A G Hinnebusch

Evidence that GCN1 and GCN20, translational regulators of GCN4, function on elongating ribosomes in activation of eIF2alpha kinase GCN2.

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, phosphorylation of translation initiation factor eIF2 by protein kinase GCN2 leads to increased translation of the transcriptional activator GCN4 in amino acid-starved cells. The GCN1 and GCN20 proteins are components of a protein complex required for the stimulation of GCN2 kinase activity under starvation conditions. GCN20 is a member of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) family, most of the members of which function as membrane-bound transporters, raising the possibility that the GCN1/GCN20 complex regulates GCN2 indirectly as an amino acid transporter. At odds with this idea, indirect immunofluorescence revealed cytoplasmic localization of GCN1 and no obvious association with plasma or vacuolar membranes. In addition, a fraction of GCN1 and GCN20 cosedimented with polysomes and 80S ribosomes, and the ribosome association of GCN20 was largely dependent on GCN1. The C-terminal 84% of GCN20 containing the ABCs was found to be dispensable for complex formation with GCN1 and for the stimulation of GCN2 kinase function. Because ABCs provide the energy-coupling mechanism for ABC transporters, these results also contradict the idea that GCN20 regulates GCN2 as an amino acid transporter. The N-terminal 15 to 25% of GCN20, which is critically required for its regulatory function, was found to interact with an internal segment of GCN1 similar in sequence to translation elongation factor 3 (EF3). Based on these findings, we propose that GCN1 performs an EF3-related function in facilitating the activation of GCN2 by uncharged tRNA on translating ribosomes. The physical interaction between GCN20 and the EF3-like domain in GCN1 could allow for modulation of GCN1 activity, and the ABC domains in GCN20 may be involved in this regulatory function. A human homolog of GCN1 has been identified, and the portion of this protein most highly conserved with yeast GCN1 has sequence similarity to EF3. Thus, similar mechanisms for the detection of uncharged tRNA on translating ribosomes may operate in yeast and human cells.

GCN20, a novel ATP binding cassette protein, and GCN1 reside in a complex that mediates activation of the eIF-2 alpha kinase GCN2 in amino acid-starved cells.

GCN2 is a protein kinase that phosphorylates the alpha‐subunit of translation initiation factor 2 (eIF‐2) and thereby stimulates translation of GCN4 mRNA in amino acid‐starved cells. We isolated a null mutation in a previously unidentified gene, GCN20, that suppresses the growth‐inhibitory effect of eIF‐2 alpha hyperphosphorylation catalyzed by mutationally activated forms of GCN2. The deletion of GCN20 in otherwise wild‐type strains impairs derepression of GCN4 translation and reduces the level of eIF‐2 alpha phosphorylation in vivo, showing that GCN20 is a positive effector of GCN2 kinase function. In accordance with this conclusion, GCN20 was co‐immunoprecipitated from cell extracts with GCN1, another factor required to activate GCN2, and the two proteins interacted in the yeast two‐hybrid system. We conclude that GCN1 and GCN20 are components of a protein complex that couples the kinase activity of GCN2 to the availability of amino acids. GCN20 is a member of the ATP binding cassette (ABC) family of proteins and is closely related to ABC proteins identified in Caenorhabditis elegans, rice and humans, suggesting that the function of GCN20 may be conserved among diverse eukaryotic organisms.

Structural requirements for double-stranded RNA binding, dimerization, and activation of the human eIF-2 alpha kinase DAI in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The protein kinase DAI is activated upon viral infection of mammalian cells and inhibits protein synthesis by phosphorylation of the alpha subunit of translation initiation factor 2 (eIF-2 alpha). DAI is activated in vitro by double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs), and binding of dsRNA is dependent on two copies of a conserved sequence motif located N terminal to the kinase domain in DAI. High-level expression of DAI in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells is lethal because of hyperphosphorylation of eIF-2 alpha; at lower levels, DAI can functionally replace the protein kinase GCN2 and stimulate translation of GCN4 mRNA. These two phenotypes were used to characterize structural requirements for DAI function in vivo, by examining the effects of amino acid substitutions at matching positions in the two dsRNA-binding motifs and of replacing one copy of the motif with the other. We found that both copies of the dsRNA-binding motif are required for high-level kinase function and that the N-terminal copy is more important than the C-terminal copy for activation of DAI in S. cerevisiae. On the basis of these findings, we conclude that the requirements for dsRNA binding in vitro and for activation of DAI kinase function in vivo closely coincide. Two mutant alleles containing deletions of the first or second binding motif functionally complemented when coexpressed in yeast cells, strongly suggesting that the active form of DAI is a dimer. In accord with this conclusion, overexpression of four catalytically inactive alleles containing different deletions in the protein kinase domain interfered with wild-type DAI produced in the same cells. Interestingly, three inactivating point mutations in the kinase domain were all recessive, suggesting that dominant interference involves the formation of defective heterodimers rather than sequestration of dsRNA activators by mutant enzymes. We suggest that large structural alterations in the kinase domain impair an interaction between the two protomers in a DAI dimer that is necessary for activation by dsRNA or for catalysis of eIF-2 alpha phosphorylation.

