An evolutionarily conserved protein binding sequence upstream of a plant light-regulated gene.

A protein factor, identified in nuclear extracts obtained from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum, Solanaceae) and Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicaceae) seedlings, specifically binds upstream sequences from the plant light-regulated gene family encoding the small subunit of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RBCS). RBCS upstream sequences from tomato, pea (Pisum sativum, Leguminosae), and Arabidopsis are recognized by the factor. The factor recognition occurs via a short conserved sequence (G box) whose consensus sequence is 5'-TCTTACACGTGGCAYY-3' (where Y is pyrimidine). This sequence is distinct from the GT motif described previously in RBCS promoters. Two other conserved sequences, showing a lesser degree of evolutionary conservation, are found upstream of the G box but do not bind to the G box binding factor (GBF). Twelve nucleotides within the G box are sufficient for the formation of a stable DNA-GBF complex. GBF is found in both light-grown and dark-adapted tomato leaf extracts, but it is present in greatly reduced amounts in root extracts.     

Mutations in conserved yeast DNA primase domains impair DNA replication in vivo.

To assess the role of eukaryotic DNA primase in vivo, we have produced conditional and lethal point mutations by random in vitro mutagenesis of the PR11 and PR12 genes, which encode the small and large subunits of yeast DNA primase. We replaced the wild-type copies of PRI1 and PRI2 with two pri1 and two pri2 conditional alleles. When shifted to the restrictive temperature, these strains showed altered DNA synthesis and reduced ability to synthesize high molecular weight DNA products, thus providing in vivo evidence for the essential role of DNA primase in eukaryotic DNA replication. Furthermore, mapping of the mutations at the nucleotide level has shown that the two pri1 and two pri2 conditional alleles and one pri2 lethal allele have suffered single base-pair substitutions causing a change in amino acid residues conserved in the corresponding mouse polypeptide.     

Lariat sequencing in a unicellular yeast identifies regulated alternative splicing of exons that are evolutionarily conserved with humans

Alternative splicing is a potent regulator of gene expression that vastly increases proteomic diversity in multicellular eukaryotes and is associated with organismal complexity. Although alternative splicing is widespread in vertebrates, little is known about the evolutionary origins of this process, in part because of the absence of phylogenetically conserved events that cross major eukaryotic clades. Here we describe a lariat-sequencing approach, which offers high sensitivity for detecting splicing events, and its application to the unicellular fungus, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, an organism that shares many of the hallmarks of alternative splicing in mammalian systems but for which no previous examples of exon-skipping had been demonstrated. Over 200 previously unannotated splicing events were identified, including examples of regulated alternative splicing. Remarkably, an evolutionary analysis of four of the exons identified here as subject to skipping in S. pombe reveals high sequence conservation and perfect length conservation with their homologs in scores of plants, animals, and fungi. Moreover, alternative splicing of two of these exons have been documented in multiple vertebrate organisms, making these the first demonstrations of identical alternative-splicing patterns in species that are separated by over 1 billion y of evolution.     

Mutations in lambda repressor''s amino-terminal domain: implications for protein stability and DNA binding.

The DNA binding properties of 52 different single-amino acid substitutions in lambda repressor's amino-terminal domain have been characterized. Seven proteins bearing mutations that change solvent-exposed side chains have been purified. The amino-terminal domains of these mutant repressors are folded and are comparable to the wild-type amino-terminal domain in thermal stability. In contrast, a purified mutant repressor bearing a substitution in a buried side chain contains an amino-terminal domain with decreased thermal stability. We argue that mutations that alter solvent-exposed wild-type side chains define residues that form the operator DNA binding surface of lambda repressor whereas completely or partially buried mutations exert their effect by decreasing protein stability.     

Mnd1p: an evolutionarily conserved protein required for meiotic recombination

We used a functional genomics approach to identify a gene required for meiotic recombination, YGL183c or MND1. MND1 was spliced in meiotic cells, extending the annotated YGL183c ORF N terminus by 45 aa. Saccharomyces cerevisiae mnd1-1 mutants, in which the majority of the MND1 coding sequence was removed, arrested before the first meiotic division with a phenotype reminiscent of dmc1 mutants. Physical and genetic analysis showed that these cells initiated recombination, but did not form heteroduplex DNA or double Holliday junctions, suggesting that Mnd1p is involved in strand invasion. Orthologs of MND1 were identified in protists, several yeasts, plants, and mammals, suggesting that its function has been conserved throughout evolution.     

