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Pathogen effector protein screening in yeast identifies Legionella factors that interfere with membrane trafficking.

Legionella pneumophila invades and replicates intracellularly in human and protozoan hosts. The bacteria use the Icm/Dot type IVB secretion system to translocate effectors that inhibit phagosome maturation and modulate host vesicle trafficking pathways. To understand how L. pneumophila modulates organelle trafficking in host cells, we carried out pathogen effector protein screening in yeast, identifying L. pneumophila genes that produced membrane trafficking [vacuole protein sorting (VPS)] defects in yeast. We identified four L. pneumophila DNA fragments that perturb sorting of vacuolar proteins. Three encode ORFs of unknown function that are translocated via the Icm/Dot transporter from Legionella into macrophages. VPS inhibitor protein (Vip) A is a coiled-coil protein, VipD is a patatin domain-containing protein, and VipF contains an acetyltransferase domain. Processing studies in yeast indicate that VipA, VipD, and VipF inhibit lysosomal protein trafficking by different mechanisms; overexpressing VipA has an effect on carboxypeptidase Y trafficking, whereas VipD interferes with multivesicular body formation at the late endosome and endoplasmic reticulum-to-Golgi body transport. Such differences highlight the multiple strategies L. pneumophila effectors use to subvert host trafficking processes. Using yeast as an effector gene discovery tool allows for a powerful, genetic approach to both the identification of virulence factors and the study of their function.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Rabs and their effectors: achieving specificity in membrane traffic.

Rab proteins constitute the largest branch of the Ras GTPase superfamily. Rabs use the guanine nucleotide-dependent switch mechanism common to the superfamily to regulate each of the four major steps in membrane traffic: vesicle budding, vesicle delivery, vesicle tethering, and fusion of the vesicle membrane with that of the target compartment. These different tasks are carried out by a diverse collection of effector molecules that bind to specific Rabs in their GTP-bound state. Recent advances have not only greatly extended the number of known Rab effectors, but have also begun to define the mechanisms underlying their distinct functions. By binding to the guanine nucleotide exchange proteins that activate the Rabs certain effectors act to establish positive feedback loops that help to define and maintain tightly localized domains of activated Rab proteins, which then serve to recruit other effector molecules. Additionally, Rab cascades and Rab conversions appear to confer directionality to membrane traffic and couple each stage of traffic with the next along the pathway.

Biological Transport↗

Modulation of ornithine decarboxylase activity in Escherichia coli by positive and negative effectors.

Two effectors of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC; L-ornithine carboxy-lyase, EC 4.1.1.17) have been extracted from an ODC- (speC-) mutant, Escherichia coli MA 255. One of these is an ODC inhibitor (Mr 15,000 +/- 2000) that is labile to trypsin; its activity increases 20-fold in response to increased polyamine levels in the growth medium. It has additional characteristics similar to those of the ODC antizyme of eukaryote cells: it is a noncompetitive inhibitor of ODC; the complex formed between ODC and the ODC inhibitor can be dissociated with salt to provide active ODC and active ODC inhibitor; furthermore, this E. coli ODC inhibitor is inhibitory to eukaryote ODC. A thermostable nondialyzable factor that activates ODC in vitro has also been extracted from MA255; increased polyamine levels in the growth medium caused a 1.6-fold increase in the activity of this ODC activator. Effectors with comparable activities have also been identified in the parent ODC+ (speC+) strain MA197. The fluctuations of the intracellular levels of these two ODC effectors during the growth of E. coli MA255 have been related to the temporal changes of the activity of ODC in the parent ODC+ MA197 strain. The mode of interaction of these three macromolecules, as reflected in the changes of the activity of ODC, appears to be complex. The results suggest that ODC activity may be controlled post-translationally by macromolecules that act as positive and negative effectors and whose levels fluctuate in response to the concentration of the end products of the reaction.

Carboxy-Lyases↗

Altered effector specificities in regulators of gene expression: TOL plasmid xylS mutants and their use to engineer expansion of the range of aromatics degraded by bacteria.

