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N Sonenberg

Publications and source records attributed to N Sonenberg.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

The mRNA 5' cap-binding protein eIF4E and control of cell growth.

Control of gene expression at the translational level is important in cell growth and proliferation. Recent work has identified pathways that transmit signals from extracellular stimuli to several translation components. A key participant in regulation of translation is eIF4E, the mRNA 5' cap-binding protein. Several signalling pathways impact on the activity of eIF4E. This review will summarise recent findings on the MAP kinase signalling pathway that leads to phosphorylation of eIF4E and on pathways that regulate repression of eIF4E function. A major unresolved question is how the changes in translation modulate cell growth rate, and a working model will be discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

RNA chiropractics.

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Binding Sites↗
PubMed1998

Rapamycin and wortmannin enhance replication of a defective encephalomyocarditis virus.

Inhibitors of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3 kinase)-FKBP-rapamycin-associated protein (FRAP) pathway, such as rapamycin and wortmannin, induce dephosphorylation and activation of the suppressor of cap-dependent translation, 4E-BP1. Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) infection leads to activation of 4E-BP1 at the time of host translation shutoff. Consistent with these data, rapamycin mildly enhances the synthesis of viral proteins and the shutoff of host cell protein synthesis after EMCV infection. In this study, two defective EMCV strains were generated by deleting portions of the 2A coding region of an infectious cDNA clone. These deletions dramatically decreased the efficiency of viral protein synthesis and abolished the virus-induced shutoff of host translation after infection of BHK-21 cells. Both translation and processing of the P1-2A capsid precursor polypeptide are impaired by the deletions in 2A. The translation and yield of mutant viruses were increased significantly by the presence of rapamycin and wortmannin during infection. Thus, inhibition of the PI3 kinase-FRAP signaling pathway partly complements mutations in 2A protein and reverses a slow-virus phenotype.

Androstadienes↗
PubMed1998

A novel functional human eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4G.

Mammalian eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4F (eIF4F) is a cap-binding protein complex consisting of three subunits: eIF4E, eIF4A, and eIF4G. In yeast and plants, two related eIF4G species are encoded by two different genes. To date, however, only one functional eIF4G polypeptide, referred to here as eIF4GI, has been identified in mammals. Here we describe the discovery and functional characterization of a closely related homolog, referred to as eIF4GII. eIF4GI and eIF4GII share 46% identity at the amino acid level and possess an overall similarity of 56%. The homology is particularly high in certain regions of the central and carboxy portions, while the amino-terminal regions are more divergent. Far-Western analysis and coimmunoprecipitation experiments were used to demonstrate that eIF4GII directly interacts with eIF4E, eIF4A, and eIF3. eIF4GII, like eIF4GI, is also cleaved upon picornavirus infection. eIF4GII restores cap-dependent translation in a reticulocyte lysate which had been pretreated with rhinovirus 2A to cleave endogenous eIF4G. Finally, eIF4GII exists as a complex with eIF4E in HeLa cells, because eIF4GII and eIF4E can be purified together by cap affinity chromatography. Taken together, our findings indicate that eIF4GII is a functional homolog of eIF4GI. These results may have important implications for the understanding of the mechanism of shutoff of host protein synthesis following picornavirus infection.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Adenovirus infection inactivates the translational inhibitors 4E-BP1 and 4E-BP2.

Infection with many viruses results in the selective shutoff of host protein synthesis. A common target for virus interference with host protein synthesis is the cap-binding protein complex, eIF4F. The large subunit of the complex, eIF4G, is cleaved upon picornavirus (except cardiovirus) infection. Infection with adenovirus and influenza virus causes dephosphorylation of the cap-binding subunit, eIF4E. Recently, it has been shown that infection with poliovirus or encephalomyocarditis virus activates 4E-BP1, which is a specific inhibitor of eIF4E. Here we show that early in adenovirus infection, 4E-BP1 and its related protein 4E-BP2 are phosphorylated and hence inactivated. This is not consistent with a role of 4E-BPs in adenovirus-induced shutoff, but could explain the increase in protein synthesis reported early in infection. Phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 and 4E-BP2 is consistent with earlier findings in adenovirus-infected cells on the activation of the protein kinase p70(S6k), whose phosphorylation lies on the same pathway as 4E-BPs, by E1A. Findings similar to those described here were reported for 4E-BP1 by D. Feigenblum and R. J. Schneider (1996, Mol. Cell. Biol. 16, 5450-5457).

