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D Y Thomas

Publications and source records attributed to D Y Thomas.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Molecular cloning of the CRM1 gene from Candida albicans.

In a screen for Candida albicans genes capable of supressing a ste20Delta mutation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a homologue of the exportin-encoding gene CRM1 was isolated. The CaCRM1 gene codes for a protein of 1079 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 124 029 and isoelectric point of 5.04. Crm1p from C. albicans displays significant amino acid sequence homology with Crm1p from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (65% identity, 74% similarity), Schizosaccharomyces pombe (55% identity, 66% similarity), Caenorhabditis elegans (45% identity, 57% similarity), and Homo sapiens (48% identity, 59% similarity). Interestingly, CaCRM1 encodes a threonine rather than a cysteine at position 533 in the conserved central region, suggesting that CaCrm1p is leptomycin B-insensitive, like S. cerevisiae Crm1p. CaCRM1 on a high copy vector can complement a thermosensitive allele of CRM1 (xpo1-1) in S. cerevisiae, showing that CaCrm1p and S. cerevisiae Crm1p are functionally conserved. Southern blot analysis suggests that CaCRM1 is present at a single locus within the C. albicans genome. The nucleotide sequence of the CaCRM1 gene has been deposited at GenBank under Accession No. AF178855.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The Kex2p proregion is essential for the biosynthesis of an active enzyme and requires a C-terminal basic residue for its function.

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae prohormone-processing enzyme Kex2p is biosynthesized as an inactive precursor extended by its N-terminal proregion. Here we show that deletion of the proregion renders Kex2p inactive both in vivo and in vitro. Absence of the proregion impaired glycosylation and stability and resulted in the retention of the enzyme in the endoplasmic reticulum. These phenotypes were partially complemented by expression of the proregion in trans. Trans complementation was specific to Kex2p proregion because expression of any of the seven mammalian prohormone convertase propeptides had no effect. These data are consistent with a model whereby Kex2p proregion functions as an intramolecular chaperone and indicate that covalent linkage to the protein is not an absolute requirement for proregion function. Furthermore, extensive mutagenesis revealed that, in addition to their function as proteolytic recognition sites, C-terminal basic residues play an active role in proregion-dependent Kex2p activation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Cloning and characterization of mammalian UDP-glucose glycoprotein: glucosyltransferase and the development of a specific substrate for this enzyme.

The endoplasmic reticulum enzyme UDP-glucose glycoprotein:glucosyltransferase (UGGT) has the unique property of recognizing incompletely folded glycoproteins and, if they carry an N -linked Man(9)GlcNAc(2)oligosaccharide, of catalyzing the addition of a glucose residue from UDP-glucose. Using peptide sequence information, we have isolated the complete cDNA of rat liver UGGT and expressed it in insect cells. The cDNA specifies an open reading frame which codes for a protein of 1527 residues including an 18 amino acid signal peptide. The protein has a C-terminal tetrapeptide (HEEL) characteristic of endoplasmic reticulum luminal proteins. The purified recombinant enzyme shows the same preference for unfolded polypeptides with N -linked Man(9)GlcNAc(2)glycans as the enzyme purified from rat liver. A genetically engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain capable of producing glyco-proteins with Man(9)GlcNAc(2)core oligosaccharides was constructed and secreted acid phosphatase (G0-AcP) was purified. G0-AcP was used as an acceptor glycoprotein for UGGT and found to be a better substrate than the previously used soybean agglutinin and thyroglobulin. Recombinant rat UGGT has a K (m) of 44 microM for UDP-glucose. A proteolytic fragment of UGGT was found to retain enzymatic activity thus localizing the catalytic site of the enzyme to the C-terminal 37 kDa of the protein. Using site-directed mutagenesis and photoaffinity labeling, we have identified residues D1334, D1336, Q1429, and N1433 to be necessary for the catalytic activity of the enzyme.

Acid Phosphatase↗

The heterodimeric structure of glucosidase II is required for its activity, solubility, and localization in vivo.

