scholarly journals Conserved Sr Protein Kinase Functions in Nuclear Import and Its Action Is Counteracted by Arginine Methylation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

2000 ◽  
Vol 150 (4) ◽  
pp. 707-718 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chi Y. Yun ◽  
Xiang-Dong Fu

Mammalian serine and arginine–rich (SR) proteins play important roles in both constitutive and regulated splicing, and SR protein–specific kinases (SRPKs) are conserved from humans to yeast. Here, we demonstrate a novel function of the single conserved SR protein kinase Sky1p in nuclear import in budding yeast. The yeast SR-like protein Npl3p is known to enter the nucleus through a composite nuclear localization signal (NLS) consisting of a repetitive arginine- glycine-glycine (RGG) motif and a nonrepetitive sequence. We found that the latter is the site for phosphorylation by Sky1p and that this phosphorylation regulates nuclear import of Npl3p by modulating the interaction of the RGG motif with its nuclear import receptor Mtr10p. The RGG motif is also methylated on arginine residues, but methylation does not affect the Npl3p–Mtr10p interaction in vitro. Remarkably, arginine methylation interferes with Sky1p-mediated phosphorylation, thereby indirectly influencing the Npl3p–Mtr10p interaction in vivo and negatively regulating nuclear import of Npl3p. These results suggest that nuclear import of Npl3p is coordinately influenced by methylation and phosphorylation in budding yeast, which may represent conserved components in the dynamic regulation of RNA processing in higher eukaryotic cells.

2000 ◽  
Vol 20 (16) ◽  
pp. 5858-5864 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory J. Reynard ◽  
William Reynolds ◽  
Rati Verma ◽  
Raymond J. Deshaies

ABSTRACT p13suc1 (Cks) proteins have been implicated in the regulation of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) activity. However, the mechanism by which Cks influences the function of cyclin-CDK complexes has remained elusive. We show here that Cks1 is required for the protein kinase activity of budding yeast G1 cyclin-CDK complexes. Cln2 and Cdc28 subunits coexpressed in baculovirus-infected insect cells fail to exhibit protein kinase activity towards multiple substrates in the absence of Cks1. Cks1 can both stabilize Cln2-Cdc28 complexes and activate intact complexes in vitro, suggesting that it plays multiple roles in the biogenesis of active G1cyclin-CDK complexes. In contrast, Cdc28 forms stable, active complexes with the B-type cyclins Clb4 and Clb5 regardless of whether Cks1 is present. The levels of Cln2-Cdc28 and Cln3-Cdc28 protein kinase activity are severely reduced in cks1-38 cell extracts. Moreover, phosphorylation of G1 cyclins, which depends on Cdc28 activity, is reduced in cks1-38 cells. The role of Cks1 in promoting G1 cyclin-CDK protein kinase activity both in vitro and in vivo provides a simple molecular rationale for the essential role of CKS1 in progression through G1 phase in budding yeast.


1997 ◽  
Vol 110 (11) ◽  
pp. 1325-1331 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.A. Fridell ◽  
R. Truant ◽  
L. Thorne ◽  
R.E. Benson ◽  
B.R. Cullen

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 contains a sequence, termed M9, that functions as a potent nuclear localization signal (NLS) yet bears no similarity to the well-defined basic class of NLSs. Here, we report the identification of a novel human protein, termed MIP, that binds M9 specifically both in vivo and in vitro yet fails to interact with non-functional M9 point mutants. Of note, the 101 kDa MIP protein bears significant homology to human karyopherin/importin-beta, a protein known to mediate the function of basic NLSs. The in vitro nuclear import of a protein substrate containing the M9 NLS was found to be dependent on provision of the MIP protein in trans. Cytoplasmic microinjection of a truncated form of MIP that retains the M9 binding site blocked the in vivo nuclear import of a substrate containing the M9 NLS yet failed to affect the import of a similar substrate bearing a basic NLS. These data indicate that nuclear import of hnRNP A1 is mediated by a novel cellular import pathway that is distinct from, yet evolutionarily related to, the pathway utilized by basic NLS sequences.