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1997

eIF4G dramatically enhances the binding of eIF4E to the mRNA 5'-cap structure.

The cap structure, m7GpppN, is present at the 5'-end of all eukaryotic cellular (except organellar) mRNAs. Initiation of translation is mediated by the multisubunit initiation factor eIF4F, which binds the cap structure via its eIF4E subunit and facilitates the binding of mRNA to ribosomes. Here, we used recombinant proteins to reconstitute the cap recognition activity of eIF4F in vitro. We demonstrate that the interaction of eIF4E with the mRNA 5'-cap structure is dramatically enhanced by eIF4G, as determined by a UV-induced cross-linking assay. Furthermore, assembly of the eIF4F complex at the cap structure, as well as ATP hydrolysis, is shown to be a requisite for the cross-linking of another initiation factor, eIF4B, to the cap structure. In addition, the stimulatory effect of eIF4G on the cap recognition of eIF4E is inhibited by the translational repressor, 4E-BP1. These results suggest that eIF4E initially interacts with the mRNA cap structure as part of the eIF4F complex.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1997

Cocrystal structure of the messenger RNA 5' cap-binding protein (eIF4E) bound to 7-methyl-GDP.

The X-ray structure of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E), bound to 7-methyl-GDP, has been determined at 2.2 A resolution. eIF4E recognizes 5' 7-methyl-G(5')ppp(5')N mRNA caps during the rate-limiting initiation step of translation. The protein resembles a cupped hand and consists of a curved, 8-stranded antiparallel beta sheet, backed by three long alpha helices. 7-methyl-GDP binds in a narrow cap-binding slot on the molecule's concave surface, where 7-methyl-guanine recognition is mediated by base sandwiching between two conserved tryptophans, plus formation of three hydrogen bonds and a van der Waals contact between its N7-methyl group and a third conserved tryptophan. The convex dorsal surface of the molecule displays a phylogenetically conserved hydrophobic/acidic portion, which may interact with other translation initiation factors and regulatory proteins.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1997

Macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha and interferon-inducible protein 10 inhibit synergistically induced growth factor stimulation of MAP kinase activity and suppress phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 4E and 4E binding protein 1.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and Steel factor (SLF) synergistically stimulate Raf-1 kinase activity, protein synthesis, and proliferation in hematopoietic MO7e cells; synergistic action of these factors is blocked by the suppressive chemokines macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha (MIP-1alpha) and interferon-inducible protein 10 (IP-10; Aronica et al, J Biol Chem 270:21998, 1995). We assessed the potential for both stimulatory and inhibitory factors to act through the MAP kinase signaling pathway by studying the effects of growth factors and chemokines on MAP kinase activation. Also, because activation of kinase signaling pathways and stimulation of protein synthesis by peptide growth factors are associated with increased phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (elF-4E) and the translational repressor 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) in some target cells, we investigated whether growth factor treatment could alter eIF-4E or 4E-BP1 phosphorylation state in MO7e cells. We report that treatment of MO7e cells with GM-CSF and SLF stimulated significant, greater-than-additive increases in MAP kinase activity and the phosphorylation of both eIF-4E and 4E-BP1. Increased 4E-BP1 phosphorylation correlated with a decrease in the association of 4E-BP1 with eIF-4E. Growth factor-induced phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 and dissociation of 4E-BP1 from eIF-4E was blocked in cells treated with rapamycin, wortmannin, or PD098059. Treatment of cells with IP-10 or MIP-1alpha blocked the stimulatory effects of GM-CSF and SLF, resulting in suppression of MAP kinase activity, eIF-4E and 4E-BP1 phosphorylation, and eIF-4E/4E-BP1 dissociation. Our results suggest that GM-CSF and SLF exert part of their combined growth-promoting effects on MO7e cells through activation of MAP kinase and enhancement of eIF-4E and 4E-BP1 phosphorylation and dissociation and that suppression of growth factor-induced protein synthesis by MIP-1alpha and IP-10 involves translational repression at the level of eIF-4E.

