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Retinoblastoma gene product as a downstream target for a ceramide-dependent pathway of growth arrest.

Ceramide, a lipid mediator, has been most closely associated with antiproliferative activities. In this study, we examine the mechanism by which ceramide induces growth suppression and the role of the retinoblastoma gene product (Rb) in this process. Withdrawal of serum from the serum-dependent MOLT-4 cells resulted in significant dephosphorylation of Rb, correlating with the induction of G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. Serum withdrawal resulted in marked elevation in the levels of endogenous ceramide (3-fold at 24 h and 8-fold at 96 h) with little changes in the endogenous levels of sphingosine. The addition of exogenous C6-ceramide resulted in a concentration- and time-dependent dephosphorylation of Rb. Exogenous ceramide was active at levels comparable to endogenous levels achieved with serum withdrawal. Peak activity of exogenous ceramide (at 6 h) correlated with the uptake of C6-ceramide by MOLT-4 cells. Next, a number of studies were conducted to determine whether Rb plays a role in ceramide-induced growth suppression. (i) C6-Ceramide was poorly active in growth suppression of retinoblastoma cells that lack Rb. (ii) Mink lung epithelial cells in which Rb had been sequestered by overexpression of large tumor antigen were resistant to the action of ceramide compared to cells transfected with large tumor antigen mutated in the Rb-binding pocket. (iii) Overexpression of the EIA adenoviral protein, which binds and sequesters Rb, resulted in protection from growth suppression and cell cycle arrest induced by ceramide. Thus, these studies demonstrate that Rb is a downstream target for ceramide and may function in a growth suppressor pathway resulting in cell cycle arrest.

Adenovirus E1A Proteins↗

Formation of chimeric DNA primer extension products by template switching onto an annealed downstream oligonucleotide.

Oligodeoxynucleotide sequences are described that anneal to a template downstream of a priming site. During polymerase-catalyzed extension of the primer, the extending primer shifts from the original template to a segment of the annealed oligonucleotide that acts as an alternative template. The resulting chimeric extended primer has one segment that is complementary to the template and a second segment that is complementary to the oligonucleotide. The influence of the sequence elements of the oligonucleotide and the reaction conditions on template switching have been explored. The sequence requirements for template switching are compared to those for transposon excision.

Base Sequence↗

RAP74 induces promoter contacts by RNA polymerase II upstream and downstream of a DNA bend centered on the TATA box.

RAP74, the large subunit of transcription factor IIF, associates with a preinitiation complex containing RNA polymerase II (pol II) and other general initiation factors. We have mapped the location of RAP74 in close proximity to promoter DNA at similar distances both upstream and downstream of a DNA bend centered on the TATA box. Binding of RAP74 induces a conformational change that affects the position of pol II relative to that of the DNA. This reorganization of the preinitiation complex minimally requires the N-terminal region of RAP74 containing both its RAP30-binding domain and another region necessary for accurate transcription in vitro. We propose a role for RAP74 in controlling the topological organization of the pol II preinitiation complex.

Base Sequence↗

Downstream of Crk adaptor signaling pathway: activation of Jun kinase by v-Crk through the guanine nucleotide exchange protein C3G.

Crk, which belongs to the adaptor family of proteins composed of Src homology 2 (SH2) and SH3 domains, has a putative role in signaling. However, the downstream events of Crk signaling remain unclear. In this study, we found that Jun kinase (JNK) is moderately activated by v-Crk in both NIH 3T3 cells and chicken embryo fibroblasts. Transient expression of v-Crk, c-Crk-I, or c-Crk-II activated JNK1 in human embryo kidney cells, 293T. Coexpression of a guanine nucleotide exchange protein C3G, which specifically binds to Crk's SH3 domain, further enhanced the JNK activity as well as growth rate and anchorage-independent growth of v-Crk NIH 3T3 cells. Furthermore, overexpression of a dominant-negative form of C3G lacking the guanine nucleotide exchange domain abolished both the JNK activity and the colony forming potential of v-Crk NIH 3T3 cells. The requirement for JNK activation in v-Crk induced transformation was demonstrated by the suppression of colony forming activity of v-Crk NIH 3T3 cells when a dominant-negative form of JNK kinase, Sek1/MKK4 is expressed in these cells. These data strongly suggest the existence of a novel signaling cascade involving an adaptor protein v-Crk, which transmits signals through C3G toward JNK activation.

3T3 Cells↗

Ribosomes can slide over and beyond "hungry" codons, resuming protein chain elongation many nucleotides downstream.