1999 ◽  
Vol 145 (6) ◽  
pp. 1145-1152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naoyuki Kataoka ◽  
Jennifer L. Bachorik ◽  
Gideon Dreyfuss

The SR proteins, a group of abundant arginine/serine (RS)-rich proteins, are essential pre-mRNA splicing factors that are localized in the nucleus. The RS domain of these proteins serves as a nuclear localization signal. We found that RS domain–bearing proteins do not utilize any of the known nuclear import receptors and identified a novel nuclear import receptor specific for SR proteins. The SR protein import receptor, termed transportin-SR (TRN-SR), binds specifically and directly to the RS domains of ASF/SF2 and SC35 as well as several other SR proteins. The nuclear transport regulator RanGTP abolishes this interaction. Recombinant TRN-SR mediates nuclear import of RS domain– bearing proteins in vitro. TRN-SR has amino acid sequence similarity to several members of the importin β/transportin family. These findings strongly suggest that TRN-SR is a nuclear import receptor for the SR protein family.


Genetics ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 147 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Sutton ◽  
Richard Freiman

Abstract The CAK1 gene encodes the major CDK-activating kinase (CAK) in budding yeast and is required for activation of Cdc28p for cell cycle progression from G2 to M phase. Here we describe the isolation of a mutant allele of CAK1 in a synthetic lethal screen with the Sit4 protein phosphatase. Analysis of several different cak1 mutants shows that although the G2 to M transition appears most sensitive to loss of Cak1p function, Cak1p is also required for activation of Cdc28p for progression from G1 into S phase. Further characterization of these mutants suggests that, unlike the CAK identified from higher eukaryotes, Cak1p of budding yeast may not play a role in general transcription. Finally, although Cak1 protein levels and in vitro protein kinase activity do not fluctuate during the cell cycle, at least a fraction of Cak1p associates with higher molecular weight proteins, which may be important for its in vivo function.


2004 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 1147-1153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly A. Kafadar ◽  
Martha S. Cyert

ABSTRACT Calcineurin is a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase required for Saccharomyces cerevisiae to adapt to a variety of environmental stresses. Once activated, calcineurin dephosphorylates the Zn-finger transcription factor Crz1p/Tcn1p, causing it to accumulate in the nucleus where it activates gene expression. Here we show that cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylates and negatively regulates Crz1p activity by inhibiting its nuclear import. Activation of PKA in vivo decreases Crz1p-dependent transcription. PKA phosphorylates Crz1p in vitro, and we identify specific residues required for this phosphorylation, all of which reside in or adjacent to the nuclear localization signal. Mutation of these residues to alanine results in increased nuclear import of Crz1p and results in higher levels of both basal and Ca2+-induced Crz1p transcriptional activity. PKA regulates the general stress response in yeast and coordinates this response with nutrient availability. In contrast, calcineurin regulates the cellular response to a restricted set of environmental insults. Thus, these studies identify a specific biochemical mechanism through which the activities of multiple stress-activated signaling pathways are integrated in vivo.


1995 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 2800-2808 ◽  
Author(s):  
Q Liu ◽  
G Dreyfuss

Heterogenous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) bind pre-mRNAs and facilitate their processing into mRNAs. Many of the hnRNPs undergo extensive posttranslational modifications including methylation on arginine residues. hnRNPs contain about 65% of the total NG,NG-dimethylarginine found in the cell nucleus. The role of this modification is not known. Here we identify the hnRNPs that are methylated in HeLa cells and demonstrate that most of the pre-mRNA-binding proteins receive this modification. Using recombinant human hnRNP A1 as a substrate, we have partially purified and characterized a protein-arginine N-methyltransferase specific for hnRNPs from HeLa cells. This methyltransferase can methylate the same subset of hnRNPs in vitro as are methylated in vivo. Furthermore, it can also methylate other RNA-binding proteins that contain the RGG motif RNA-binding domain. This activity is evolutionarily conserved from lower eukaryotes to mammals, suggesting that methylation has a significant role in the function of RNA-binding proteins.