Mutations activating the yeast eIF-2 alpha kinase GCN2: isolation of alleles altering the domain related to histidyl-tRNA synthetases.

The protein kinase GCN2 stimulates expression of the yeast transcriptional activator GCN4 at the translational level by phosphorylating the alpha subunit of translation initiation factor 2 (eIF-2 alpha) in amino acid-starved cells. Phosphorylation of eIF-2 alpha reduces its activity, allowing ribosomes to bypass short open reading frames present in the GCN4 mRNA leader and initiate translation at the GCN4 start codon. We describe here 17 dominant GCN2 mutations that lead to derepression of GCN4 expression in the absence of amino acid starvation. Seven of these GCN2c alleles map in the protein kinase moiety, and two in this group alter the presumed ATP-binding domain, suggesting that ATP binding is a regulated aspect of GCN2 function. Six GCN2c alleles map in a region related to histidyl-tRNA synthetases, and two in this group alter a sequence motif conserved among class II aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases that directly interacts with the acceptor stem of tRNA. These results support the idea that GCN2 kinase function is activated under starvation conditions by binding uncharged tRNA to the domain related to histidyl-tRNA synthetase. The remaining GCN2c alleles map at the extreme C terminus, a domain required for ribosome association of the protein. Representative mutations in each domain were shown to depend on the phosphorylation site in eIF-2 alpha for their effects on GCN4 expression and to increase the level of eIF-2 alpha phosphorylation in the absence of amino acid starvation. Synthetic GCN2c double mutations show greater derepression of GCN4 expression than the parental single mutations, and they have a slow-growth phenotype that we attribute to inhibition of general translation initiation. The phenotypes of the GCN2c alleles are dependent on GCN1 and GCN3, indicating that these two positive regulators of GCN4 expression mediate the inhibitory effects on translation initiation associated with activation of the yeast eIF-2 alpha kinase GCN2.

Homologous segments in three subunits of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor eIF2B mediate translational regulation by phosphorylation of eIF2.

eIF2B is a five-subunit guanine nucleotide exchange factor that is negatively regulated by phosphorylation of the alpha subunit of its substrate, eIF2, leading to inhibition of translation initiation. To analyze this regulatory mechanism, we have characterized 29 novel mutations in the homologous eIF2B subunits encoded by GCD2, GCD7, and GCN3 that reduce or abolish inhibition of eIF2B activity by eIF2 phosphorylated on its alpha subunit [eIF2(alphaP)]. Most, if not all, of the mutations decrease sensitivity to eIF2(alphaP) without excluding GCN3, the nonessential subunit, from eIF2B; thus, all three proteins are critical for regulation of eIF2B by eIF2(alphaP). The mutations are clustered at both ends of the homologous region of each subunit, within two segments each of approximately 70 amino acids in length. Several mutations alter residues at equivalent positions in two or all three subunits. These results imply that structurally similar segments in GCD2, GCD7, and GCN3 perform related functions in eIF2B regulation. We propose that these segments form a single domain in eIF2B that makes multiple contacts with the alpha subunit of eIF2, around the phosphorylation site, allowing eIF2B to detect and respond to phosphoserine at residue 51. Most of the eIF2 is phosphorylated in certain mutants, suggesting that these substitutions allow eIF2B to accept phosphorylated eIF2 as a substrate for nucleotide exchange.

Identification of a regulatory subcomplex in the guanine nucleotide exchange factor eIF2B that mediates inhibition by phosphorylated eIF2.

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2B (eIF2B) is a five-subunit complex that catalyzes guanine nucleotide exchange on eIF2. Phosphorylation of the alpha subunit of eIF2 [creating eIF2(alphaP]) converts eIF2 x GDP from a substrate to an inhibitor of eIF2B. We showed previously that the inhibitory effect of eIF2(alphaP) can be decreased by deletion of the eIF2B alpha subunit (encoded by GCN3) and by point mutations in the beta and delta subunits of eIF2B (encoded by GCD7 and GCD2, respectively). These findings, plus sequence similarities among GCD2, GCD7, and GCN3, led us to propose that these proteins comprise a regulatory domain that interacts with eIF2(alphaP) and mediates the inhibition of eIF2B activity. Supporting this hypothesis, we report here that overexpression of GCD2, GCD7, and GCN3 specifically reduced the inhibitory effect of eIF2(alphaP) on translation initiation in vivo. The excess GCD2, GCD7, and GCN3 were coimmunoprecipitated from cell extracts, providing physical evidence that these three proteins can form a stable subcomplex. Formation of this subcomplex did not compensate for a loss of eIF2B function by mutation and in fact lowered eIF2B activity in strains lacking eIF2(alphaP). These findings indicate that the trimeric subcomplex does not possess guanine nucleotide exchange activity; we propose, instead, that it interacts with eIF2(alphaP) and prevents the latter from inhibiting native eIF2B. Overexpressing only GCD2 and GCD7 also reduced eIF2(alphaP) toxicity, presumably by titrating GCN3 from eIF2B and producing the four-subunit form of eIF2B that is less sensitive to eIF2(alphaP). This interpretation is supported by the fact that overexpressing GCD2 and GCD7 did not reduce eIF2(alphaP) toxicity in a strain lacking GCN3; however, it did suppress the impairment of eIF2B caused by the gcn3c-R104K mutation. An N-terminally truncated GCD2 protein interacted with other eIF2B subunits only when GCD7 and GCN3 were overexpressed, in accordance with the idea that the portion of GCD2 homologous to GCD7 and GCN3 is sufficient for complex formation by these three proteins. Together, our results provide strong evidence that GCN3, GCD7, and the C-terminal half of GCD2 comprise the regulatory domain in eIF2B.

