Mona Abed

Degringolade, a SUMO‐targeted ubiquitin ligase, inhibits Hairy/Groucho‐mediated repression

Transcriptional cofactors are essential for proper embryonic development. One such cofactor in Drosophila, Degringolade (Dgrn), encodes a RING finger/E3 ubiquitin ligase. Dgrn and its mammalian ortholog RNF4 are SUMO‐targeted ubiquitin ligases (STUbLs). STUbLs bind to SUMOylated proteins via their SUMO interaction motif (SIM) domains and facilitate substrate ubiquitylation. In this study, we show that Dgrn is a negative regulator of the repressor Hairy and its corepressor Groucho (Gro/transducin‐like enhancer (TLE)) during embryonic segmentation and neurogenesis, as dgrn heterozygosity suppresses Hairy mutant phenotypes and embryonic lethality. Mechanistically Dgrn functions as a molecular selector: it targets Hairy for SUMO‐independent ubiquitylation that inhibits the recruitment of its corepressor Gro, without affecting the recruitment of its other cofactors or the stability of Hairy. Concomitantly, Dgrn specifically targets SUMOylated Gro for sequestration and antagonizes Gro functions in vivo. Our findings suggest that by targeting SUMOylated Gro, Dgrn serves as a molecular switch that regulates cofactor recruitment and function during development. As Gro/TLE proteins are conserved universal corepressors, this may be a general paradigm used to regulate the Gro/TLE corepressors in other developmental processes.

A Myc–Groucho complex integrates EGF and Notch signaling to regulate neural development

Integration of patterning cues via transcriptional networks to coordinate gene expression is critical during morphogenesis and misregulated in cancer. Using DNA adenine methyltransferase (Dam)ID chromatin profiling, we identified a protein–protein interaction between the Drosophila Myc oncogene and the Groucho corepressor that regulates a subset of direct dMyc targets. Most of these shared targets affect fate or mitosis particularly during neurogenesis, suggesting the dMyc–Groucho complex may coordinate fate acquisition with mitotic capacity during development. We find an antagonistic relationship between dMyc and Groucho that mimics the antagonistic interactions found for EGF and Notch signaling: dMyc is required to specify neuronal fate and enhance neuroblast mitosis, whereas Groucho is required to maintain epithelial fate and inhibit mitosis. Our results suggest that the dMyc–Groucho complex defines a previously undescribed mechanism of Myc function and may serve as the transcriptional unit that integrates EGF and Notch inputs to regulate early neuronal development.

The Arf tumor suppressor protein inhibits Miz1 to suppress cell adhesion and induce apoptosis

Arf assembles a complex containing Miz1, heterochromatin, and histone H3K3 to block expression of genes involved in cell adhesion and signal transduction. The resulting blockade of cell–cell and cell–matrix interactions facilitates elimination of cells carrying oncogenic mutations.

The Drosophila STUbL protein Degringolade limits HES functions during embryogenesis

Degringolade (Dgrn) encodes a Drosophila SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligase (STUbL) protein similar to that of mammalian RNF4. Dgrn facilitates the ubiquitylation of the HES protein Hairy, which disrupts the repressive activity of Hairy by inhibiting the recruitment of its cofactor Groucho. We show that Hey and all HES family members, except Her, interact with Dgrn and are substrates for its E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. Dgrn displays dynamic subcellular localization, accumulates in the nucleus at times when HES family members are active and limits Hey and HES family activity during sex determination, segmentation and neurogenesis. We show that Dgrn interacts with the Notch signaling pathway by it antagonizing the activity of E(spl)-C proteins. dgrn null mutants are female sterile, producing embryos that arrest development after two or three nuclear divisions. These mutant embryos exhibit fragmented or decondensed nuclei and accumulate higher levels of SUMO-conjugated proteins, suggesting a role for Dgrn in genome stability.