2003 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 1221-1239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita C. Maiyar ◽  
Meredith L.L. Leong ◽  
Gary L. Firestone

The transcriptionally regulated serum and glucocorticoid inducible protein kinase (Sgk) is localized to the nucleus in a serum-dependent manner, and a yeast two-hybrid genetic screen uncovered a specific interaction between Sgk and the importin-α nuclear import receptor. In vitro GST pull down assays demonstrated a strong and direct association of importin-α with endogenous Sgk and exogenously expressed HA-tagged Sgk, whereas both components coimmunoprecipitate and colocalize to the nucleus after serum stimulation. Consistent with an active mechanism of nuclear localization, the nuclear import of HA-Sgk in permeabilized cells required ATP, cytoplasm, and a functional nuclear pore complex. Ectopic addition of a 107 amino acid carboxy-terminal fragment of importin-α, which contains the Sgk binding region, competitively inhibited the ability of endogenous importin-α to import Sgk into nuclei in vitro. Mutagenesis of lysines by alanine substitution defined a KKAILKKKEEK sequence within the central domain of Sgk between amino acids 131–141 that functions as a nuclear localization signal (NLS) required for the in vitro interaction with importin-α and for nuclear import of full-length Sgk in cultured cells. The serum-induced nuclear import of Sgk requires the NLS-dependent recognition of Sgk by importin-α as well as the PI3-kinase–dependent phosphorylation of Sgk. Our results define a new role importin-α in the stimulus-dependent control of signal transduction by nuclear localized protein kinases.


2000 ◽  
Vol 20 (14) ◽  
pp. 5140-5148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gang Peng ◽  
James E. Hopper

ABSTRACT Genetics and in vitro studies have shown that the direct interaction between Gal3p and Gal80p plays a central role in galactose-dependent Gal4p-mediated GAL gene expression in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Precisely how Gal3p-Gal80p interaction effects induction is not clear. It has been assumed that Gal3p interacts with Gal80p in the nucleus upon galactose addition to release Gal80p inhibition of Gal4p. Although Gal80p has been shown to possess nuclear localization signal (NLS) peptides, the subcellular distribution of neither Gal80p nor Gal3p was previously determined. Here we report that Gal3p is located in the cytoplasm and apparently excluded from the nucleus. We show that Gal80p is located in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Converting Gal80p into a nucleus-localized protein (NLS-Gal80p) by exogenous NLS addition impairs GAL gene induction. The impaired induction can be partially suppressed by targeting Gal3p to the nucleus (NLS-Gal3p). We document a very rapid association between NLS-Gal3p and Gal80p in vivo in response to galactose, illustrating that the nuclear import of Gal80p is very rapid and efficient. We also demonstrate that nucleus-localized NLS-Gal80p can move out of the nucleus and shuttle between nuclei in yeast heterokaryons. These results are the first indication that the subcellular distribution dynamics of the Gal3 and Gal80 proteins play a role in regulating Gal4p-mediated GALgene expression in vivo.


2006 ◽  
Vol 172 (7) ◽  
pp. 1009-1022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jawdat Al-Bassam ◽  
Mark van Breugel ◽  
Stephen C. Harrison ◽  
Anthony Hyman

Stu2p from budding yeast belongs to the conserved Dis1/XMAP215 family of microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs). The common feature of proteins in this family is the presence of HEAT repeat–containing TOG domains near the NH2 terminus. We have investigated the functions of the two TOG domains of Stu2p in vivo and in vitro. Our data suggest that Stu2p regulates microtubule dynamics through two separate activities. First, Stu2p binds to a single free tubulin heterodimer through its first TOG domain. A large conformational transition in homodimeric Stu2p from an open structure to a closed one accompanies the capture of a single free tubulin heterodimer. Second, Stu2p has the capacity to associate directly with microtubule ends, at least in part, through its second TOG domain. These two properties lead to the stabilization of microtubules in vivo, perhaps by the loading of tubulin dimers at microtubule ends. We suggest that this mechanism of microtubule regulation is a conserved feature of the Dis1/XMAP215 family of MAPs.


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