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Metformin is a first-line drug for the treatment of individuals with type 2 diabetes, yet its precise mechanism of action remains unclear. Metformin exerts its anti-hyperglycemic action primarily through lowering of hepatic glucose production (HGP). This suppression is thought to be mediated through inhibition of mitochondrial respiratory complex I, and thus elevation of 5’-adenosine monophosphate (AMP) levels and the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), though this proposition has been challenged given results in mice lacking hepatic AMPK. Here, we report that the AMP-inhibited enzyme fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase-1 (FBP1, EC 3.1.3.11), a rate-controlling enzyme in gluconeogenesis, functions as a major contributor to the therapeutic action of metformin. We identified a point mutation in FBP1 that renders it insensitive to AMP while sparing regulation by fructose-2,6-bisphosphate (F-2,6-P2) and knockin (KI) of this mutant into mice significantly reduces their response to metformin treatment. We observe this during a metformin tolerance test and in a metformin-euglycemic clamp that we have developed. The anti-hyperglycemic effect of metformin in high fat diet-fed diabetic FBP1 KI mice was also significantly blunted compared to wild-type controls. Collectively, we show a new mechanism of action of metformin, while providing further evidence that molecular targeting of FBP1 can have anti-hyperglycemic effects.

CMTR1 contributes to mRNA cap formation by methylating the O-2 position of the 1st transcribed nucleotide ribose. mRNA cap O-2 methylation has roles in mRNA translation and self-RNA tolerance in innate immunity, however its role in cell physiology is unclear. We report that CMTR1 is recruited to Serine-5 phosphorylated RNA Pol II CTD, facilitating cotranscriptional methylation. We isolated CMTR1 in a complex with DHX15, an RNA helicase functioning in splicing and ribosome biogenesis, and characterised it as a regulator of CMTR1. When bound to DHX15, CMTR1 activity is repressed and prevented from binding to RNA pol II, thus constraining 1st nucleotide methylation to a co-transcriptional event. Conversely CMTR1 activates DHX15 helicase activity and influences its nuclear localisation, which is likely to impact on several nuclear functions. The impact of the CMTR1-DHX15 interaction is complex and will depend on the relative expression of these enzymes and their interactors, and the cellular dependency on different RNA processing pathways. In HCC1806 cells, the DHX15-CMTR1 interaction controls ribosome loading of a subset of mRNAs and impacts on cell proliferation.

International audience; Mutations in the PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) are causative of autosomal recessive Parkinson's disease (PD). We have previously reported that PINK1 is activated by mitochondrial depolarisation and phosphorylates serine 65 (Ser 65) of the ubiquitin ligase Parkin and ubiquitin to stimulate Parkin E3 ligase activity. Here, we have employed quantitative phosphoproteomics to search for novel PINK1-dependent phosphorylation targets in HEK (human embry-onic kidney) 293 cells stimulated by mitochondrial depolarisation. This led to the identification of 14,213 phosphosites from 4,499 gene products. Whilst most phosphosites were unaffected, we strikingly observed three members of a sub-family of Rab GTPases namely Rab8A, 8B and 13 that are all phosphorylated at the highly conserved residue of serine 111 (Ser 111) in response to PINK1 activation. Using phospho-specific antibodies raised against Ser 111 of each of the Rabs, we demonstrate that Rab Ser 111 phosphoryla-tion occurs specifically in response to PINK1 activation and is abolished in HeLa PINK1 knockout cells and mutant PINK1 PD patient-derived fibroblasts stimulated by mitochondrial depolari-sation. We provide evidence that Rab8A GTPase Ser 111 phosphory-lation is not directly regulated by PINK1 in vitro and demonstrate in cells the time course of Ser 111 phosphorylation of Rab8A, 8B and 13 is markedly delayed compared to phosphorylation of Parkin at Ser 65. We further show mechanistically that phosphorylation at Ser 111 significantly impairs Rab8A activation by its cognate guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF), Rabin8 (by using the Ser111Glu phosphorylation mimic). These findings provide the first evidence that PINK1 is able to regulate the phosphorylation of Rab GTPases and indicate that monitoring phosphorylation of Rab8A/ 8B/13 at Ser 111 may represent novel biomarkers of PINK1 activity in vivo. Our findings also suggest that disruption of Rab GTPase-mediated signalling may represent a major mechanism in the neurodegenerative cascade of Parkinson's disease.

It is widely accepted that the essential role of TRAF6 in vivo is to generate the Lys63-linked ubiquitin (K63-Ub) chains needed to activate the “master” protein kinase TAK1. Here, we report that TRAF6 E3 ligase activity contributes to but is not essential for the IL-1–dependent formation of K63-Ub chains, TAK1 activation, or IL-8 production in human cells, because Pellino1 and Pellino2 generate the K63-Ub chains required for signaling in cells expressing E3 ligase-inactive TRAF6 mutants. The IL-1–induced formation of K63-Ub chains and ubiquitylation of IRAK1, IRAK4, and MyD88 was abolished in TRAF6/Pellino1/Pellino2 triple-knockout (KO) cells, but not in TRAF6 KO or Pellino1/2 double-KO cells. The reexpression of E3 ligase-inactive TRAF6 mutants partially restored IL-1 signaling in TRAF6 KO cells, but not in TRAF6/Pellino1/Pellino2 triple-KO cells. Pellino1-generated K63-Ub chains activated the TAK1 complex in vitro with similar efficiently to TRAF6-generated K63-Ub chains. The early phase of TLR signaling and the TLR-dependent secretion of IL-10 (controlled by IRAKs 1 and 2) was only reduced modestly in primary macrophages from knockin mice expressing the E3 ligase-inactive TRAF6[L74H] mutant, but the late-phase production of IL-6, IL-12, and TNFα (controlled only by the pseudokinase IRAK2) was abolished. RANKL-induced signaling in macrophages and the differentiation of bone marrow to osteoclasts was similar in TRAF6[L74H] and wild-type cells, explaining why the bone structure and teeth of the TRAF6[L74H] mice was normal, unlike TRAF6 KO mice. We identify two essential roles of TRAF6 that are independent of its E3 ligase activity.

Activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in endothelial cells regulates energy homeostasis, stress protection and angiogenesis, but the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Using a label-free phosphoproteomic analysis, we identified glutamine:fructose-6-phosphate amidotransferase 1 (GFAT1) as an AMPK substrate. GFAT1 is the rate-limiting enzyme in the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway (HBP) and as such controls the modification of proteins by O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc). In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that AMPK controls O-GlcNAc levels and function of endothelial cells via GFAT1 phosphorylation using biochemical, pharmacological, genetic and in vitro angiogenesis approaches. Activation of AMPK in primary human endothelial cells by 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide riboside (AICAR) or by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) led to GFAT1 phosphorylation at serine 243. This effect was not seen when AMPK was down-regulated by siRNA. Upon AMPK activation, diminished GFAT activity and reduced O-GlcNAc levels were observed in endothelial cells containing wild-type (WT)-GFAT1 but not in cells expressing non-phosphorylatable S243A-GFAT1. Pharmacological inhibition or siRNA-mediated down-regulation of GFAT1 potentiated VEGF-induced sprouting, indicating that GFAT1 acts as a negative regulator of angiogenesis. In cells expressing S243A-GFAT1, VEGF-induced sprouting was reduced, suggesting that VEGF relieves the inhibitory action of GFAT1/HBP on angiogenesis via AMPK-mediated GFAT1 phosphorylation. Activation of GFAT1/HBP by high glucose led to impairment of vascular sprouting, whereas GFAT1 inhibition improved sprouting even if glucose level was high. Our findings provide novel mechanistic insights into the role of HBP in angiogenesis. They suggest that targeting AMPK in endothelium might help to ameliorate hyperglycaemia-induced vascular dysfunction associated with metabolic disorders. Fil: Zibrova, Darya. Universitat Jena; Alemania Fil: Vandermoere, Franck. Universite de Montpellier; Francia. Inserm; Francia Fil: Göransson, Olga. Lund University; Suecia Fil: Peggie, Mark. University of Dundee; Reino Unido Fil: Mariño, Karina Valeria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; Argentina Fil: Knierim, Anne. Universitat Jena; Alemania Fil: Spengler, Katrin. Universitat Jena; Alemania Fil: Weigert, Cora. German Center For Diabetes Research ; Alemania. Universitat Tübingen; Alemania Fil: Viollet, Benoit. Inserm; Francia. Université Paris Descartes; Francia Fil: Morrice, Nicholas A.. AB-Sciex; Reino Unido Fil: Sakamoto, Kei. University Of Dundee; Fil: Heller, Regine. Universitat Jena; Alemania