Isoform-Specific SCFFbw7 Ubiquitination Mediates Differential Regulation of PGC-1α

The E3 ubiquitin ligase and tumor suppressor SCFFbw7 exists as three isoforms that govern the degradation of a host of critical cell regulators, including c‐Myc, cyclin E, and PGC‐1α. Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor‐gamma coactivator 1α (PGC‐1α) is a transcriptional coactivator with broad effects on cellular energy metabolism. Cellular PGC‐1α levels are tightly controlled in a dynamic state by the balance of synthesis and rapid degradation via the ubiquitin‐proteasome system. Isoform‐specific functions of SCFFbw7 are yet to be determined. Here, we show that the E3 ubiquitin ligase, SCFFbw7, regulates cellular PGC‐1α levels via two independent, isoform‐specific, mechanisms. The cytoplasmic isoform (SCFFbw7β) reduces cellular PGC‐1α levels via accelerated ubiquitin‐proteasome degradation. In contrast, the nuclear isoform (SCFFbw7α) increases cellular PGC‐1α levels and protein stability via inhibition of ubiquitin‐proteasomal degradation. When nuclear Fbw7α proteins are redirected to the cytoplasm, cellular PGC‐1α protein levels are reduced through accelerated ubiquitin‐proteasomal degradation. We find that SCFFbw7β catalyzes high molecular weight PGC‐1α‐ubiquitin conjugation, whereas SCFFbw7α produces low molecular weight PGC‐1α‐ubiquitin conjugates that are not effective degradation signals. Thus, selective ubiquitination by specific Fbw7 isoforms represents a novel mechanism that tightly regulates cellular PGC‐1α levels. Fbw7 isoforms mediate degradation of a host of regulatory proteins. The E3 ubiquitin ligase, Fbw7, mediates PGC‐1α levels via selective isoform‐specific ubiquitination. Fbw7β reduces cellular PGC‐1α via ubiquitin‐mediated degradation, whereas Fbw7α increases cellular PGC‐1α via ubiquitin‐mediated stabilization. J. Cell. Physiol. 230: 842–852, 2015.

DamID: a methylation-based chromatin profiling approach.

Gene expression is a dynamic process and is tightly connected to changes in chromatin structure and nuclear organization (Schneider, R. and Grosschedl, R., 2007, Genes Dev. 21, 3027-3043; Kosak, S. T. and Groudine, M., 2004, Genes Dev. 18, 1371-1384). Our ability to understand the intimate interactions between proteins and the rapidly changing chromatin environment requires methods that will be able to provide accurate, sensitive, and unbiased mapping of these interactions in vivo (van Steensel, B., 2005, Nat. Genet. 37 Suppl, S18-24). One such tool is DamID chromatin profiling, a methylation-based tagging method used to identify the direct genomic loci bound by sequence-specific transcription factors, co-factors as well as chromatin- and nuclear-associated proteins genome wide (van Steensel, B. and Henikoff, S., 2000, Nat. Biotechnol. 18, 424-428; van Steensel, Delrow, and Henikoff, 2001, Nat. Genet. 27, 304-308). Combined with other functional genomic methods and bioinformatics analysis (such as expression profiles and 5C analysis), DamID emerges as a powerful tool for analysis of chromatin structure and function in eukaryotes. DamID allows the detection of the direct genomic targets of any given factor independent of antibodies and without the need for DNA cross-linking. It is highly valuable for mapping proteins that associate with the genome indirectly or loosely (e.g., co-factors). DamID is based on the ability to fuse a bacterial Dam-methylase to a protein of interest and subsequently mark the factors genomic binding site by adenine methylation. This marking is simple, highly specific, sensitive, inert, and can be done in both cell culture and living organisms. Below is a short description of the method, followed by a step-by-step protocol for performing DamID in Drosophila cells and embryos. Due to space limitations, the reader is referred to recent reviews that compare the method with other profiling techniques such as ChIP-chip as well as protocols for performing DamID in mammalian cells (NSouthall, T. D. and Brand, A. H., 2007, Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol. 14, 869-871; Orian, A., 2006, Curr. Opin. Genet. Dev. 16, 157-164; Vogel, M. J., Peric-Hupkes, D. and van Steensel, B. 2007, Nat. Protoc. 2, 1467-1478).