In cells subjected to moderate aminoacyl-tRNA limitation, the peptidyl-tRNA-ribosome complex stalled at the "hungry" codon can slide well beyond it on the messenger RNA and resume translation further downstream. This behavior is proved by unequivocal amino acid sequence data, showing a protein that lacks the bypassed sequence encoded between the hungry codon and specific landing sites. The landing sites are codons cognate to the anticodon of the peptidyl-tRNA. The efficiency of this behavior can be as high as 10-20% but declines with the length of the slide. Interposition of "trap" sites (nonproductive landing sites) in the bypassed region reduces the frequency of successful slides, confirming that the ribosome-peptidyl-tRNA complex passes through the untranslated region of the message. This behavior appears to be quite general: it can occur at the two kinds of hungry codons tested, AUA and AAG; the sliding peptidyl-tRNA can be any of three species tested, phenylalanine, tyrosine, or leucine tRNA; the peptidyl component can be either of two very different peptide sequences; and translation can resume at any of the three codons tested.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Enhancement of translation by the downstream box does not involve base pairing of mRNA with the penultimate stem sequence of 16S rRNA.

The downstream box (DB) is a sequence element that enhances translation of several bacterial and phage mRNAs. It has been proposed that the DB enhances translation by base pairing transiently to bases 1469-1483 of 16S rRNA, the so-called anti-DB, during the initiation phase of translation. We have tested this model of enhancer action by constructing mutations in the anti-DB that alter its mRNA base-pairing potential and examining expression of a variety of DB-containing mRNAs in strains expressing the mutant anti-DB 16S rRNA. We found that the rRNA mutant was viable and that expression of all tested DB-containing mRNAs was completely unaffected by radical alterations in the proposed anti-DB. These findings lead us to conclude that enhancement of translation by the DB does not involve mRNA-rRNA base pairing.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Suppression or induction of apoptosis by opposing pathways downstream from calcium-activated calcineurin.

Ca(2+)-mobilizing compounds such as the Ca(2+) ionophore A23187 or the endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) ATPase inhibitor thapsigargin can suppress or induce apoptosis in the same cells. The use of different calcineurin inhibitors has shown that both suppression and induction of apoptosis by the Ca(2+)-mobilizing compounds were mediated by calcineurin activation. Ca(2+)-mobilizing compounds activated p38 and p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Induction of apoptosis by the Ca(2+)-mobilizing compounds was suppressed by an inhibitor of p38 MAPK but not by an inhibitor of p44/42 MAPK. These MAPK inhibitors did not suppress apoptosis induction by wild-type p53 or by withdrawal of IL-6 from IL-6-dependent cells that are mediated by calcineurin-independent pathways. These MAPK inhibitors also did not affect the ability of Ca(2+)-mobilizing compounds to suppress apoptosis. The results indicate that (i) Ca(2+)- mobilizing compounds activate different and opposing pathways that diverge downstream from calcineurin activation that can either suppress or induce apoptosis in the same cells; (ii) p38 MAPK but not p44/42 MAPK is involved in induction of apoptosis but not in its suppression by the Ca(2+)-mobilizing compounds; and (iii) neither p38 nor p44/42 MAPKs mediate induction of apoptosis by some calcineurin-independent pathways.

Animals↗

Transcriptional activation by artificial recruitment in yeast is influenced by promoter architecture and downstream sequences.

The idea that recruitment of the transcriptional machinery to a promoter suffices for gene activation is based partly on the results of "artificial recruitment" experiments performed in vivo. Artificial recruitment can be effected by a "nonclassical" activator comprising a DNA-binding domain fused to a component of the transcriptional machinery. Here we show that activation by artificial recruitment in yeast can be sensitive to any of three factors: position of the activator-binding elements, sequence of the promoter, and coding sequences downstream of the promoter. In contrast, classical activators worked efficiently at all promoters tested. In all cases the "artificial recruitment" fusions synergized well with classical activators. A classical activator evidently differs from a nonclassical activator in that the former can touch multiple sites on the transcriptional machinery, and we propose that that difference accounts for the broader spectrum of activity of the typical classical activator. A similar conclusion is reached from studies in mammalian cells in the accompanying paper [Nevado, J., Gaudreau, L., Adam, M. & Ptashne, M. (1999) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96, 2674-2677].

Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal↗

A human Cds1-related kinase that functions downstream of ATM protein in the cellular response to DNA damage.