Many pharmaceuticals used to treat cancer target the cell cycle or mitotic spindle dynamics, such as the anti-tumor drug, paclitaxel, which stabilizes microtubules. Here we show that, in cells arrested in mitosis with the spindle toxins, nocodazole, or paclitaxel, the endogenous protein phosphatase 4 (Ppp4) complex Ppp4c-R2-R3A is phosphorylated on its regulatory (R) subunits, and its activity is inhibited. The phosphorylations are blocked by roscovitine, indicating that they may be mediated by Cdk1-cyclin B. Endogenous Ppp4c is enriched at the centrosomes in the absence and presence of paclitaxel, nocodazole, or roscovitine, and the activity of endogenous Ppp4c-R2-R3A is inhibited from G 1/S to the G 2/M phase of the cell cycle. Endogenous γ-tubulin and its associated protein, γ-tubulin complex protein 2, both of which are essential for nucleation of microtubules at centrosomes, interact with the Ppp4 complex. Recombinant γ-tubulin can be phosphorylated by Cdk1-cyclin B or Brsk1 and dephosphorylated by Ppp4c-R2-R3A in vitro. The data indicate that Ppp4c-R2-R3A regulates microtubule organization at centrosomes during cell division in response to stress signals such as spindle toxins, paclitaxel, and nocodazole, and that inhibition of the Ppp4 complex may be advantageous for treatment of some cancers.

Background: The E3 ligase Pellino1 is required for interferon (IFN) β production following infection with Sendai virus or poly(I:C). Results: The transcription factor DEAF1 interacts with Pellino1 and, like Pellino1, is needed for transcription of the IFNβ gene. Conclusion: DEAF1 is required for the production of IFNβ . Significance: DEAF1 is a new signaling component required for IFNβ production., Double-stranded (ds) RNA of viral origin, a ligand for Melanoma Differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) and Toll-Like Receptor 3 (TLR3), induces the TANK-Binding Kinase 1 (TBK1)-dependent phosphorylation and activation of Interferon Regulatory Factor 3 (IRF3) and the E3 ubiquitin ligase Pellino1, which are required for interferon β (IFNβ) gene transcription. Here, we report that Pellino1 interacts with the transcription factor Deformed Epidermal Autoregulatory Factor 1 (DEAF1). The interaction is independent of the E3 ligase activity of Pellino1, but weakened by the phosphorylation of Pellino1. We show that DEAF1 binds to the IFNβ promoter and to IRF3 and IRF7, that it is required for the transcription of the IFNβ gene and IFNβ secretion in MEFs infected with Sendai virus or transfected with poly(I:C). DEAF1 is also needed for TLR3-dependent IFNβ production. Taken together, our results identify DEAF1 as a novel component of the signal transduction network by which dsRNA of viral origin stimulates IFNβ production.

Macrophages acquire strikingly different properties that enable them to play key roles during the initiation, propagation, and resolution of inflammation. Classically activated (M1) macrophages produce proinflammatory mediators to combat invading pathogens and respond to tissue damage in the host, whereas regulatory macrophages (M2b) produce high levels of anti-inflammatory molecules, such as IL-10, and low levels of proinflammatory cytokines, like IL-12, and are important for the resolution of inflammatory responses. A central problem in this area is to understand how the formation of regulatory macrophages can be promoted at sites of inflammation to prevent and/or alleviate chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Here, we demonstrate that the salt-inducible kinases (SIKs) restrict the formation of regulatory macrophages and that their inhibition induces striking increases in many of the characteristic markers of regulatory macrophages, greatly stimulating the production of IL-10 and other anti-inflammatory molecules. We show that SIK inhibitors elevate IL-10 production by inducing the dephosphorylation of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB)-regulated transcriptional coactivator (CRTC) 3, its dissociation from 14-3-3 proteins and its translocation to the nucleus where it enhances a gene transcription program controlled by CREB. Importantly, the effects of SIK inhibitors on IL-10 production are lost in macrophages that express a drug-resistant mutant of SIK2. These findings identify SIKs as a key molecular switch whose inhibition reprograms macrophages to an anti-inflammatory phenotype. The remarkable effects of SIK inhibitors on macrophage function suggest that drugs that target these protein kinases may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are characterized by their ability to produce high levels of type 1 interferons in response to ligands that activate TLR7 and TLR9, but the signaling pathways required for IFN production are incompletely understood. Here we exploit the human pDC cell line Gen2.2 and improved pharmacological inhibitors of protein kinases to address this issue. We demonstrate that ligands that activate TLR7 and TLR9 require the TAK1-IKKβ signaling pathway to induce the production of IFNβ via a pathway that is independent of the degradation of IκBα. We also show that IKKβ activity, as well as the subsequent IFNβ-stimulated activation of the JAK-STAT1/2 signaling pathway, are essential for the production of IFNα by TLR9 ligands. We further show that TLR7 ligands CL097 and R848 fail to produce significant amounts of IFNα because the activation of IKKβ is not sustained for a sufficient length of time. The TLR7/9-stimulated production of type 1 IFNs is inhibited by much lower concentrations of IKKβ inhibitors than those needed to suppress the production of NFκB-dependent proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6, suggesting that drugs that inhibit IKKβ may have a potential for the treatment of forms of lupus that are driven by self-RNA and self-DNA-induced activation of TLR7 and TLR9, respectively.

An Aspirin a Day? The protein kinase AMPK (adenosine monophosphate–activated protein kinase) directly monitors cellular energy stores as reflected by changes in cellular concentrations of AMP, adenosine diphosphate (ADP), and adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Through phosphorylation of its targets, it helps to control metabolism, polarity, autophagy, and the restraint of cell proliferation. Activation of AMPK is also proposed to be beneficial for the treatment of diseases, including cancer and diabetes. Hawley et al. (p. 918 , published online 19 April; see the Perspective by Shaw and Cantley ) report that AMPK can be activated by high concentrations of salicylate, a compound derived from the very commonly used drug aspirin. In mice, salicylate promoted fatty acid and carbohydrate metabolism in an AMPK-dependent fashion.

