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PubMed1994

The transmembrane domain of the large subunit of HSV-2 ribonucleotide reductase (ICP10) is required for protein kinase activity and transformation-related signaling pathways that result in ras activation.

The large subunit of Herpes simplex virus type 2 ribonucleotide reductase (ICP10) is a chimera consisting of a Ser/Thr protein kinase (PK) with features of a transmembrane (TM) helical segment localized at the amino terminus, and the RR1 domain localized at the carboxy terminus. To elucidate the role of the TM segment in ICP10-mediated transformation we established cell lines that constitutively express ICP10 (JHLa1) or its TM deleted mutant p139TM (JHL15). ICP10 was associated with purified JHLa1 plasma membranes. Membrane immunofluorescence and FACS analysis with antibodies to synthetic peptides located upstream and downstream of the TM indicated that ICP10 is a membrane-spanning protein. p139TM was not associated with JHL15 plasma membranes. ICP10 kinase activity was detected in JHLa1 but not JHL15 cells as determined by immunocomplex kinase assays and metabolic labeling. JHLa1 cells displayed anchorage-independent growth whereas JHL15 cells and JHL9 cells that express a mutant deleted in the PK catalytic domain were negative. ras-GTPase activating protein (ras-GAP) was phosphorylated in JHLa1 but not JHL15 cells and GTPase activity was lower in JHLa1 than JHL15 cells. Furthermore, ICP10 but not p139TM bound the guanine nucleotide releasing factor son of sevenless 1 (Sos1) and ras-GTP (activated ras) was higher in JHLa1 than JHL15 cells. The data suggest that ICP10 constitutively increases ras activity, and its TM segment plays a critical role in transformation-related signaling pathways.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Efficient suppression of FGF-2-induced ERK activation by the cooperative interaction among mammalian Sprouty isoforms.

Strict regulation of the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway is essential for maintaining balanced growth in multi-cellular organisms. Several negative regulators of the pathway have been identified which include Sprouty proteins. Mammalian cells express four Sprouty isoforms (Sprouty1-4) in an ERK-dependent manner. In this study, we have examined the molecular mechanisms by which Sprouty proteins elicit their inhibitory effects on the RTK/ERK pathway, with special focus on the co-operation among Sprouty isoforms. The four mammalian Sprouty isoforms interact with each other, most probably to form hetero- as well as homo-oligomers through their C-terminal domains. Sprouty1 specifically interacts with Grb2, whereas Sprouty4 interacts with Sos1. Although any of the Sprouty isoforms by itself inhibits the fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2)-induced activation of the ERK pathway significantly, hetero-oligomers show a more pronounced inhibitory activity. The hetero-oligomer formed between Sprouty1 and Sprouty4 exhibits the most potent inhibitory effect on ERK activation through its highly effective ability to suppress the association of Grb2-Sos1 complex with FRS2. The cooperative interactions observed among Sprouty isoforms could represent an advanced system that functions to regulate strictly the activation state of the RTK/ERK pathway in mammalian cells.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Gain-of-function SOS1 mutations cause a distinctive form of Noonan syndrome.

Noonan syndrome is a developmental disorder characterized by short stature, facial dysmorphia, congenital heart defects and skeletal anomalies. Increased RAS-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling due to PTPN11 and KRAS mutations causes 50% of cases of Noonan syndrome. Here, we report that 22 of 129 individuals with Noonan syndrome without PTPN11 or KRAS mutation have missense mutations in SOS1, which encodes a RAS-specific guanine nucleotide exchange factor. SOS1 mutations cluster at codons encoding residues implicated in the maintenance of SOS1 in its autoinhibited form. In addition, ectopic expression of two Noonan syndrome-associated mutants induces enhanced RAS and ERK activation. The phenotype associated with SOS1 defects lies within the Noonan syndrome spectrum but is distinctive, with a high prevalence of ectodermal abnormalities but generally normal development and linear growth. Our findings implicate gain-of-function mutations in a RAS guanine nucleotide exchange factor in disease for the first time and define a new mechanism by which upregulation of the RAS pathway can profoundly change human development.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Basis for signaling specificity difference between Sos and Ras-GRF guanine nucleotide exchange factors.