Mouse cytoplasmic polyadenylylation element binding protein: An evolutionarily conserved protein that interacts with the cytoplasmic polyadenylylation elements of c-mos mRNA

Cytoplasmic polyadenylylation is an essential process that controls the translation of maternal mRNAs during early development and depends on two cis elements in the 3′ untranslated region: the polyadenylylation hexanucleotide AAUAAA and a U-rich cytoplasmic polyadenylylation element (CPE). In searching for factors that could mediate cytoplasmic polyadenylylation of mouse c-mos mRNA, which encodes a serine/threonine kinase necessary for oocyte maturation, we have isolated the mouse homolog of CPEB, a protein that binds to the CPEs of a number of mRNAs in Xenopus oocytes and is required for their polyadenylylation. Mouse CPEB (mCPEB) is a 62-kDa protein that binds to the CPEs of c-mos mRNA. mCPEB mRNA is present in the ovary, testis, and kidney; within the ovary, this RNA is restricted to oocytes. mCPEB shows 80% overall identity with its Xenopus counterpart, with a higher homology in the carboxyl-terminal portion, which contains two RNA recognition motifs and a cysteine/histidine repeat. Proteins from arthropods and nematodes are also similar to this region, suggesting an ancient and widely used mechanism to control polyadenylylation and translation.     

Structure and function of the SWIRM domain, a conserved protein module found in chromatin regulatory complexes

The SWIRM domain is a module found in the Swi3 and Rsc8 subunits of SWI/SNF-family chromatin remodeling complexes, and the Ada2 and BHC110/LSD1 subunits of chromatin modification complexes. Here we report the high-resolution crystal structure of the SWIRM domain from Swi3 and characterize the in vitro and in vivo function of the SWIRM domains from Saccharomyces cerevisiae Swi3 and Rsc8. The Swi3 SWIRM forms a four-helix bundle containing a pseudo 2-fold axis and a helix-turn-helix motif commonly found in DNA-binding proteins. We show that the Swi3 SWIRM binds free DNA and mononucleosomes with high and comparable affinity and that a subset of Swi3 substitution mutants that display growth defects in vivo also show impaired DNA-binding activity in vitro, consistent with a nucleosome targeting function of this domain. Genetic and biochemical studies also reveal that the Rsc8 and Swi3 SWIRM domains are essential for the proper assembly and in vivo functions of their respective complexes. Together, these studies identify the SWIRM domain as an essential multifunctional module for the regulation of gene expression.     

Mutations that disrupt DNA binding and dimer formation in the E47 helix-loop-helix protein map to distinct domains.

A common DNA binding and dimerization domain containing an apparent "helix-loop-helix" (HLH) structure was recognized recently in a number of regulatory proteins, including the E47 and E12 proteins that bind to the kappa E2 motif in immunoglobulin kappa gene enhancer. The effect of site-directed mutagenesis on E47 protein multimerization and DNA binding was examined. Mutations in either putative helix domain disrupted protein dimerization and DNA binding. No DNA binding was observed when mutations were introduced in the basic region, but these mutants were able to dimerize. These basic region mutants were not able to bind to DNA as heterodimers with the wild-type E47 proteins, demonstrating that two functional basic regions are required for binding to DNA. Therefore the basic region mutants are "transdominant."     

Replication protein A binds to regulatory elements in yeast DNA repair and DNA metabolism genes.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae responds to DNA damage by arresting cell cycle progression (thereby preventing the replication and segregation of damaged chromosomes) and by inducing the expression of numerous genes, some of which are involved in DNA repair, DNA replication, and DNA metabolism. Induction of the S. cerevisiae 3-methyladenine DNA glycosylase repair gene (MAG) by DNA-damaging agents requires one upstream activating sequence (UAS) and two upstream repressing sequences (URS1 and URS2) in the MAG promoter. Sequences similar to the MAG URS elements are present in at least 11 other S. cerevisiae DNA repair and metabolism genes. Replication protein A (Rpa) is known as a single-stranded-DNA-binding protein that is involved in the initiation and elongation steps of DNA replication, nucleotide excision repair, and homologous recombination. We now show that the MAG URS1 and URS2 elements form similar double-stranded, sequence-specific, DNA-protein complexes and that both complexes contain Rpa. Moreover, Rpa appears to bind the MAG URS1-like elements found upstream of 11 other DNA repair and DNA metabolism genes. These results lead us to hypothesize that Rpa may be involved in the regulation of a number of DNA repair and DNA metabolism genes.     