Activation of 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is believed to be the mechanism by which the pharmaceuticals, metformin and phenformin, exert their beneficial effects for treatment of type 2 diabetes. These biguanide drugs elevate 5'-AMP, which allosterically activates AMPK and promotes phosphorylation on Thr172 of AMPK catalytic α subunits. Although kinases phosphorylating this site have been identified, phosphatases that dephosphorylate it are unknown. The aim of this study is to identify protein phosphatase(s) that dephosphorylate AMPKα-Thr172 within cells. Our initial data indicated that members of the protein phosphatase Mg/Mn(2+)-dependent [corrected] (PPM) family and not those of the PPP family of protein serine/threonine phosphatases may be directly or indirectly inhibited by phenformin. Using antibodies raised to individual Ppm phosphatases that facilitated the assessment of their activities, phenformin stimulation of cells was found to decrease the Mg(2+)/Mn(2+)-dependent [corrected] protein serine/threonine phosphatase activity of Ppm1E and Ppm1F, but not that attributable to other PPM family members, including Ppm1A/PP2Cα. Depletion of Ppm1E, but not Ppm1A, using lentiviral-mediated stable gene silencing, increased AMPKα-Thr172 phosphorylation approximately three fold in HEK293 cells. In addition, incubation of cells with low concentrations of phenformin and depletion of Ppm1E increased AMPK phosphorylation synergistically. Ppm1E and the closely related Ppm1F interact weakly with AMPK and assays with lysates of cells stably depleted of Ppm1F suggest [corrected] that this phosphatase contributes to dephosphorylation of AMPK. The data indicate that Ppm1E and probably PpM1F are in cellulo AMPK phosphatases and that Ppm1E is a potential anti-diabetic drug target.

Mammalian glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) is generated from two genes, GSK3α and GSK3β, while a splice variant of GSK3β (GSK3β2), containing a 13 amino acid insert, is enriched in neurons. GSK3α and GSK3β deletions generate distinct phenotypes. Here, we show that phosphorylation of CRMP2, CRMP4, β-catenin, c-Myc, c-Jun and some residues on tau associated with Alzheimer's disease, is altered in cortical tissue lacking both isoforms of GSK3. This confirms that they are physiological targets for GSK3. However, deletion of each GSK3 isoform produces distinct substrate phosphorylation, indicating that each has a different spectrum of substrates (e.g. phosphorylation of Thr509, Thr514 and Ser518 of CRMP is not detectable in cortex lacking GSK3β, yet normal in cortex lacking GSK3α). Furthermore, the neuron-enriched GSK3β2 variant phosphorylates phospho-glycogen synthase 2 peptide, CRMP2 (Thr509/514), CRMP4 (Thr509), Inhibitor-2 (Thr72) and tau (Ser396), at a lower rate than GSK3β1. In contrast phosphorylation of c-Myc and c-Jun is equivalent for each GSK3β isoform, providing evidence that differential substrate phosphorylation is achieved through alterations in expression and splicing of the GSK3 gene. Finally, each GSK3β splice variant is phosphorylated to a similar extent at the regulatory sites, Ser9 and Tyr216, and exhibit identical sensitivities to the ATP competitive inhibitor CT99021, suggesting upstream regulation and ATP binding properties of GSK3β1 and GSK3β2 are similar.

TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) and IκB kinase e (IKKe) regulate the production of Type 1 interferons during bacterial and viral infection, but the lack of useful pharmacological inhibitors has hampered progress in identifying additional physiological roles of these protein kinases and how they are regulated. Here we demonstrate that BX795, a potent and relatively specific inhibitor of TBK1 and IKKe, blocked the phosphorylation, nuclear translocation, and transcriptional activity of interferon regulatory factor 3 and, hence, the production of interferon-β in macrophages stimulated with poly(I:C) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In contrast, BX795 had no effect on the canonical NFκB signaling pathway. Although BX795 blocked the autophosphorylation of overexpressed TBK1 and IKKe at Ser-172 and, hence, the autoactivation of these protein kinases, it did not inhibit the phosphorylation of endogenous TBK1 and IKKe at Ser-172 in response to LPS, poly(I:C), interleukin-1α (IL-1α), or tumor necrosis factor α and actually enhanced the LPS, poly(I:C), and IL-1α-stimulated phosphorylation of this residue. These results demonstrate that the phosphorylation of Ser-172 and the activation of TBK1 and IKKe are catalyzed by a distinct protein kinase(s) in vivo and that TBK1 and IKKe control a feedback loop that limits their activation by LPS, poly(I:C) and IL-1α (but not tumor necrosis factor α) to prevent the hyperactivation of these enzymes.

The E3 ubiquitin ligase Pellino can be activated by phosphorylation in vitro, catalyzed by IL-1 receptor-associated kinase 1 (IRAK1) or IRAK4. Here, we show that phosphorylation enhances the E3 ligase activity of Pellino 1 similarly with any of several E2-conjugating enzymes (Ubc13-Uev1a, UbcH4, or UbcH5a/5b) and identify 7 amino acid residues in Pellino 1 whose phosphorylation is critical for activation. Five of these sites are clustered between residues 76 and 86 (Ser-76, Ser-78, Thr-80, Ser-82, and Thr-86) and decorate a region of antiparallel β-sheet, termed the “wing,” which is an appendage of the forkhead-associated domain that is thought to interact with IRAK1. The other 2 sites are located at Thr-288 and Ser-293, just N-terminal to the RING-like domain that carries the E3 ligase activity. Unusually, the full activation of Pellino 1 can be achieved by phosphorylating any one of several different sites (Ser-76, Thr-86, Thr-288, or Ser-293) or a combination of other sites (Ser-78, Thr-80, and Ser-82). These observations imply that dephosphorylation of multiple sites is required to inactivate Pellino 1, which could be a device for prolonging Pellino's E3 ubiquitin ligase activity in vivo.

The turnover and translation of many human mRNAs is regulated by AU-rich elements present in their 3′untranslated region, which bind various trans acting factors. We previously identified a trans acting factor that interacts with these cis elements as DAZAP1 (deleted in Azoospermia (DAZ)-Associated Protein 1), whose interaction with the germ cell-specific protein DAZ was disrupted by the phosphorylation of DAZAP1. Here we have identified several other RNA-binding proteins as binding partners for DAZAP1 in non-germinal cells. Unlike DAZ, these interactions occur between the RNA recognition motifs of DAZAP1 and the C-termini of the binding partners and in a phosphorylation-independent manner. The results suggest that DAZAP1 is a component of complexes that are crucial for the degradation and silencing of mRNA.

Human disc-large (hDlg) is a scaffold protein critical for the maintenance of cell polarity and adhesion. hDlg is a component of the p38γ MAP kinase pathway, which is important for the adaptation of mammalian cells to changes in environmental osmolarity. Here we report a strong decrease in the levels of hDlg protein in the human epithelial cell line HeLa when exposed to osmotic shock. This is independent of the phosphorylation state of hDlg, is prevented by preincubating the cell with the caspase inhibitor z-VAD and is part of the apoptotic process triggered by cellular stress. Although, both caspase 3 and caspase 6 are strongly activated by osmotic shock, the time course of caspase 6 activation parallels hDlg degradation, suggesting that this caspase may be responsible for the proteolysis. Mutating hDlg Asp747 to Ala abolishes caspase-induced cleavage, but does not affect the early stage of apoptosis or cell attachment. Our findings show that osmotic stress triggers hDlg degradation through a mechanism different from the one mediated by proteasomes, and we identify hDlg as a caspase substrate during the apoptotic process, although its proteolysis may not be implicated in the progression of early apoptosis.