Sos and Ras-GRF are two families of guanine nucleotide exchange factors that activate Ras proteins in cells. Sos proteins are ubiquitously expressed and are activated in response to cell-surface tyrosine kinase stimulation. In contrast, Ras-GRF proteins are expressed primarily in central nervous system neurons and are activated by calcium/calmodulin binding and by phosphorylation. Although both Sos1 and Ras-GRF1 activate the Ras proteins Ha-Ras, N-Ras, and Ki-Ras, only Ras-GRF1 also activates the functionally distinct R-Ras GTPase. In this study, we determined which amino acid sequences in these exchange factors and their target GTPases are responsible for this signaling specificity difference. Analysis of chimeras and individual amino acid exchanges between Sos1 and Ras-GRF1 revealed that the critical amino acids reside within an 11-amino acid segment of their catalytic domains between the second and third structurally conserved regions (amino acids (aa) 828-838 in Sos1 and 1057-1067 in Ras-GRF1) of Ras guanine nucleotide exchange factors. In Sos1, this segment is in helix B, which is known to interact with the switch 2 region of Ha-Ras. Interestingly, a similar analysis of Ha-Ras and R-Ras chimeras did not identify the switch 2 region of Ha-Ras as encoding specificity. Instead, we found a more distal protein segment, helix 3 (aa 91-103 in Ha-Ras and 117-129 in R-Ras), which interacts instead primarily with helix K (aa 1002-1016) of Sos1. These findings suggest that specificity derives from the fact that R-Ras-specific amino acids in the region analogous to Ha-Ras helix 3 prevent a functional interaction with Sos1 indirectly, possibly by preventing an appropriate association of its switch 2 region with helix B of Sos1. Although previous studies have shown that helix B of Sos1 and helix 3 of Ha-Ras are involved in promoting nucleotide exchange on Ras proteins, this study highlights the importance of these regions in establishing signaling specificity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

TC21 causes transformation by Raf-independent signaling pathways.

Although the Ras-related protein TC21/R-Ras2 has only 55% amino acid identity with Ras proteins, mutated forms of TC21 exhibit the same potent transforming activity as constitutively activated forms of Ras. Therefore, like Ras, TC21 may activate signaling pathways that control normal cell growth and differentiation. To address this possibility, we determined if regulators and effectors of Ras are also important for controlling TC21 activity. First, we determined that Ras guanine nucleotide exchange factors (SOS1 and RasGRF/CDC25) synergistically enhanced wild-type TC21 activity in vivo and that Ras GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs; p120-GAP and NF1-GAP) stimulated wild-type TC21 GTP hydrolysis in vitro. Thus, extracellular signals that activate Ras via SOS1 activation may cause coordinate activation of Ras and TC21. Second, we determined if Raf kinases were effectors for TC21 transformation. Unexpectedly, yeast two-hybrid binding analyses showed that although both Ras and TC21 could interact with the isolated Ras-binding domain of Raf-1, only Ras interacted with full-length Raf-1, A-Raf, or B-Raf. Consistent with this observation, we found that Ras- but not TC21-transformed NIH 3T3 cells possessed constitutively elevated Raf-1 and B-Raf kinase activity. Thus, Raf kinases are effectors for Ras, but not TC21, signaling and transformation. We conclude that common upstream signals cause activation of Ras and TC21, but activated TC21 controls cell growth via distinct Raf-independent downstream signaling pathways.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed2000

The Sos1 and Sos2 Ras-specific exchange factors: differences in placental expression and signaling properties.

