Oligosaccharide modification in the early secretory pathway directs the selection of a misfolded glycoprotein for degradation by the proteasome. (1/475)

The role of conformation-based quality control in the early secretory pathway is to eliminate misfolded polypeptides and unassembled multimeric protein complexes from the endoplasmic reticulum, ensuring the deployment of only functional molecules to distal sites. The intracellular fate of terminally misfolded human alpha1-antitrypsin was examined in hepatoma cells to identify the functional role of asparagine-linked oligosaccharide modification in the selection of glycoproteins for degradation by the cytosolic proteasome. Proteasomal degradation required physical interaction with the molecular chaperone calnexin. Altered sedimentation of intracellular complexes following treatment with the specific proteasome inhibitor lactacystin, and in combination with mannosidase inhibition, revealed that the removal of mannose from attached oligosaccharides abrogates the release of misfolded alpha1-antitrypsin from calnexin prior to proteasomal degradation. Intracellular turnover was arrested with kifunensine, implicating the participation of endoplasmic reticulum mannosidase I in the disposal process. Accelerated degradation occurred in a mannosidase-independent manner and was arrested by lactacystin, in response to the posttranslational inhibition of glucosidase II, demonstrating that the attenuated removal of glucose from attached oligosaccharides functions as the underlying rate-limiting step in the proteasome-mediated pathway. A model is proposed in which the removal of mannose from multiple attached oligosaccharides directs calnexin in the selection of misfolded alpha1-antitrypsin for degradation by the proteasome.  (+info)

Trimming and readdition of glucose to N-linked oligosaccharides determines calnexin association of a substrate glycoprotein in living cells. (2/475)

To analyze the role of glucose trimming and reglucosylation in the binding of substrate proteins to calnexin in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of living cells, we made use of the thermosensitive vesicular stomatitis virus tsO45 glycoprotein (G protein). At nonpermissive temperature the G protein failed to fold completely and remained bound to calnexin. When the cells were shifted to permissive temperature, complete folding occurred accompanied by glucosidase-mediated elimination of calnexin-G protein complexes. If release from calnexin was blocked during the temperature shift by inhibiting the glucosidases, folding occurred, albeit at a reduced rate. In contrast, when unfolded by a shift from permissive to nonpermissive temperature, the G protein was reglucosylated rapidly and became capable of rebinding to calnexin. The rate at which calnexin binding occurred showed a 20-min delay that was explained by accumulation of the G protein in calnexin-free exit sites of the ER. These contained the glucosyltransferase responsible for reglucosylation of misfolded glycoproteins but had little or no calnexin. After unfolding and reglucosylation, the G proteins moved slowly from these structures back to the ER where they reassociated with the chaperone. Taken together, these results in live cells fully supported the lectin-only model of calnexin function. The ER exit sites emerged as a potentially important location for components of the quality control system.  (+info)

Surface expression and functional competence of CD3-independent TCR zeta-chains in immature thymocytes. (3/475)

In recombinase-deficient (RAG-2-/-) mice, double-negative thymocytes can be stimulated to proliferate and differentiate by anti-CD3 Abs. CD3 molecules are expressed on the surface of these cells in association with calnexin. In this study, we show that zeta-chains can be recovered as phosphorylated proteins in association with phosphorylated ZAP-70 from anti-CD3-stimulated RAG-2-/- thymocytes, even though they are not demonstrably associated with the CD3/calnexin complex. The lack of a physical association of zeta dimers with the CD3 complex in RAG-2-/- thymocytes and also in a pre-TCR-expressing cell line, as well as the efficient association of zeta dimers with ZAP-70 in the RAG-2-/- thymocytes, suggest that these zeta-chain dimers could contribute to pre-TCR signaling. This idea is supported by the finding that in RAG-2-/- zeta-deficient thymocytes, ZAP-70 and p120cbl were only weakly phosphorylated.  (+info)

