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Isolation and characterization of SYS genes from yeast, multicopy suppressors of the functional loss of the transport GTPase Ypt6p.

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the YPT6 gene encodes the homologue of the mammalian Rab6 protein found in the Golgi apparatus. Deletion of YPT6 in yeast produces a phenotype showing temperature-sensitive growth and partial missorting of the vacuolar enzyme, carboxypeptidase Y. To identify proteins that might: (1) interact with Ypt6p; or (2) act in the same pathway, we have isolated four multicopy suppressors, named SYS1, SYS2, SYS3 and SYS5, that can complement the temperature-sensitive growth phenotype of the ypt6 null mutant. On high expression, these genes are also able to partially suppress the missorting of carboxypeptidase Y.SYS2 on a multicopy plasmid suppresses in addition the temperature-sensitive phenotype of sec7-1, a mutant defective in transport between and from the Golgi compartment. Gene disruption of SYS1 and SYS2 did not result in significant growth defects. However, deletion of SYS1 and/or SYS2 in the ypt6 null mutant enhances defects in vacuolar protein sorting and in cell growth. Whereas protein secretion was not significantly affected in these mutants, the processing of alpha-factor precursor by the Kex2 protease was inhibited, suggesting a function of YPT6 and its null mutant suppressors in transport between the late Golgi and a prevacuolar, endosome-like compartment.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Yeast ER-Golgi v-SNAREs Bos1p and Bet1p differ in steady-state localization and targeting.

Vesicle specific SNAP receptors (v-SNAREs) Bos1p and Bet1p are involved in targeting of anterograde vesicles between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and early Golgi of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. To analyze factors that influence the targeting of these proteins, alpha-factor tagged versions of Bos1p and Bet1p were employed. The alpha-factor can be cleaved off by the Kex2p protease as soon as the hybrid proteins reach the late Golgi compartment. The data obtained by monitoring of Kex2p cleavage, by immunofluorescence microscopy and cell fractionation showed that Bos1-alpha and Bet1-alpha have different cellular localization and dynamics. Bos1-alpha is an ER protein, which recycles between the Golgi and the ER in COPI-dependent manner. Bet1-alpha is an early Golgi protein and it does not change its localization under conditions when other recycling Golgi proteins can be trapped in the ER.

Biological Transport↗

Identification of Rgp1p, a novel Golgi recycling factor, as a protein required for efficient localization of yeast casein kinase 1 to the plasma membrane.

The Yck1p and Yck2p casein kinase 1 isoforms in yeast are essential peripheral plasma membrane-associated protein kinases with roles in endocytosis, cellular morphogenesis and cytokinesis. The membrane targeting of these cytoplasmically oriented protein kinases requires normal secretory pathway function, but specific targeting factors have not been identified. To learn more about Yckp targeting, we characterized mutations that cause synthetic lethality with impairment of Yck function. We report here that these include mutations in two gene products that function in protein trafficking. One of these is the previously described t-SNARE Tlg2p, which participates in recycling of proteins to the Golgi. The other is a previously uncharacterized protein, Rgp1p, which appears to have a similar function. Loss of either Tlg2p or Rgp1p causes inefficient localization of Yck2p, suggesting that its transport may be directed, in part, by a targeting factor that must be recycled back to the Golgi.

Biomarkers↗

Analysis of ATF6 activation in Site-2 protease-deficient Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Mammalian transcription factor ATF6 is constitutively synthesized as a type II transmembrane protein embedded in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). It is activated when unfolded proteins are accumulated in the ER under ER stress through a process called regulated intramembrane proteolysis (Rip), in which ATF6 is transported from the ER to the Golgi apparatus where it undergoes sequential cleavage by Site-1 and Site-2 proteases. The cytosolic transcription factor domain of ATF6 liberated from the Golgi membrane enters the nucleus where it activates transcription of ER-localized molecular chaperones and folding enzymes, leading to the maintenance of the homeostasis of the ER. Here, we analyzed M19 cells, a mutant of Chinese hamster ovary cells deficient in Site-2 protease. It was previously shown that M19 cells are defective in the induction of mRNA encoding the major ER chaperone BiP. In M19 cells, ATF6 was not converted from the membrane-bound precursor form to the cleaved and nuclear form as expected. Moreover, some of the ATF6 was constitutively relocated to the Golgi apparatus, where it was cleaved by Site-1 protease, and remained associated with the Golgi apparatus, indicating that the ER of M19 cells was constitutively stressed. Consistent with this notion, the two other ER stress response mediators, IRE1 and PERK, were also constitutively activated in M19 cells. M19 cells showed inefficient secretion of a model protein. These results suggest that Rip-mediated activation of ATF6 is important for the homeostasis of the ER in not only ER-stressed but also unstressed cells.