Targeted disruption of both alleles of mouse sos1, which encodes a Ras-specific exchange factor, conferred mid-gestational embryonic lethality that was secondary to impaired placental development and was associated with very low placental ERK activity. The trophoblastic layers of sos1(-/-) embryos were poorly developed, correlating with high sos1 expression in wild-type trophoblasts. A sos1(-/-) cell line, which expressed readily detectable levels of the closely related Sos2 protein, formed complexes between Sos2, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and Shc efficiently, gave normal Ras.GTP and ERK responses when treated with EGF for < or =10 min and was transformed readily by activated Ras. However, the sos1(-/-) cells were resistant to transformation by v-Src or by overexpressed EGFR and continuous EGF treatment, unlike sos1(+/-) or wild-type cells. This correlated with Sos2 binding less efficiently than Sos1 to EGFR and Shc in cells treated with EGF for > or =90 min or to v-Src and Shc in v-Src-expressing cells, and with less ERK activity. We conclude that Sos1 participates in both short- and long-term signaling, while Sos2-dependent signals are predominantly short-term.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) and candidate signaling molecule distribution within rat and human retina.

PURPOSE: To map the expression and distribution of FGFR and potential FGFR-related signaling molecules within rat and human retina. METHODS: Sections of postnatal 5 day old and adult rat, and aged human retina, and cell cultures prepared from selected cell populations of young rat retina, were immunolabeled with specific antisera to FGFR (FGFR-1, -2, -3, and -4) or candidate signaling molecules [phospholipase Cg1 (PLCg1), son of sevenless 1 and 2 (SOS1, SOS2), extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), protein tyrosine phosphatase (SH-PTP2) and SH2-containing protein (Shc)], and with multiple retinal cell-type specific antibodies. Controls were conducted using primary antisera pre-adsorbed with the corresponding immunizing peptide. RESULTS: All FGFR antisera showed strong labeling of inner retina [inner nuclear layer, inner plexiform layer and ganglion cell layer (INL, IPL and GCL respectively)] in rat and human retina, although there were distinct differences in individual patterns. FGFR-3 was particularly intense in ganglion cell bodies and dendrites, and was absent from photoreceptors and bipolar cells in vitro. FGFR-1 and FGFR-4 also labeled the outer nuclear layer (ONL), more intensely in adult than in young tissue, and FGFR-4 was especially prominent within inner segments. FGFR-2 and -3 were only weakly expressed in the ONL, but FGFR-2 showed specific labeling of cone outer segments in human retina. Candidate FGFR-signaling molecules also showed generally higher expression in the inner than outer retina in the different samples. Shc immunolabeling was apparent in the GCL and nascent photoreceptor outer segments in young and adult retina. SOS1 expression was much more intense than SOS2 in the ONL, although the latter showed selective intense staining of a sub-population in the INL and GCL. These ex vivo data were confirmed in cultures prepared from young rat retina. Pure photoreceptor cultures exhibited strong expression of FGFR-1 and -4, and faint expression of FGFR-2 and -3. In mixed inner retinal cultures, anti-FGFR-1 labeled neurons and Müller glia with equal intensity, while the other FGFR antisera showed preferential staining of neurons. FGFR-3 was strongly expressed by ganglion and amacrine cells but not by other types. Signaling molecules showed widespread expression, but of variable intensity, in all cells. All control experiments using corresponding peptide pre-adsorption led to complete removal of immunostaining. CONCLUSIONS: Rat and human retinal cells showed a largely similar, widespread expression of multiple FGFR and candidate FGFR-related signaling molecules. Distinct differences in development, species, cell- and sub-cell type distribution were apparent, suggesting that specific FGFR/FGF ligands and transduction pathways may operate in different cells.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1994

Multiple cytokines stimulate the binding of a common 145-kilodalton protein to Shc at the Grb2 recognition site of Shc.