Checkpoints maintain the order and fidelity of the eukaryotic cell cycle, and defects in checkpoints contribute to genetic instability and cancer. Much of our current understanding of checkpoints comes from genetic studies conducted in yeast. In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe (Sp), SpRad3 is an essential component of both the DNA damage and DNA replication checkpoints. The SpChk1 and SpCds1 protein kinases function downstream of SpRad3. SpChk1 is an effector of the DNA damage checkpoint and, in the absence of SpCds1, serves an essential function in the DNA replication checkpoint. SpCds1 functions in the DNA replication checkpoint and in the S phase DNA damage checkpoint. Human homologs of both SpRad3 and SpChk1 but not SpCds1 have been identified. Here we report the identification of a human cDNA encoding a protein (designated HuCds1) that shares sequence, structural, and functional similarity to SpCds1. HuCds1 was modified by phosphorylation and activated in response to ionizing radiation. It was also modified in response to hydroxyurea treatment. Functional ATM protein was required for HuCds1 modification after ionizing radiation but not after hydroxyurea treatment. Like its fission yeast counterpart, human Cds1 phosphorylated Cdc25C to promote the binding of 14-3-3 proteins. These findings suggest that the checkpoint function of HuCds1 is conserved in yeast and mammals.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The retinoblastoma-interacting zinc-finger protein RIZ is a downstream effector of estrogen action.

Co-immunoprecipitation experiments in cell extract from cultured cells or target tissues indicated that estrogen receptor was complexed with the retinoblastoma binding protein RIZ in a ligand-dependent manner. Mapping of interaction sites indicated that in both proteins the same regions and motifs responsible for the interaction of transcriptional co-activator and nuclear receptors were involved. In cultured cells, estradiol induced a redistribution of RIZ protein within the nucleus and in the cytoplasm. A similar effect was produced in vivo, in prepuberal rat endometrium, by administration of a physiological dose of estradiol. Therefore, RIZ protein could be a specific effector of estrogen action downstream of the hormone-receptor interaction, presumably involved in proliferation control.

Base Sequence↗

The essential transcription factor, Mcm1, is a downstream target of Sln1, a yeast "two-component" regulator.

In a search for mutants exhibiting altered activity of the yeast transcription factor, Mcm1, we have identified the SLN1 gene, whose product is highly related to bacterial two-component sensor-regulator proteins. sln1 alleles identified in our screen increased Mcm1p-mediated transcriptional activation, while deletion of the SLN1 locus severely reduced Mcm1p activity. Our data establish that Mcm1p is a downstream target of the Sln1 signaling pathway. Yeast Sln1p was recently shown to be involved in osmoregulation and to depend on the Hog1 MAP kinase (Maeda, T., Wurgler-Murphy, S., and Saito, H. (1994) Nature 369, 242-245). We show that SLN1-mediated regulation of Mcm1p activity is independent of the Hog1 MAP kinase, and suggest that the role of SLN1 is not restricted to osmoregulation.

DNA-Binding Proteins↗

Nuclear phospholipase D in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. Guanosine 5'-O-(thiotriphosphate)-stimulated activation is mediated by RhoA and is downstream of protein kinase C.

We have recently demonstrated the existence of an ATP-activated phospholipase D (PLD) in the nuclei of MDCK-D1 cells (Balboa, M. A., Balsinde, J., Dennis, E. A., and Insel, P. A. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 11738-11740). We have now found that nuclear PLD is synergistically activated by guanosine 5'-O-(thiotriphosphate) (GTP gamma S) and ATP in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, but these compounds do not alter the sensitivity of the enzyme to activation by Ca2+. The synergistic stimulation of PLD activity could be blocked by addition of the protein kinase C inhibitors chelerythrine and calphostin C. Stimulation by GTP gamma S was abolished by guanosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate). Incubation of isolated nuclei with Clostridium botulinum C3 exoenzyme inhibited the potentiating effect of GTP gamma S on ATP-dependent nuclear PLD activity. Moreover, use of the Rho GDP dissociation inhibitor to extract Rho family G proteins from cell nuclei also inhibits PLD activity. Western blot analyses of isolated nuclei revealed the presence of the small G protein RhoA, but not of RhoB or the ADP-ribosylation factor. GTP gamma S-stimulated ATP-dependent PLD activity could be reconstituted in Rho GDP dissociation inhibitor-washed nuclei by addition of recombinant prenylated RhoA, but not by addition of non-prenylated RhoA. Taken together, these results indicate that nuclear PLD activity is modulated via a RhoA-dependent activation that occurs downstream of protein kinase C. Nuclear PLD, which appears to be a previously unrecognized effector regulated by protein kinase C and G proteins, may be involved in the regulation of nuclear function or structure.