Collapsin response mediator protein 2 (CRMP2) binds to microtubules and regulates axon outgrowth in neurons. This action is regulated by sequential phosphorylation by the kinases cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) and glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) at sites that are hyperphosphorylated in Alzheimer disease. The increased phosphorylation in Alzheimer disease could be due to increases in Cdk5 and/or GSK3 activity or, alternatively, through decreased activity of a CRMP phosphatase. Here we establish that dephosphorylation of CRMP2 at the residues targeted by GSK3 (Ser-518/Thr-514/Thr-509) is carried out by a protein phosphatase 1 family member in vitro, in neuroblastoma cells, and primary cortical neurons. Inhibition of GSK3 activity using insulin-like growth factor-1 or the highly selective inhibitor CT99021 causes rapid dephosphorylation of CRMP2 at these sites. In contrast, pharmacological inhibition of Cdk5 using purvalanol results in only a gradual and incomplete dephosphorylation of CRMP2 at the site targeted by Cdk5 (Ser-522), suggesting a distinct phosphatase targets this residue. A direct comparison of dephosphorylation at the Cdk5 versus GSK3 sites in vitro shows that the Cdk5 site is comparatively resistant to phosphatase treatment. The presence of the peptidyl-prolyl isomerase enzyme, Pin1, does not affect dephosphorylation of Ser-522 in vitro, in cells, or in Pin1 transgenic mice. Instead, the relatively high resistance of this site to phosphatase treatment is at least in part due to the presence of basic residues located nearby. Similar sequences in Tau are also highly resistant to phosphatase treatment. We propose that relative resistance to phosphatases might be a common feature of Cdk5 substrates and could contribute to the hyperphosphorylation of CRMP2 and Tau observed in Alzheimer disease.

AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase)-related kinases regulate cell polarity as well as proliferation and are activated by the LKB1-tumour suppressor kinase. In the present study we demonstrate that the AMPK-related kinases, NUAK1 (AMPK-related kinase 5) and MARK4 (microtubule-affinity-regulating kinase 4), are polyubiquitinated in vivo and interact with the deubiquitinating enzyme USP9X (ubiquitin specific protease-9). Knockdown of USP9X increased polyubiquitination of NUAK1 and MARK4, whereas overexpression of USP9X inhibited ubiquitination. USP9X, catalysed the removal of polyubiquitin chains from wild-type NUAK1, but not from a non-USP9X-binding mutant. Topological analysis revealed that ubiquitin monomers attached to NUAK1 and MARK4 are linked by Lys29 and/or Lys33 rather than the more common Lys48/Lys63. We find that AMPK and other AMPK-related kinases are also polyubiquitinated in cells. We identified non-USP9X-binding mutants of NUAK1 and MARK4 and find that these are hyper-ubiquitinated and not phosphorylated at their T-loop residue targeted by LKB1 when expressed in cells, suggesting that polyubiquitination may inhibit these enzymes. The results of the present study demonstrate that NUAK1 and MARK4 are substrates of USP9X and provide the first evidence that AMPK family kinases are regulated by unusual Lys29/Lys33-linked polyubiquitin chains.

Interleukin 1 (IL-1) has been reported to stimulate the polyubiquitination and disappearance of IL-1 receptor-associated kinase 1 (IRAK1) within minutes. It has been thought that the polyubiquitin chains attached to IRAK1 are linked via Lys48 of ubiquitin, leading to its destruction by the proteasome and explaining the rapid IL-1-induced disappearance of IRAK1. In this paper, we demonstrate that IL-1 stimulates the formation of K63-pUb-IRAK1 and not K48-pUb-IRAK1 and that the IL-1-induced disappearance of IRAK1 is not blocked by inhibition of the proteasome. We also show that IL-1 triggers the interaction of K63-pUb-IRAK1 with NEMO, a regulatory subunit of the IkappaBalpha kinase (IKK) complex, but not with the NEMO[D311N] mutant that cannot bind K63-pUb chains. Moreover, unlike wild-type NEMO, the NEMO[D311N] mutant was unable to restore IL-1-stimulated NF-kappaB-dependent gene transcription to NEMO-deficient cells. Our data suggest a model in which the recruitment of the NEMO-IKK complex to K63-pUb-IRAK1 and the recruitment of the TAK1 complex to TRAF6 facilitate the TAK1-catalyzed activation of IKK by the TRAF6-IRAK1 complex.

The protein kinases IRAK [IL-1 (interleukin 1) receptor-associated kinase] 1 and 4 play key roles in a signalling pathway by which bacterial infection or IL-1 trigger the production of inflammatory mediators. In the present study, we demonstrate that IRAK1 and IRAK4 phosphorylate Pellino isoforms in vitro and that phosphorylation greatly enhances Pellino's E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. We show that, in vitro, Pellino 1 can combine with the E2 conjugating complex Ubc13 (ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme 13)-Uev1a (ubiquitin E2 variant 1a) to catalyse the formation of K63-pUb (Lys63-linked polyubiquitin) chains, with UbcH3 to catalyse the formation of K48-pUb chains and with UbcH4, UbcH5a or UbcH5b to catalyse the formation of pUb-chains linked mainly via Lys11 and Lys48 of ubiquitin. In IRAK1-/- cells, the co-transfection of DNA encoding wild-type IRAK1 and Pellino 2, but not inactive mutants of these proteins, induces the formation of K63-pUb-IRAK1 and its interaction with the NEMO [NF-kappaB (nuclear factor kappaB) essential modifier] regulatory subunit of the IKK (inhibitor of NF-kappaB kinase) complex, a K63-pUb-binding protein. These studies suggest that Pellino isoforms may be the E3 ubiquitin ligases that mediate the IL-1-stimulated formation of K63-pUb-IRAK1 in cells, which may contribute to the activation of IKKbeta and the transcription factor NF-kappaB, as well as other signalling pathways dependent on IRAK1/4.

TAB1 [TAK1 (transforming growth factor-β-activated kinase 1)-binding protein 1] is one of the regulatory subunits of TAK1, a protein kinase that lies at the head of three pro-inflammatory kinase cascades. In the current study we report the crystal structure of the N-terminal domain of TAB1. Surprisingly, TAB1 possesses a fold closely related to that of the PPM (Mg2+- or Mn2+-dependent protein phosphatase) family as demonstrated by the close structural similarity with protein phosphatase 2Cα. However, we were unable to detect any phosphatase activity for TAB1 using a phosphopeptide or p-nitrophenyl phosphate as substrate. Although the overall protein phosphatase 2Cα fold is conserved in TAB1, detailed structural analyses and mutagenesis studies show that several key residues required for dual metal-binding and catalysis are not present in TAB1, although binding of a single metal is supported by soaking experiments with manganese and isothermal titration calorimetry. Thus, it appears that TAB1 is a ‘pseudophosphatase’, possibly binding to and regulating accessibility of phosphorylated residues on substrates downstream of TAK1 or on the TAK1 complex itself.