We recently reported that interleukin-3, Steel factor, and erythropoietin all induce the tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc and its association with Grb2 in hemopoietic cell lines. We have now further characterized the proteins that become associated with Shc following stimulation with these cytokines and found that, in response to all three, the tyrosine-phosphorylated form of Shc binds to common 145- and 52-kDa proteins which also become tyrosine phosphorylated in response to these growth factors. The 145-kDa protein, which appears, from antiphosphotyrosine blots of two-dimensional O'Farrell gels, to exist in four different phosphorylation states following cytokine stimulation (with isoelectric points ranging from 7.2 to 7.8), does not appear to be immunologically related to the beta subunit of the interleukin-3 receptor, c-Kit, BCR, ABL, JAK1, JAK2, Sos1, eps15, or insulin receptor substrate 1 protein. Silver-stained sodium dodecyl sulfate gels indicate that the association of the 145-kDa protein with Shc occurs only after cytokine stimulation and that it can bind to the tyrosine-phosphorylated form of Shc in its non-tyrosine-phosphorylated state. The latter finding, in conjunction with the observations that p145 does not bind, in vitro, to the Src homology 2 (SH2) domain of Shc, that it is not present in anti-Grb2 immunoprecipitates, and that a phosphopeptide which blocks the binding of Shc to the SH2 domain of Grb2 also blocks the binding of Shc to p145, suggests that p145 contains an SH2 domain and competes with Grb2 for the same tyrosine-phosphorylated site on Shc. This implicates p145 as a potential regulator of Ras activity and, perhaps, of other as yet unidentified functions of Shc.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1995

Guanine nucleotide exchange factors: activators of Ras superfamily proteins.

Members of the Ras superfamily of proteins function as regulated GDP/GTP switches that cycle between active GTP-complexed and inactive GDP-complexed states. Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) stimulate formation of the GTP-bound state, whereas GTPase activating proteins (GAPs) catalyze the formation of the GDP-bound state. We describe three studies that evaluate the mechanism of action of GEFs for Ras (SOS1 and RasGRF/CDC25) or Ras-related Rho (Dbl and Vav) proteins. Growth factor-mediated activation of Ras is believed to be mediated by activation of Ras GEFs (CDC25/GRF and SOS1/2). Although the mechanisms of Ras GEF regulation are unclear, recent studies suggest that translocation of SOS1 to the plasma membrane, where Ras is located, might be responsible for Ras activation. Our observation that the addition of the Ras plasma membrane-targeting sequence to the catalytic domains of CDC25 and SOS1 greatly enhanced their transforming and transactivation activities (10-50 fold and 5-10 fold, respectively) suggests that membrane translocation alone is sufficient to potentiate GEF activation of Ras. We have determined that two Ras-related proteins, designated R-Ras and R-Ras2/TC21, can trigger the malignant transformation of NIH 3T3 cells via activation of the Ras signal transduction pathway. Furthermore, like Ras and R-Ras, we observed that TC21 GTPase activity was stimulated by Ras GAPs. However, we observed that both SOS1 and CDC25 were activators of normal TC21, but not R-Ras, transforming activities. Therefore, TC21, but not R-Ras, may be activated by the same extracellular signaling events that activate Ras proteins. Dbl family proteins are believed to function as GEFs and activators of the Ras-related Rho family of proteins. However, one Dbl family oncogene, designated Vav, has been reported to be a GEF for Ras proteins. Therefore we were interested in determining whether Dbl family oncogenes cause transformation by triggering the constitutive activation of Rho or Ras proteins. Our results suggest that Dbl oncogenes cause transformation via a Ras-independent activation of MAP kinases and Rho family proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2002

Angiogenic oligosaccharides of hyaluronan induce multiple signaling pathways affecting vascular endothelial cell mitogenic and wound healing responses.

