Functional requirement of p23 and Hsp90 in telomerase complexes.
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Most normal human diploid cells have no detectable telomerase; however, expression of the catalytic subunit of telomerase is sufficient to induce telomerase activity and, in many cases, will bypass normal senescence. We and others have previously demonstrated in vitro assembly of active telomerase by combining the purified RNA component with the reverse transcriptase catalytic component synthesized in rabbit reticulocyte extract. Here we show that assembly of active telomerase from in vitro-synthesized components requires the contribution of proteins present in reticulocyte extracts. We have identified the molecular chaperones p23 and Hsp90 as proteins that bind to the catalytic subunit of telomerase. Blockade of this interaction inhibits assembly of active telomerase in vitro. Also, a significant fraction of active telomerase from cell extracts is associated with p23 and Hsp90. Consistent with in vitro results, inhibition of Hsp90 function in cells blocks assembly of active telomerase. To our knowledge, p23 and Hsp90 are the first telomerase-associated proteins demonstrated to contribute to telomerase activity. (+info)
Structural and functional significance of the FGL sequence of the periplasmic chaperone Caf1M of Yersinia pestis.
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The periplasmic molecular chaperone Caf1M of Yersinia pestis is a typical representative of a subfamily of specific chaperones involved in assembly of surface adhesins with a very simple structure. One characteristic feature of this Caf1M-like subfamily is possession of an extended, variable sequence (termed FGL) between the F1 and subunit binding G1 beta-strands. In contrast, FGS subfamily members, characterized by PapD, have a short F1-G1 loop and are involved in assembly of complex pili. To elucidate the structural and functional significance of the FGL sequence, a mutant Caf1M molecule (dCaf1M), in which the 27 amino acid residues between the F1 and G1 beta-strands had been deleted, was constructed. Expression of the mutated caf1M in Escherichia coli resulted in accumulation of high levels of dCaf1M. The far-UV circular dichroism spectra of the mutant and wild-type proteins were indistinguishable and exhibited practically the same temperature and pH dependencies. Thus, the FGL sequence of Caf1M clearly does not contribute significantly to the stability of the protein conformation. Preferential cleavage of Caf1M by trypsin at Lys-119 confirmed surface exposure of this part of the FGL sequence in the isolated chaperone and periplasmic chaperone-subunit complex. There was no evidence of surface-localized Caf1 subunit in the presence of the Caf1A outer membrane protein and dCaf1M. In contrast to Caf1M, dCaf1M was not able to form a stable complex with Caf1 nor could it protect the subunit from proteolytic degradation in vivo. This demonstration that the FGL sequence is required for stable chaperone-subunit interaction, but not for folding of a stable chaperone, provides a sound basis for future detailed molecular analyses of the FGL subfamily of chaperones. (+info)
Molecular mechanisms of peptide loading by the tumor rejection antigen/heat shock chaperone gp96 (GRP94).
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Complexes of gp96/GRP94 and peptides have been shown to elicit immunogenicity. We used fluorescence to understand peptide association with gp96. A pyrene-peptide conjugate was complexed with gp96 under a variety of conditions. At room temperature in low salt (20 mM NaCl), the peptide binds gp96 with a strong affinity (approximately 100-150 nM) and forms pyrene excimers, suggesting that the peptides were assembled as dimers. In high salt (2.2 M NaCl), although peptide binding was stronger (Ka approximately 55 nM) than in low salt, pyrene excimers were absent, implying that peptides were farther apart in the complex. Heat shock-activated peptide binding exhibited characteristics of both low salt and high salt modes of binding. Anisotropy and average lifetime of the bound pyrene suggested that peptides were probably located in a solvent-accessible hydrophobic binding pocket in low salt, whereas in high salt, the peptide may be buried in a less hydrophobic (more hydrophilic) environment. These results suggested that peptide-gp96 complexes were assembled in several different ways, depending on the assembly conditions. Resonance energy transfer between the intrinsic tryptophan(s) in gp96 and pyrene suggested that one or more tryptophan residues were within the critical Forster distance of 27-30 A from the pyrene in the bound peptide. It is proposed that peptides are assembled within higher order gp96 complexes (dimers, etc.) in a hydrophobic pocket and that there may be a conformational change in gp96 leading to an open configuration for peptide loading. (+info)
Oxidative stress-induced destruction of the yeast C-type cyclin Ume3p requires phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C and the 26S proteasome.
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The yeast UME3 (SRB11/SSN3) gene encodes a C-type cyclin that represses the transcription of the HSP70 family member SSA1. To relieve this repression, Ume3p is rapidly destroyed in cells exposed to elevated temperatures. This report demonstrates that Ume3p levels are also reduced in cultures subjected to ethanol shock, oxidative stress, or carbon starvation or during growth on nonfermentable carbons. Of the three elements (RXXL, PEST, and cyclin box) previously shown to be required for heat-induced Ume3p destruction, only the cyclin box regulates Ume3p degradation in response to these stressors. The one exception observed was growth on nonfermentable carbons, which requires the PEST region. These findings indicate that yeast cells contain multiple, independent pathways that mediate stress-induced Ume3p degradation. Ume3p destruction in response to oxidative stress, but not to ethanol treatment, requires DOA4 and UMP1, two factors required for 26S proteasome activity. This result for the first time implicates ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis in C-type cyclin regulation. Similarly, the presence of a membrane stabilizer (sorbitol) or the loss of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PLC1) protects Ume3p from oxidative-stress-induced degradation. Finally, a ume3 null allele suppresses the growth defect of plc1 mutants in response to either elevated temperature or the presence of hydrogen peroxide. These results indicate that the growth defects observed in plc1 mutants are due to the failure to downregulate Ume3p. Taken together, these findings support a model in which Plc1p mediates an oxidative-stress signal from the plasma membrane that triggers Ume3p destruction through a Doa4p-dependent mechanism. (+info)
Role for Hsp90-associated cochaperone p23 in estrogen receptor signal transduction.
