Biomedical subjects

Daniel Harari

Publications and source records attributed to Daniel Harari.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Characterization of a vasa-like gene from the pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei and its expression during oogenesis.

The vasa gene encodes an ATP-dependent RNA helicase belonging to the DEAD-box family that, in many organisms, is specifically expressed in germline cells throughout the life cycle. In this study we first cloned Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) partial cDNAs of two members of the DEAD-box family, one belonging to the vasa subfamily (Lv-Vasa) and the other to the PL10 subfamily (Lv-PL10). Examination of their spatial expression pattern in adult tissues revealed that Lv-Vasa is restricted to the gonads, whereas Lv-PL10 is found in gonads as well as in somatic tissues. Next, we cloned the full-length shrimp vasa cDNA and found that Lv-Vasa encoded a protein with a DEAD-like helicase domain followed by a helicase superfamily C-terminal domain. In addition, Lv-Vasa encoded N-terminal three repeats of the C2HC-type zinc finger domain, a motif encoded by vasa genes of several crustaceans and several other invertebrate organisms. In situ hybridization of ovarian sections showed that the Lv-Vasa transcript is localized to the cytoplasm of the oocyte throughout oogenesis. The abundance of Lv-Vasa mRNA in mature oocytes suggests a maternal contribution for the developing embryo. It is demonstrated that the vasa homolog from L. vannamei is a gonad specific germline cell marker that could be exploited to enhance our understanding of developmental and reproductive processes in the germline of this economically important shrimp.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2006

Hsp90 increases LIM kinase activity by promoting its homo-dimerization.

LIM kinase 1 (LIMK1) is a serine protein kinase that regulates the actin cytoskeleton by phosphorylation and inactivation of actin depolymerizing factor cofilin. LIMK1 activity is regulated by the Rho-GTPases via their serine/threonine kinase effectors Rho-kinase and p21-activated kinases 1 and 4 that phosphorylate LIMK1 on threonine 508 in its activation loop. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the pathway leading to the stability of LIMK1, a protein with a half-life of approximately 20 h. Because the half-life of kinase-dead LIMK1 is only 4 h, it is suggestive that trans- or auto-phosphorylation is responsible for the stabilization of LIMK1. Using known Hsp90 inhibitors, we have shown that the half-life of LIMK1 in cells depends on the presence of active Hsp90. Furthermore, endogenous LIMK1 coimmunoprecipitated with endogenous Hsp90 and this interaction promoted LIMK1 homodimer formation as seen by cross-linking experiments. Hsp90 binds LIMK1 via a recognition sequence within the LIMK1 kinase domain, homologous to that of ErbB-2. Mutation of a proline residue within this sequence to glutamic acid reduces its interaction with Hsp90, inhibits homodimer formation, and reduces its half-life to 4 h. These findings implicate Hsp90 in the stabilization of LIMK1 by promoting homodimer formation and transphosphorylation.

Amino Acid Substitution↗

PubMed2006

Hsp90 recognizes a common surface on client kinases.

Hsp90 is a highly abundant chaperone whose clientele includes hundreds of cellular proteins, many of which are central players in key signal transduction pathways and the majority of which are protein kinases. In light of the variety of Hsp90 clientele, the mechanism of selectivity of the chaperone toward its client proteins is a major open question. Focusing on human kinases, we have demonstrated that the chaperone recognizes a common surface in the amino-terminal lobe of kinases from diverse families, including two newly identified clients, NFkappaB-inducing kinase and death-associated protein kinase, and the oncoprotein HER2/ErbB-2. Surface electrostatics determine the interaction with the Hsp90 chaperone complex such that introduction of a negative charge within this region disrupts recognition. Compiling information on the Hsp90 dependence of 105 protein kinases, including 16 kinases whose relationship to Hsp90 is first examined in this study, reveals that surface features, rather than a contiguous amino acid sequence, define the capacity of the Hsp90 chaperone machine to recognize client kinases. Analyzing Hsp90 regulation of two major signaling cascades, the mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, leads us to propose that the selectivity of the chaperone to specific kinases is functional, namely that Hsp90 controls kinases that function as hubs integrating multiple inputs. These lessons bear significance to pharmacological attempts to target the chaperone in human pathologies, such as cancer.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2004

Epigen, the last ligand of ErbB receptors, reveals intricate relationships between affinity and mitogenicity.