Stimulation of transcription from positively regulated promoters involves regulatory proteins that have been activated, generally as a consequence of binding low molecular weight effector molecules. To define essential structural features of effectors for one positively acting gene regulator, the xylS-encoded protein, which activates the TOL plasmid meta-cleavage pathway operon promoters, effector activities of a wide range of benzoate derivatives have been systematically analyzed, and mutant xylS-encoded proteins exhibiting altered effector specificities have been generated and characterized. Cloned mutant xylS genes were trans dominant in partial diploids containing the wild-type xylS allele and could therefore be used to effect expansion of the range of aromatic compounds completely or partially degraded by Pseudomonas bacteria. The method developed to isolate mutant xylS-encoded proteins has general applicability and could in principle be used to isolate gene regulator specificity mutants of any inducible regulatory system.

Alleles↗

Isolation of a temperate bacteriophage encoding the type III effector protein SopE from an epidemic Salmonella typhimurium strain.

Salmonella typhimurium employs the specialized type III secretion system encoded in pathogenicity island 1 (SPI1) to translocate effector proteins into host cells and to modulate host cell signal transduction. The SPI1 type III system and the effector proteins are conserved among all salmonellae and are thought to be acquired by horizontal gene transfer. The genetic mechanisms mediating this horizontal transfer are unknown. Here, we describe that SopE, a SPI1-dependent translocated effector protein, is present in relatively few S. typhimurium isolates. We have isolated a temperate phage that encodes SopE. Phage morphology and DNA hybridization, as well as partial sequence information, suggest that this phage (SopEPhi) is a new member of the P2 family of bacteriophages. By lysogenic conversion this phage can horizontally transfer genes between different S. typhimurium strains. Strikingly, most of the isolates harboring SopEPhi belong to the small group of epidemic strains of S. typhimurium that have been responsible for a large percentage of human and animal salmonellosis and have persisted for a long period of time. Our data suggest that horizontal transfer of type III dependent effector proteins by lysogenic infection with bacteriophages (lysogenic conversion) may provide an efficient mechanism for fine-tuning the interaction of Salmonella spp. with their hosts.

Bacterial Proteins↗

An effector site that stimulates G-protein GTPase in photoreceptors.

Heterotrimeric G-proteins mediate between receptors and effectors, acting as molecular clocks. G-protein interactions with activated receptors catalyze the replacement of GDP bound to the alpha-subunit with GTP. alpha-Subunits then modulate the activity of downstream effectors until the bound GTP is hydrolyzed. In several signal transduction pathways, including the cGMP cascade of photoreceptor cells, the relatively slow GTPase activity of heterotrimeric G-proteins can be significantly accelerated when they are complexed with corresponding effectors. In the phototransduction cascade the GTPase activity of photoreceptor G-protein, transducin, is substantially accelerated in a complex with its effector, cGMP phosphodiesterase. Here we characterize the stimulation of transducin GTPase by a set of 23 mutant phosphodiesterase gamma-subunits (PDE gamma) containing single alanine substitutions within a stretch of the 25 C-terminal amino acid residues known to be primarily responsible for the GTPase regulation. The substitution of tryptophan at position 70 completely abolished the acceleration of GTP hydrolysis by transducin in a complex with this mutant. This mutation also resulted in a reduction of PDE gamma affinity for transducin, but did not affect PDE gamma interactions with the phosphodiesterase catalytic subunits. Single substitutions of 7 other hydrophobic amino acids resulted in a 50-70% reduction in the ability of PDE gamma to stimulate transducin GTPase, while substitutions of charged and polar amino acids had little or no effect. These observations suggest that the role of PDE gamma in activation of the transducin GTPase rate may be based on multiple hydrophobic interactions between these molecules.

3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases↗

A constitutive effector region on the C-terminal side of switch I of the Ras protein.

The "switch I" region (Asp30-Asp38) of the Ras protein takes remarkably different conformations between the GDP- and GTP-bound forms and coincides with the so-called "effector region." As for a region on the C-terminal side of switch I, the V45E and G48C mutants of Ras failed to promote neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells (Fujita-Yoshigaki, J., Shirouzu, M., Koide, H., Nishimura, S., and Yokoyama, S. (1991) FEBS Lett. 294, 187-190). In the present study, we performed alanine-scanning mutagenesis within the region Lys42-Ile55 of Ras and found that the K42A, I46A, G48A, E49A, and L53A mutations significantly reduced the neurite-inducing activity. This is an effector region by definition, but its conformation is known to be unaffected by GDP-->GTP exchange. So, this region is referred to as a "constitutive" effector (Ec) region, distinguished from switch I, a "switch" effector (Es) region. The Ec region mutants exhibiting no neurite-inducing activity were found to be correlatably unable to activate mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase in PC12 cells. Therefore, the Ec region is essential for the MAP kinase activation in PC12 cells, whereas mutations in this region only negligibly affect the binding of Ras to Raf-1 (Shirouzu, M., Koide, H., Fujita-Yoshigaki, J., Oshio, H., Toyama, Y., Yamasaki, K., Fuhrman, S. A., Villafranca, E., Kaziro, Y., and Yokoyama, S. (1994) Oncogene 9, 2153-2157).