Udgivelsesdato: 2006-Jul Trehalose-6-phosphate is a 'sugar signal' that regulates plant metabolism and development. The Arabidopsis genome encodes trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) and trehalose-6-phosphatase (TPP) enzymes. It also encodes class II proteins (TPS isoforms 5-11) that contain both TPS-like and TPP-like domains, although whether these have enzymatic activity is unknown. In this paper, we show that TPS5, 6 and 7 are phosphoproteins that bind to 14-3-3 proteins, by using 14-3-3 affinity chromatography, 14-3-3 overlay assays, and by co-immunoprecipitating TPS5 and 14-3-3 isoforms from cell extracts. GST-TPS5 bound to 14-3-3s after in vitro phosphorylation at Ser22 and Thr49 by either mammalian AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) or partially purified plant Snf1-related protein kinase 1 (SnRK1s). Dephosphorylation of TPS5, or mutation of either Ser22 or Thr49, abolished binding to 14-3-3s. Ser22 and Thr49 are both conserved in TPS5, 7, 9 and 10. When GST-TPS5 was expressed in human HEK293 cells, Thr49 was phosphorylated in response to 2-deoxyglucose or phenformin, stimuli that activate the AMPK via the upstream kinase LKB1. 2-deoxyglucose stimulated Thr49 phosphorylation of endogenous TPS5 in Arabidopsis cells, whereas phenformin did not. Moreover, extractable SnRK1 activity was increased in Arabidopsis cells in response to 2-deoxyglucose. The plant kinase was inactivated by dephosphorylation and reactivated by phosphorylation with human LKB1, indicating that elements of the SnRK1/AMPK pathway are conserved in Arabidopsis and human cells. We hypothesize that coordinated phosphorylation and 14-3-3 binding of nitrate reductase (NR), 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase (F2KP) and class II TPS isoforms mediate responses to signals that activate SnRK1.

MSK (mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinase) 1 and MSK2 are kinases activated downstream of either the ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) 1/2 or p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) pathways in vivo and are required for the phosphorylation of CREB (cAMP response element-binding protein) and histone H3. Here we show that the MSKs are involved in regulating the transcription of the immediate early gene Nur77. Stimulation of mouse embryonic fibroblasts with PMA, EGF (epidermal growth factor), TNF (tumour necrosis factor) or anisomycin resulted in induction of the Nur77 mRNA. The induction of Nur77 by TNF and anisomycin was abolished in MSK1/2 double-knockout cells, whereas induction was significantly reduced in response to PMA or EGF. The MSK responsive elements were mapped to two AP (activator protein)-1-like elements in the Nur77 promoter. The induction of Nur77 was also blocked by A-CREB, suggesting that MSKs control Nur77 transcription by phosphorylating CREB bound to the two AP-1-like elements. Consistent with the decrease in Nur77 mRNA levels in the MSK1/2-knockout cells, it was also found that MSKs were required for the induction of Nur77 protein by PMA and TNF. MSKs were also found to be required for the transcription of two genes related to Nur77, Nurr1 and Nor1, which were also transcribed in a CREB- or ATF1 (activating transcription factor-1)-dependent manner. Downstream of anisomycin signalling, a second ERK-dependent pathway, independent of MSK and CREB, was also required for the transcription of Nurr1 and Nor1.

A substrate for protein kinase B (PKB)alpha in HeLa cell extracts was identified as methyltransferase-like protein-1 (METTL1), the orthologue of trm8, which catalyses the 7-methylguanosine modification of tRNA in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. PKB and ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK) both phosphorylated METTL1 at Ser27 in vitro. Ser27 became phosphorylated when HEK293 cells were stimulated with insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and this was prevented by inhibition of phosphatidyinositol 3-kinase. The IGF-1-induced Ser27 phosphorylation did not occur in 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1 (PDK1)-deficient embryonic stem cells, but occurred normally in PDK1[L155E] cells, indicating that the effect of IGF-1 is mediated by PKB. METTL1 also became phosphorylated at Ser27 in response to phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate and this was prevented by PD 184352 or pharmacological inhibition of RSK. Phosphorylation of METTL1 by PKB or RSK inactivated METTL1 in vitro, as did mutation of Ser27 to Asp or Glu. Expression of METTL1[S27D] or METTL1[S27E] did not rescue the growth phenotype of yeast lacking trm8. In contrast, expression of METTL1 or METTL1[S27A] partially rescued growth. These results demonstrate that METTL1 is inactivated by PKB and RSK in cells, and the potential implications of this finding are discussed.

Activation of the p38 MAP kinase pathways is crucial for the adaptation of mammalian cells to changes in the osmolarity of the environment. Here we identify SAP97/hDlg, the mammalian homologue of the Drosophila tumour suppressor Dlg, as a physiological substrate for the p38gamma MAP kinase (SAPK3/p38gamma) isoform. SAP97/hDlg is a scaffold protein that forms multiprotein complexes with a variety of proteins and is targeted to the cytoskeleton by its association with the protein guanylate kinase-associated protein (GKAP). The SAPK3/p38gamma-catalysed phosphorylation of SAP97/hDlg triggers its dissociation from GKAP and therefore releases it from the cytoskeleton. This is likely to regulate the integrity of intercellular-junctional complexes, and cell shape and volume in response to osmotic stress.

Protein phosphatase 4 (PPP4) is a ubiquitous essential protein serine/threonine phosphatase found in higher eukaryotes. Coordinate variation of the levels of the catalytic subunit (PPP4c) and the regulatory subunit (R2)suggests that PPP4c and R2 form a heterodimeric core to which other regulatory subunits bind. Two proteins that specifically co-purify with Flag-epitope-tagged R2 expressed in HEK-293 cells were identified as Gemin3 and Gemin4. These two proteins have been identified previously as components of the Survival of Motor Neurons (SMN) protein complex, which is functionally defective in the hereditary disorder spinal muscular atrophy. Immuno-sedimentation of the epitope-tagged SMN protein complex from HeLa cells expressing CFP-SMN showed that the SMN protein interacts, as previously reported, with Gemin2 (SIP1), Gemin3 and Gemin4 and in addition associates with PPP4c. The SMN complex has been implicated in the assembly and maturation of small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs). Expression of GFP-R2–PPP4c in HeLa cells enhances the temporal localisation of newly formed snRNPs, which is consistent with an association of R2-PPP4c with the SMN protein complex.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulates production of inflammatory mediators, partly by stabilizing [interleukin-6 (IL-6), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2)] and/or stimulating translation [tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)] of their mRNAs. Such regulation depends on AU-rich elements (AREs) within the 3'-untranslated regions and is partially suppressed by SB 203580 (which inhibits SAPK2a/p38). The LPS-induced production of TNF-alpha and IL-6 is suppressed in MAPKAP-K2-deficient mice (a kinase activated by SAPK2a/p38). Here, we identify 18 macrophage proteins that bind to AREs and show that hnRNP A0 is a major substrate for MAPKAP-K2 in this fraction. MAPKAP-K2 phosphorylated hnRNP A0 at Ser84 in vitro and this residue became phosphorylated in LPS-stimulated cells. Phosphorylation was prevented by SB 203580 and suppressed in macrophages derived from MAPKAP-K2-deficient mice. The mRNAs encoding TNF-alpha, COX-2 and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) bound to hnRNP A0 in LPS-stimulated macrophages, an interaction prevented by SB 203580. The LPS-induced stabilization of MIP-2 mRNA and production of MIP-2 protein were abolished when macrophages were incubated with SB 203580 plus PD 184352 (which inhibits the classical MAP kinase cascade). Our data suggest that LPS-induced binding of hnRNP A0 to AREs may contribute to the post-transcriptional regulation of specific mRNAs.