8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate↗
PubMed1997

A new translational regulator with homology to eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4G.

Translation initiation in eukaryotes is facilitated by the cap structure, m7GpppN (where N is any nucleotide). Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4F (eIF4F) is a cap binding protein complex that consists of three subunits: eIF4A, eIF4E and eIF4G. eIF4G interacts directly with eIF4E and eIF4A. The binding site of eIF4E resides in the N-terminal third of eIF4G, while eIF4A and eIF3 binding sites are present in the C-terminal two-thirds. Here, we describe a new eukaryotic translational regulator (hereafter called p97) which exhibits 28% identity to the C-terminal two-thirds of eIF4G. p97 mRNA has no initiator AUG and translation starts exclusively at a GUG codon. The GUG-initiated open reading frame (907 amino acids) has no canonical eIF4E binding site. p97 binds to eIF4A and eIF3, but not to eIF4E. Transient transfection experiments show that p97 suppresses both cap-dependent and independent translation, while eIF4G supports both translation pathways. Furthermore, inducible expression of p97 reduces overall protein synthesis. These results suggest that p97 functions as a general repressor of translation by forming translationally inactive complexes that include eIF4A and eIF3, but exclude eIF4E.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Angiotensin II stimulates phosphorylation of the translational repressor 4E-binding protein 1 by a mitogen-activated protein kinase-independent mechanism.

To investigate the molecular basis of the hypertrophic action of angiotensin II (AII) in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC), we have examined the ability of the hormone to regulate the function of the translational repressor 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1). Addition of AII to quiescent aortic SMC potently increased the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 as revealed by a decreased electrophoretic mobility and an increased phosphate content of the protein. The stimulation of 4E-BP1 phosphorylation was maximal at 15 min and persisted up to 120 min. Results from affinity chromatography on m7GTP-agarose demonstrated that AII-induced phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 promotes its dissociation from eIF4E in target cells. Further characterization of 4E-BP1 phosphorylation by phosphoamino acid analysis and phosphopeptide mapping revealed that 4E-BP1 is phosphorylated on eight distinct peptides containing serine and threonine residues in AII-treated cells. The combination of results obtained from kinetics experiments, phosphopeptide analysis of in vitro and in vivo phosphorylated 4E-BP1, and pharmacological studies with the MAP kinase kinase inhibitor PD 98059 provided strong evidence that the MAP kinases ERK1/ERK2 are not involved in the regulation of 4E-BP1 phosphorylation in aortic SMC. Together, our results demonstrate that AII treatment of vascular SMC leads to hyperphosphorylation of the translational regulator 4E-BP1 and to its dissociation from eIF4E by a MAP kinase-independent mechanism.

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed1997

The human homologue of the yeast Prt1 protein is an integral part of the eukaryotic initiation factor 3 complex and interacts with p170.

Eukaryotic initiation factor 3 (eIF3) is a large multisubunit complex that stabilizes the ternary complex, eIF2 x GTP x tRNA(Met)i and promotes mRNA binding to the 40 S ribosomal subunit. eIF3 also functions as a ribosome subunit anti-association factor. The molecular mechanisms by which eIF3 exerts these functions are poorly understood. We describe here the cloning of the cDNA encoding the human homologue of the yeast eIF3 subunit Prt1. The human PRT1 cDNA encodes a protein of predicted molecular mass of 98.9 kDa that migrates at 116 kDa on SDS-polyacrylamide gels. Human and yeast Prt1 share 31% identity and 50% similarity at the amino acid level. The homology is distributed throughout the entire protein, except for the amino terminus, and is particularly high in the central portion of the protein, which contains a putative RNA recognition motif. hPrt1 is recognized by an antibody raised against eIF3, and an affinity-purified antibody to recombinant hPrt1 recognizes a protein migrating at 116 kDa in a purified eIF3 preparation. Far Western analysis shows that hPrt1 interacts directly with the p170 subunit of eIF3. Mapping studies identify the RNA recognition motif as the region required for association with p170. Taken together, these experiments demonstrate that hPrt1 is a component of eIF3. Our data, combined with those of Hershey and co-workers, suggest that mammalian eIF3 is composed of at least 10 subunits: p170, p116 (hPrt1), p110, p66, p48, p47, p44, p40, p36, and p35.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Assays for eukaryotic translation factors that bind mRNA.

