Identification of topological determinants in the N-terminal domain of transcription factor Nrf1 that control its orientation in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane

2010 ◽  
Vol 430 (3) ◽  
pp. 497-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiguo Zhang ◽  
John D. Hayes

Nrf1 [NF-E2 (nuclear factor-erythroid 2)-related factor 1] is a CNC (cap'n'collar) bZIP (basic-region leucine zipper) transcription factor that is tethered to ER (endoplasmic reticulum) and nuclear envelope membranes through its N-terminal signal peptide (residues 1–30). Besides the signal peptide, amino acids 31–90 of Nrf1 also negatively regulate the CNC-bZIP factor. In the present study we have tested the hypothesis that amino acids 31–90 of Nrf1, and the overlapping NHB2 (N-terminal homology box 2; residues 82–106), inhibit Nrf1 because they control its topology within membranes. This region contains three amphipathic α-helical regions comprising amino acids 31–50 [called the SAS (signal peptide-associated sequence)], 55–82 [called the CRACs (cholesterol-recognition amino acid consensus sequences)] and 89–106 (part of NHB2). We present experimental data showing that the signal peptide of Nrf1 contains a TM1 (transmembrane 1) region (residues 7–24) that is orientated across the ER membrane in an Ncyt/Clum fashion with its N-terminus facing the cytoplasm and its C-terminus positioned in the lumen of the ER. Once Nrf1 is anchored to the ER membrane through TM1, the remaining portion of the N-terminal domain (NTD, residues 1–124) is transiently translocated into the ER lumen. Thereafter, Nrf1 adopts a topology in which the SAS is inserted into the membrane, the CRACs are probably repartitioned to the cytoplasmic side of the ER membrane, and NHB2 may serve as an anchor switch, either lying on the luminal surface of the ER or traversing the membrane with an Ncyt/Clum orientation. Thus Nrf1 can adopt several topologies within membranes that are determined by its NTD.

1998 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 2231-2247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia D. Romano ◽  
Walter K. Schmidt ◽  
Susan Michaelis

Eukaryotic proteins containing a C-terminal CAAX motif undergo a series of posttranslational CAAX-processing events that include isoprenylation, C-terminal proteolytic cleavage, and carboxyl methylation. We demonstrated previously that the STE14gene product of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mediates the carboxyl methylation step of CAAX processing in yeast. In this study, we have investigated the subcellular localization of Ste14p, a predicted membrane-spanning protein, using a polyclonal antibody generated against the C terminus of Ste14p and an in vitro methyltransferase assay. We demonstrate by immunofluorescence and subcellular fractionation that Ste14p and its associated activity are localized to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane of yeast. In addition, other studies from our laboratory have shown that the CAAX proteases are also ER membrane proteins. Together these results indicate that the intracellular site of CAAX protein processing is the ER membrane, presumably on its cytosolic face. Interestingly, the insertion of a hemagglutinin epitope tag at the N terminus, at the C terminus, or at an internal site disrupts the ER localization of Ste14p and results in its mislocalization, apparently to the Golgi. We have also expressed the Ste14p homologue from Schizosaccharomyces pombe, mam4p, in S. cerevisiae and have shown that mam4p complements a Δste14 mutant. This finding, plus additional recent examples of cross-species complementation, indicates that the CAAX methyltransferase family consists of functional homologues.


2003 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 1238-1242 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Borgese ◽  
S. Brambillasca ◽  
P. Soffientini ◽  
M. Yabal ◽  
M. Makarow

A group of integral membrane proteins, known as C-tail anchored, is defined by the presence of a cytosolic N-terminal domain that is anchored to the phospholipid bilayer by a single segment of hydrophobic amino acids close to the C-terminus. The mode of insertion into membranes of these proteins, many of which play key roles in fundamental intracellular processes, is obligatorily post-translational, is highly specific and may be subject to regulatory processes that modulate the protein's function. Recent work has demonstrated that tail-anchored proteins translocate their C-termini across the endoplasmic reticulum membrane by a mechanism different from that used for Sec61-dependent post-translational signal-peptide-driven translocation. Here we summarize recent results on the insertion of tail-anchored proteins and discuss possible mechanisms that could be involved.


2006 ◽  
Vol 399 (3) ◽  
pp. 373-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiguo Zhang ◽  
Dorothy H. Crouch ◽  
Masayuki Yamamoto ◽  
John D. Hayes

Nrf1 (nuclear factor-erythroid 2 p45 subunit-related factor 1) and Nrf2 regulate ARE (antioxidant response element)-driven genes. At its N-terminal end, Nrf1 contains 155 additional amino acids that are absent from Nrf2. This 155-amino-acid polypeptide includes the N-terminal domain (NTD, amino acids 1–124) and a region (amino acids 125–155) that is part of acidic domain 1 (amino acids 125–295). Within acidic domain 1, residues 156–242 share 43% identity with the Neh2 (Nrf2-ECH homology 2) degron of Nrf2 that serves to destabilize this latter transcription factor through an interaction with Keap1 (Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1). We have examined the function of the 155-amino-acid N-terminal polypeptide in Nrf1, along with its adjacent Neh2-like subdomain. Activation of ARE-driven genes by Nrf1 was negatively controlled by the NTD (N-terminal domain) through its ability to direct Nrf1 to the endoplasmic reticulum. Ectopic expression of wild-type Nrf1 and mutants lacking either the NTD or portions of its Neh2-like subdomain into wild-type and mutant mouse embryonic fibroblasts indicated that Keap1 controls neither the activity of Nrf1 nor its subcellular distribution. Immunocytochemistry showed that whereas Nrf1 gave primarily cytoplasmic staining that was co-incident with that of an endoplasmic-reticulum marker, Nrf2 gave primarily nuclear staining. Attachment of the NTD from Nrf1 to the N-terminus of Nrf2 produced a fusion protein that was redirected from the nucleus to the endoplasmic reticulum. Although this NTD–Nrf2 fusion protein exhibited less transactivation activity than wild-type Nrf2, it was nevertheless still negatively regulated by Keap1. Thus Nrf1 and Nrf2 are targeted to different subcellular compartments and are negatively regulated by distinct mechanisms.


