scholarly journals Elucidation of eukaryotic elongation factor-2 contact sites within the catalytic domain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A

2004 ◽  
Vol 379 (3) ◽  
pp. 563-572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan P. YATES ◽  
Allan R. MERRILL
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Fluorescence Lifetime ◽  
Catalytic Domain ◽  
Elongation Factor ◽  
Contact Sites ◽  
Elongation Factor 2 ◽  
Eukaryotic Elongation Factor 2 ◽  
Eukaryotic Elongation Factor ◽  
Minimal Contact ◽  
Wavelength Emission

Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces the virulence factor, ETA (exotoxin A), which catalyses an ADP-ribosyltransferase reaction of its target protein, eEF2 (eukaryotic elongation factor-2). Currently, this protein–protein interaction is poorly characterized and this study was aimed at identifying the contact sites between eEF2 and the catalytic domain of ETA (PE24H, an ETA from P. aeruginosa, a 24 kDa C-terminal fragment containing a His6 tag). Single-cysteine residues were introduced into the toxin at 21 defined surface-exposed sites and labelled with the fluorophore, IAEDANS [5-(2-iodoacetylaminoethylamino)-1-napthalenesulphonic acid]. Fluorescence quenching studies using acrylamide, and fluorescence lifetime and wavelength emission maxima analyses were conducted in the presence and absence of eEF2. Large changes in the microenvironment of the AEDANS [5-(2-aminoethylamino)-1-naphthalenesulphonic acid] probe after eEF2 binding were not observed as dictated by both fluorescence lifetime and wavelength emission maxima values. This supported the proposed minimal contact model, which suggests that only small, discrete contacts occur between these proteins. As dictated by the bimolecular quenching constant (kq) for acrylamide, binding of eEF2 with toxin caused the greatest change in acrylamide accessibility (>50%) when the fluorescence label was near the active site or was located within a known catalytic loop. All mutant proteins showed a decrease in accessibility to acrylamide once eEF2 bound, although the relative change varied for each labelled protein. From these data, a low-resolution model of the toxin–eEF2 complex was constructed based on the minimal contact model with the intention of enhancing our knowledge on the mode of inactivation of the ribosome translocase by the Pseudomonas toxin.

scholarly journals Insights into the regulation of eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase and the interplay between its domains

2012 ◽  
Vol 442 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig R. Pigott ◽  
Halina Mikolajek ◽  
Claire E. Moore ◽  
Stephen J. Finn ◽  
Curtis W. Phippen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Catalytic Domain ◽  
Functional Organization ◽  
Elongation Factor ◽  
Kinase Domain ◽  
Conserved Residues ◽  
Elongation Factor 2 ◽  
Eukaryotic Elongation Factor 2 ◽  
Kinase Catalytic Domain ◽  
Eukaryotic Elongation Factor

eEF2K (eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase) is a Ca2+/CaM (calmodulin)-dependent protein kinase which regulates the translation elongation machinery. eEF2K belongs to the small group of so-called ‘α-kinases’ which are distinct from the main eukaryotic protein kinase superfamily. In addition to the α-kinase catalytic domain, other domains have been identified in eEF2K: a CaM-binding region, N-terminal to the kinase domain; a C-terminal region containing several predicted α-helices (resembling SEL1 domains); and a probably rather unstructured ‘linker’ region connecting them. In the present paper, we demonstrate: (i) that several highly conserved residues, implicated in binding ATP or metal ions, are critical for eEF2K activity; (ii) that Ca2+/CaM enhance the ability of eEF2K to bind to ATP, providing the first insight into the allosteric control of eEF2K; (iii) that the CaM-binding/α-kinase domain of eEF2K itself possesses autokinase activity, but is unable to phosphorylate substrates in trans; (iv) that phosphorylation of these substrates requires the SEL1-like domains of eEF2K; and (v) that highly conserved residues in the C-terminal tip of eEF2K are essential for the phosphorylation of eEF2, but not a peptide substrate. On the basis of these findings, we propose a model for the functional organization and control of eEF2K.

scholarly journals Identification of autophosphorylation sites in eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase

2012 ◽  
Vol 442 (3) ◽  
pp. 681-692 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sébastien Pyr Dit Ruys ◽  
Xuemin Wang ◽  
Ewan M. Smith ◽  
Gaëtan Herinckx ◽  
Nusrat Hussain ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Catalytic Domain ◽  
Elongation Factor ◽  
Translation Elongation ◽  
Intact Cells ◽  
Elongation Factor 2 ◽  
Eukaryotic Elongation Factor 2 ◽  
293 Cells ◽  
Eukaryotic Elongation Factor ◽  
A Site