After a brief introduction to the function of the mRNA-specific translation factors eIF4A, eIF4B, and EIF4F, this article presents appropriate methodology for the study of the translation factors associated with the activation of mRNA for translation in eukaryotic systems. The purification of eIF4A, eIF4B, and eIF4F from rabbit reticulocyte lysates is given along with a procedure for the purification of hemoglobin mRNA. These purifications provide reagents for the model assays of RNA binding (as retention on nitrocellulose filters) and RNA-dependent ATP hydrolysis. With additional reagents available as RNA transcripts using either T7 or SP6 polymerase, two additional assays are possible, crosslinking to the oxidized cap of the mRNA or the ATP-dependent reaction of RNA unwinding (helicase assay). Finally, there is a description of the most biological assay for the utilization of natural mRNAs, the synthesis of the authentic polypeptide chain, in this instance hemoglobin. Throughout the portion of this article that deals with the biological assays, helpful hints are provided to ensure that the assay works, and suggestions are provided for control experiments to ensure that an artifact is not being studied. It is hoped that this information will facilitate the study of either the regulation of factor activity (for eIF4A, eIF4B, or eIF4F) or the translation efficiency (sometimes regulated) of various mRNAs.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1997

Structure of translation factor eIF4E bound to m7GDP and interaction with 4E-binding protein.

eIF4E, the mRNA cap binding protein, is a master switch that controls eukaryotic translation. To be active, it must bind eIF4G and form the eIF4F complex, which also contains eIF4A. Translation is downregulated by association of eIF4E with 4E-BP, which occupies the eIF4G binding site. Signalling events acting on 4E-BP cause it to dissociate from eIF4E, and eIF4E is then free to bind eIF4G to form the active eIF4F complex. We have solved the structure of the yeast eIF4E/m7Gpp complex in a CHAPS micelle. We determined the position of the second nucleotide in a complex with m7GpppA, and identified the 4E-BP binding site. eIF4E has a curved eight-stranded antiparallel beta-sheet, decorated with three helices on the convex face and three smaller helices inserted in connecting loops. The m7G of the cap is intercalated into a stack of tryptophans in the concave face. The 4E-BP binding site is located in a region encompassing one edge of the beta-sheet, the adjacent helix a2 and several regions of non-regular secondary structure. It is adjacent to, but does not overlap the cap-binding site.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Induction of CD4 expression and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 replication by mutants of the interferon-inducible protein kinase PKR.

Replication of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is inhibited by interferons (IFNs), and the IFN-inducible protein kinase PKR is thought to mediate this effect by regulating protein synthesis. Here we report that ectopic expression of dominant negative PKR mutants in Jurkat cells induces HIV-1 replication. Specifically, expression of CD4 is upregulated by the PKR mutants, and this correlates with an induction of HIV-1 binding and proviral DNA synthesis upon HIV-1 infection. Moreover, activation of NF-kappaB was induced by an RNA binding-defective mutant of PKR. Thus, it appears that PKR, in addition to translational control, is involved in HIV-1 replication by modulating virus binding through the regulation of CD4 expression and virus gene expression through the activation of NF-kappaB.

CD4 Antigens↗
PubMed1997

The La autoantigen contains a dimerization domain that is essential for enhancing translation.

