S6K1- and betaTRCP-mediated degradation of PDCD4 promotes protein translation and cell growth

The tumor suppressor programmed cell death protein 4 (PDCD4) inhibits the translation initiation factor eIF4A, an RNA helicase that catalyzes the unwinding of secondary structure at the 5' untranslated region (5'UTR) of messenger RNAs (mRNAs). In response to mitogens, PDCD4 was rapidly phosphorylated on Ser67 by the protein kinase S6K1 and subsequently degraded via the ubiquitin ligase SCF(betaTRCP). Expression in cultured cells of a stable PDCD4 mutant that is unable to bind betaTRCP inhibited translation of an mRNA with a structured 5'UTR, resulted in smaller cell size, and slowed down cell cycle progression. We propose that regulated degradation of PDCD4 in response to mitogens allows efficient protein synthesis and consequently cell growth.     

A network of control mediated by regulator of calcium/calmodulin-dependent signaling

Calmodulin (CaM) is a major effector for the intracellular actions of Ca2+ in nearly all cell types. We identified a CaM-binding protein, designated regulator of calmodulin signaling (RCS). G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-dependent activation of protein kinase A (PKA) led to phosphorylation of RCS at Ser55 and increased its binding to CaM. Phospho-RCS acted as a competitive inhibitor of CaM-dependent enzymes, including protein phosphatase 2B (PP2B, also called calcineurin). Increasing RCS phosphorylation blocked GPCR- and PP2B-mediated suppression of L-type Ca2+ currents in striatal neurons. Conversely, genetic deletion of RCS significantly increased this modulation. Through a molecular mechanism that amplifies GPCR- and PKA-mediated signaling and attenuates GPCR- and PP2B-mediated signaling, RCS synergistically increases the phosphorylation of key proteins whose phosphorylation is regulated by PKA and PP2B.     

二花脸猪linc-NORFA核心启动子鉴定与转录调控分析

【目的】 前期研究证实linc-NORFA作为母猪繁殖性状候选基因参与调控卵泡闭锁与卵泡颗粒细胞凋亡过程,进一步鉴定二花脸猪linc-NORFA核心启动子并分析其转录调控机制,为解析linc-NORFA介导猪卵泡闭锁的分子机制奠定理论基础并提供新的研究思路。【方法】 采集二花脸猪耳组织样品并提取基因组DNA,利用PCR扩增和测序技术获得二花脸猪linc-NORFA 5′调控区序列;通过构建缺失表达荧光报告载体并利用荧光素酶活性试验鉴定二花脸猪linc-NORFA核心启动子;利用生物信息学分析二花脸猪linc-NORFA核心启动子区序列特征与潜在的转录因子结合位点;构建猪FOXO1真核生物表达载体并进一步采用Western blot、qRT-PCR以及荧光素酶活性试验分析转录因子FOXO1过表达对二花脸猪linc-NORFA转录的影响;利用染色质免疫沉淀（ChIP）技术鉴定转录因子FOXO1与二花脸猪linc-NORFA核心启动子区的结合能力。【结果】 通过克隆测序与序列拼接共获得二花脸猪linc-NORFA 5′调控区序列1 734 bp,其中包含两个潜在的CpG岛;利用荧光素酶活性试验证实linc-NORFA核心启动子位于-988 — -684 bp（转录起始位点作为+1）,生物信息学分析表明二花脸猪linc-NORFA核心启动子上包含多个转录因子的结合元件,例如ESR2、FOXO1、E2F1、BRCA1以及NFIC等;另外,ChIP试验还证实在猪卵巢颗粒细胞中FOXO1作为转录因子直接靶向结合在linc-NORFA的核心启动子区;进一步通过试验证实FOXO1过表达可显著下调linc-NORFA核心启动子区活性（P<0.01）,同时显著抑制体外培养的猪卵巢颗粒细胞中linc-NORFA的表达（P<0.01）。【结论】 鉴定了二花脸猪linc-NORFA核心启动子区,同时证实FOXO1作为转录因子能够与linc-NORFA核心启动子区特异性结合,进而抑制后者的转录活性与表达。研究结果对探究linc-NORFA在猪卵泡闭锁过程中显著下调的分子机制具有重要意义。     

Mediation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1-dependent cell death by apoptosis-inducing factor

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) protects the genome by functioning in the DNA damage surveillance network. PARP-1 is also a mediator of cell death after ischemia-reperfusion injury, glutamate excitotoxicity, and various inflammatory processes. We show that PARP-1 activation is required for translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) from the mitochondria to the nucleus and that AIF is necessary for PARP-1-dependent cell death. N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, H2O2, and N-methyl-d-aspartate induce AIF translocation and cell death, which is prevented by PARP inhibitors or genetic knockout of PARP-1, but is caspase independent. Microinjection of an antibody to AIF protects against PARP-1-dependent cytotoxicity. These data support a model in which PARP-1 activation signals AIF release from mitochondria, resulting in a caspase-independent pathway of programmed cell death.     