Glucosidase II is an ER heterodimeric enzyme that cleaves sequentially the two innermost alpha-1,3-linked glucose residues from N-linked oligosaccharides on nascent glycoproteins. This processing allows the binding and release of monoglucosylated (Glc(1)Man(9)GlcNAc(2)) glycoproteins with calnexin and calreticulin, the lectin-like chaperones of the endoplasmic reticulum. We have isolated two cDNA isoforms of the human alpha subunit (alpha1 and alpha2) differing by a 66 bp stretch, and a cDNA for the corresponding beta subunit. The alpha1 and alpha2 forms have distinct mobilities on SDS-PAGE and are expressed in most of the cell lines we have tested, but were absent from the glucosidase II-deficient cell line PHA(R) 2.7. Using COS7 cells, the coexpression of the beta subunit with the catalytic alpha subunit was found to be essential for enzymatic activity, solubilization, and/or stability, and ER retention of the alpha/beta complex. Transfected cell extracts expressing either alpha1 or alpha2 forms with the beta subunit showed similar activities, while mutating( )the nucleophile (D542N) predicted from the glycoside hydrolase Family 31 active site consensus sequence abolished enzymatic activity. In order to compare the kinetic parameters of both alpha1/beta and alpha2/beta forms of human glucosidase II the protein was expressed with the baculovirus expression system. Expression of the human alpha or beta subunit alone led to the formation of active human/insect heteroenzymes, demonstrating functional complementation by the endogenous insect glucosidase II subunits. The activity of both forms of recombinant human glucosidase II was examined with a p-nitrophenyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside substrate, and a two binding site kinetic model for this substrate was shown. The K(M1-2) values and apparent K(i1-2 )for deoxynojirimycin and castanospermine were determined and found to be identical for both isoforms suggesting they have similar catalysis and inhibition characteristics. The substrate specificities of both isoforms using the physiological oligosaccharides were assessed and found to be similar.

Animals↗

Repression of hyphal proteinase expression by the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase phosphatase Cpp1p of Candida albicans is independent of the MAP kinase Cek1p.

Cpp1p is a putative mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase phosphatase that suppresses Candida albicans hyphal formation at 25 degrees C through its probable substrate, the Cek1p filamentation MAP kinase. Here we report that expression of the serum-induced genes SAP4-6 and HYR1 increased several fold in hyphal forms of a cpp1/cpp1 null mutant, while the rate and extent of hyphal development up to 5 h were normal. Therefore, we provide evidence that Cpp1p represses hyphal gene expression by acting through a Cek1p-independent mechanism. SAP4-6 and HYR1 transcripts were undetectable in a null mutant of another key regulator of filamentation, Efg1p; thus, Efg1p and Cpp1p oppose each other during the expression of these genes in hyphal forms.

Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases↗

Localization of endogenous Grb10 to the mitochondria and its interaction with the mitochondrial-associated Raf-1 pool.

Grb10 belongs to a small family of adapter proteins that are known to interact with a number of receptor tyrosine kinases and signaling molecules. We have recently demonstrated that the Grb10 SH2 domain interacts with both the Raf-1 and MEK1 kinases. Overexpression of Grb10 genes with mutations in their SH2 domains promotes apoptosis in cultured cells, a phenotype that is reversed by concomitant overexpression of the wild type gene. Using immunofluorescence microscopy and subcellular fractionation we now show that most of the Grb10 molecules are peripherally associated with mitochondria. Following insulin-like growth factor I or serum treatment, small pools of Grb10 can also be found at the plasma membrane and in actin-rich membrane ruffles, whereas overexpression of Grb10 leads to its mislocalization to the cytosol. Two-hybrid analysis shows that the Grb10-binding site on Raf-1 co-localizes with its Ras-binding domain. Finally, we show that the endogenous Grb10 and Raf-1 proteins can be co-immunoprecipitated from a partially purified mitochondrial extract, an interaction that is enhanced following the activation of Raf-1 by ultraviolet radiation. Thus, we infer that Grb10 may regulate signaling between plasma membrane receptors and the apoptosis-inducing machinery on the mitochondrial outer membrane by modulating the anti-apoptotic activity of mitochondrial Raf-1.

Animals↗

Phosphorylation by CK2 and MAPK enhances calnexin association with ribosomes.

