Witoon Tirasophon

Protein Serine/Threonine Phosphatase Ptc2p Negatively Regulates the Unfolded-Protein Response by Dephosphorylating Ire1p Kinase

ABSTRACT Cells respond to the accumulation of unfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) by increasing the transcription of the genes encoding ER-resident chaperone proteins. Ire1p is a transmembrane protein kinase that transmits the signal from unfolded proteins in the lumen of the ER by a mechanism that requires oligomerization andtrans-autophosphorylation of its cytoplasmic-nucleoplasmic kinase domain. Activation of Ire1p induces a novel spliced form ofHAC1 mRNA that produces Hac1p, a transcription factor that is required for activation of the transcription of genes under the control of the unfolded-protein response (UPR) element. Searching for proteins that interact with Ire1p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we isolated PTC2, which encodes a serine/threonine phosphatase of type 2C. The Ptc2p interaction with Ire1p is specific, direct, dependent on Ire1p phosphorylation, and mediated through a kinase interaction domain within Ptc2p. Ptc2p dephosphorylates Ire1p efficiently in an Mg2+-dependent manner in vitro. PTC2 is nonessential for growth and negatively regulates the UPR pathway. Strains carrying null alleles ofPTC2 have a three- to fourfold-increased UPR and increased levels of spliced HAC1 mRNA. Overexpression of wild-type Ptc2p but not catalytically inactive Ptc2p reduces levels of splicedHAC1 mRNA and attenuates the UPR, demonstrating that the phosphatase activity of Ptc2p is required for regulation of the UPR. These results demonstrate that Ptc2p downregulates the UPR by dephosphorylating Ire1p and reveal a novel mechanism of regulation in the UPR pathway upstream of the HAC1 mRNA splicing event.

A novel detection of a single plasmodium falciparum in infected blood

Detection of Plasmodium falciparum malaria by a specific DNA probe is a highly promising means for epidemiological surveillance of human malaria. However, none of presently available DNA probe methods could detect as little as a few parasites in infected blood. By amplification of a specific 206 base pairs P. falciparum DNA sequence using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), as little as 0.01 picogram DNA or one-half of a parasite was sufficient for a specific detection. A PCR procedure for detection of P. falciparum in infected blood without prior DNA extraction was also developed which was sensitive for a single parasite. The procedure was simple and should be applicable for a large scale epidemiological study involving a very low parasitemia situation.

Domain compatibility in Ire1 kinase is critical for the unfolded protein response.

The unfolded protein response is a mechanism to cope with endoplasmic reticulum stress. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Ire1 senses the stress and mediates a signaling cascade to upregulate responsive genes through an unusual HAC1 mRNA splicing. The splicing requires interconnected activity (kinase and endoribonuclease (RNase)) of Ire1 to cleave HAC1 mRNA at the non‐canonical splice sites before translation into Hac1 transcription factor. Analysis of the truncated kinase domain from Ire1 homologs revealed that this domain is highly conserved. Characterization by domain swapping indicated that a functional ATP/ADP binding domain is minimally required. However the overall domain compatibility is critical for eliciting its full RNase function.

IRE1α nucleotide sequence cleavage specificity in the unfolded protein response

Inositol‐requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1) is a conserved sensor of the unfolded protein response that has protein kinase and endoribonuclease (RNase) enzymatic activities and thereby initiates HAC1/XBP1 splicing. Previous studies demonstrated that human IRE1α (hIRE1α) does not cleave Saccharomyces cerevisiae HAC1 mRNA. Using an in vitro cleavage assay, we show that adenine to cytosine nucleotide substitution at the +1 position in the 3′ splice site of HAC1 RNA is required for specific cleavage by hIRE1α. A similar restricted nucleotide specificity in the RNA substrate was observed for XBP1 splicing in vivo. Together these findings underscore the essential role of cytosine nucleotide at +1 in the 3′ splice site for determining cleavage specificity of hIRE1α.

Functional analysis of the mammalian RNA ligase for IRE1 in the unfolded protein response

The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a conserved signalling pathway activated on the accumulation of unfolded proteins within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), termed ER stress. Upon ER stress, HAC1/XBP1 undergoes exon/intron-specific excision by inositol requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1) to remove an intron and liberate the 5′ and 3′ exons. In yeast, the 5′ and 3′ HAC1 exons are subsequently ligated by tRNA ligase (Rlg1p), whereas XBP1 ligation in mammalian cells is catalysed by a recently identified ligase, RtcB. In the present study, RNA ligase activity of the human RtcB (hRtcB) involved in the unconventional splicing of XBP1/HAC1 mRNA was explored in an rlg1-100 mutant yeast strain. Distinct from Escherichia coli RtcB and Rlg1p, expression of hRtcB alone inefficiently complemented HAC1/XBP1 splicing and the hRtcB cofactor (archease) was required to promote enzymatic activity of hRtcB to catalyse RNA ligation.

The Cellular Response to Unfolded Proteins in the Endoplasmic Reticulum

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the organelle where approximately one-third of all proteins are folded and assembled into higher molecular weight structures before transit to their final destinations. In addition, the ER is the major calcium storage organelle in the cell and it responds to stimuli to release calcium into the cytosol in a regulated manner. The ER is exquisitely sensitive to alterations in homeostasis. Upon disruption of ER function, signals are initiated that propagate both adaptive and cell death responses. A number of stresses such as altered or inhibition of asparagine-linked glycosylation, reduction of disulfide bonds, expression of mutant or even some wild-type proteins, or glucose deprivation activate signaling pathways that are collectively termed the unfolded protein response (UPR). The activation of this pathway likely is important in health and disease as many genetic diseases result from defective folding of mutant proteins. In addition, protein aggregation is an initiating event for many neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Our recent studies also suggest that the UPR is important as a central regulator of glucose metabolism as disruptions in this pathway may lead to pancreas dysfunction and hyperglycemia. Understanding the molecular basis for this cellular response should provide avenues to intervene in disease states.