Melanie Gertz

Substrates and regulation mechanisms for the human mitochondrial sirtuins Sirt3 and Sirt5.

The enzymes of the Sirtuin family of nicotinamide-adenine-dinucleotide-dependent protein deacetylases are emerging key players in nuclear and cytosolic signaling, but also in mitochondrial regulation and aging. Mammalian mitochondria contain three Sirtuins, Sirt3, Sirt4, and Sirt5. Only one substrate is known for Sirt3 as well as for Sirt4, and up to now, no target for Sirt5 has been reported. Here, we describe the identification of novel substrates for the human mitochondrial Sirtuin isoforms Sirt3 and Sirt5. We show that Sirt3 can deacetylate and thereby activate a central metabolic regulator in the mitochondrial matrix, glutamate dehydrogenase. Furthermore, Sirt3 deacetylates and activates isocitrate dehydrogenase 2, an enzyme that promotes regeneration of antioxidants and catalyzes a key regulation point of the citric acid cycle. Sirt3 thus can regulate flux and anapleurosis of this central metabolic cycle. We further find that the N- and C-terminal regions of Sirt3 regulate its activity against glutamate dehydrogenase and a peptide substrate, indicating roles for these regions in substrate recognition and Sirtuin regulation. Sirt5, in contrast to Sirt3, deacetylates none of the mitochondrial matrix proteins tested. Instead, it can deacetylate cytochrome c, a protein of the mitochondrial intermembrane space with a central function in oxidative metabolism, as well as apoptosis initiation. Using a mitochondrial import assay, we find that Sirt5 can indeed be translocated into the mitochondrial intermembrane space, but also into the matrix, indicating that localization might contribute to Sirt5 regulation and substrate selection.

Ex-527 inhibits Sirtuins by exploiting their unique NAD+-dependent deacetylation mechanism

Significance Sirtuin enzymes regulate metabolism and stress responses through deacetylation of specific protein lysine residues. Sirtuins are considered attractive drug targets, but selective inhibitors are rare, and their mechanisms mostly unknown. We report the mechanism of Sirtuin inhibition by Ex-527, a potent Sirt1 inhibitor widely used in physiological studies. A set of Sirtuin/ligand crystal structures, together with activity and binding data, reveals that the compound inhibits by forming a trimeric Sirtuin complex with a NAD+-derived coproduct. Our results yield insights in the unique Sirtuin catalytic mechanism and how it is exploited by Ex-527, and they provide essential information for rational drug development. Sirtuins are protein deacetylases regulating metabolism and stress responses. The seven human Sirtuins (Sirt1–7) are attractive drug targets, but Sirtuin inhibition mechanisms are mostly unidentified. We report the molecular mechanism of Sirtuin inhibition by 6-chloro-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-carbazole-1-carboxamide (Ex-527). Inhibitor binding to potently inhibited Sirt1 and Thermotoga maritima Sir2 and to moderately inhibited Sirt3 requires NAD+, alone or together with acetylpeptide. Crystal structures of several Sirtuin inhibitor complexes show that Ex-527 occupies the nicotinamide site and a neighboring pocket and contacts the ribose of NAD+ or of the coproduct 2’-O-acetyl-ADP ribose. Complex structures with native alkylimidate and thio-analog support its catalytic relevance and show, together with biochemical assays, that only the coproduct complex is relevant for inhibition by Ex-527, which stabilizes the closed enzyme conformation preventing product release. Ex-527 inhibition thus exploits Sirtuin catalysis, and kinetic isoform differences explain its selectivity. Our results provide insights in Sirtuin catalysis and inhibition with important implications for drug development.

A molecular mechanism for direct sirtuin activation by resveratrol.