Activating Transcription Factor 6↗

XBP1 is critical to protect cells from endoplasmic reticulum stress: evidence from Site-2 protease-deficient Chinese hamster ovary cells.

XBP1 is a transcription factor downstream of IRE1, a transmembrane protein in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) which functions as a sensor and transducer of ER stress. XBP1 mRNA is constitutively expressed at a low level as an intron-containing precursor mRNA (unspliced mRNA), which is subject to IRE1-mediated splicing reaction upon ER stress to produce the active form of XBP1, pXBP1(S). Because the XBP1 promoter carries a perfect ER stress-response element, namely, the cis-acting element responsible for the induction of ER chaperones, and XBP1 mRNA is induced in response to ER stress with a time course similar to that of ER chaperone mRNAs, it is conjectured that transcription factor ATF6, activated immediately upon ER stress, induces the transcription of not only ER chaperone genes but also of XBP1 gene, such that pXBP1(S) produced by the splicing of an increased level of XBP1 mRNA escapes from proteasome-mediated degradation. Here, we examined this notion by determining the induction of XBP1 mRNA and pXBP1(S) in mutant Chinese hamster ovary (M19) cells deficient in Site-2 protease, which executes the last step of ER stress-induced activation of ATF6. We found that the induction of XBP1 mRNA and pXBP1(S) was greatly reduced in M19 cells as compared with wild-type cells, leading to a marked reduction in the extent of induction of XBP1-target gene. M19 cells were much more sensitive to ER stress than wild-type cells. Importantly, overexpression of XBP1 unspliced mRNA in M19 cells reversed all of these phenotypes. We concluded that ATF6-mediated induction of XBP1 mRNA is important to the production of pXBP1(S), activation of XBP1-target genes, and protection of cells from ER stress.

Activating Transcription Factor 6↗

The functional relationship between the Cdc50p-Drs2p putative aminophospholipid translocase and the Arf GAP Gcs1p in vesicle formation in the retrieval pathway from yeast early endosomes to the TGN.

Drs2p, the catalytic subunit of the Cdc50p-Drs2p putative aminophospholipid translocase, has been implicated in conjunction with the Arf1 signaling pathway in the formation of clathrin-coated vesicles (CCVs) from the TGN. Herein, we searched for Arf regulator genes whose mutations were synthetically lethal with cdc50Delta, and identified the Arf GAP gene GCS1. Most of the examined transport pathways in the Cdc50p-depleted gcs1Delta mutant were nearly normal, including endocytic transport to vacuoles, carboxypeptidase Y sorting, and the processing and secretion of invertase. In contrast, this mutant exhibited severe defects in the early endosome-to-TGN transport pathway; proteins that are transported via this pathway, such as the v-SNARE Snc1p, the t-SNARE Tlg1p, and the chitin synthase III subunit Chs3p, accumulated in TGN-independent aberrant membrane structures. We extended our analyses to clathrin adaptors, and found that Gga1p/Gga2p and AP-1 were also involved in this pathway. The Cdc50p-depleted gga1Delta gga2Delta mutant and the gcs1Delta apl2Delta (the beta1 subunit of AP-1) mutant exhibited growth defects and intracellular Snc1p-containing membranes accumulated in these cells. These results suggest that Cdc50p-Drs2p plays an important role in the Arf1p-mediated formation of CCVs for the retrieval pathway from early endosomes to the TGN.

ADP-Ribosylation Factor 1↗

A novel proteinaceous Kex 2 proteinase inhibitor, kexstatin, from Streptomyces platensis Q268.

We found a novel proteinaceous Kex 2 proteinase inhibitor, named kexstatin, in the culture supernatant of Streptomyces platensis Q268. The purified kexstatin was homogeneous by SDS-PAGE and the molecular weight was estimated to be 13,000. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of kexstatin has high similarity to Streptomyces subtilisin inhibitor (SSI), suggesting that kexstatin belongs to the SSI family. Kexstatin was a strong inhibitor of Kex 2 proteinase and subtilisin but not thermolysin, trypsin, or chymotrypsin. The IC50 value of kexstatin against 1 microgram of Kex 2 proteinase was 1.4 micrograms.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The precursor of secreted aspartic proteinase Sapp1p from Candida parapsilosis can be activated both autocatalytically and by a membrane-bound processing proteinase.