Hyaluronan (HA) is a large nonsulfated glycosaminoglycan and an important regulator of angiogenesis, in particular, the growth and migration of vascular endothelial cells. We have identified some of the key intermediates responsible for induction of mitogenesis and wound recovery. Treatment of bovine aortic endothelial cells with oligosaccharides of hyaluronan (o-HA) resulted in rapid tyrosine phosphorylation and plasma membrane translocation of phospholipase Cgamma1 (PLCgamma1). Cytoplasmic loading with inhibitory antibodies to PLCgamma1, Gbeta, and Galpha(i/o/t/z) inhibited activation of extracellular-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2). Treatment with the Galpha(i/o) inhibitor, pertussis toxin, reduced o-HA-induced PLCgamma1 tyrosine phosphorylation, protein kinase C (PKC) alpha and beta1/2 membrane translocation, ERK1/2 activation, mitogenesis, and wound recovery, suggesting a mechanism for o-HA-induced angiogenesis through G-proteins, PLCgamma1, and PKC. In particular, we demonstrated a possible role for PKCalpha in mitogenesis and PKCbeta1/2 in wound recovery. Using antisense oligonucleotides and the Ras farnesylation inhibitor FTI-277, we showed that o-HA-induced bovine aortic endothelial cell proliferation, wound recovery, and ERK1/2 activation were also partially dependent on Ras activation, and that o-HA-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of the adapter protein Shc, as well as its association with Sos1. Binding of Src to Shc was required for its activation and for Ras-dependent activation of ERK1/2, cell proliferation, and wound recovery. Neither Src nor Ras activation was inhibited by pertussis toxin, suggesting that their activation was independent of heterotrimeric G-proteins. However, the specific Src kinase inhibitor PP2 inhibited Gbeta subunit co-precipitation with PLCgamma1, suggesting a possible role for Src in activation of PLCgamma1 and interaction between two distinct o-HA-induced signaling pathways.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Ras-guanine nucleotide exchange factor sos2 is dispensable for mouse growth and development.

The mammalian sos1 and sos2 genes encode highly homologous members of the Son-of-sevenless family of guanine nucleotide exchange factors. They are ubiquitously expressed and play key roles in transmission of signals initiated by surface protein tyrosine kinases that are transduced into the cell through the action of membrane-associated Ras proteins. Recent reports showed that targeted disruption of the sos1 locus results in embryonic lethality. To gain insight into the in vivo function of sos2, we disrupted its catalytic CDC25-H domain by means of gene targeting techniques. Mating among heterozygous sos2(+/-) mice produced viable sos2(-/-) offspring with a normal Mendelian pattern of inheritance, indicating that the loss of sos2 does not interfere with embryo viability in the uterus. Adult homozygous mutant sos2(-/-) mice reached sexual maturity at the same age as their wild-type littermates, and both male and female null mutants were fertile. Histopathological analysis showed no observable differences between mutant and wild-type mice. Our results show that unlike the case for sos1, sos2 gene function is dispensable for normal mouse development, growth, and fertility.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The two SH2-domain-containing inositol 5-phosphatases SHIP1 and SHIP2 are coexpressed in human T lymphocytes.

The activation of many hematopoietic cells via cytokine receptors, as well as B and T cell receptors, leads to the tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc and its association with both Grb2-Sos1 complexes and with a 145 kDa protein referred to as the SH2 containing inositol 5-phosphatase (SHIP1). In a search of putative 5-phosphatase isoenzymes, we have isolated a second SH2 domain containing inositol 5-phosphatase, referred to as (SHIP2). Both SHIP1 and SHIP2 are coexpressed in human T lymphocytes. This was shown at the protein level by Western blot analysis in transformed T cell lines and in peripheral blood T lymphocytes either unstimulated or after in vitro activation through TCR-CD3 complex. SHIP1 protein level was not modulated after activation of T lymphocytes, in contrast to SHIP2, which was increased after long-term stimulation. SHIP1 was tyrosine phosphorylated in resting naive T cells. This was not observed in the transformed T cell lines. T lymphocyte is therefore a model of coexpression of the two SH2-containing inositol 5-phosphatases SHIP1 and SHIP2.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

The Arabidopsis thaliana salt tolerance gene SOS1 encodes a putative Na+/H+ antiporter.