Calnexin was initially identified as an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) type I integral membrane protein, phosphorylated on its cytosolic domain by ER-associated protein kinases. Although the role of the ER luminal domain of calnexin has been established as a constituent of the molecular chaperone machinery of the ER, less is known about the role of the cytosolic phosphorylation of calnexin. Analysis by two-dimensional phosphopeptide maps revealed that calnexin was in vitro phosphorylated in isolated microsomes by casein kinase 2 (CK2) and extracellular-signal regulated kinase-1 (ERK-1) at sites corresponding to those for in vivo phosphorylation. In canine pancreatic microsomes, synergistic phosphorylation by CK2 and ERK-1 led to increased association of calnexin with membrane-bound ribosomes. In vivo, calnexin-associated ERK-1 activity was identified by co-immunoprecipitation. This activity was abolished in cells expressing a dominant-negative MEK-1. Activation of ERK-1 in cells by addition of serum led to a 4-fold increase in ribosome-associated calnexin over unstimulated cells. Taken together with studies revealing calnexin association with CK2 and ERK-1, a model is proposed whereby phosphorylation of calnexin leads to a potential increase in glycoprotein folding close to the translocon.

Animals↗

Ca2+ regulation of interactions between endoplasmic reticulum chaperones.

Casade Blue (CB), a fluorescent dye, was used to investigate the dynamics of interactions between endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumenal chaperones including calreticulin, protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), and ERp57. PDI and ERp57 were labeled with CB, and subsequently, we show that the fluorescence intensity of the CB-conjugated proteins changes upon exposure to microenvironments of a different polarity. CD analysis of the purified proteins revealed that changes in the fluorescence intensity of CB-ERp57 and CB-PDI correspond to conformational changes in the proteins. Using this technique we demonstrate that PDI interacts with calreticulin at low Ca2+ concentration (below 100 microM), whereas the protein complex dissociates at >400 microM Ca2+. These are the Ca2+ concentrations reminiscent of Ca2+ levels found in empty or full ER Ca2+ stores. The N-domain of calreticulin interacts with PDI, but Ca2+ binding to the C-domain of the protein is responsible for Ca2+ sensitivity of the interaction. ERp57 also interacts with calreticulin through the N-domain of the protein. Initial interaction between these proteins is Ca2+-independent, but it is modulated by Ca2+ binding to the C-domain of calreticulin. We conclude that changes in ER lumenal Ca2+ concentration may be responsible for the regulation of protein-protein interactions. Calreticulin may play a role of Ca2+ "sensor" for ER chaperones via regulation of Ca2+-dependent formation and maintenance of structural and functional complexes between different proteins involved in a variety of steps during protein synthesis, folding, and post-translational modification.

Animals↗

Calnexin family members as modulators of genetic diseases.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an intracellular compartment devoted to the synthesis, segregation and folding of soluble and membrane secretory proteins. Some mutations in these proteins lead to their incorrect or incomplete folding in the ER. The ER has a quality control system which detects misfolded proteins and then specifies their fate. Some mutated proteins are retained in the ER wherein they accumulate (Russell bodies for misfolded immunoglobulin heavy chains, the PiZZ for alpha 1-antitrypsin), others are retrotranslocated from the ER and degraded by the cytosolic proteasomal system, and yet other proteins are eventually secreted (in AZC-treated cells). In this review we summarize the role of ER resident proteins in quality control of mutated secretory proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Erp1p and Erp2p, partners for Emp24p and Erv25p in a yeast p24 complex.

Six new members of the yeast p24 family have been identified and characterized. These six genes, named ERP1-ERP6 (for Emp24p- and Erv25p-related proteins) are not essential, but deletion of ERP1 or ERP2 causes defects in the transport of Gas1p, in the retention of BiP, and deletion of ERP1 results in the suppression of a temperature-sensitive mutation in SEC13 encoding a COPII vesicle coat protein. These phenotypes are similar to those caused by deletion of EMP24 or ERV25, two previously identified genes that encode related p24 proteins. Genetic and biochemical studies demonstrate that Erp1p and Erp2p function in a heteromeric complex with Emp24p and Erv25p.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Functional characterization of the interaction of Ste50p with Ste11p MAPKKK in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ste11p protein kinase is a homologue of mammalian MAPK/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase kinase kinases (MAPKKKs or MEKKs) as well as the Schizosaccharomyces pombe Byr2p kinase. Ste11p functions in several signaling pathways, including those for mating pheromone response and osmotic stress response. The Ste11p kinase has an N-terminal domain that interacts with other signaling molecules to regulate Ste11p function and direct its activity in these pathways. One of the Ste11p regulators is Ste50p, and Ste11p and Ste50p associate through their respective N-terminal domains. This interaction relieves a negative activity of the Ste11p N terminus, and removal of this negative function is required for Ste11p function in the high-osmolarity glycerol (HOG) pathway. The Ste50p/Ste11p interaction is also important (but not essential) for Ste11p function in the mating pathway; in this pathway binding of the Ste11p N terminus with both Ste50p and Ste5p is required, with the Ste5p association playing the major role in Ste11p function. In vitro, Ste50p disrupts an association between the catalytic C terminus and the regulatory N terminus of Ste11p. In addition, Ste50p appears to modulate Ste11p autophosphorylation and is itself a substrate of the Ste11p kinase. Therefore, both in vivo and in vitro data support a role for Ste50p in the regulation of Ste11p activity.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Cell cycle- and Cln2p-Cdc28p-dependent phosphorylation of the yeast Ste20p protein kinase.