The La autoantigen is an RNA-binding protein that is involved in initiation and termination of RNA polymerase III transcription. It also binds several viral RNAs, including those of poliovirus and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Binding of the La protein to these RNAs enhances their translation in vitro (K. Meerovitch, Y.V. Svitkin, H.S. Lee, F. Lejbkowicz, D.J. Kenan, E.K.L. Chan, V.L. Agol, J.D. Keene, and N. Sonenberg, J. Virol. 67:3798-3807, 1993, and Y.V. Svitkin, A. Pause, and N. Sonenberg, J. Virol. 68:7001-7007, 1994). Here, a functional domain in the carboxy-terminal half of La that is distinct from the RNA-binding domain is described. Deletion of this domain abrogated the ability of La protein to enhance translation of poliovirus RNA and a hybrid HIV trans-activation-response element-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase mRNA. Far-Western assays indicated that the La protein homodimerized in vitro, and the C-terminal deletions that caused a loss of activity in translation also abrogated the dimerization signal. Gel filtration chromatography of recombinant La protein confirmed that La protein exists as a dimer under native conditions. Addition of the purified dimerization domain resulted in a loss of translation stimulatory activity of La protein in cell-free-translation reactions.

Autoantigens↗
PubMed1997

Human eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4G (eIF4G) possesses two separate and independent binding sites for eIF4A.

Mammalian translation initiation factor 4F (eIF4F) consists of three subunits, eIF4A, eIF4E, and eIF4G. eIF4G interacts directly with both eIF4A and eIF4E. The binding site for eIF4E is contained in the amino-terminal third of eIF4G, while the binding site for eIF4A was mapped to the carboxy-terminal third of the molecule. Here we show that human eIF4G possesses two separate eIF4A binding domains in the middle third (amino acids [aa] 478 to 883) and carboxy-terminal third (aa 884 to 1404) of the molecule. The amino acid sequence of the middle portion of eIF4G is well conserved between yeasts and humans. We show that mutations of conserved amino acid stretches in the middle domain abolish or reduce eIF4A binding as well as eIF3 binding. In addition, a separate and nonoverlapping eIF4A binding domain exists in the carboxy-terminal third (aa 1045 to 1404) of eIF4G, which is not present in yeast. The C-terminal two-thirds region (aa 457 to 1404) of eIF4G, containing both eIF4A binding sites, is required for stimulating translation. Neither one of the eIF4A binding domains alone activates translation. In contrast to eIF4G, human p97, a translation inhibitor with homology to eIF4G, binds eIF4A only through the amino-terminal proximal region, which is homologous to the middle domain of eIF4G.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

The insulin-induced signalling pathway leading to S6 and initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 phosphorylation bifurcates at a rapamycin-sensitive point immediately upstream of p70s6k.

Employing specific inhibitors and docking-site mutants of growth factor receptors, recent studies have indicated that the insulin-induced increase in 40S ribosomal protein S6 and initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) phosphorylation is mediated by the mTOR/FRAP-p70s6k signal transduction pathway. However, it has not been resolved whether the phosphorylation of both proteins is mediated by p70s6k or whether they reside on parallel pathways which bifurcate upstream of p70s6k. Here we have used either rapamycin-resistant, kinase-dead, or wild-type p70s6k variants to distinguish between these possibilities. The rapamycin-resistant p70s6k, which has high constitutive activity, was able to signal to S6 in the absence of insulin and to prevent the rapamycin-induced block of S6 phosphorylation. This same construct did not increase the basal state of 4E-BP1 phosphorylation or protect it from the rapamycin-induced block in phosphorylation. Unexpectedly, the rapamycin-resistant p70s6k inhibited insulin-induced 4E-BP1 phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner. This effect was mimicked by the kinase-dead and wild-type p70s6k constructs, which also blocked insulin-induced dissociation of 4E-BP1 from initiation factor 4E. Both the kinase-dead and wild-type constructs also blocked reporter p70s6k activation, although only the kinase-dead p70s6k had a dominant-interfering effect on S6 phosphorylation. Analysis of phosphopeptides from reporter 4E-BP1 and p70s6k revealed that the kinase-dead p70s6k affected the same subset of sites as rapamycin in both proteins. The results demonstrate, for the first time, that activated p70s6k mediates increased S6 phosphorylation in vivo. Furthermore, they show that increased 4E-BP1 phosphorylation is controlled by a parallel signalling pathway that bifurcates immediately upstream of p70s6k, with the two pathways sharing a common rapamycin-sensitive activator.

Carrier Proteins↗