人参皂苷Rb3对肝糖异生作用机理的研究

为了探讨人参皂苷Rb3在降低血糖方面的分子调控机制,利用HepG2细胞为研究材料,系统分析了人参皂苷Rb3对肝糖异生关键酶PEPCK、G6Pase和转录因子FOXO1、HNF4α的影响。结果表明,人参皂苷Rb3可以显著抑制HepG2细胞肝糖异生途径关键转录因子FOXO1、HNF4α蛋白表达,从而抑制PEPCK和G6Pase酶活性及糖异生作用,该作用能够被AMPK抑制剂Compound C部分阻断,推测人参皂苷Rb3抑制肝糖异生作用是通过激活AMPK信号通路实现。AMPK信号转导通路作为重要的糖脂代谢靶点,在糖尿病及相关代谢类疾病的调控中发挥着重要的作用,为探讨人参皂苷Rb3治疗糖尿病的作用机制提供了新的理论依据。     

Proteomic screen finds pSer/pThr-binding domain localizing Plk1 to mitotic substrates

We have developed a proteomic approach for identifying phosphopeptide binding domains that modulate kinase-dependent signaling pathways. An immobilized library of partially degenerate phosphopeptides biased toward a particular protein kinase phosphorylation motif is used to isolate phospho-binding domains that bind to proteins phosphorylated by that kinase. Applying this approach to cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks), we identified the polo-box domain (PBD) of the mitotic kinase polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) as a specific phosphoserine (pSer) or phosphothreonine (pThr) binding domain and determined its optimal binding motif. This motif is present in known Plk1 substrates such as Cdc25, and an optimal phosphopeptide containing the motif disrupted PBD-substrate binding and localization of the PBD to centrosomes. This finding reveals how Plk1 can localize to specific sites within cells in response to Cdk phosphorylation at those sites and provides a structural mechanism for targeting the Plk1 kinase domain to its substrates.     

卵巢颗粒细胞自噬与PI3K/AKT/FOXO3a信号通路的相关性

细胞自噬是哺乳动物细胞物质代谢的一个重要机制,与细胞凋亡共同参与卵巢卵泡的发育和闭锁,并发挥重要的作用。近年研究发现,磷脂酰肌醇3-激酶/蛋白激酶B（phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B,PI3K/AKT）信号通路参与卵巢疾病的发生。PI3K和AKT的过度激活可使原始卵泡过早发育以及卵泡过快凋亡,卵巢颗粒细胞作为卵泡发育重要的支持细胞,其功能的减退或凋亡很可能引发一系列女性内分泌方面的疾病。FOXO3a转录因子是PI3K/AKT信号通路下游的重要靶蛋白之一,参与抗增殖和凋亡。本文就关于卵巢颗粒细胞自噬与PI3K/AKT/FOXO3a信号通路的相关进展加以综述。     

Greatwall phosphorylates an inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A that is essential for mitosis

Entry into mitosis in eukaryotes requires the activity of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1). Cdk1 is opposed by protein phosphatases in two ways: They inhibit activation of Cdk1 by dephosphorylating the protein kinases Wee1 and Myt1 and the protein phosphatase Cdc25 (key regulators of Cdk1), and they also antagonize Cdk1's own phosphorylation of downstream targets. A particular form of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) containing a B55δ subunit (PP2A- B55δ) is the major protein phosphatase that acts on model CDK substrates in Xenopus egg extracts and has antimitotic activity. The activity of PP2A-B55δ is high in interphase and low in mitosis, exactly opposite that of Cdk1. We report that inhibition of PP2A-B55δ results from a small protein, known as α-endosulfine (Ensa), that is phosphorylated in mitosis by the protein kinase Greatwall (Gwl). This converts Ensa into a potent and specific inhibitor of PP2A-B55δ. This pathway represents a previously unknown element in the control of mitosis.