Sirtuins are protein deacetylases regulating metabolism, stress responses, and aging processes, and they were suggested to mediate the lifespan extending effect of a low calorie diet. Sirtuin activation by the polyphenol resveratrol can mimic such lifespan extending effects and alleviate metabolic diseases. The mechanism of Sirtuin stimulation is unknown, hindering the development of improved activators. Here we show that resveratrol inhibits human Sirt3 and stimulates Sirt5, in addition to Sirt1, against fluorophore-labeled peptide substrates but also against peptides and proteins lacking the non-physiological fluorophore modification. We further present crystal structures of Sirt3 and Sirt5 in complex with fluorogenic substrate peptide and modulator. The compound acts as a top cover, closing the Sirtuin’s polypeptide binding pocket and influencing details of peptide binding by directly interacting with this substrate. Our results provide a mechanism for the direct activation of Sirtuins by small molecules and suggest that activators have to be tailored to a specific Sirtuin/substrate pair.

An acetylome peptide microarray reveals specificities and deacetylation substrates for all human sirtuin isoforms

Sirtuin enzymes regulate metabolism and aging processes through deacetylation of acetyl-lysines in target proteins. More than 6,800 mammalian acetylation sites are known, but few targets have been assigned to most sirtuin isoforms, hampering our understanding of sirtuin function. Here we describe a peptide microarray system displaying 6,802 human acetylation sites for the parallel characterisation of their modification by deacetylases. Deacetylation data for all seven human sirtuins obtained with this system reveal isoform-specific substrate preferences and deacetylation substrate candidates for all sirtuin isoforms, including Sirt4. We confirm malate dehydrogenase protein as a Sirt3 substrate and show that peroxiredoxin 1 and high-mobility group B1 protein are deacetylated by Sirt5 and Sirt1, respectively, at the identified sites, rendering them likely new in vivo substrates. Our microarray platform enables parallel studies on physiological acetylation sites and the deacetylation data presented provide an exciting resource for the identification of novel substrates for all human sirtuins.

A phosphodiesterase 2A isoform localized to mitochondria regulates respiration

Mitochondria are central organelles in cellular energy metabolism, apoptosis, and aging processes. A signaling network regulating these functions was recently shown to include soluble adenylyl cyclase as a local source of the second messenger cAMP in the mitochondrial matrix. However, a mitochondrial cAMP-degrading phosphodiesterase (PDE) necessary for switching off this cAMP signal has not yet been identified. Here, we describe the identification and characterization of a PDE2A isoform in mitochondria from rodent liver and brain. We find that mitochondrial PDE2A is located in the matrix and that the unique N terminus of PDE2A isoform 2 specifically leads to mitochondrial localization of this isoform. Functional assays show that mitochondrial PDE2A forms a local signaling system with soluble adenylyl cyclase in the matrix, which regulates the activity of the respiratory chain. Our findings complete a cAMP signaling cascade in mitochondria and have implications for understanding the regulation of mitochondrial processes and for their pharmacological modulation.

Activation of the lifespan regulator p66Shc through reversible disulfide bond formation

Cell fate and organismal lifespan are controlled by a complex signaling network whose dysfunction can cause a variety of aging-related diseases. An important protection against these failures is cellular apoptosis, which can be induced by p66Shc in response to cellular stress. The precise mechanisms of p66Shc action and regulation and the function of the p66Shc-specific N terminus remain to be identified. Here, we show that the p66Shc N terminus forms a redox module responsible for apoptosis initiation, and that this module can be activated through reversible tetramerization by forming two disulfide bonds. Glutathione and thioredoxins can reduce and inactivate p66Shc, resulting in a thiol-based redox sensor system that initiates apoptosis once cellular protection systems cannot cope anymore with cellular stress.

The Lifespan-Regulator p66Shc in Mitochondria: Redox Enzyme or Redox Sensor?

Mitochondria contribute to various diseases and aging phenotypes. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), mainly formed by the respiratory chain, were long thought to cause these effects by damaging proteins, DNA, and lipids. The emerging understanding that ROS act not only destructively but also as dedicated signaling molecules, and that aging processes are regulated by specific signaling networks has stimulated research on mitochondrial signaling systems and the regulation of mitochondrial ROS metabolism. p66Shc is a lifespan-regulating protein contributing to mitochondrial ROS metabolism and regulating the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. It was found to participate in aging processes and has been implicated in several pathologies. Considerable progress has been made recently concerning the molecular function of p66Shc. It appears that p66Shc responds to a variety of proapoptotic stimuli by increasing ROS levels in the mitochondrial intermembrane space through an inherent ROS-producing activity, and that this ROS formation might trigger initiation of the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. In this review, we will discuss the current knowledge on the molecular architecture of the p66Shc protein, its role in ROS metabolism and apoptosis regulation in the mitochondrial intermembrane space, the regulation of its mitochondrial transport, and the molecular mechanisms and interactions involved in these processes.

