with phosphorylation of the core histones H2A, H2A.X and H4, and uptake of a linker histone B4 and a HMG 2 protein. Histone B4 is required for the assembly of chromatosome structures in the pronucleus. However neither B4 nor core histone phosphorylation are required for the assembly of spaced nucleosomal arrays. We suggest that the spacing of nucleosomal arrays is determined by interaction between adjacent histone octamers under physiological assembly conditions.

Effects of mutant Ran/TC4 proteins on cell cycle progression

Ran/TC4, a member of the RAS gene superfamily, encodes an abundant nuclear protein that binds and hydrolyzes GTP. Transient expression of a Ran/TC4 mutant protein deficient in GTP hydrolysis blocked DNA replication, suggesting a role for Ran/TC4 in the regulation of cell cycle progression. To test this possibility, we exploited an efficient transfection system, involving the introduction of cDNAs in the pMT2 vector into 293/Tag cells, to analyze phenotypes associated with mutant and wild-type Ran/TC4 expression. Expression of a Ran/TC4 mutant protein deficient in GTP hydrolysis inhibited proliferation of transfected cells by arresting them predominantly in the G2, but also in the G1, phase of the cell cycle. Deletion of an acidic carboxy-terminal hexapeptide from the Ran/TC4 mutant did not alter its nuclear localization but did block its inhibitory effect on cell cycle progression. These data suggest that normal progression of the cell cycle is coupled to the operation of a Ran/TC4 GTPase cycle. Mediators of this coupling are likely to include the nuclear regulator of chromosome condensation 1 protein and the mitosis-promoting factor complex.

A small nuclear GTP-binding protein from tomato suppresses a Schizosaccharomyces pombe cell-cycle mutant

Ran is a 25-kDa Ras-related nuclear GTP-binding protein which is very highly conserved in humans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Ran has been found to form a stable, noncovalent complex with the chromatin-associated protein RCC1, a negative regulator of mitosis. In Sch. pombe, a temperature-sensitive mutation in the RCC1 homolog encoded by the pim1 gene causes premature induction of mitosis, and this mutation can be suppressed by overexpression of the Ran homolog encoded by spi1. We report here the cloning of three Ran cDNAs from tomato. The Ran protein is very highly conserved among plants, animals, and fungi. In tomato, Ran mRNA is expressed in all tissues examined, even those with little or no cell division, indicating that Ran in plants may have functions other than just control of mitosis. We have found that the tomato Ran protein can direct a beta-glucuronidase reporter protein to the plant cell nucleus, confirming that Ran is a nuclear protein in plants. We show that the tomato Ran protein can suppress the Sch. pombe pim1 mutation, indicating that the tomato Ran protein and the Sch. pombe spi1 protein are functionally homologous.

Effects of mutant Ran/TC4 proteins on cell cycle progression

Ran/TC4, a member of the RAS gene superfamily, encodes an abundant nuclear protein that binds and hydrolyzes GTP. Transient expression of a Ran/TC4 mutant protein deficient in GTP hydrolysis blocked DNA replication, suggesting a role for Ran/TC4 in the regulation of cell cycle progression. To test this possibility, we exploited an efficient transfection system, involving the introduction of cDNAs in the pMT2 vector into 293/Tag cells, to analyze phenotypes associated with mutant and wild-type Ran/TC4 expression. Expression of a Ran/TC4 mutant protein deficient in GTP hydrolysis inhibited proliferation of transfected cells by arresting them predominantly in the G2, but also in the G1, phase of the cell cycle. Deletion of an acidic carboxy-terminal hexapeptide from the Ran/TC4 mutant did not alter its nuclear localization but did block its inhibitory effect on cell cycle progression. These data suggest that normal progression of the cell cycle is coupled to the operation of a Ran/TC4 GTPase cycle. Mediators of this coupling are likely to include the nuclear regulator of chromosome condensation 1 protein and the mitosis-promoting factor complex.

Evidence for a dual role for TC4 protein in regulating nuclear structure and cell cycle progression

TC4, a ras-like G protein, has been implicated in the feedback pathway linking the onset of mitosis to the completion of DNA replication. In this report we find distinct roles for TC4 in both nuclear assembly and cell cycle progression. Mutant and wild-type forms of TC4 were added to Xenopus egg extracts capable of assembling nuclei around chromatin templates in vitro. We found that a mutant TC4 protein defective in GTP binding (GDP-bound form) suppressed nuclear growth and prevented DNA replication. Nuclear transport under these conditions approximated normal levels. In a separate set of experiments using a cell-free extract of Xenopus eggs that cycles between S and M phases, the GDP-bound form of TC4 had dramatic effects, blocking entry into mitosis even in the complete absence of nuclei. The effect of this mutant TC4 protein on cell cycle progression is mediated by phosphorylation of p34cdc2 on tyrosine and threonine residues, negatively regulating cdc2 kinase activity. Therefore, we provide direct biochemical evidence for a role of TC4 in both maintaining nuclear structure and in the signaling pathways that regulate entry into mitosis.