Identification of Seven Hydrophobic Clusters in GCN4 Making Redundant Contributions to Transcriptional Activation

GCN4 is a transcriptional activator in the bZIP family that regulates amino acid biosynthetic genes in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The N-terminal 100 amino acids of GCN4 contains a potent activation function that confers high-level transcription in the absence of the centrally located acidic activation domain (CAAD) delineated in previous studies. To identify specific amino acids important for activation by the N-terminal domain, we mutagenized a GCN4 allele lacking the CAAD and screened alleles in vivo for reduced expression of the HIS3 gene. We found four pairs of closely spaced phenylalanines and a leucine residue distributed throughout the N-terminal 100 residues of GCN4 that are required for high-level activation in the absence of the CAAD. Trp, Leu, and Tyr were highly functional substitutions for the Phe residue at position 45. Combined with our previous findings, these results indicate that GCN4 contains seven clusters of aromatic or bulky hydrophobic residues which make important contributions to transcriptional activation at HIS3. None of the seven hydrophobic clusters is essential for activation by full-length GCN4, and the critical residues in two or three clusters must be mutated simultaneously to observe a substantial reduction in GCN4 function. Numerous combinations of four or five intact clusters conferred high-level transcription of HIS3. We propose that many of the hydrophobic clusters in GCN4 act independently of one another to provide redundant means of stimulating transcription and that the functional contributions of these different segments are cumulative at the HIS3 promoter. On the basis of the primacy of bulky hydrophobic residues throughout the activation domain, we suggest that GCN4 contains multiple sites that mediate hydrophobic contacts with one or more components of the transcription initiation machinery.

Mutations in the GCD7 subunit of yeast guanine nucleotide exchange factor eIF-2B overcome the inhibitory effects of phosphorylated eIF-2 on translation initiation.

Phosphorylation of the alpha subunit of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 (eIF-2 alpha) impairs translation initiation by inhibiting the guanine nucleotide exchange factor for eIF-2, known as eIF-2B. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, phosphorylation of eIF-2 alpha by the protein kinase GCN2 specifically stimulates translation of GCN4 mRNA in addition to reducing general protein synthesis. We isolated mutations in several unlinked genes that suppress the growth-inhibitory effect of eIF-2 alpha phosphorylation catalyzed by mutationally activated forms of GCN2. These suppressor mutations, affecting eIF-2 alpha and the essential subunits of eIF-2B encoded by GCD7 and GCD2, do not reduce the level of eIF-2 alpha phosphorylation in cells expressing the activated GCN2c kinase. Four GCD7 suppressors were shown to reduce the derepression of GCN4 translation in cells containing wild-type GCN2 under starvation conditions or in GCN2c strains. A fifth GCD7 allele, constructed in vitro by combining two of the GCD7 suppressors mutations, completely impaired the derepression of GCN4 translation, a phenotype characteristic of deletions in GCN1, GCN2, or GCN3. This double GCD7 mutation also completely suppressed the lethal effect of expressing the mammalian eIF-2 alpha kinase dsRNA-PK in yeast cells, showing that the translational machinery had been rendered completely insensitive to phosphorylated eIF-2. None of the GCD7 mutations had any detrimental effect on cell growth under nonstarvation conditions, suggesting that recycling of eIF-2 occurs efficiently in the suppressor strains. We propose that GCD7 and GCD2 play important roles in the regulatory interaction between eIF-2 and eIF-2B and that the suppressor mutations we isolated in these genes decrease the susceptibility of eIF-2B to the inhibitory effects of phosphorylated eIF-2 without impairing the essential catalytic function of eIF-2B in translation initiation.

Translational Control of the Transcriptional Activator GCN4 Involves Upstream Open Reading Frames, A General Initiation Factor and a Protein Kinase

The GCN4 protein of S. cerevisiae is a positive regulator of 30–40 unlinked genes encoding enzymes in eleven different amino acid biosynthetic pathways. Transcriptional activation of these genes by GCN4 increases in response to amino acid starvation because synthesis of GCN4 itself is stimulated under these conditions. Regulation of GCN4 expression by amino acid availability occurs primarily at the translational level and requires short open reading frames present in the leader of GCN4 mRNA (reviewed in Hinnebusch 1988).