2005 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. 4584-4594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samiksha Katiyar ◽  
Shivanjali Joshi ◽  
William J. Lennarz

The deglycosylating enzyme, peptide:N-glycanase, acts on misfolded N-linked glycoproteins dislocated from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the cytosol. Deglycosylation has been demonstrated to occur at the ER membrane and in the cytosol. However, the mechanism of PNGase association with the ER membrane was unclear, because PNGase lacked the necessary signal to facilitate its incorporation in the ER membrane, nor was it known to bind to an integral ER protein. Using HeLa cells, we have identified a membrane protein that associates with PNGase, thereby bringing it in close proximity to the ER and providing accessibility to dislocating glycoproteins. This protein, Derlin-1, has recently been shown to mediate retrotranslocation of misfolded glycoproteins. In this study we demonstrate that Derlin-1 interacts with the N-terminal domain of PNGase via its cytosolic C-terminus. Moreover, we find PNGase distributed in two populations; ER-associated and free in the cytosol, which suggests the deglycosylation process can proceed at either site depending on the glycoprotein substrate.


2002 ◽  
Vol 278 (5) ◽  
pp. 3489-3496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Yabal ◽  
Silvia Brambillasca ◽  
Paolo Soffientini ◽  
Emanuela Pedrazzini ◽  
Nica Borgese ◽  
...  

2003 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 1243-1247 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Martoglio

Signal sequences are the addresses of proteins destined for secretion. In eukaryotic cells, they mediate targeting to the endoplasmic reticulum membrane and insertion into the translocon. Thereafter, signal sequences are cleaved from the pre-protein and liberated into the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. We have recently reported that some liberated signal peptides are further processed by the intramembrane-cleaving aspartic protease signal peptide peptidase. Cleavage in the membrane-spanning portion of the signal peptide promotes the release of signal peptide fragments from the lipid bilayer. Typical processes that include intramembrane proteolysis is the regulatory or signalling function of cleavage products. Likewise, signal peptide fragments liberated upon intramembrane cleavage may promote such post-targeting functions in the cell.


2004 ◽  
Vol 380 (3) ◽  
pp. 695-703 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongyi BI ◽  
Richard D. PALMITER ◽  
Kristi M. WOOD ◽  
Qiang MA

Phenolic antioxidants, such as tBHQ [2,5-di-(t-butyl)-1,4-hydroquinone], induce Mt1 (metallothionein 1) gene expression and accumulation of MT protein. Induction of Mt1 mRNA does not depend on protein synthesis, and correlates with oxidation–reduction functions of the antioxidants. In the present study, we analysed the biochemical pathway of the induction. Induction depends on the presence of MTF-1 (metal-activated transcription factor 1), a transcription factor that is required for metal-induced transcription of Mt1, but does not require nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, a tBHQ-activated CNC bZip (cap ‘n’ collar basic leucine zipper) protein, that is responsible for regulating genes encoding phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes. Moreover, tBHQ induces the expression of MRE-βGeo, a reporter gene driven by five metal response elements that constitute an optimal MTF-1 binding site. Reconstitution of Mtf1-null cells with MTF-1 restores induction by both zinc and tBHQ. Unlike activation of phase II genes by tBHQ, induction of Mt1 expression does not occur in the presence of EDTA, when cells are cultured in zinc-depleted medium, or in cells with reduced intracellular ‘free’ zinc due to overexpression of ZnT1, a zinc-efflux transporter, indicating that induction requires zinc. In addition, fluorescence imaging reveals that tBHQ increases cytoplasmic free zinc concentration by mobilizing intracellular zinc pools. These findings establish that phenolic antioxidants activate Mt1 transcription by a zinc-dependent mechanism, which involves MTF-1 binding to metal regulator elements in the Mt1 gene promoter.


2003 ◽  
Vol 185 (13) ◽  
pp. 3821-3827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Enggist ◽  
Linda Thöny-Meyer

ABSTRACT CcmE is a heme chaperone active in the cytochrome c maturation pathway of Escherichia coli. It first binds heme covalently to strictly conserved histidine H130 and subsequently delivers it to apo-cytochrome c. The recently solved structure of soluble CcmE revealed a compact core consisting of a β-barrel and a flexible C-terminal domain with a short α-helical turn. In order to elucidate the function of this poorly conserved domain, CcmE was truncated stepwise from the C terminus. Removal of all 29 amino acids up to crucial histidine 130 did not abolish heme binding completely. For detectable transfer of heme to type c cytochromes, only one additional residue, D131, was required, and for efficient cytochrome c maturation, the seven-residue sequence 131DENYTPP137 was required. When soluble forms of CcmE were expressed in the periplasm, the C-terminal domain had to be slightly longer to allow detection of holo-CcmE. Soluble full-length CcmE had low activity in cytochrome c maturation, indicating the importance of the N-terminal membrane anchor for the in vivo function of CcmE.


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