ADP Ribose Transferases↗

An acute phase response factor/NF-kappa B site downstream of the junB gene that mediates responsiveness to interleukin-6 in a murine plasmacytoma.

The immediate early gene, junB, is induced by interleukin-6 (IL-6) in plasmacytomas. In order to identify enhancers that mediate this effect, we cloned upstream and downstream sequences flanking the gene into a luciferase reporter gene vector containing the junB promoter and evaluated the IL-6 inducibility of these sequences by transient expression in an IL-6-dependent plasmacytoma cell line. Although a 6.5-kilobase fragment of upstream flanking sequence did not increase the IL-6 inducibility of the junB promoter, a 222-base pair fragment was identified in 2.1 kilobases of down-stream flanking sequence that both up-regulates the promoter and confers inducibility by IL-6. Point mutation of an acute phase response factor (APRF) site within this region significantly reduced up-regulation of the promoter in cells grown continuously in IL-6, as well as inducibility upon restimulation of cells with IL-6 after withdrawal from the growth factor. Point mutation of an NF-kappa B site sharing five nucleotides with the APRF site reduced up-regulation of the promoter but not inducibility by IL-6, whereas mutation of two other NF-kappa B sites in the 222-base pair fragment had no effect on expression. Western blotting of nuclear proteins purified by DNA affinity chromatography revealed inducible binding of Stat3 and constitutive binding of NF-kappa B p65 to the APRF/NF-kappa B site.

Animals↗

Interaction between the insulin receptor and its downstream effectors. Use of individually expressed receptor domains for structure/function analysis.

A structural analysis has been carried out to determine which part of the intracellular domain of the insulin receptor (IR) beta subunit is involved in direct interaction with the receptor substrates IRS-1 and Shc. Toward this end, the juxtamembrane (JM) domain (amino acids 943-984) and the carboxyl-terminal (CT) region (amino acids 1245-1 331) of IR were expressed in bacteria as (His)6-fusion peptides, and their interaction with IRS-1 and Shc was studied. We could demonstrate that the CT region of IR was sufficient to bind Shc, although significant, but much lower binding of Shc to the JM region could be detected as well. Furthermore, in vitro Tyr phosphorylation of the CT region potentiated its interactions with Shc 2-fold. In contrast, the JM region, but not the CT domain of the IR, was sufficient to mediate interactions between the IR and IRS-1. These interactions did not involve the pleckstrin homology (PH) region of IRS-1, since an IRS-1 mutant, in which four "blocks" of the PH domain (Pro5-Pro65) were deleted, interacted with the JM region of IR with the same efficiency as native IRS-1. These results suggest that the IR interacts with its downstream effectors through distinct receptor regions, and that autophosphorylation of Tyr residues located at the CT domain of the IR can modulate these interactions.

Animals↗

Palmitoylation of Ha-Ras facilitates membrane binding, activation of downstream effectors, and meiotic maturation in Xenopus oocytes.

Ras proteins serve as critical relays in signal transduction pathways that control growth and differentiation and must undergo posttranslational modifications before they become functional. While it is established that farnesylation is necessary for membrane binding and cellular functions of all Ras proteins, the significance of palmitoylation is unclear. We have studied the contribution of Ha-Ras palmitoylation for biological activity in Xenopus oocytes. In contrast to wild-type Ha-Ras, which binds to membranes and induces meiosis when microinjected into oocytes, a nonpalmitoylated but farnesylated and methylated mutant mislocalizes to the cytosol and fails to promote maturation. This lack of responsiveness correlates with the inability of the mutant to induce phosphorylation and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase and maturation promoting factor, which are both strongly activated by wild-type Ha-Ras. Costimulation of oocytes with insulin increases their responsiveness to Ras and partially rescues the biological activity of the palmitoylation-resistant mutant. However, 25-50 times higher doses of mutant were required to elicit responses equivalent to wild-type Ha-Ras. These results suggest that palmitoylation and membrane association of Ha-Ras is necessary for efficient activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade in vivo and are consistent with a biochemical function for Ras as a membrane targeting signal for downstream effectors in this pathway.

Animals↗

Tyrosine phosphorylation of Cbl upon epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulation and its association with EGF receptor and downstream signaling proteins.