Animals↗

The mechanism of velocity modulated allosteric regulation in D-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase. Site-directed mutagenesis of effector binding site residues.

D-3-Phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.95) from Escherichia coli catalyzes the first committed step in serine biosynthesis and is allosterically regulated by L-serine, the end product of the pathway. Each subunit of the homotetramer is made up of three distinct domains with one of the intersubunit contacts being between adjacent regulatory domains. Each regulatory domain interface contains two symmetrical serine binding sites such that serine forms hydrogen bonds to both domains across the interface. Previous work (Al-Rabiee, R., Lee, E. J., and Grant, G. A. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 13013-13017) demonstrated that when adjacent regulatory domains are covalently linked to one another by engineered disulfide bonds, the enzyme was inactivated. Breaking the disulfide bonds by reduction restored enzymatic activity. This study demonstrates that the complementary situation is also true. Site-directed mutagenesis of three residues at the effector binding site, His344, Asn346, and Asn364', render the enzyme increasingly less susceptible to inhibition by the effector. When mutations result in a situation where it is no longer possible to establish a stable hydrogen bonding network across the regulatory domain interface, the inhibitory capacity of the effector is lost. Furthermore, mutations that produce as much as 5 orders of magnitude decrease in the ability of L-serine to inhibit the enzyme have no appreciable effect on the Km or kcat of the enzyme. These observations support the model that predicts that catalytic activity in D-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase is regulated by the movement of adjacent regulatory domains about a flexible hinge and that effector binding tethers the regulatory domains together producing a state that results in a stable, open active site cleft that is no longer able to promote catalysis.

Allosteric Regulation↗

Rac binding to p67(phox). Structural basis for interactions of the Rac1 effector region and insert region with components of the respiratory burst oxidase.

Activation of the respiratory burst oxidase involves the assembly of the membrane-associated flavocytochrome b558 with the cytosolic components p47(phox), p67(phox), and the small GTPase Rac. Herein, the interaction between Rac and p67(phox) is explored using functional and physical methods. Mutually facilitated binding (EC50) of Rac1 and p67(phox) within the NADPH oxidase complex was demonstrated using steady state kinetic methods measuring NADPH-dependent superoxide generation. Direct binding of Rac1 and Rac2 to p67(phox) was shown using a fluorescent analog of GTP (methylanthraniloyl guanosine-5'-[beta,gamma-imido]triphosphate) bound to Rac as a reporter group. An increase in the methylanthraniloyl fluorescence was seen with added p67(phox) but not p47(phox), and the emission maximum shifted from 445 to 440 nm. Rac1 and Rac2 bound to p67(phox) with a 1:1 stoichiometry and with Kd values of 120 and 60 nM, respectively. Mutational studies (Freeman, J., Kreck, M., Uhlinger, D. J., and Lambeth, J. D. (1994) Biochemistry 33, 13431-13435; Freeman, J. L., Abo, A., and Lambeth, J. D. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 19794-19801) previously identified two regions in Rac1 that are important for activity: the "effector region" (residues 26-45) and the "insert region" (residues 124-135). Proteins mutated in the effector region (Rac1(N26H), Rac1(I33N), and Rac1(D38N)) showed a marked increase in both the Kd and the EC50, indicating that mutations in this region affect activity by inhibiting Rac binding to p67(phox). Insert region mutations (Rac1(K132E) and L134R), while showing markedly elevated EC50 values, bound with normal affinity to p67(phox). The structure of Rac1 determined by x-ray crystallography reveals that the effector region and the insert region are located in defined sectors on the surface of Rac1. A model is discussed in which the Rac1 effector region binds to p67(phox), the C terminus binds to the membrane, and the insert region interacts with a different protein component, possibly cytochrome b558.

Animals↗

Interaction of the GTP-binding and GTPase-activating domains of ARD1 involves the effector region of the ADP-ribosylation factor domain.