Opportunistic pathogens of the genus Candida produce secreted aspartic proteinases (Saps) that play an important role in virulence. Saps are synthesized as zymogens, but cell-free culture supernatants of Candida spp. contain only mature Saps. To study the zymogen conversion, the gene encoding a precursor of C. parapsilosis proteinase Sapp1p was cloned, expressed in E. coli and the product was purified. When placed in acidic conditions, the precursor was autocatalytically processed, yielding an active proteinase. The self-activation proceeded through an intermediate product and the resulting enzyme was one amino acid shorter than the authentic enzyme. This truncation did not cause changes in proteinase activity or secondary structure compared to the authentic Sapp1p. Accurate cleavage of the pro-mature junction, however, required a processing proteinase. A crude membrane fraction prepared from C. parapsilosis cells contained an enzyme with Kex2-like activity, which processed the Sapp1p precursor at the expected site. The pro-segment appeared to be indispensable for Sapp1p to attain an appropriate structure. When expressed without the pro-segment, the Sapp1p mature domain was not active and had a lower content of alpha-helical conformation, as measured by circular dichroism. A similar effect was observed when a His(6)-tag was linked to the C-terminus of Sapp1p or its precursor.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Post-translational processing of human procorticotrophin-releasing factor in transfected mouse neuroblastoma and Chinese hamster ovary cell lines.

The mouse neuroblastoma cell line (Neuro 2 A) has been shown to contain the mRNA of a prohormone converting enzyme, PC2. The Chinese hamster ovary cell line (CHO) does not express PC2 mRNA, but is thought to contain the ubiquitous protease, furin. The enzyme(s) responsible for releasing corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) from its precursor (proCRH) have not been identified, therefore to investigate the possible function(s) of PC2 or furin in the processing of proCRH, stable Neuro 2 A and CHO cell lines that express the 21 kDa human (h)proCRH were established. A specific two-site IRMA for CRH demonstrated that the hpreproCRH-expressing Neuro 2 A cell line cleaved the CRH precursor to the CRH peptide, and was able to release the mature peptide into cell medium at levels that were 4-fold higher than produced by the hproCRH-expressing CHO cells. RIA showed that the CHO cells secreted levels of CRH-containing peptides that were 10-fold higher than produced by the Neuro 2 A cells. Medium from the transfected CHO and Neuro 2 A cells was analysed by HPLC; this showed that CHO cells released a single protein corresponding to the unprocessed CRH precursor, whereas Neuro 2 A cells secreted two peptides, which could be identified as the 5 kDa CRH(1-41) and residual 16 kDa CRH peptides. These results suggest that Neuro 2 A cells, which contain PC2, can process proCRH to the mature peptide.

Animals↗

Critical role for the tapasin-docking site of TAP2 in the functional integrity of the MHC class I-peptide-loading complex.

The transporter associated with Ag processing (TAP) translocates antigenic peptides into the endoplasmic reticulum for binding onto MHC class I (MHC I) molecules. Tapasin organizes a peptide-loading complex (PLC) by recruiting MHC I and accessory chaperones to the N-terminal regions (N domains) of the TAP subunits TAP1 and TAP2. To investigate the function of the tapasin-docking sites of TAP in MHC I processing, we expressed N-terminally truncated variants of TAP1 and TAP2 in combination with wild-type chains, as fusion proteins or as single subunits. Strikingly, TAP variants lacking the N domain in TAP2, but not in TAP1, build PLCs that fail to generate stable MHC I-peptide complexes. This correlates with a substantially reduced recruitment of accessory chaperones into the PLC demonstrating their important role in the quality control of MHC I loading. However, stable surface expression of MHC I can be rescued in post-endoplasmic reticulum compartments by a proprotein convertase-dependent mechanism.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Endoprotease PACE4 is Ca2+-dependent and temperature-sensitive and can partly rescue the phenotype of a furin-deficient cell strain.