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The mechanism of signal transduction by the estrogen receptor (ER) is complex and not fully understood. In addition to the ER, a number of accessory proteins are apparently required to efficiently transduce the steroid hormone signal. In the absence of estradiol, the ER, like other steroid receptors, is complexed with Hsp90 and other molecular chaperone components, including an immunophilin, and p23. This Hsp90-based chaperone complex is thought to repress the ER's transcriptional regulatory activities while maintaining the receptor in a conformation that is competent for high-affinity steroid binding. However, a role for p23 in ER signal transduction has not been demonstrated. Using a mutant ER (G400V) with decreased hormone binding capacity as a substrate in a dosage suppression screen in yeast cells (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), we identified the yeast homologue of the human p23 protein (yhp23) as a positive regulator of ER function. Overexpression of yhp23 in yeast cells increases ER transcriptional activation by increasing estradiol binding in vivo. Importantly, the magnitude of the effect of yhp23 on ER transcriptional activation is inversely proportional to the concentration of both ER and estradiol in the cell. Under conditions of high ER expression, ER transcriptional activity is largely independent of yhp23, whereas at low levels of ER expression, ER transcriptional activation is primarily dependent on yhp23. The same relationship holds for estradiol levels. We further demonstrate that yhp23 colocalizes with the ER in vivo. Using a yhp23-green fluorescent protein fusion protein, we observed a redistribution of yhp23 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus upon coexpression with ER. This nuclear localization of yhp23 was reversed by the addition of estradiol, a finding consistent with yhp23's proposed role as part of the aporeceptor complex. Expression of human p23 in yeast partially complements the loss of yhp23 function with respect to ER signaling. Finally, ectopic expression of human p23 in MCF-7 breast cancer cells increases both hormone-dependent and hormone-independent transcriptional activation by the ER. Together, these results strongly suggest that p23 plays an important role in ER signal transduction. (+info)
Prefoldin-nascent chain complexes in the folding of cytoskeletal proteins.
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In vitro transcription/translation of actin cDNA and analysis of the translation products by native-PAGE was used to study the maturation pathway of actin. During the course of actin synthesis, several distinct actin-containing species were observed and the composition of each determined by immunological procedures. After synthesis of the first approximately 145 amino acids, the nascent ribosome-associated actin chain binds to the recently identified heteromeric chaperone protein, prefoldin (PFD). PFD remains bound to the relatively unfolded actin polypeptide until its posttranslational delivery to cytosolic chaperonin (CCT). We show that alpha- and beta-tubulin follow a similar maturation pathway, but to date find no evidence for an interaction between PFD and several noncytoskeletal proteins. We conclude that PFD functions by selectively targeting nascent actin and tubulin chains pending their transfer to CCT for final folding and/or assembly. (+info)
The Mycobacterium tuberculosis small heat shock protein Hsp16.3 exposes hydrophobic surfaces at mild conditions: conformational flexibility and molecular chaperone activity.
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Hsp16.3, the alpha-crystallin-related small heat shock protein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis that is maximally expressed during the stationary phase and is a major membrane protein, has been reported to form specific trimer-of-trimers structure and to act as an effective molecular chaperone (Chang Z et al., 1996, J. Biol Chem 271:7218-7223). However, little is known about its action mechanism. In this study, Hsp16.3 conformational intermediates with dramatically increased chaperone activities were detected after treatment with very low concentrations of guanidine hydrochloride (0.05 M), urea (0.3 M), or mild heating (30 degrees C). The intermediates showed a significant increase in their capacity to bind the hydrophobic probe 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS), indicating an increased exposure of hydrophobic surfaces. Interestingly, the greatest chaperone activities of Hsp16.3 were observed in the presence of 0.3 M guanidine HCl or when heated to 35 degrees C. CD spectroscopy studies revealed no significant changes in protein secondary and tertiary structures at these mild treatments. Our in vitro studies also indicate that long-time-heated Hsp16.3, heated even to temperatures as high as 85 degrees C, has almost the same, if not a slightly greater, chaperone activities as the native protein when cooled to room temperature and its secondary structures also almost recovered. Together, these results suggest that Hsp16.3 modulates its chaperone activity by exposing hydrophobic surfaces and that the protein structure is highly stable and flexible, thus highly adapted for its function. (+info)
Nucleolar protein B23 has molecular chaperone activities.
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Protein B23 is an abundant, multifunctional nucleolar phosphoprotein whose activities are proposed to play a role in ribosome assembly. Szebeni et al. (1997) showed stimulation of nuclear import in vitro by protein B23 and suggested that this effect was due to a molecular chaperone-like activity. Protein B23 was tested for chaperone activities using several protein substrates. The temperature-dependent and -independent aggregation of the HIV-1 Rev protein was measured using a zero angle light scattering (turbidity) assay. Protein B23 inhibited the aggregation of the Rev protein, with the amount of inhibition proportional to the concentration of B23 added. This activity was saturable with nearly complete inhibition when the molar ratio of B23:Rev was slightly above one. Protein B23 also protected liver alcohol dehydrogenase (LADH), carboxypeptidase A, citrate synthase, and rhodanese from aggregation during thermal denaturation and preserved the enzyme activity of LADH under these conditions. In addition, protein B23 was able to promote the restoration of activity of LADH previously denatured with guanidine-HCl. Protein B23 preferentially bound denatured substrates and exposed hydrophobic regions when complexed with denatured proteins. Thus, by several criteria, protein B23 behaves like a molecular chaperone; these activities may be related to its role in ribosome biogenesis. (+info)