Ste20p from Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a member of the Ste20/p21-activated protein kinase family of protein kinases. The Ste20p kinase is post-translationally modified by phosphorylation in a cell cycle-dependent manner, as judged by the appearance of phosphatase-sensitive species with reduced mobility on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This modification is maximal during S phase, and correlates with the accumulation of Ste20p fused to green fluorescent protein at the site of bud emergence. Overexpression of Cln2p, but not Clb2p or Clb5p, causes a quantitative shift of Ste20p to the reduced mobility form, and this shift is dependent on Cdc28p activity. The post-translational mobility shift can be generated in vitro by incubation of Ste20p with immunoprecipitated Cln2p kinase complexes, but not by immunoprecipitated Clb2p or Clb5p kinase complexes. Ste20p is therefore a substrate for the Cdc28p kinase, and undergoes a Cln2p-Cdc28p mediated mobility shift as cells initiate budding and DNA replication. In cells that express only the Cln2p G1 cyclin, minor overexpression of Ste20p causes aberrant morphology, suggesting a proper coordination of Ste20p and Cln-Cdc28p activity may be required for the control of cell shape.

CDC28 Protein Kinase, S cerevisiae↗

Mitogen-activated protein kinase-defective Candida albicans is avirulent in a novel model of localized murine candidiasis.

Candida albicans strains with a deletion of the mitogen-activated protein kinase CEK1 gene are defective in the yeast to hyphal transition on solid surfaces in vitro. The virulence of a cek1 delta/cek1 delta null mutant strain was compared with its wild-type parent strain (WT) in a novel model of localized candidiasis. The mammary glands of lactating mice (at day 5 postpartum) were infected for 2, 4 and 6 days with 50 microliter suspension containing 1 x 10(5), 1 x 10(6) and 1 x 10(7) blastopores before death. Infected and non-infected control glands were evaluated pathologically. All animals infected with cek1 delta/cek1 delta null mutant strains showed no lesions while 65% of animals infected with the WT strain had severe lesions characterized by widespread heterophilic infiltration, necrosis, and abscess formation. As an additional control, animals infected with the disrupted strain complemented with the WT CEK1, on a replicating plasmid, also showed severe pathological changes similar to the WT strain. These results clearly demonstrate that the CEK1 gene codes for a virulence determinant of C. albicans and that the mouse mastitis model is well suited for the discriminative study of the pathogenicity of different C. albicans strains.

Animals↗

Conserved in vivo phosphorylation of calnexin at casein kinase II sites as well as a protein kinase C/proline-directed kinase site.

Calnexin is a lectin-like chaperone of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that couples temporally and spatially N-linked oligosaccharide modifications with the productive folding of newly synthesized glycoproteins. Calnexin was originally identified as a major type I integral membrane protein substrate of kinase(s) associated with the ER. Casein kinase II (CK2) was subsequently identified as an ER-associated kinase responsible for the in vitro phosphorylation of calnexin in microsomes (Ou, W-J., Thomas, D. Y., Bell, A. W., and Bergeron, J. J. M. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 23789-23796). We now report on the in vivo sites of calnexin phosphorylation. After 32PO4 labeling of HepG2 and Madin-Darby canine kidney cells, immunoprecipitated calnexin was phosphorylated exclusively on serine residues. Using nonradiolabeled cells, we subjected calnexin immunoprecipitates to in gel tryptic digestion followed by nanoelectrospray mass spectrometry employing selective scans specific for detection of phosphorylated fragments. Mass analyses identified three phosphorylated sites in calnexin from either HepG2 or Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. The three sites were localized to the more carboxyl-terminal half of the cytosolic domain: S534DAE (CK2 motif), S544QEE (CK2 motif), and S563PR. We conclude that CK2 is a kinase that phosphorylates calnexin in vivo as well as in microsomes in vitro. Another yet to be identified kinase (protein kinase C and/or proline-directed kinase) is directed toward the most COOH-terminal serine residue. Elucidation of the signaling cascade responsible for calnexin phosphorylation at these sites in vivo may define a novel regulatory function for calnexin in cargo folding and transport to the ER exit sites.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Interaction of the Grb10 adapter protein with the Raf1 and MEK1 kinases.