ADP-ribosylation factors (ARFs) are a family of approximately 20-kDa guanine nucleotide-binding proteins and members of the Ras superfamily, originally identified and purified by their ability to enhance the ADP-ribosyltransferase activity of cholera toxin and more recently recognized as critical participants in vesicular trafficking pathways and phospholipase D activation. ARD1 is a 64-kDa protein with an 18-kDa carboxyl-terminal ARF domain (p3) and a 46-kDa amino-terminal extension (p5) that is widely expressed in mammalian tissues. Using recombinant proteins, we showed that p5, the amino-terminal domain of ARD1, stimulates the GTPase activity of p3, the ARF domain, and appears to be the GTPase-activating protein (GAP) component of this bifunctional protein, whereas in other members of the Ras superfamily a separate GAP molecule interacts with the effector region of the GTP-binding protein. p5 stimulated the GTPase activity of p3 but not of ARF1, which differs from p3 in several amino acids in the effector domain. After substitution of 7 amino acids from p3 in the appropriate position in ARF1, the chimeric protein ARF1(39-45p3) bound to p5, which increased its GTPase activity. Specifically, after Gly40 and Thr45 in the putative effector domain of ARF1 were replaced with the equivalent Asp and Pro, respectively, from p3, functional interaction of the chimeric ARF1 with p5 was increased. Thus, Asp25 and Pro30 of the ARF domain (p3) of ARD1 are involved in its functional and physical interaction with the GTPase-activating (p5) domain of ARD1. After deletion of the amino-terminal 15 amino acids from ARF1(39-45p3), its interaction with p5 was essentially equivalent to that of p3, suggesting that the amino terminus of ARF1(39-45p3) may interfere with binding to p5. These results are consistent with the conclusion that the GAP domain of ARD1 interacts with the effector region of the ARF domain and thereby stimulates GTP hydrolysis.

ADP-Ribosylation Factor 1↗

Identification of effector residues on photoreceptor G protein, transducin.

Transducin is a photoreceptor-specific heterotrimeric GTP-binding protein that plays a key role in the vertebrate visual transduction cascade. Here, using scanning site-directed mutagenesis of the chimeric Galphat/Galphai1 alpha-subunit (Galphat/i), we identified Galphat residues critical for interaction with the effector enzyme, rod cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE). Our evidence suggests that residue Ile208 in the switch II region directly interacts with the effector in the active GTP-bound conformation of Galphat. Residues Arg201, Arg204, and Trp207 are essential for the conformation-dependent Galphat/effector interaction either via direct contacts with the inhibitory PDE gamma-subunit or by forming an effector-competent conformation through the communication network between switch II and the switch III/alpha3-helix domain of Galphat. Residues His244 and Asn247 in the alpha3 helix of Galphat are responsible for the conformation-independent effector-specific interaction. Insertion of these residues rendered the Galphat/i chimera with the ability to bind PDE gamma-subunit and stimulate PDE activity approaching that of native Galphat. Comparative analysis of the interactions of Galphat/i mutants with PDE and RGS16 revealed two adjacent but distinct interfaces on transducin. This indicates a possibility for a functional trimeric complex, RGS/Galpha/effector, that may play a central role in turn-off mechanisms of G protein signaling systems, particularly in phototransduction.

3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases↗

Caspase inhibitor P35 and inhibitor of apoptosis Op-IAP block in vivo proteolytic activation of an effector caspase at different steps.

Signal-induced activation of caspases, the critical protease effectors of apoptosis, requires proteolytic processing of their inactive proenzymes. Consequently, regulation of procaspase processing is critical to apoptotic execution. We report here that baculovirus pancaspase inhibitor P35 and inhibitor of apoptosis Op-IAP prevent caspase activation in vivo, but at different steps. By monitoring proteolytic processing of endogenous Sf-caspase-1, an insect group II effector caspase, we show that Op-IAP blocked the first activation cleavage at TETD downward arrowG between the large and small caspase subunits. In contrast, P35 failed to affect this cleavage, but functioned downstream to block maturation cleavages (DXXD downward arrow(G/A)) of the large subunit. Substitution of P35's reactive site residues with TETDG failed to increase its effectiveness for blocking TETD downward arrowG processing of pro-Sf-caspase-1, despite wild-type function for suppressing apoptosis. These data are consistent with the involvement of a novel initiator caspase that is resistant to P35, but directly or indirectly inhibitable by Op-IAP. The conservation of TETD downward arrowG processing sites among insect effector caspases, including Drosophila drICE and DCP-1, suggests that in vivo activation of these group II caspases involves a P35-insensitive caspase and supports a model wherein apical and effector caspases function through a proteolytic cascade to execute apoptosis in insects.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A novel RalGEF-like protein, RGL3, as a candidate effector for rit and Ras.