Analysis of the glycosylation sites of hepatitis C virus (HCV) glycoprotein E1 and the influence of E1 glycans on the formation of the HCV glycoprotein complex. (4/475)

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome encodes two membrane-associated envelope glycoproteins (E1 and E2), which are released from the viral polyprotein precursor by host signal peptidase cleavages. These glycoproteins interact to form a noncovalent heterodimeric complex, which is retained in the endoplasmic reticulum. HCV glycoproteins, E1 and E2, are heavily modified by N-linked glycosylation. A recent study has revealed that upon partial deglycosylation with endoglycosidase H only four of the five potential glycosylation sites of HCV glycoprotein E1 are utilized. In this work, the unused glycosylation site on the E1 glycoprotein was identified and the influence of N-linked glycosylation on the formation of the HCV glycoprotein complex was studied by expressing a panel of E1 glycosylation mutants in HepG2 cells. Each of the five potential N-linked glycosylation sites, located at amino acid positions 196, 209, 234, 305 and 325, respectively, on the HCV polyprotein, was mutated separately as well as in combination with the other sites. Expression of the mutated E1 proteins in HepG2 cells indicated that the fifth glycosylation site is not used for the addition of N-linked oligosaccharides and the Pro immediately following the sequon (Asn-Trp-Ser) precludes core glycosylation. The effect of each mutation on the formation of noncovalent E1E2 complexes was also analysed. As determined with the use of a conformation-sensitive monoclonal antibody, mutations at positions N2 and N3 had no, or only minor, effects on the assembly of the E1E2 complex, whereas a mutation at position N1 and predominantly at position N4 dramatically reduced the efficiency of the formation of noncovalent E1E2 complexes.  (+info)

Biogenesis of alpha6beta4 integrin in a human colonic adenocarcinoma cell line involvement of calnexin. (5/475)

The heterodimer alpha6beta4 is a major integrin and the main laminin receptor in epithelia. The alpha6 integrin subunit is proteolytically cleaved, probably by furin, and glycosylated during its biosynthesis. In the present work, we have investigated the kinetics of the assembly process of alpha6beta4 heterodimers in the colonic adenocarcinoma cell line HT29-D4. We demonstrate that the association of alpha6 and beta4 precursors occurs within the ER, while the endoproteolytic cleavage of pro-alpha6 occurs later, probably in the trans-Golgi network. When pro-alpha6 was blocked within the ER by treatment with brefeldin A, its maturation processing was completely prevented without any consequence on its association with beta4 subunit. Low temperature (20 degrees C) also blocked pro-alpha6 maturation, like brefeldin A, but in addition impaired the integrin assembly. Calnexin, an ER resident protein chaperone, was found to be associated with both the alpha6 and beta4 subunit precursors. Our data suggest that calnexin might be responsible for the prolonged retention of pro-alpha6 within the ER compartment and for the defect of integrin subunit association observed at low temperature.  (+info)

Interaction of mammalian neprilysin with binding protein and calnexin in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. (6/475)

Neutral endopeptidase (neprilysin or NEP, EC 3.4.24.11) is a zinc metallo-endopeptidase expressed in many eukaryotic cell types and displaying several important physiological roles. In the brain (and central nervous system), this enzyme is involved in the molecular mechanism of pain by its action in the degradation of enkephalin molecules. In the kidney, NEP is implicated in the degradation of regulatory factors involved in the control of arterial pressure, including atrial natriuretic peptide and bradykinin. In this study we assessed the potential of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe to overproduce rabbit NEP and secreted NEP (sNEP, a soluble derivative of this integral membrane protein). Both recombinant NEP and sNEP were produced at high levels (5 mg/l) in this system. Enzymic studies revealed that these recombinant proteins were fully active and exhibit kinetic parameters similar to those of the bona fide enzyme. Immunofluorescence microscopy and enzymic assays demonstrated that recombinant NEP is correctly targeted to the cell membrane. Furthermore, co-immunoprecipitation studies showed that folding intermediates of NEP and sNEP, produced in S. pombe, interact in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) with binding protein (BiP) and calnexin (Cnx1p). The amount of sNEP coprecipitated with both BiP and Cnx1p augmented when cells were subjected to various stresses causing the accumulation of unfolded proteins in the ER. The interactions of NEP with BiP and Cnx1p were, however, more refractive to the same stresses.  (+info)