ClpB N-terminal domain plays a regulatory role in protein disaggregation

ClpB/Hsp100 is an ATP-dependent disaggregase that solubilizes and reactivates protein aggregates in cooperation with the DnaK/Hsp70 chaperone system. The ClpB–substrate interaction is mediated by conserved tyrosine residues located in flexible loops in nucleotide-binding domain-1 that extend into the ClpB central pore. In addition to the tyrosines, the ClpB N-terminal domain (NTD) was suggested to provide a second substrate-binding site; however, the manner in which the NTD recognizes and binds substrate proteins has remained elusive. Herein, we present an NMR spectroscopy study to structurally characterize the NTD–substrate interaction. We show that the NTD includes a substrate-binding groove that specifically recognizes exposed hydrophobic stretches in unfolded or aggregated client proteins. Using an optimized segmental labeling technique in combination with methyl-transverse relaxation optimized spectroscopy (TROSY) NMR, the interaction of client proteins with both the NTD and the pore-loop tyrosines in the 580-kDa ClpB hexamer has been characterized. Unlike contacts with the tyrosines, the NTD–substrate interaction is independent of the ClpB nucleotide state and protein conformational changes that result from ATP hydrolysis. The NTD interaction destabilizes client proteins, priming them for subsequent unfolding and translocation. Mutations in the NTD substrate-binding groove are shown to have a dramatic effect on protein translocation through the ClpB central pore, suggesting that, before their interaction with substrates, the NTDs block the translocation channel. Together, our findings provide both a detailed characterization of the NTD–substrate complex and insight into the functional regulatory role of the ClpB NTD in protein disaggregation.The heat shock protein ClpB (Escherichia coli) or Hsp100 (eukaryotes) is the main protein disaggregase in bacteria, yeast, plants, and mitochondria of all eukaryotic cells, and it is essential for cell survival during severe stress (1–4). Recovery of functional proteins from aggregates by ClpB requires the synergistic interaction with a second molecular chaperone, DnaK (1). Through its cochaperone, DnaJ, DnaK initially binds to the aggregates, leading to the exposure of peptide segments that can be recognized by ClpB (5, 6). DnaK then recruits ClpB to the site of aggregation through direct physical interaction (7, 8), transferring the aggregate to ClpB. Using the energy derived from ATP hydrolysis, ClpB unravels the aggregate by threading single polypeptide chains, one at a time, through the central pore of its hexameric ring (9). Once released from the aggregate, the unfolded polypeptides can either refold spontaneously or fold with the help of additional cellular chaperones.Like other Hsp100 proteins, ClpB forms a hexameric ring, with each protomer comprising an N-terminal domain (NTD) and two nucleotide binding domains (NBD1 and NBD2) separated by a unique regulatory coil–coil domain (10) essential for DnaK binding (7, 11) (Fig. 1 A and B). Both NBDs contain Walker A and Walker B motifs that are required for nucleotide binding and hydrolysis (12, 13), respectively, and a highly conserved tyrosine (Y243 in Thermus thermophilus ClpB) that plays a critical role in disaggregation. Each of the conserved tyrosines from a protomer is located in a so-called pore loop (14) (Fig. 1C) and extends into the axial channel to interact directly with positively charged and aromatic residues from the bound substrate (9, 15). Mutating these NBD-1 pore loop tyrosines leads to a partial reduction of the ClpB protein disaggregation activity (9, 15). When this mutation is combined with the deletion of the NTD, the resulting double mutant is completely inactive in substrate disaggregation (16), although each of these ClpB variants alone can reactivate protein aggregates (9, 15). The complete loss in activity only with the ClpB double mutant was suggested to result from overlapping substrate-binding functions for the NBD1 pore tyrosine residues and the ClpB NTD (16).Open in a separate windowFig. 1.Structure and domain organization of the hexameric ClpB chaperone. Domain organization (A) and protomeric structure (B) of the ClpB chaperone [Protein Data Bank (PDB) ID code 1QVR (10)]. The ClpB protomer consists of an N-terminal domain (NTD; green), two nucleotide binding domains (NBD1, NBD2; dark and light blue, respectively), and a coil–coil domain insertion (CCD; yellow). (C) The monomers assemble into a hexamer consisting of three rings formed by NTDs (top ring; green), NBD1-CCD (blue-yellow), and NBD2 enclosing the central pore. The Inset shows a magnified view of the central pore loops of NBD1 with the conserved tyrosines (Y243; represented as red sticks) extending into the axial channel. This model of ClpB hexamers is based on cryo-electron microscopy structures of E. coli ClpB (EMD-2563) (52).The ClpB NTD is a globular, 150-residue α-helical domain connected by an unstructured 17-residue linker to NBD1 (Fig. 1 A and B) (10). Its precise function remains unclear—it is not required for thermotolerance (17), yet it becomes important in vivo when Hsp70 activity is compromised (18, 19). Although it was reported that the NTD is not required for disaggregation of many small aggregates, it is involved in the reactivation of several strongly aggregated proteins (17, 18, 20). Here, we use NMR to structurally characterize its interaction with substrate proteins and to elucidate its functional role in protein disaggregation. Our results demonstrate that the NTD contains a substrate-binding groove that specifically recognizes hydrophobic residues exposed in unfolded or aggregated client proteins. Unlike the case for substrate binding involving the pore loops, the NTD–substrate interaction is independent both of the nucleotide state and conformational changes to ClpB that ATP hydrolysis promotes. Notably, we show that the NTD interaction destabilizes client proteins, priming them for subsequent unfolding and translocation. Finally, mutations in the NTD substrate-binding groove have a dramatic effect on protein translocation through the ClpB central pore, suggesting that NTDs block the translocation channel before interaction with substrates. Together, our findings provide molecular insight into the NTD–substrate complex as well as into the functional role of the NTD in both protein disaggregation and in regulating ClpB activity.