In Arabidopsis thaliana, the SOS1 (Salt Overly Sensitive 1) locus is essential for Na(+) and K(+) homeostasis, and sos1 mutations render plants more sensitive to growth inhibition by high Na(+) and low K(+) environments. SOS1 is cloned and predicted to encode a 127-kDa protein with 12 transmembrane domains in the N-terminal part and a long hydrophilic cytoplasmic tail in the C-terminal part. The transmembrane region of SOS1 has significant sequence similarities to plasma membrane Na(+)/H(+) antiporters from bacteria and fungi. Sequence analysis of various sos1 mutant alleles reveals several residues and regions in the transmembrane as well as the tail parts that are critical for SOS1 function in plant salt tolerance. SOS1 gene expression in plants is up-regulated in response to NaCl stress. This up-regulation is abated in sos3 or sos2 mutant plants, suggesting that it is controlled by the SOS3/SOS2 regulatory pathway.

Alleles↗
PubMed2004

Entire mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is present in preimplantation mouse embryos.

To understand how mitogenic signals are transduced into the trophoblasts in preimplantation embryos, the expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway molecules was tested. We used immunocytochemical means and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction to test whether MAPK pathway molecule gene products exist at the protein and phosphoprotein level in the zygote and the RNA level in the egg and zygote. In addition, all antibodies detected the correct-sized major band in Westerns of placental cell lines representing the most prevalent cell type in preimplantation embryos. A majority of mRNA transcripts of MAPK pathway genes were detected in unfertilized eggs, and all were expressed in the zygote. We found that the MAPK pathway protein set consisting of the following gene products was present: FRS2 alpha, GRB2, GAB1, SOS1, Ha-ras, Raf1/RafB, MEK1,2,5, MAPK/ERK1,2, MAPK/ERK5, and RSK1,2,3 (see abbreviations). These proteins were detected in trophoblasts in embryonic day (E) 3.5 embryos when they could mediate mitogenic fibroblast growth factor signals from the embryo or colony stimulating factor-1 signals from the uterus. The phosphorylation state and position of the phosphoproteins in the cells suggested that they might function in mediating mitogenic signals. Interestingly, a subtle transition from maternal MAPK function to zygotic function was suggested by the localization for three MAPK pathway enzymes between E2.5 and E3.5, Raf1 phospho is largely cell membrane-localized at E2.5 and E3.5, and MEK1,2 phospho accumulates in the nucleus on E2.5 and E3.5. However, MAPK phospho shifts from nuclear accumulation at E2.5 to cytoplasmic accumulation at E3.5. This finding is similar to the cytoplasmic MAPK phospho localization reported in fibroblast growth factor signaling fields in postimplantation embryos (Corson et al. [2003] Development 130:4527-4537). This spatial and temporal expression study lays a foundation to plan and analyze perturbation studies aimed at understanding the role of the major mitogenic pathway in preimplantation mouse embryos.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Ion homeostasis during salt stress in plants.

Recent progress has been made in the characterization of cation transporters that maintain ion homeostasis during salt stress in plants. Sodium-proton antiporters at the vacuolar (NHX1) and plasma membrane (SOS1) have been identified in Arabidopsis. SOS1 is regulated by the calcium-activated protein kinase complex SOS2-SOS3. In yeast, a transcription repressor, Sko1, mediates regulation of the sodium-pump ENA1 gene by the Hog1 MAP kinase. The recent visualization at the atomic level of the inhibitory site of sodium in the known target Hal2 has helped identify the interactions determining Na(+) toxicity.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1998

Regulation of Sos activity by intramolecular interactions.