Four ErbB receptors and multiple growth factors sharing an epidermal growth factor (EGF) motif underlie transmembrane signaling by the ErbB family in development and cancer. Unlike other ErbB proteins, ErbB-2 binds no known EGF-like ligand. To address the existence of a direct ligand for ErbB-2, we applied algorithms based on genomic and cDNA structures to search sequence data bases. These searches reidentified all known EGF-like growth factors including Epigen (EPG), the least characterized ligand, but failed to identify novel factors. The precursor of EPG is a widely expressed transmembrane glycoprotein that undergoes cleavage at two sites to release a soluble EGF-like domain. A recombinant EPG cannot stimulate cells singly expressing ErbB-2, but it acts as a mitogen for cells expressing ErbB-1 and co-expressing ErbB-2 in combination with the other ErbBs. Interestingly, soluble EPG is more mitogenic than EGF, although its binding affinity is 100-fold lower. Our results attribute the anomalous mitogenic power of EPG to evasion of receptor-mediated depletion of ligand molecules, as well as to inefficient receptor ubiquitylation and down-regulation. In conclusion, EPG might represent the last EGF-like growth factor and define a category of low affinity ligands, whose bioactivity differs from the more extensively studied high affinity ligands.

Algorithms↗

PubMed2002

Ligand-independent degradation of epidermal growth factor receptor involves receptor ubiquitylation and Hgs, an adaptor whose ubiquitin-interacting motif targets ubiquitylation by Nedd4.

Ligand-dependent endocytosis of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) involves recruitment of a ubiquitin ligase, and sorting of ubiquitylated receptors to lysosomal degradation. By studying Hgs, a mammalian homolog of a yeast vacuolar-sorting adaptor, we provide information on the less understood, ligand-independent pathway of receptor endocytosis and degradation. Constitutive endocytosis involves receptor ubiquitylation and translocation to Hgs-containing endosomes. Whereas the lipid-binding motif of Hgs is necessary for receptor endocytosis, the ubiquitin-interacting motif negatively regulates receptor degradation. We demonstrate that the ubiquitin-interacting motif is endowed with two functions: it binds ubiquitylated proteins and it targets self-ubiquitylation by recruiting Nedd4, an ubiquitin ligase previously implicated in endocytosis. Based upon the dual function of the ubiquitin-interacting motif and its wide occurrence in endocytic adaptors, we propose a ubiquitin-interacting motif network that relays ubiquitylated membrane receptors to lysosomal degradation through successive budding events.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

PubMed2002

ErbB signaling regulates lineage determination of developing pancreatic islet cells in embryonic organ culture.

The neuregulin (NRG)/epidermal growth factor (EGF) family of growth factors consists of several ligands that specifically activate four erbB receptor-tyrosine kinases, namely erbB-1 (EGF-R), erbB-2 (neu), erbB-3, and erbB-4. We have previously shown that islet morphogenesis is impaired and beta-cell differentiation delayed in mice lacking functional EGF-R [EGF-R (-/-)]. The present study aims to clarify which erbB ligands are important for islet development. Pancreatic expression of EGF, TGF-alpha, heparin-binding EGF, betacellulin (BTC), and NRG-4 was detected as early as embryonic d 13 (E13). Effects of these ligands were studied in E12.5 pancreatic explant cultures grown for 5 d ex vivo. None of the growth factors affected the ratio of endocrine to exocrine cells. However, significant effects within the endocrine cell populations were induced by EGF, BTC, and NRG-4. beta-Cell development was augmented by BTC, whereas the development of somatostatin-expressing delta-cells was stimulated by NRG-4. Both ligands decreased the numbers of glucagon-containing alpha-cells. The effect of BTC was abolished in the EGF-R (-/-) mice. A soluble erbB-4 binding fusion protein totally inhibited the effects of NRG-4 but not of BTC. Neutralization of endogenous NRG-4 activity in the model system effectively inhibited delta-cell development, indicating that this erbB4-ligand is an essential factor for delineation of the somatostatin-producing delta-cells. Our results suggest that ligands of the EGF-R/erbB-1 and erbB-4 receptors regulate the lineage determination of islet cells during pancreatic development. BTC, acting through EGF-R/erbB-1, is important for the differentiation of beta-cells. This could be applied in the targeted differentiation of stem cells into insulin-producing cells.

Animals↗