RNF4-Dependent Oncogene Activation by Protein Stabilization

SUMMARY Ubiquitylation regulates signaling pathways critical for cancer development and, in many cases, targets proteins for degradation. Here, we report that ubiquitylation by RNF4 stabilizes otherwise short-lived oncogenic transcription factors, including β-catenin, Myc, c-Jun, and the Notch intracellular-domain (N-ICD) protein. RNF4 enhances the transcriptional activity of these factors, as well as Wnt- and Notch-dependent gene expression. While RNF4 is a SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligase, protein stabilization requires the substrate’s phosphorylation, rather than SUMOylation, and binding to RNF4’s arginine-rich motif domain. Stabilization also involves generation of unusual polyubiquitin chains and docking of RNF4 to chromatin. Biologically, RNF4 enhances the tumor phenotype and is essential for cancer cell survival. High levels of RNF4 mRNA correlate with poor survival of a subgroup of breast cancer patients, and RNF4 protein levels are elevated in 30% of human colon adenocarcinomas. Thus, RNF4-dependent ubiquitylation translates transient phosphorylation signal(s) into long-term protein stabilization, resulting in enhanced oncoprotein activation.

A fly view of a SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligase

Posttranscriptional modifications of proteins by the ubiquitin and SUMO (Small Ubiquitin-related Modifier) pathways regulate the function of protein networks, enable cells to respond to signaling cues during development, and to cope with the changing environment during adult life. Both modifications can impact protein stability, localization, protein-protein interactions and/or function. While both pathways have been well studied individually, the long-speculated nature of crosstalk between SUMO and ubiquitin pathways has been molecularly enigmatic. Recent work in yeast and mammalian cells identified the connection between the two pathways in the form of a conserved family of RING finger ubiquitin ligases termed SUMO-Targeted ubiquitin ligases (STUbLs). These proteins bind to SUMOylated substrates via their SUMO interaction motif and subsequently target them for ubiquitylation. Characterization of Degringolade (Dgrn), a STUbL gene in the fly genome, enabled us to evaluate the contribution of STUbLs to the development of multi-cellular organisms. Analysis of dgrn mutants showed that they are required for cyto-nuclear organization during early embryonic development, and are likely required to cope with mitotic stress and DNA damage. Furthermore, in transcription, STUbLs regulate protein-protein interactions, and are part of molecular machinery that regulates co-repressor choice and gene-expression selectivity during development.

The Biology of SUMO-Targeted Ubiquitin Ligases in Drosophila Development, Immunity, and Cancer

The ubiquitin and SUMO (small ubiquitin-like modifier) pathways modify proteins that in turn regulate diverse cellular processes, embryonic development, and adult tissue physiology. These pathways were originally discovered biochemically in vitro, leading to a long-standing challenge of elucidating both the molecular cross-talk between these pathways and their biological importance. Recent discoveries in Drosophila established that ubiquitin and SUMO pathways are interconnected via evolutionally conserved SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligase (STUbL) proteins. STUbL are RING ubiquitin ligases that recognize SUMOylated substrates and catalyze their ubiquitination, and include Degringolade (Dgrn) in Drosophila and RNF4 and RNF111 in humans. STUbL are essential for early development of both the fly and mouse embryos. In the fly embryo, Dgrn regulates early cell cycle progression, sex determination, zygotic gene transcription, segmentation, and neurogenesis, among other processes. In the fly adult, Dgrn is required for systemic immune response to pathogens and intestinal stem cell regeneration upon infection. These functions of Dgrn are highly conserved in humans, where RNF4-dependent ubiquitination potentiates key oncoproteins, thereby accelerating tumorigenesis. Here, we review the lessons learned to date in Drosophila and highlight their relevance to cancer biology.