The guanine nucleotide exchange factor Sos mediates the coupling of receptor tyrosine kinases to Ras activation. To investigate the mechanisms that control Sos activity, we have analyzed the contribution of various domains to its catalytic activity. Using human Sos1 (hSos1) truncation mutants, we show that Sos proteins lacking either the amino or the carboxyl terminus domain, or both, display a guanine nucleotide exchange activity that is significantly higher compared with that of the full-length protein. These results demonstrate that both the amino and the carboxyl terminus domains of Sos are involved in the negative regulation of its catalytic activity. Furthermore, in vitro Ras binding experiments suggest that the amino and carboxyl terminus domains exert negative allosteric control on the interaction of the Sos catalytic domain with Ras. The guanine nucleotide exchange activity of hSos1 was not augmented by growth factor stimulation, indicating that Sos activity is constitutively maintained in a downregulated state. Deletion of both the amino and the carboxyl terminus domains was sufficient to activate the transforming potential of Sos. These findings suggest a novel negative regulatory role for the amino terminus domain of Sos and indicate a cooperation between the amino and the carboxyl terminus domains in the regulation of Sos activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Mammalian Grb2 regulates multiple steps in embryonic development and malignant transformation.

Proteins with SH2 and SH3 domains link tyrosine kinases to intracellular pathways. To investigate the biological functions of a mammalian SH2/SH3 adaptor, we have introduced a null mutation into the mouse gene for Grb2. Analysis of mutant embryonic stem cells, embryos, and chimeras reveals that Grb2 is required during embyrogenesis for the differentiation of endodermal cells and formation of the epiblast. Grb2 acts physiologically as an adaptor, since replacing the C terminus of the Ras activator Sos1 with the Grb2 SH2 domain yields a fusion protein that largely rescues the defects caused by the Grb2 mutation. Furthermore, Grb2 is rate limiting for mammary carcinomas induced by polyomavirus middle T antigen. These data provide genetic evidence for a mammalian Grb2-Ras signaling pathway, mediated by SH2/SH3 domain interactions, that has multiple functions in embryogenesis and cancer.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1996

ER membrane protein complex required for nuclear fusion.

Diploid cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae form after the mating of two haploid cells of the opposite mating type. After fusion of the two plasma membranes of the mating cells, a dinucleated cell forms initially in which the two haploid nuclei then rapidly fuse to form a single diploid nucleus. This latter event, called karyogamy, can be divided into two distinct steps: the microtubule-based movement that causes the two nuclei to become closely juxtaposed and the fusion of the nuclear membranes. For the membrane fusion step, one required component, the ER luminal protein Kar2p (BiP), has been identified. For topological reasons, however, it has been unclear how Kar2p could function in this role. Kar2p is localized to the luminal (i.e., noncytoplasmic) face of the ER membrane, yet nuclear fusion must initiate from the cytosolic side of the outer nuclear membrane or the ER membrane with which it is contiguous. There is both genetic and biochemical evidence that Kar2p interacts with Sec63p, an ER membrane protein containing both luminal and cytosolic domains that is involved in protein translocation across the membrane. We have isolated novel sec63 mutant alleles that display severe karyogamy defects. Disruption of the genes encoding other Sec63p-associated proteins (Sec71p and Sec72p) also results in karyogamy defects. A suppressor mutant (sos1-1) partially corrects the translocation defect but does not alleviate the karyogamy defect. sec61 and sec62 mutant alleles that cause similar or more severe protein translocation defects show no karyogamy defects. Taken together, these results suggest a direct role for Sec63p, Sec71p, and Sec72p in nuclear membrane fusion and argue against the alternative interpretation that the karyogamy defects result as an indirect consequence of the impaired membrane translocation of another component(s) required for the process. We propose that an ER/nuclear membrane protein complex composed of Sec63p, Sec71p, and Sec72p plays a central role in mediating nuclear membrane fusion and requires ER luminally associated Kar2p for its function.

Endoplasmic Reticulum↗