Grb10 and its close homologues Grb7 and Grb14, belong to a family of adapter proteins characterized by a proline-rich region, a central PH domain, and a carboxyl-terminal Src homology 2 (SH2) domain. Their interaction with a variety of activated tyrosine kinase receptors is well documented, but their actual function remains a mystery. The Grb10 SH2 domain was isolated from a two-hybrid screen using the MEK1 kinase as a bait. We show that this unusual SH2 domain interacts, in a phosphotyrosine-independent manner, with both the Raf1 and MEK1 kinases. Mutation of the MEK1 Thr-386 residue, which is phosphorylated by mitogen-activated protein kinase in vitro, reduces binding to Grb10 in a two-hybrid assay. Interaction of Grb10 with Raf1 is constitutive, while interaction between Grb10 and MEK1 needs insulin treatment of the cells and follows mitogen-activated protein kinase activation. Random mutagenesis of the SH2 domain demonstrated that the Arg-betaB5 and Asp-EF2 residues are necessary for binding to the epidermal growth factor and insulin receptors as well as to the two kinases. In addition, we show that a mutation in Ser-betaB7 affects binding only to the receptors, while a mutation in Thr-betaC5 abrogates binding only to MEK1. Finally, transfection of Grb10 genes with specific mutations in their SH2 domains induces apoptosis in HTC-IR and COS-7 cells. These effects can be competed by co-expression of the wild type protein, suggesting that these mutants act by sequestering necessary signaling components.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Enhanced catalysis of ribonuclease B folding by the interaction of calnexin or calreticulin with ERp57.

The endoplasmic reticulum is the site of folding, disulfide bond formation, and N-glycosylation of secretory proteins. Correctly folded proteins are exported from the endoplasmic reticulum, whereas incorrectly folded proteins are retained by a quality control system. The type I membrane-protein calnexin and its soluble homologue calreticulin are constituents of this system that recognize monoglucosylated N-linked glycans that are present on unfolded glycoproteins. Although several components of the quality control apparatus are well characterized, it is not known whether and how they interact with enzymes that catalyze protein folding. The endoplasmic reticulum protein ERp57 is homologous to protein-disulfide isomerase and can be cross-linked to the same monoglucosylated glycoproteins that bind to calnexin and calreticulin. The present study demonstrates that the disulfide isomerase activity of ERp57 on the refolding of monoglucosylated ribonuclease B is much greater when this glycoprotein is associated with calnexin or calreticulin. This result is in contrast to protein-disulfide isomerase, whose activity on monoglucosylated ribonuclease B is decreased in the presence of these lectins. No direct binding of monoglucosylated ribonuclease B or monoglucosylated glycans to ERp57 could be detected, but we show that ERp57 interacts directly with calnexin.

Calcium-Binding Proteins↗

gp25L/emp24/p24 protein family members of the cis-Golgi network bind both COP I and II coatomer.

Abstract. Five mammalian members of the gp25L/ emp24/p24 family have been identified as major constituents of the cis-Golgi network of rat liver and HeLa cells. Two of these were also found in membranes of higher density (corresponding to the ER), and this correlated with their ability to bind COP I in vitro. This binding was mediated by a K(X)KXX-like retrieval motif present in the cytoplasmic domain of these two members. A second motif, double phenylalanine (FF), present in the cytoplasmic domain of all five members, was shown to participate in the binding of Sec23 (COP II). This motif is part of a larger one, similar to the F/YXXXXF/Y strong endocytosis and putative AP2 binding motif. In vivo mutational analysis confirmed the roles of both motifs so that when COP I binding was expected to be impaired, cell surface expression was observed, whereas mutation of the Sec23 binding motif resulted in a redistribution to the ER. Surprisingly, upon expression of mutated members, steady-state distribution of unmutated ones shifted as well, presumably as a consequence of their observed oligomeric properties.

Amino Acid Sequence↗