Tutik Ristriani

A single-codon mutation converts HPV16 E6 oncoprotein into a potential tumor suppressor, which induces p53-dependent senescence of HPV-positive HeLa cervical cancer cells

High-risk mucosal human papillomaviruses (HPV), mainly HPV16 and HPV18, are implicated in cervical carcinogenesis. HPV16 E6 oncoprotein binds and often targets for degradation numerous cell proteins, including the tumor suppressor p53 and several PDZ domain proteins. Here, we show that a single-point mutation, F47R, is sufficient to convert the HPV16 E6 oncoprotein into a suppressor of HPV-positive HeLa cervical cancer cells proliferation. The E6 F47R mutant is defective for polyubiquitination and subsequent degradation of p53. When expressed in HPV-positive cervical cancer cells, E6 F47R acts as a dominant negative mutant by counteracting the p53 degradation activity of endogenous E6 and restoring high p53 protein levels. Moreover, the prolonged expression of E6 F47R leads to suppression of HeLa cells proliferation through the induction of premature senescence. This phenotype is independent on the PDZ-binding activity of E6. F47R-senescent HeLa cells exhibit a sustained expression of p53, hMDM2 and p21CIP proteins and a reduced expression of endogenous HPV18 E6 protein. Finally, small interfering RNAs directed against p53 counteract the effect of E6 F47R expression, indicating that E6 F47R-induced cellular senescence is strongly dependent on p53 signaling pathway.

E6 proteins from diverse papillomaviruses self-associate both in vitro and in vivo.

Papillomavirus E6 oncoproteins bind and often provoke the degradation of many cellular proteins important for the control of cell proliferation and/or cell death. Structural studies on E6 proteins have long been hindered by the difficulties of obtaining highly concentrated samples of recombinant E6. Here, we show that recombinant E6 proteins from eight human papillomavirus strains and one bovine papillomavirus strain exist as oligomeric and multimeric species. These species were characterized using a variety of biochemical and biophysical techniques, including analytical gel filtration, activity assays, surface plasmon resonance, electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The characterization of E6 oligomers is facilitated by the fusion to the maltose binding protein, which slows the formation of higher-order multimeric species. The proportion of each oligomeric form varies depending on the viral strain considered. Oligomers appear to consist of folded units, which, in the case of high-risk mucosal human papillomavirus E6, retain binding to the ubiquitin ligase E6-associated protein and the capacity to degrade the proapoptotic protein p53. In addition to the small-size oligomers, E6 proteins spontaneously assemble into large organized multimeric structures, a process that is accompanied by a significant increase in the beta-sheet secondary structure content. Finally, co-localisation experiments using E6 equipped with different tags further demonstrate the occurrence of E6 self-association in eukaryotic cells. The ensemble of these data suggests that self-association is a general property of E6 proteins that occurs both in vitro and in vivo and might therefore be functionally relevant.

Protein mutagenesis with monodispersity-based quality probing: selective inactivation of p53 degradation and DNA-binding properties of HPV E6 oncoprotein.

Interpretation of protein mutagenesis experiments requires the ability to distinguish functionally relevant mutations from mutations affecting the structure. When a protein is expressed soluble in bacteria, properly folded mutants are expected to remain soluble whereas misfolded mutants should form insoluble aggregates. However, this rule may fail for proteins fused to highly soluble carrier proteins. In a previous study, we analysed the biophysical status of HPV oncoprotein E6 fused to the C-terminus of maltose-binding protein (MBP) and found that misfolded E6 moieties fused to MBP formed soluble aggregates of high molecular weight. By contrast, preparations of properly folded E6 fused to MBP were monodisperse. Here, we have used this finding to evaluate the quality of 19 MBP-fused E6 site-directed mutants by using a light scattering assay performed in a fluorimeter. This assay guided us to rule out structurally defective mutants and to obtain functionally relevant E6 mutants selectively altered for two molecular activities: degradation of tumour suppressor p53 and DNA recognition.