FKHR is phosphorylated by protein kinase B (PKB) at Thr24, Ser256 and Ser319 in response to growth factors, stimulating the nuclear exit and inactivation of this transcription factor. Here we identify two further residues, Ser322 and Ser325, that become phosphorylated in insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)-stimulated cells and which are mediated by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-dependent PKB-catalysed phosphorylation of Ser319. Phosphorylation of Ser319 forms a consensus sequence for phosphorylation by CK1, allowing it to phosphorylate Ser322, which in turn primes the CK1-catalysed phosphorylation of Ser325. IGF-1 stimulates the phosphorylation of Thr24, Ser256, Ser319, Ser322 and Ser325 in embryonic stem (ES) cells, but not in PDK1-/- ES cells, providing genetic evidence that PDK1 (the upstream activator of PKB) is required for the phosphorylation of FKHR in mammalian cells. In contrast, the phosphorylation of Ser329 is unaffected by IGF-1 and the phosphorylation of this site is not decreased in PDK1-/- ES cells. The cluster of phosphorylation sites at Ser319, Ser322, Ser325 and Ser329 appears to accelerate nuclear export by controlling the interaction of FKHR with the Ran-containing protein complex that mediates this process.

The liver responds to an increase in blood glucose levels in the postprandial state by uptake of glucose and conversion to glycogen. Liver glycogen synthase (GYS2), a key enzyme in glycogen synthesis, is controlled by a complex interplay between the allosteric activator glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) and reversible phosphorylation through glycogen synthase kinase-3 and the glycogen-associated form of protein phosphatase 1. Here, we initially performed mutagenesis analysis and identified a key residue (Arg582) required for activation of GYS2 by G6P. We then used GYS2 Arg582Ala knockin (+/R582A) mice in which G6P-mediated GYS2 activation had been profoundly impaired (60–70%), while sparing regulation through reversible phosphorylation. R582A mutant–expressing hepatocytes showed significantly reduced glycogen synthesis with glucose and insulin or glucokinase activator, which resulted in channeling glucose/G6P toward glycolysis and lipid synthesis. GYS2+/R582A mice were modestly glucose intolerant and displayed significantly reduced glycogen accumulation with feeding or glucose load in vivo. These data show that G6P-mediated activation of GYS2 plays a key role in controlling glycogen synthesis and hepatic glucose-G6P flux control and thus whole-body glucose homeostasis.

SIK2 (salt-inducible kinase 2) is a member of the AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) family of kinases and is highly expressed in adipocytes. We investigated the regulation of SIK2 in adipocytes in response to cellular stimuli with relevance for adipocyte function and/or AMPK signalling. None of the treatments, including insulin, cAMP inducers or AICAR (5-amino-4-imidazolecarboxamide riboside), affected SIK2 activity towards peptide or protein substrates in vitro. However, stimulation with the cAMP-elevating agent forskolin and the β-adrenergic receptor agonist CL 316,243 resulted in a PKA (protein kinase A)-dependent phosphorylation and 14-3-3 binding of SIK2. Phosphopeptide mapping of SIK2 revealed several sites phosphorylated in response to cAMP induction, including Ser358. Site-directed mutagenesis demonstrated that phosphorylation of Ser358, but not the previously reported PKA site Ser587, was required for 14-3-3 binding. Immunocytochemistry illustrated that the localization of exogenously expressed SIK2 in HEK (human embryonic kidney)-293 cells was exclusively cytosolic and remained unchanged after cAMP elevation. Fractionation of adipocytes, however, revealed a significant increase of wild-type, but not Ser358Ala, HA (haemagglutinin)–SIK2 in the cytosol and a concomitant decrease in a particulate fraction after CL 316,243 treatment. This supports a phosphorylation-dependent relocalization in adipocytes. We hypothesize that regulation of SIK2 by cAMP could play a role for the critical effects of this second messenger on lipid metabolism in adipocytes.

Members of the IKK {IκB [inhibitor of NF-κB (nuclear factor κB)] kinase} family play a central role in innate immunity by inducing NF-κB- and IRF [IFN (interferon) regulatory factor]-dependent gene transcription programmes required for the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and IFNs. However, the molecular mechanisms that activate these protein kinases and their complement of physiological substrates remain poorly defined. Using MRT67307, a novel inhibitor of IKKϵ/TBK1 (TANK {TRAF [TNF (tumour-necrosis-factor)-receptor-associated factor]-associated NF-κB activator}-binding kinase 1) and BI605906, a novel inhibitor of IKKβ, we demonstrate that two different signalling pathways participate in the activation of the IKK-related protein kinases by ligands that activate the IL-1 (interleukin-1), TLR (Toll-like receptor) 3 and TLR4 receptors. One signalling pathway is mediated by the canonical IKKs, which directly phosphorylate and activate IKKϵ and TBK1, whereas the second pathway appears to culminate in the autocatalytic activation of the IKK-related kinases. In contrast, the TNFα-induced activation of the IKK-related kinases is mediated solely by the canonical IKKs. In turn, the IKK-related kinases phosphorylate the catalytic subunits of the canonical IKKs and their regulatory subunit NEMO (NF-κB essential modulator), which is associated with reduced IKKα/β activity and NF-κB-dependent gene transcription. We also show that the canonical IKKs and the IKK-related kinases not only have unique physiological substrates, such as IκBα, p105, RelA (IKKα and IKKβ) and IRF3 (IKKϵ and TBK1), but also have several substrates in common, including the catalytic and regulatory (NEMO and TANK) subunits of the IKKs themselves. Taken together, our studies reveal that the canonical IKKs and the IKK-related kinases regulate each other by an intricate network involving phosphorylation of their catalytic and regulatory (NEMO and TANK) subunits to balance their activities during innate immunity.

Glycogen synthase (GS), a key enzyme in glycogen synthesis, is activated by the allosteric stimulator glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) and by dephosphorylation through inactivation of GS kinase-3 with insulin. The relative importance of these two regulatory mechanisms in controlling GS is not established, mainly due to the complex interplay between multiple phosphorylation sites and allosteric effectors. Here we identify a residue that plays an important role in the allosteric activation of GS by G6P. We generated knockin mice in which wild-type muscle GS was replaced by a mutant that could not be activated by G6P but could still be activated normally by dephosphorylation. We demonstrate that knockin mice expressing the G6P-insensitive mutant display an similar to 80% reduced muscle glycogen synthesis by insulin and markedly reduced glycogen levels. Our study provides genetic evidence that allosteric activation of GS is the primary mechanism by which insulin promotes muscle glycogen accumulation in vivo.

Mammalian glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) is generated from two genes, GSK3α and GSK3β, while a splice variant of GSK3β (GSK3β2), containing a 13 amino acid insert, is enriched in neurons. GSK3α and GSK3β deletions generate distinct phenotypes. Here, we show that phosphorylation of CRMP2, CRMP4, β-catenin, c-Myc, c-Jun and some residues on tau associated with Alzheimer's disease, is altered in cortical tissue lacking both isoforms of GSK3. This confirms that they are physiological targets for GSK3. However, deletion of each GSK3 isoform produces distinct substrate phosphorylation, indicating that each has a different spectrum of substrates (e.g. phosphorylation of Thr509, Thr514 and Ser518 of CRMP is not detectable in cortex lacking GSK3β, yet normal in cortex lacking GSK3α). Furthermore, the neuron-enriched GSK3β2 variant phosphorylates phospho-glycogen synthase 2 peptide, CRMP2 (Thr509/514), CRMP4 (Thr509), Inhibitor-2 (Thr72) and tau (Ser396), at a lower rate than GSK3β1. In contrast phosphorylation of c-Myc and c-Jun is equivalent for each GSK3β isoform, providing evidence that differential substrate phosphorylation is achieved through alterations in expression and splicing of the GSK3 gene. Finally, each GSK3β splice variant is phosphorylated to a similar extent at the regulatory sites, Ser9 and Tyr216, and exhibit identical sensitivities to the ATP competitive inhibitor CT99021, suggesting upstream regulation and ATP binding properties of GSK3β1 and GSK3β2 are similar.

