Yasushi Saeki

Identification of ubiquitin-like protein-binding subunits of the 26S proteasome.

Ubiquitin-like proteins Rad23 and Dsk2 have recently been shown to be capable of binding both polyubiquitin chains and the 26S proteasome. The ubiquitin-like domains (Ubls) of Rad23 and Dsk2 are indispensable for their interaction with the 26S proteasome, but the proteasome subunits capable of binding the Ubl have not been identified. Here, we report that the Ubls of both Rad23 and Dsk2 can bind with the 19S regulatory particle (RP) of the 26S proteasome in vivo and in vitro. A competition assay using the respective Ubls of Rad23 and Dsk2 revealed that they bind to the RP in a competitive manner. The base subcomplex of the RP was found to have the ability to bind the Ubl. By cross-linking experiments, Rpn1 and Rpn2 were identified as Ubl-binding subunits. Taken together, the results suggest that the Rpn1 and Rpn2 in the base subcomplex form the receptor for the ubiquitin-like protein.

Ubiquitin-like proteins and Rpn10 play cooperative roles in ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis

Rpn10, a subunit of the 26S proteasome, has been proposed to act as a receptor for multiubiquitin chains in ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis. However, studies on RPN10-deleted mutants in yeasts have suggested the presence of other multiubiquitin chain-binding factors functioning in ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis. Here, we report that a mutant with a triple deletion of RAD23, DSK2, and RPN10 genes accumulates large amounts of polyubiquitinated proteins, as is the case with a mutant with RAD23 and DSK2 deletions under restrictive conditions. Dsk2, Rad23, and Rpn10 have different capacities to bind multiubiquitin chains. Another ubiquitin-like protein, Ddi1, has similar activity to those of Rad23 and Dsk2. Taken together, the results suggest that ubiquitin-like proteins, Rad23, Dsk2, possibly Ddi1, and Rpn10 play cooperative roles in ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis, serving as multiubiquitin chain-binding proteins.

N-Terminal modifications of the 19S regulatory particle subunits of the yeast proteasome

The yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) contains three N-acetyltransferases, NatA, NatB, and NatC, each of which acetylates proteins with different N-terminal regions. The 19S regulatory particle of the yeast 26S proteasome consists of 17 subunits, 12 of which are N-terminally modified. By using nat1, nat3, and mak3 deletion mutants, we found that 8 subunits, Rpt4, Rpt5, Rpt6, Rpn2, Rpn3, Rpn5, Rpn6, and Rpn8, were NatA substrates, and that 2 subunits, Rpt3 and Rpn11, were NatB substrates. Mass spectrometric analysis revealed that the initiator Met of Rpt2 precursor polypeptide was processed and a part of the mature Rpt2 was N-myristoylated. The crude extracts from the normal strain and the nat1 deletion mutant were similar in chymotrypsin-like activity in the presence of ATP in vitro and in the accumulation level of the 26S proteasome. These characteristics were different from those of the 20S proteasome: the chymotrypsin-like activity and accumulation level of 20S proteasome were appreciably higher from the nat1 deletion mutant than from the normal strain.

Developmentally regulated, alternative splicing of the Rpn10 gene generates multiple forms of 26S proteasomes.

The 26S proteasome is a multisubunit protein‐ destroying machinery that degrades ubiquitin‐tagged proteins. To date only a single species of Rpn10, which possibly functions as a multiubiquitin chain‐binding subunit, has been identified in various organisms. Here we report that mouse Rpn10 mRNAs occur in at least five distinct forms, named Rpn10a to Rpn10e, and that they are generated from a single gene by developmentally regulated, alternative splicing. Rpn10a is ubiquitously expressed, whereas Rpn10e is expressed only in embryos, with the highest levels of expression in the brain. Both forms of Rpn10 are components of the 26S proteasome, with an apparently similar affinity for multiubiquitylated [125I]lysozyme in vitro. However, they exert markedly divergent effects on the destruction of B‐type cyclin in Xenopus egg extracts. Thus, the 26S proteasome occurs in at least two functionally distinct forms: one containing a ubiquitously expressed Rpn10a and the other a newly identified, embryo‐specific Rpn10e. While the former is thought to perform proteolysis constitutively in a wide variety of cells, the latter may play a specialized role in early embryonic development.

Purification and characterization of the 26S proteasome from cultured rice (Oryza sativa) cells

The 26S proteasome was purified from cultured rice cells to near homogeneity by ultracentrifugation fo r5ha t85,000g, chromatography on Biogel A-1.5m, and glycerol density-gradient centrifugation analysis. The purified enzyme had two distinct forms, termed 26Sa- and 26Sb-type proteasomes, with different electrophoretic mobilities by nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. It consisted of multiple polypeptides with molecular masses of 25‐35 and 42‐120 kDa, which presumably corresponded to those of the 20S proteasome and an associated PA700 regulatory complex, respectively. The rice 26S proteasome resembled, but was not identical to, one from other sources in their subunit composition and immunochemical reactivity. Intriguingly, both rice and spinach 26S proteasomes could not degrade rat ornithine decarboxylase in the presence of antizyme and ATP, unlike the rat 26S proteasome, implying the existence of functional differences between mammalian and plant 26S proteasomes.