RanGAP1 induces GTPase activity of nuclear Ras-related Ran

The nuclear Ras-related protein Ran binds guanine nucleotide and is involved in cell cycle regulation. Models of the signal pathway predict Ran to be active as Ran.GTP at the initiation of S phase upon activation by the nucleotide exchange factor RCC1 and to be inactivated for the onset of mitosis by hydrolysis of bound GTP. Here a nuclear homodimeric 65-kDa protein, RanGAP1, is described, which we believe to be the immediate antagonist of RCC1. It was purified from HeLa cell lysates and induces GTPase activity of Ran, but not Ras, by more than 3 orders of magnitude. The Ran mutant Q69L, modeled after RasQ61L, which is unable to hydrolyze bound GTP, is insensitive to RanGAP1.

Nuclear assembly with lambda DNA in fractionated Xenopus egg extracts: an unexpected role for glycogen in formation of a higher order chromatin intermediate

Crude extracts of Xenopus eggs are capable of nuclear assembly around chromatin templates or even around protein-free, naked DNA templates. Here the requirements for nuclear assembly around a naked DNA template were investigated. Extracts were separated by ultracentrifugation into cytosol, membrane, and gelatinous pellet fractions. It was found that, in addition to the cytosolic and membrane fractions, a component of the gelatinous pellet fraction was required for the assembly of functional nuclei around a naked DNA template. In the absence of this component, membrane-bound but functionally inert spheres of lambda DNA were formed. Purification of the active pellet factor unexpectedly demonstrated the component to be glycogen. The assembly of functionally active nuclei, as assayed by DNA replication and nuclear transport, required that glycogen be pre-incubated with the lambda DNA and cytosol during the period of chromatin and higher order intermediate formation, before the addition of membranes. Hydrolysis of glycogen with alpha-amylase in the extract blocked nuclear formation. Upon analysis, chromatin formed in the presence of cytosol and glycogen alone appeared highly condensed, reminiscent of the nuclear assembly intermediate described by Newport in crude extracts (Newport, J. 1987. Cell. 48:205-217). In contrast, chromatin formed from phage lambda DNA in cytosol lacking glycogen formed "fluffy chromatin-like" structures. Using sucrose gradient centrifugation, the highly condensed intermediates formed in the presence of glycogen could be isolated and were now able to serve as nuclear assembly templates in extracts lacking glycogen, arguing that the requirement for glycogen is temporally restricted to the time of intermediate formation and function. Glycogen does not act simply by inducing condensation of the chromatin, since similarly isolated mitotically condensed chromatin intermediates do not form functional nuclei. However, both mitotic and fluffy interphase chromatin intermediates formed in the absence of glycogen can be rescued to form functional nuclei when added to a second extract which contains glycogen. This study presents a novel role for a carbohydrate in nuclear assembly, a role which involves the formation of a particular chromatin intermediate. Potential models for the role of glycogen are discussed.

Inhibition of nuclear protein import by nonhydrolyzable analogues of GTP and identification of the small GTPase Ran/TC4 as an essential transport factor

We have investigated a possible involvement of GTPases in nuclear protein import using an in vitro transport system involving digitonin-permeabilized cells supplemented with exogenous cytosol. Transport in this system was measured with a novel ELISA-based assay that allows rapid quantitative analysis. GTP gamma S and other nonhydrolyzable analogues of GTP were found to rapidly inhibit the rate of in vitro nuclear import. Transport inhibition by GTP gamma S was dependent on the concentrations of permeabilized cells and cytosol, and was strongly enhanced by a cytosolic factor(s). The predominant cytosolic component responsible for this inhibition was found in a 20-30-kD fraction in molecular sieving chromatography. Furthermore, a component(s) of this 20-30-kD fraction was itself required for efficient nuclear import. Biochemical complementation with bacterially expressed protein demonstrated that this essential GTP gamma S-sensitive transport factor was Ran/TC4, a previously described GTPase of the Ras superfamily found in both nucleus and cytoplasm. Ran/TC4 and its guanine nucleotide release protein RCC1 have previously been implicated in DNA replication, cell cycle checkpoint control, and RNA synthesis, processing and export. Our results suggest that Ran/TC4 serves to integrate nuclear protein import with these other nuclear activities.