eEF2K [eEF2 (eukaryotic elongation factor 2) kinase] phosphorylates and inactivates the translation elongation factor eEF2. eEF2K is not a member of the main eukaryotic protein kinase superfamily, but instead belongs to a small group of so-called α-kinases. The activity of eEF2K is normally dependent upon Ca2+ and calmodulin. eEF2K has previously been shown to undergo autophosphorylation, the stoichiometry of which suggested the existence of multiple sites. In the present study we have identified several autophosphorylation sites, including Thr348, Thr353, Ser366 and Ser445, all of which are highly conserved among vertebrate eEF2Ks. We also identified a number of other sites, including Ser78, a known site of phosphorylation, and others, some of which are less well conserved. None of the sites lies in the catalytic domain, but three affect eEF2K activity. Mutation of Ser78, Thr348 and Ser366 to a non-phosphorylatable alanine residue decreased eEF2K activity. Phosphorylation of Thr348 was detected by immunoblotting after transfecting wild-type eEF2K into HEK (human embryonic kidney)-293 cells, but not after transfection with a kinase-inactive construct, confirming that this is indeed a site of autophosphorylation. Thr348 appears to be constitutively autophosphorylated in vitro. Interestingly, other recent data suggest that the corresponding residue in other α-kinases is also autophosphorylated and contributes to the activation of these enzymes [Crawley, Gharaei, Ye, Yang, Raveh, London, Schueler-Furman, Jia and Cote (2011) J. Biol. Chem. 286, 2607–2616]. Ser366 phosphorylation was also detected in intact cells, but was still observed in the kinase-inactive construct, demonstrating that this site is phosphorylated not only autocatalytically but also in trans by other kinases.

The role of the diphthamide-containing loop within eukaryotic elongation factor 2 in ADP-ribosylation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A

2008 ◽  
Vol 413 (1) ◽  
pp. 163-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Zhang ◽  
Suya Liu ◽  
Gilles Lajoie ◽  
A. Rod Merrill
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Elongation Factor ◽  
Exotoxin A ◽  
Mutant Proteins ◽  
Adp Ribosylation ◽  
Elongation Factor 2 ◽  
Eukaryotic Elongation Factor 2 ◽  
Eukaryotic Elongation Factor ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Exotoxin

eEF2 (eukaryotic elongation factor 2) contains a post-translationally modified histidine residue, known as diphthamide, which is the specific ADP-ribosylation target of diphtheria toxin, cholix toxin and Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A. Site-directed mutagenesis was conducted on residues within the diphthamide-containing loop (Leu693–Gly703) of eEF2 by replacement with alanine. The purified yeast eEF2 mutant proteins were then investigated to determine the role of this loop region in ADP-ribose acceptor activity of elongation factor 2 as catalysed by exotoxin A. A number of single alanine substitutions in the diphthamide-containing loop caused a significant reduction in the eEF2 ADP-ribose acceptor activities, including two strictly conserved residues, His694 and Asp696. Analysis by MS revealed that all of these mutant proteins lacked the 2′-modification on the His699 residue and that eEF2 is acetylated at Lys509. Furthermore, it was revealed that the imidazole ring of Diph699 (diphthamide at position 699) still functions as an ADP-ribose acceptor (albeit poorly), even without the diphthamide modification on the His699. Therefore, this diphthamide-containing loop plays an important role in the ADP-ribosylation of eEF2 catalysed by toxin and also for modification of His699 by the endogenous diphthamide modification machinery.

scholarly journals Molecular Mechanism for the Control of Eukaryotic Elongation Factor 2 Kinase by pH: Role in Cancer Cell Survival

2015 ◽  
Vol 35 (10) ◽  
pp. 1805-1824 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianling Xie ◽  
Halina Mikolajek ◽  
Craig R. Pigott ◽  
Kelly J. Hooper ◽  
Toby Mellows ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Survival ◽  
Cancer Cell ◽  
Catalytic Domain ◽  
Elongation Factor ◽  
Cell Physiology ◽  
Elongation Factor 2 ◽  
Eukaryotic Elongation Factor 2 ◽  
Eukaryotic Elongation Factor ◽  
Cancer Cell Survival

Acidification of the extracellular and/or intracellular environment is involved in many aspects of cell physiology and pathology. Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K) is a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase that regulates translation elongation by phosphorylating and inhibiting eEF2. Here we show that extracellular acidosis elicits activation of eEF2Kin vivo, leading to enhanced phosphorylation of eEF2. We identify five histidine residues in eEF2K that are crucial for the activation of eEF2K during acidosis. Three of them (H80, H87, and H94) are in its calmodulin-binding site, and their protonation appears to enhance the ability of calmodulin to activate eEF2K. The other two histidines (H227 and H230) lie in the catalytic domain of eEF2K. We also identify His108 in calmodulin as essential for activation of eEF2K. Acidification of cancer cell microenvironments is a hallmark of malignant solid tumors. Knocking down eEF2K in cancer cells attenuated the decrease in global protein synthesis when cells were cultured at acidic pH. Importantly, activation of eEF2K is linked to cancer cell survival under acidic conditions. Inhibition of eEF2K promotes cancer cell death under acidosis.

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