PACE4 is a member of the eukaryotic subtilisin-like endoprotease family. The expression of human PACE4 in RPE.40 cells (furin-null mutants derived from Chinese hamster ovary K1 cells) resulted in the rescue of a number of wild-type characteristics, including sensitivity to Sindbis virus and the ability to process the low-density-lipoprotein receptor-related protein. Expression of PACE4 in these cells failed to restore wild-type sensitivity to Pseudomonas exotoxin A. Co-expression of human PACE4 in these cells with either a secreted form of the human insulin pro-receptor or the precursor form of von Willebrand factor resulted in both proproteins being processed; RPE.40 cells were unable to process either precursor protein in the absence of co-expressed PACE4. Northern analysis demonstrated that untransfected RPE.40 cells express mRNA species for four PACE4 isoforms, suggesting that any endogenous PACE4 proteins produced by these cells are either non-functional or sequestered in a compartment outside of the secretory pathway. In experiments in vitro, PACE4 processed diphtheria toxin and anthrax toxin protective antigen, but not Pseudomonas exotoxin A. The activity of PACE4 in vitro was Ca2+-dependent and, unlike furin, was sensitive to temperature changes between 22 and 37 degrees C. RPE.40 cells stably expressing human PACE4 secreted an endoprotease with the same Ca2+ dependence and temperature sensitivity as that observed in membrane fractions of these cells assayed in vitro. These results, in conjunction with other published work, demonstrate that PACE4 is an endoprotease with more stringent substrate specificity and more limited operating parameters than furin.

ADP Ribose Transferases↗

A role for amontillado, the Drosophila homolog of the neuropeptide precursor processing protease PC2, in triggering hatching behavior.

Accurate proteolytic processing of neuropeptide and peptide hormone precursors by members of the kexin/furin family of proteases is key to determining both the identities and activities of signaling peptides. Here we identify amontillado (amon), the Drosophila melanogaster homolog of the mammalian neuropeptide processing protease PC2, and show that in contrast to vertebrate PC2, amontillado expression undergoes extensive regulation in the nervous system during development. In situ hybridization reveals that expression of amontillado is restricted to the final stages of embryogenesis when it is found in anterior sensory structures and in only 168 cells in the brain and ventral nerve cord. After larvae hatch from their egg shells, the sensory structures and most cells in the CNS turn off or substantially reduce amontillado expression, suggesting that amontillado plays a specific role late in embryogenesis. Larvae lacking the chromosomal region containing amontillado show no gross anatomical defects and respond to touch. However, such larvae show a greatly reduced frequency of a hatching behavior of wild-type Drosophila in which larvae swing their heads, scraping through the eggshell with their mouth hooks. Ubiquitous expression of amontillado can restore near wild-type levels of this behavior, whereas expression of amontillado with an alanine substitution for the catalytic histidine cannot. These results suggest that amontillado expression is regulated as part of a programmed modulation of neural signaling that controls hatching behavior by producing specific neuropeptides in particular neurons at an appropriate developmental time.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The human ET(B) endothelin receptor heterologously produced in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris shows high-affinity binding and induction of stacked membranes.

The human endothelin B receptor (ET(B) receptor) was produced in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris under transcriptional control of the highly inducible alcohol oxidase 1 (AOX1) gene promoter. In the expression plasmids pPIC9KFlagET(B)Bio and pPIC9KFlag deltaGPET(B)Bio the ET(B) receptor coding region was fused in frame to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae alpha-factor prepropeptide and the FLAG-tag. In both constructs, the receptor was also fused to a biotinylation domain. Additionally, in pPIC9KFlag deltaGPET(B)Bio the putative N-glycosylation site and a protease site have been deleted by site directed mutagenesis. Crude membranes prepared from recombinant P. pastoris revealed specific and saturable binding of [125I]ET-1 with a K(D) of about 42 pM. Receptor levels of 60 pmol/mg and 35 pmol/mg for the Flag deltaGPET(B)Bio and the FlagET(B)Bio construct, respectively, were determined. The pharmacological profile for ET-1, ET-2 and ET-3 were as expected for a subtype B endothelin (ET) receptor. Immunoblot analysis showed an apparent molecular mass of 55 kDa for the Kex2-processed and about 74 kDa for the Kex2-unprocessed receptor. Contrary to the Flag deltaGPET(B)Bio construct, the FlagET(B)Bio construct was not correctly processed by the internal Kex2 endopeptidase. As was detected by ultrastructural analysis of recombinant yeast cells, high-level production of the receptor resulted in the formation of stacked membranes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