GSP1 and GSP2, genetic suppressors of the prp20-1 mutant in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: GTP-binding proteins involved in the maintenance of nuclear organization

The temperature-sensitive mutation prp20-1 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae exhibits a pleiotropic phenotype associated with a general failure to maintain a proper organization of the nucleus. Its mammalian homolog, RCC1, is not only reported to be involved in the negative control of chromosome condensation but is also believed to assist in the coupling of DNA replication to the entry into mitosis. Recent studies on Xenopus RCC1 have strongly suggested a further role for this protein in the formation or maintenance of the DNA replication machinery. To elucidate the nature of the various components required for this PRP20 control pathway in S. cerevisiae, we undertook a search for multicopy suppressors of a prp20 thermosensitive mutant. Two genes, GSP1 and GSP2, were identified that encode almost identical polypeptides of 219 and 220 amino acids. Sequence analyses of these proteins show them to contain the ras consensus domains involved in GTP binding and metabolism. The levels of the GSP1 transcript are about 10-fold those of GSP2. As for S. cerevisiae RAS2, GSP2 expression exhibits carbon source dependency, while GSP1 expression does not. GSP1 is an essential gene, and GSP2 is not required for cell viability. We show that GSP1p is nuclear, that it can bind GTP in an in vitro assay, and finally, that a mutation in GSP1p which activates small ras-like proteins by increasing the stability of the GTP-bound form causes a dominant lethal phenotype. We believe that these two gene products may serve in regulating the activities of the multicomponent PRP20 complex.

GSP1 and GSP2, genetic suppressors of the prp20-1 mutant in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: GTP-binding proteins involved in the maintenance of nuclear organization

The temperature-sensitive mutation prp20-1 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae exhibits a pleiotropic phenotype associated with a general failure to maintain a proper organization of the nucleus. Its mammalian homolog, RCC1, is not only reported to be involved in the negative control of chromosome condensation but is also believed to assist in the coupling of DNA replication to the entry into mitosis. Recent studies on Xenopus RCC1 have strongly suggested a further role for this protein in the formation or maintenance of the DNA replication machinery. To elucidate the nature of the various components required for this PRP20 control pathway in S. cerevisiae, we undertook a search for multicopy suppressors of a prp20 thermosensitive mutant. Two genes, GSP1 and GSP2, were identified that encode almost identical polypeptides of 219 and 220 amino acids. Sequence analyses of these proteins show them to contain the ras consensus domains involved in GTP binding and metabolism. The levels of the GSP1 transcript are about 10-fold those of GSP2. As for S. cerevisiae RAS2, GSP2 expression exhibits carbon source dependency, while GSP1 expression does not. GSP1 is an essential gene, and GSP2 is not required for cell viability. We show that GSP1p is nuclear, that it can bind GTP in an in vitro assay, and finally, that a mutation in GSP1p which activates small ras-like proteins by increasing the stability of the GTP-bound form causes a dominant lethal phenotype. We believe that these two gene products may serve in regulating the activities of the multicomponent PRP20 complex.

Ran/TC4: a small nuclear GTP-binding protein that regulates DNA synthesis

Ran/TC4, first identified as a well-conserved gene distantly related to H-RAS, encodes a protein which has recently been shown in yeast and mammalian systems to interact with RCC1, a protein whose function is required for the normal coupling of the completion of DNA synthesis and the initiation of mitosis. Here, we present data indicating that the nuclear localization of Ran/TC4 requires the presence of RCC1. Transient expression of a Ran/TC4 protein with mutations expected to perturb GTP hydrolysis disrupts host cell DNA synthesis. These results suggest that Ran/TC4 and RCC1 are components of a GTPase switch that monitors the progress of DNA synthesis and couples the completion of DNA synthesis to the onset of mitosis.

Chromosome condensation caused by loss of RCC1 function requires the cdc25C protein that is located in the cytoplasm

We cloned the hamster cdc25C cDNA by using the human cdc25C cDNA as a probe and prepared an antibody to Escherichia coli-produced hamster cdc25C protein that is specific to the human cdc25C protein. The microinjected antibody inhibited a chromosome condensation induced by tsBN2 mutation, indicating that the cdc25C protein is required for an activation of p34cdc2 kinase caused by loss of RCC1 function. The hamster cdc25C protein located in the cytoplasm, prominently in a periphery of the nuclei of cells arrested with hydroxyurea, and seemed to move into the nuclei by loss of RCC1 function. Also, we found a molecular shift of the cdc25C protein in cells showing premature chromosome condensation (PCC), in addition to normal mitotic cells. This molecular-shift appeared depending on an activation of p34cdc2 kinase.