We and others have shown that Cbl, the protein product of the c-cbl proto-oncogene, is an early target of tyrosine phosphorylation upon stimulation through the immune cell surface receptors, which signal through noncovalently associated cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases. Using human mammary epithelial cells that express a natural epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor and require EGF as an essential growth factor, we demonstrate here that Cbl is a prominent target of tyrosine phosphorylation upon stimulation through the EGF receptor tyrosine kinase. Phosphorylation of Cbl was EGF dose-dependent, rapid (detectable as early as 5 s and maximal by 2 min), and relatively sustained (detectable even after 1 h). Co-immunoprecipitation studies demonstrated that Cbl became associated with the EGF receptor in an EGF-dependent manner. Cbl was basally associated with the adaptor protein growth factor receptor-binding protein 2 (Grb2), and this interaction was further enhanced by EGF stimulation; however, the interaction was entirely mediated via the Grb2 Src homology 3 (SH3) domains, suggesting that binding of Grb2 SH2 domain to EGF receptor provides one mechanism of Cbl's association with the EGF receptor. EGF stimulation also induced the association of Cbl with Src homology and collagen (Shc) protein, p85 subunit of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and Crk proteins, in particular with the CrkL isoform. Interactions of Cbl with the EGF receptor and multiple downstream signaling proteins suggest a role for this proto-oncogene product in mitogenic signaling through growth factor receptor kinases.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

c-Jun is a downstream target for ceramide-activated protein phosphatase in A431 cells.

Stimulation of [3H]serine-labeled A431 cells with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) or bacterial sphingomyelinase (SMase) resulted in a rapid decrease (approximately 50% by 15 min) in cellular [3H]sphingomyelin content and generation of the lipid moiety [3H]ceramide, which remained elevated 60 min later. Sphingomyelin hydrolysis in response to TNFalpha or bacterial SMase resulted in a time-dependent decrease in the phosphorylation state of c-Jun protein, an effect that was also observed in cells treated with the membrane-permeable ceramide analogue N-hexanoylsphingosine (C6-ceramide). The rapid dephosphorylation of the c-Jun gene product in response to TNFalpha, SMase, or C6-ceramide was not observed in A431 cells treated with the serine-threonine phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid. After the initial steps of previously described methods for the purification of a ceramide-activated protein phosphatase termed CAPP (Dobrowsky, R. T., Kamibayashi, C., Mumby, M. C., and Hannun, Y. A. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 15523-15530), we obtained a cytosolic fraction from A431 cells that specifically dephosphorylated 32Pi-labeled c-Jun protein used as substrate in an immunocomplex phosphatase assay. Phosphatase activity in vitro was apparent only in the presence of ceramide (5 micro) and was specifically abrogated when okadaic acid (1 n) was included in the immunocomplex phosphatase assay. These results provide strong evidence for c-Jun as a downstream target for CAPP activated in response to post-TNF signaling in A431 cells.

Bacteria↗

Downstream signaling molecules bind to different phosphorylated immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM) peptides of the high affinity IgE receptor.

The cytoplasmic tails of both the beta and gamma subunits of the high affinity IgE receptor (FcepsilonRI) contain a consensus sequence termed the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM). This motif plays a critical role in receptor-mediated signal transduction. Synthetic peptides based on the ITAM sequences of the beta and gamma subunits of FcepsilonRI were used to investigate which proteins associate with these motifs. Tyrosine-phosphorylated beta and gamma ITAM peptides immobilized on beads precipitated Syk, Lyn, Shc, Grb2, and phospholipase C-gamma1 from lysates of rat basophilic leukemia RBL-2H3 cells. Syk was precipitated predominantly by the tyrosine-diphosphorylated gamma ITAM peptide, but much less by the diphosphorylated beta ITAM peptide or by the monophosphorylated peptides. Phospholipase C-gamma1, Shc, and Grb2 were precipitated only by the diphosphorylated beta ITAM peptide. Non-phosphorylated ITAM peptides did not precipitate these proteins. In membrane binding assays, fusion proteins containing the Src homology 2 domains of phospholipase C-gamma1, Shc, Syk, and Lyn directly bound the tyrosine-phosphorylated ITAM peptides. Although the ITAM sequences of the beta and gamma subunits of FcepsilonRI are similar, once they are tyrosine-phosphorylated they preferentially bind different downstream signaling molecules. Tyrosine phosphorylation of the ITAM of the gamma subunit recruits and activates Syk, whereas the beta subunit may be important for the Ras signaling pathway.

Amino Acid Sequence↗