Human disc-large (hDlg) is a scaffold protein critical for the maintenance of cell polarity and adhesion. hDlg is a component of the p38c MAP kinase pathway, which is important for the adaptation of mammalian cells to changes in environmental osmolarity. Here we report a strong decrease in the levels of hDlg protein in the human epithelial cell line HeLa when exposed to osmotic shock. This is independent of the phosphorylation state of hDlg, is prevented by preincubating the cell with the caspase inhibitor z-VAD and is part of the apoptotic process triggered by cellular stress. Although, both caspase 3 and caspase 6 are strongly activated by osmotic shock, the time course of caspase 6 activation parallels hDlg degradation, suggesting that this caspase may be responsible for the proteolysis. Mutating hDlg Asp747 to Ala abolishes caspase-induced cleavage, but does not affect the early stage of apoptosis or cell attachment. Our findings show that osmotic stress triggers hDlg degradation through a mechanism different from the one mediated by proteasomes, and we identify hDlg as a caspase substrate during the apoptotic process, although its proteolysis may not be implicated in the progression of early apoptosis., FAI-V was supported by fellowship from the Spanish Government (Beca FPU, Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia). The work in the author’s laboratory is supported by the Medical Research Council UK, pharmaceutical companies that support the Division of Signal Transduction Therapy (Astra-Zeneka, Boehringer-Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck & Co. Inc, Merck KgaA and Pfizer), Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia (MEC) Spain (SAF2004-1933) and (BFU2007-67577), and Junta de Extremadura (IIPR04A092).

Human disc-large (hDlg) is a scaffold protein critical for the maintenance of cell polarity and adhesion. hDlg is a component of the p38gamma MAP kinase pathway, which is important for the adaptation of mammalian cells to changes in environmental osmolarity. Here we report a strong decrease in the levels of hDlg protein in the human epithelial cell line HeLa when exposed to osmotic shock. This is independent of the phosphorylation state of hDlg, is prevented by preincubating the cell with the caspase inhibitor z-VAD and is part of the apoptotic process triggered by cellular stress. Although, both caspase 3 and caspase 6 are strongly activated by osmotic shock, the time course of caspase 6 activation parallels hDlg degradation, suggesting that this caspase may be responsible for the proteolysis. Mutating hDlg Asp747 to Ala abolishes caspase-induced cleavage, but does not affect the early stage of apoptosis or cell attachment. Our findings show that osmotic stress triggers hDlg degradation through a mechanism different from the one mediated by proteasomes, and we identify hDlg as a caspase substrate during the apoptotic process, although its proteolysis may not be implicated in the progression of early apoptosis.

TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) was identified as a binding partner for Optineurin (OPTN) in two-hybrid screens, an interaction confirmed by overexpression/immunoprecipitation experiments in HEK293 cells and by coimmunoprecipitation of endogenous OPTN and TBK1 from cell extracts. A TBK1 binding site was located between residues 1-127 of OPTN, residues 78-121 displaying striking homology to the TBK1-binding domain of TANK. The OPTN-binding domain was localised to residues 601-729 of TBK1, while TBK1[1-688] which cannot bind to TANK, did not interact with OPTN. The OPTN[E50K] mutant associated with Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG) displayed strikingly enhanced binding to TBK1, suggesting that this interaction may contribute to familial POAG caused by this mutation.

RING (really interesting new gene) and U-box E3 ligases bridge E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes and substrates to enable the transfer of ubiquitin to a lysine residue on the substrate or to one of the seven lysine residues of ubiquitin for polyubiquitin chain elongation. Different polyubiquitin chains have different functions. Lys48-linked chains target proteins for proteasomal degradation, and Lys63-linked chains function in signal transduction, endocytosis and DNA repair. For this reason, chain topology must be tightly controlled. Using the U-box E3 ligase CHIP [C-terminus of the Hsc (heat-shock cognate) 70-interacting protein] and the RING E3 ligase TRAF6 (tumour-necrosis-factor-receptor-associated factor 6) with the E2s Ubc13 (ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme 13)–Uev1a (ubiquitin E2 variant 1a) and UbcH5a, in the present study we demonstrate that Ubc13–Uev1a supports the formation of free Lys63-linked polyubiquitin chains not attached to CHIP or TRAF6, whereas UbcH5a catalyses the formation of polyubiquitin chains linked to CHIP and TRAF6 that lack specificity for any lysine residue of ubiquitin. Therefore the abilities of these E2s to ubiquitinate a substrate and to elongate polyubiquitin chains of a specific topology appear to be mutually exclusive. Thus two different classes of E2 may be required to attach a polyubiquitin chain of a particular topology to a substrate: the properties of one E2 are designed to mono-ubiquitinate a substrate with no or little inherent specificity for an acceptor lysine residue, whereas the properties of the second E2 are tailored to the elongation of a polyubiquitin chain using a defined lysine residue of ubiquitin.

The protein kinase COT/Tpl2 is activated by interleukin-1 (IL-1), TNFalpha and lipopolysaccharide, and its activation by these agonists involves the IkappaB kinase beta (IKKbeta) catalysed phosphorylation of the p105 regulatory subunit. Here, we show that COT activation also requires catalytic subunit phosphorylation, since IL-1beta induced a 5-10-fold activation of a COT mutant unable to bind p105. Activation was paralleled by the phosphorylation of Thr290 and Ser62 and unaffected by the IKKbeta inhibitor PS1145 at concentrations which prevented the degradation of IkappaBalpha. Mutagenesis experiments indicated that COT activation is initiated by Thr290 phosphorylation catalysed by an IL-1-stimulated protein kinase distinct from IKKbeta, while Ser62 phosphorylation is an autophosphorylation event required for maximal activation.

ERK8 (extracellular-signal-regulated protein kinase 8) expressed in Escherichia coli or insect cells was catalytically active and phosphorylated at both residues of the Thr-Glu-Tyr motif. Dephosphorylation of the threonine residue by PP2A (protein serine/threonine phosphatase 2A) decreased ERK8 activity by over 95% in vitro, whereas complete dephosphorylation of the tyrosine residue by PTP1B (protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B) decreased activity by only 15–20%. Wild-type ERK8 expressed in HEK-293 cells was over 100-fold less active than the enzyme expressed in bacteria or insect cells, but activity could be increased by exposure to hydrogen peroxide, by incubation with the protein serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid, or more weakly by osmotic shock. In unstimulated cells, ERK8 was monophosphorylated at Tyr-177, and exposure to hydrogen peroxide induced the appearance of ERK8 that was dually phosphorylated at both Thr-175 and Tyr-177. IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1), EGF (epidermal growth factor), PMA or anisomycin had little effect on activity. In HEK-293 cells, phosphorylation of the Thr-Glu-Tyr motif of ERK8 was prevented by Ro 318220, a potent inhibitor of ERK8 in vitro. The catalytically inactive mutants ERK8[D154A] and ERK8[K42A] were not phosphorylated in HEK-293 cells or E. coli, whether or not the cells had been incubated with protein phosphatase inhibitors or exposed to hydrogen peroxide. Our results suggest that the activity of ERK8 in transfected HEK-293 cells depends on the relative rates of ERK8 autophosphorylation and dephosphorylation by one or more members of the PPP family of protein serine/threonine phosphatases. The major residue in myelin basic protein phosphorylated by ERK8 (Ser-126) was distinct from that phosphorylated by ERK2 (Thr-97), demonstrating that, although ERK8 is a proline-directed protein kinase, its specificity is distinct from ERK1/ERK2.