The small GTPase Rit is a close relative of Ras, and constitutively active Rit can induce oncogenic transformation. Although the effector loops of Rit and Ras are highly related, Rit fails to interact with the majority of the known Ras candidate effector proteins, suggesting that novel cellular targets may be responsible for Rit transforming activity. To gain insight into the cellular function of Rit, we searched for Rit-binding proteins by yeast two-hybrid screening. We identified the C-terminal Rit/Ras interaction domain of a protein we have designated RGL3 (Ral GEF-like 3) that shares 35% sequence identity with the known Ral guanine nucleotide exchange factors (RalGEFs). RGL3, through a C-terminal 99-amino acid domain, interacted in a GTP- and effector loop-dependent manner with Rit and Ras. Importantly, RGL3 exhibited guanine nucleotide exchange activity toward the small GTPase Ral that was stimulated in vivo by the expression of either activated Rit or Ras. These data suggest that RGL3 functions as an exchange factor for Ral and may serve as a downstream effector for both Rit and Ras.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A direct inhibitory role for the Rab3-specific effector, Noc2, in Ca2+-regulated exocytosis in neuroendocrine cells.

Rab proteins comprise a family of GTPases, conserved from yeast to mammals, which are integral components of membrane trafficking pathways. Rab3A is a neural/neuroendocrine-specific member of the Rab family involved in Ca(2+) -regulated exocytosis, where it functions in an inhibitory capacity controlling recruitment of secretory vesicles into a releasable pool at the plasma membrane. The effector by which Rab3A exerts its inhibitory effect is unclear as the Rab3A effectors Rabphilin and RIM have been excluded from for this role. One putative Rab3A effector in dense-core granule exocytosis is the cytosolic zinc finger protein, Noc2. We have established that overexpression of Noc2 in PC12 cells has a direct inhibitory effect upon Ca(2+)-triggered exocytosis in permeabilized cells. We demonstrate specific nucleotide-dependent binding of Noc2 to Rab3A and show that the inhibition of exocytosis is dependent upon this interaction since Rab3A binding-deficient mutants of Noc2 do not inhibit exocytosis. We propose that Noc2 may be a negative effector for Rab3A in regulated exocytosis of dense-core granules from endocrine cells.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Multiple effector domains within SNT1 coordinate ERK activation and neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells.

Differentiation of neuronal precursor cells in response to neurotrophic differentiation factors is accompanied by the activation of membrane-anchored SNT signaling adaptor proteins. Two classes of differentiation factors, the neurotrophins and fibroblast growth factors, induce rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of SNT1(FRS2alpha), which in turn enables SNT1 to recruit Shp2 tyrosine phosphatase and Grb2 adaptor protein in complex with the Ras GDP/GTP exchange factor Sos. To determine effector functions of SNT that promote neuronal differentiation of PC12 pheochromocytoma cells, we engineered a chimeric protein, SNT1(IRS)CX, bearing the effector region of SNT1 and the insulin receptor recognition domains of IRS2. Insulin promoted tyrosine phosphorylation of SNT1(IRS)CX in transfected PC12 cells accompanied by sustained activation of ERK1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinases and neuronal differentiation. The SNT1(IRS)CX-mediated response was dependent on endogenous Ras, MEK, and Shp2 activities. Mutagenesis of SNT1(IRS)CX identified three classes of effector motifs within SNT critical for both sustained ERK activation and neuronal differentiation: 1) four phosphotyrosine motifs that mediate recruitment of Grb2, 2) two phosphotyrosine motifs that mediate recruitment of Shp2, and 3) a C-terminal motif that functions by helping to recruit Sos. We discuss possible mechanisms by which three functionally distinct SNT effector motifs collaborate to promote a downstream biochemical and biological response.

3T3 Cells↗

A distinct class of dominant negative Ras mutants: cytosolic GTP-bound Ras effector domain mutants that inhibit Ras signaling and transformation and enhance cell adhesion.