Biosynthesis of HLA-C heavy chains in melanoma cells with multiple defects in the expression of HLA-A, -B, -C molecules. (7/475)

Recent investigations have shown that malignant transformation may down-regulate the expression of class I HLA molecules, beta2-microglobulin (beta2m) and members of the antigen-processing machinery. In the present study, we HLA-genotyped and identified at a biochemical level the three (HLA-A25, -B8, -Cw7) class I alleles expressed by the previously described [D'Urso CM et al (1992) J Clin Invest 87: 284-292] beta2m-defective human melanoma FO-1 cell line and tested their ability to interact with calnexin, calreticulin and the TAP (transporter associated with antigen processing) complex. All these alleles were found to bind calnexin, but not calreticulin or the poorly expressed TAP complex, both in parental and beta2m-transfected FO-1 cells, demonstrating a complex defect of class I expression in FO-1 cells. In these conditions, Cw7 heavy chains interacted with calnexin more strongly than A25 and B8, and preferentially accumulated in the endoplasmic reticulum, in both a calnexin-associated and a calnexin-free form. In addition, they could be transported to the cell surface at low levels even in the absence of beta2m, without undergoing terminal glycosylation. These results establish a parallel between HLA-C and the murine Db and Ld molecules which have been found to be surface expressed and functional in beta2m-defective cells. They also demonstrate distinctive features of HLA-C molecules. We propose that the accumulation of several assembly intermediates of HLA-C might favour the binding of peptide antigens not readily bound by HLA-A and -B molecules in neoplastic cells with suboptimal class I expression.  (+info)

Molecular chaperones stimulate the functional expression of the cocaine-sensitive serotonin transporter. (8/475)

The serotonin transporter (SERT) is an N-glycosylated integral membrane protein that is predicted to contain 12 transmembrane regions. SERT is the major binding site in the brain for antidepressant drugs, and it also binds amphetamines and cocaine. The ability of various molecular chaperones to interact with a tagged version of SERT (Myc-SERT) was investigated using the baculovirus expression system. Overexpression of Myc-SERT using the baculovirus system led to substantial quantities of inactive transporter, together with small amounts of fully active and, therefore, correctly folded molecules. The high levels of inactive Myc-SERT probably arose because folding was rate-limiting due, perhaps, to insufficient molecular chaperones. Therefore, Myc-SERT was co-expressed with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) molecular chaperones calnexin, calreticulin and immunoglobulin heavy chain binding protein (BiP), and the foldase, ERp57. The expression of functional Myc-SERT, as determined by an inhibitor binding assay, was enhanced nearly 3-fold by co-expressing calnexin, and to a lesser degree on co-expression of calreticulin and BiP. Co-expression of ERp57 did not increase the functional expression of Myc-SERT. A physical interaction between Myc-SERT-calnexin and Myc-SERT-calreticulin was demonstrated by co-immunoprecipitation. These associations were inhibited in vivo by deoxynojirimycin, an inhibitor of N-glycan precusor trimming that is known to prevent the calnexin/calreticulin-N-glycan interaction. Functional expression of the unglycosylated SERT mutant, SERT-QQ, was also increased on co-expression of calnexin, suggesting that the interaction between calnexin and SERT is not entirely dictated by the N-glycan. SERT is the first member of the neurotransmitter transporter family whose folding has been shown to be assisted by the molecular chaperones calnexin, calreticulin, and BiP.  (+info)