Function and regulation of the mitochondrial sirtuin isoform Sirt5 in Mammalia.

Sirtuins are a family of protein deacetylases that catalyze the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+))-dependent removal of acetyl groups from modified lysine side chains in various proteins. Sirtuins act as metabolic sensors and influence metabolic adaptation but also many other processes such as stress response mechanisms, gene expression, and organismal aging. Mammals have seven Sirtuin isoforms, three of them - Sirt3, Sirt4, and Sirt5 - located to mitochondria, our centers of energy metabolism and apoptosis initiation. In this review, we shortly introduce the mammalian Sirtuin family, with a focus on the mitochondrial isoforms. We then discuss in detail the current knowledge on the mitochondrial isoform Sirt5. Its physiological role in metabolic regulation has recently been confirmed, whereas an additional function in apoptosis regulation remains speculative. We will discuss the biochemical properties of Sirt5 and how they might contribute to its physiological function. Furthermore, we discuss the potential use of Sirt5 as a drug target, structural features of Sirt5 and of an Sirt5/inhibitor complex as well as their differences to other Sirtuins and the current status of modulating Sirt5 activity with pharmacological compounds.

Sirt5 Deacylation Activities Show Differential Sensitivities to Nicotinamide Inhibition

Sirtuins are protein deacylases regulating metabolism and aging processes, and the seven human isoforms are considered attractive therapeutic targets. Sirtuins transfer acyl groups from lysine sidechains to ADP-ribose, formed from the cosubstrate NAD+ by release of nicotinamide, which in turn is assumed to be a general Sirtuin inhibitor. Studies on Sirtuin regulation have been hampered, however, by shortcomings of available assays. Here, we describe a mass spectrometry–based, quantitative deacylation assay not requiring any substrate labeling. Using this assay, we show that the deacetylation activity of human Sirt5 features an unusual insensitivity to nicotinamide inhibition. In contrast, we find similar values for Sirt5 and Sirt3 for the intrinsic NAD+ affinity as well as the apparent NAD+ affinity in presence of peptide. Structure comparison and mutagenesis identify an Arg neighboring to the Sirt5 nicotinamide binding pocket as a mediator of nicotinamide resistance, and statistical sequence analyses along with testing further Sirtuins reveal a network of coevolved residues likely defining a nicotinamide-insensitive Sirtuin deacetylase family. The same Arg was recently reported to render Sirt5 a preferential desuccinylase, and we find that this Sirt5 activity is highly sensitive to nicotinamide inhibition. Analysis of Sirt5 structures and activity data suggest that an Arg/succinate interaction is the molecular basis of the differential nicotinamide sensitivities of the two Sirt5 activities. Our results thus indicate a Sirtuin subfamily with nicotinamide-insensitive deacetylase activity and suggest that the molecular features determining nicotinamide sensitivity overlap with those dominating deacylation specificity, possibly suggesting that other subfamily members might also prefer other acylations than acetylations.

Structural and functional features of a collagen-binding matrix protein from the mussel byssus

Blue mussels adhere to surfaces by the byssus, a holdfast structure composed of individual threads representing a collagen fibre reinforced composite. Here, we present the crystal structure and function of one of its matrix proteins, the proximal thread matrix protein 1, which is present in the proximal section of the byssus. The structure reveals two von Willebrand factor type A domains linked by a two-β-stranded linker yielding a novel structural arrangement. In vitro, the protein binds heterologous collagens with high affinity and affects collagen assembly, morphology and arrangement of its fibrils. By providing charged surface clusters as well as insufficiently coordinated metal ions, the proximal thread matrix protein 1 might interconnect other byssal proteins and thereby contribute to the integrity of the byssal threads in vivo. Moreover, the protein could be used for adjusting the mechanical properties of collagen materials, a function likely important in the natural byssus.