Cytosolic GTP-bound Ras has been shown to act as a dominant negative (DN) inhibitor of Ras by sequestering Raf in non-productive cytosolic complexes. Nevertheless, this distinct class of DN mutants has been neither well characterized nor extensively used to analyze Ras signaling. In contrast, DN Ras17N, which functions by blocking Ras guanine nucleotide exchange factors, has been well characterized and is widely used. Cytosolic GTP-bound Ras mutants could be used to inhibit particular Ras effectors by introducing additional mutations (T35S, E37G or Y40C) that permit them to associate selectively with and inhibit Raf, RalGDS, or phosphoinositide 3-kinase, respectively. When the wild-type Ras effector binding region is used, cytosolic Ras should associate with all Ras effectors, even those that are not yet identified, making these DN Ras mutants effective inhibitors of multiple Ras functions. We generated cytosolic GTP-bound H-, N-, and K-Ras, and we assessed their ability to inhibit Ras-induced phenotypes. In fibroblasts, cytosolic H-, N-, and K-Ras inhibited Ras-induced Elk-1 activation and focus formation, induced a flattened cell morphology, and increased adhesion to fibronectin through modulation of a beta(1)-subunit-containing integrin, thereby demonstrating that DN activity is not limited to a subset of Ras isoforms. We also generated cytosolic GTP-bound Ras effector domain mutants (EDMs), each of which reduced the ability of cytosolic GTP-bound Ras proteins to inhibit Elk-1 activation and to induce cell flattening, implicating multiple pathways in these phenotypes. In contrast, Ras-induced focus formation, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-, or Ras-induced phospho-Akt levels and cell adhesion to fibronectin were affected by T35S and Y40C EDMs, whereas PDGF- or Ras-induced phospho-Erk levels were affected only by the T35S EDM, implying that a more limited set of Ras-mediated pathways participate in these phenotypes. These data constitute the first extensive characterization of this functionally distinct class of DN Ras inhibitor proteins.

3T3 Cells↗

Global allostery model of hemoglobin. Modulation of O(2) affinity, cooperativity, and Bohr effect by heterotropic allosteric effectors.

The O(2) equilibria of human adult hemoglobin have been measured in a wide range of solution conditions in the presence and absence of various allosteric effectors in order to determine how far hemoglobin can modulate its O(2) affinity. The O(2) affinity, cooperative behavior, and the Bohr effect of hemoglobin are modulated principally by tertiary structural changes, which are induced by its interactions with heterotropic allosteric effectors. In their absence, hemoglobin is a high affinity, moderately cooperative O(2) carrier of limited functional flexibility, the behaviors of which are regulated by the homotropic, O(2)-linked T/R quaternary structural transition of the Monod-Wyman-Changeux/Perutz model. However, the interactions with allosteric effectors provide such "inert" hemoglobin unprecedented magnitudes of functional diversities not only of physiological relevance but also of extreme nature, by which hemoglobin can behave energetically beyond what can be explained by the Monod-Wyman-Changeux/Perutz model. Thus, the heterotropic effector-linked tertiary structural changes rather than the homotropic ligation-linked T/R quaternary structural transition are energetically more significant and primarily responsible for modulation of functions of hemoglobin.

Allosteric Regulation↗

Regulation of Fas-associated death domain interactions by the death effector domain identified by a modified reverse two-hybrid screen.

The adapter protein FADD consists of two protein interaction domains and is an essential component of the death inducing signaling complex (DISC) that is formed by activated death receptors of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor family. The FADD death domain binds to activated receptors such as Fas or other adapters such as TRADD, whereas the FADD death effector domain binds to procaspase 8. Each domain can interact with its target in the absence of the other domain, and this has led to the idea that the two domains function independently. FADD death domain interactions with Fas and TRADD are thought to occur on the same surface; however, the regulation of these interactions is poorly understood. We developed a modified reverse two-hybrid method that can identify mutations, which inhibit some protein-protein interactions without affecting other interactions. Using this method, we identified mutations in FADD that prevent binding to Fas but do not affect binding to TRADD. Surprisingly, these mutations were in the death effector domain rather than the death domain. To test whether the mutants function in mammalian cells, we expressed wild type or mutant FADD molecules in FADD-deficient cells. Wild type FADD rescued both Fas ligand- and TNF-dependent signaling, whereas the FADD death effector domain mutants rescued only TNF signaling. These data indicate that in contrast to current models, the death effector domain of FADD is involved in interaction with Fas.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