Nur77 is a nuclear orphan receptor that is able to activate transcription independently of exogenous ligand, and has also been shown to promote apoptosis on its localization to mitochondria. Phosphorylation of Nur77 on Ser354 has been suggested to reduce ability of Nur77 to bind DNA; however, the kinase responsible for this phosphorylation in cells has not been clearly established. In the present study, we show that Nur77 is phosphorylated on this site by RSK (ribosomal S6 kinase) and MSK (mitogen- and stress-activated kinase), but not by PKB (protein kinase B) or PKA (protein kinase A), in vitro. In cells, phosphorylation of Nur77 in vivo is catalysed by RSK, which is activated downstream of the classical MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) cascade. Phosphorylation of Nur77 by RSK is able to promote the binding of Nur77 to 14-3-3 proteins in vitro, however, no evidence could be seen for this interaction in cells. We have established that two related proteins, Nurr1 and Nor1, are also phosphorylated on the equivalent site by RSK in cells in response to mitogenic stimulation.

The neurite outgrowth inhibitor protein Nogo is one of 300 proteins that contain a reticulon homology domain, which is responsible for their association with the endoplasmic reticulum. Here we have found that the Nogo-B spliceform becomes phosphorylated at Ser107 in response to lipopolysaccharide in RAW264 macrophages or anisomycin in HeLa cells. The phosphorylation is prevented by SB 203580, an inhibitor of SAPK2a (stress-activated protein kinase 2a)/p38α and SAPK2b/p38β, and does not occur in embryonic fibroblasts generated from SAPK2a/p38α-deficient mice. Nogo-B is phosphorylated at Ser107in vitro by MAPKAP-K2 [MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase)-activated protein kinase-2] or MAPKAP-K3, but not by other protein kinases that are known to be activated by SAPK2a/p38α. The anisomycin-induced phosphorylation of Ser107 in HeLa cells can be prevented by ‘knockdown’ of MAPKAP-K2 using siRNA (small interfering RNA). Taken together, our results identify Nogo-B as a new physiological substrate of MAPKAP-K2.

CHIP is a dimeric U box E3 ubiquitin ligase that binds Hsp90 and/or Hsp70 via its TPR-domain, facilitating ubiquitylation of chaperone bound client proteins. We have determined the crystal structure of CHIP bound to an Hsp90 C-terminal decapeptide. The structure explains how CHIP associates with either chaperone type and reveals an unusual asymmetric homodimer in which the protomers adopt radically different conformations. Additionally, we identified CHIP as a functional partner of Ubc13-Uev1a in formation of Lys63-linked polyubiquitin chains, extending CHIP's roles into ubiquitin regulation as well as targeted destruction. The structure of Ubc13-Uev1a bound to the CHIP U box domain defines the basis for selective cooperation of CHIP with specific ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes. Remarkably, the asymmetric arrangement of the TPR domains in the CHIP dimer occludes one Ubc binding site, so that CHIP operates with half-of-sites activity, providing an elegant means for coupling a dimeric chaperone to a single ubiquitylation system.

We detected a protein in rabbit skeletal muscle extracts that was phosphorylated rapidly by PKBa (protein kinase Ba), but not by SGK1 (serum- and glucocorticoid-induced kinase 1), and identified it as the cytoskeletal protein FLNc (filamin C). PKBa phosphorylated FLNc at Ser2213 in vitro, which lies in an insert not present in the FLNa and FLNb isoforms. Ser 2 2 1 3 became phosphorylated when C2C12 myoblasts were stimulated with insulin or epidermal growth factor, and phosphorylation was prevented by low concentrations of wortmannin, at which it is a relatively specific inhibitor of phosphoinositide 3-kinase. PD 184352 [an inhibitor of the classical MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) cascade] and/or rapamycin [an inhibitor of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin)] had no effect. Insulin also induced the phosphorylation of FLNc at Ser 2 2 1 3 in cardiac muscle in vivo, but not in cardiac muscle that does not express PDK1 (3-phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1), the upstream activator of PKB. These results identify the muscle-specific isoform FLNc as a new physiological substrate for PKB.

We detected a protein in rabbit skeletal muscle extracts that was phosphorylated rapidly by SGK1 (serum- and glucocorticoid-induced kinase 1), but not by protein kinase Bα, and identified it as NDRG2 (N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2). SGK1 phosphorylated NDRG2 at Thr 330 , Ser 332 and Thr 348 in vitro . All three residues were phosphorylated in skeletal muscle from wild-type mice, but not from mice that do not express SGK1. SGK1 also phosphorylated the related NDRG1 isoform at Thr 328 , Ser 330 and Thr 346 (equivalent to Thr 330 , Ser 332 and Thr 348 of NDRG2), as well as Thr 356 and Thr 366 . Residues Thr 346 , Thr 356 and Thr 366 are located within identical decapeptide sequences GTRSRSHTSE, repeated three times in NDRG1. These threonines were phosphorylated in NDRG1 in the liver, lung, spleen and skeletal muscle of wild-type mice, but not in SGK1 −/− mice. Knock-down of SGK1 in HeLa cells using small interfering RNA also suppressed phosphorylation of the threonine residues in the repeat region of NDRG1. The phosphorylation of NDRG1 by SGK1 transformed it into an excellent substrate for GSK3 (glycogen synthase kinase 3), which could then phosphorylate Ser 342 , Ser 352 and Ser 362 in the repeat region. Incubation of HeLa cells with the specific GSK3 inhibitor CT 99021 increased the electrophoretic mobility of NDRG1 in HeLa cells, demonstrating that this protein is phosphorylated by GSK3 in cells. Our results identify NDRG1 and NDRG2 as physiological substrates for SGK1, and demonstrate that phosphorylation of NDRG1 by SGK1 primes it for phosphorylation by GSK3.

MKK5 expressed as a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein in human embryonic kidney 293 cells activated full-length extracellular-signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK)5 (ERK5wt) as well as the isolated catalytic domain (ERK5cat) in vitro. Activation was accompanied by the phosphorylation of Thr(219) and Tyr(221), the former residue being phosphorylated preferentially. ERK5cat phosphorylated at Thr(219), but not Tyr(221), possessed 10% of the activity of the doubly phosphorylated protein towards myelin basic protein, whereas ERK5cat phosphorylated at Tyr(221) alone was much less active. Activated ERK5 phosphorylated itself at a number of residues, including Thr(28), Ser(421), Ser(433), Ser(496), Ser(731) and Thr(733). ERK5 phosphorylated at Thr(219), but not Tyr(221), phosphorylated itself at a similar rate to ERK5 phosphorylated at both Thr(219) and Tyr(221). Activated ERK5 also phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 5 (MKK5) extensively at Ser(129), Ser(137), Ser(142) and Ser(149), which are located within the region in MKK5 that is thought to interact with ERK5.