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Biomedical subjects

Harald Stenmark

Publications and source records attributed to Harald Stenmark.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Structural basis of ubiquitin recognition by mammalian Eap45 GLUE domain.

ESCRT-II, a complex that sorts ubiquitinated membrane proteins to lysosomes, localizes to endosomes through interaction between the Vps36 subunit's GLUE domain and phosphatidylinositides (PIs). In yeast, a ubiquitin (Ub)-interacting NZF domain is inserted in Vps36 GLUE, whereas its mammalian counterpart, Eap45 GLUE, lacks the NZF domain. In the Eap45 GLUE-Ub complex structure, Ub binds far from the proposed PI-binding site of Eap45 GLUE, suggesting their independent binding.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

How a RING finger protein and a steroid hormone control autophagy.

Previous work in our laboratory has indicated that the steroid hormone ecdysone triggers programmed autophagy in the fat body of Drosophila larvae by downregulating the class I phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. We recently found evidence that Deep orange (Dor), a Drosophila RING finger protein implicated in late-endosomal trafficking, controls ecdysone signaling as well as autolysosome fusion, thus exerting a dual regulation of autophagy. We found that dor mutants are defective in programmed autophagy. The mutant larvae showed impaired upregulation of ecdysone signaling during development, accompanied by a failure to downregulate the PI3K pathway. Downregulation of the PI3K pathway could be restored by feeding the dor mutants with ecdysone. Even though ecdysone signaling and autophagy were impaired in the dor mutants, we detected an accumulation of autophagosomes in dor mutant fat bodies. This could probably be attributed to the failure of autophagosomes to fuse with lysosomes. In this Addendum we review these findings and provide some speculations about how Dor may control both ecdysone signalling and autolysosomal fusion.

Animals↗

The mammalian phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate 5-kinase (PIKfyve) regulates endosome-to-TGN retrograde transport.

The yeast gene fab1 and its mammalian orthologue Pip5k3 encode the phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate [PtdIns(3)P] 5-kinases Fab1p and PIKfyve, respectively, enzymes that generates phosphatidylinositol 3,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(3,5)P(2)]. A shared feature of fab1Delta yeast cells and mammalian cells overexpressing a kinase-dead PIKfyve mutant is the formation of a swollen vacuolar phenotype: a phenotype that is suggestive of a conserved function for these enzymes and their product, PtdIns(3,5)P(2), in the regulation of endomembrane homeostasis. In the current study, fixed and live cell imaging has established that, when overexpressed at low levels in HeLa cells, PIKfyve is predominantly associated with dynamic tubular and vesicular elements of the early endosomal compartment. Moreover, through the use of small interfering RNA, it has been shown that suppression of PIKfyve induces the formation of swollen endosomal structures that maintain their early and late endosomal identity. Although internalisation, recycling and degradative sorting of receptors for epidermal growth factor and transferrin was unperturbed in PIKfyve suppressed cells, a clear defect in endosome to trans-Golgi-network (TGN) retrograde traffic was observed. These data argue that PIKfyve is predominantly associated with the early endosome, from where it regulates retrograde membrane trafficking to the TGN. It follows that the swollen endosomal phenotype observed in PIKfyve-suppressed cells results primarily from a reduction in retrograde membrane fission rather than a defect in multivesicular body biogenesis.

Biological Transport, Active↗

A new side to ubiquitin.

Mono-ubiquitination is a common mechanism of protein regulation, and more than ten ubiquitin-interacting domains that recognize the hydrophobic region centered on Ile44 of ubiquitin have been characterized. Two recent reports describe the crystal structure of the Rab5 guanine-nucleotide-exchange factor Rabex-5 and show that it contains two novel ubiquitin-binding domains. One of these is an A20 zinc finger that binds to a polar interaction interface of ubiquitin centered on Asp58. The discovery of an alternative interaction face of ubiquitin opens new avenues for understanding how this small protein regulates protein function.

Animals↗

CISK attenuates degradation of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 via the ubiquitin ligase AIP4.

HER2 overexpression in cancers causes hyperactivation of the PI 3-kinase pathway and elevated levels of the chemokine receptor CXCR4, which is strongly associated with increased metastatic potential. Here, we provide evidence that the cytokine-independent survival kinase CISK is activated downstream of the PI 3-kinase-dependent kinase PDK1 on endosomes and negatively regulates the lysosomal degradation of CXCR4. We demonstrate that CISK prevents CXCR4 degradation by inhibiting sorting of the receptor from early endosomes to lysosomes. In contrast, CISK does not interfere with ligand-induced degradation of epidermal growth factor receptors. CISK strongly interacts and colocalizes with the E3 ubiquitin ligase AIP4, which is important for the ubiquitin-dependent lysosomal degradation of CXCR4. Moreover, the observed inhibition is both dependent on the interaction between CISK and AIP4 and on the activation status of CISK. Consistent with this, an activated form of CISK but not of the related kinase SGK1 phosphorylates specific sites of AIP4 in vitro. Taken together, these results reveal a critical function of CISK in specifically attenuating ubiquitin-dependent degradation of CXCR4, and provide a mechanistic link between the PI 3-kinase pathway and CXCR4 stability.

3-Phosphoinositide-Dependent Protein Kinases↗

Fab1 phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate 5-kinase controls trafficking but not silencing of endocytosed receptors.

The trafficking of endocytosed receptors through phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate [PtdIns(3)P]-containing endosomes is thought to attenuate their signaling. Here, we show that the PtdIns(3)P 5-kinase Fab1/PIKfyve controls trafficking but not silencing of endocytosed receptors. Drosophila fab1 mutants contain undetectable phosphatidylinositol 3,5-bisphosphate levels, show profound increases in cell and organ size, and die at the pupal stage. Mutant larvae contain highly enlarged multivesicular bodies and late endosomes that are inefficiently acidified. Clones of fab1 mutant cells accumulate Wingless and Notch, similarly to cells lacking Hrs, Vps25, and Tsg101, components of the endosomal sorting machinery for ubiquitinated membrane proteins. However, whereas hrs, vps25, and tsg101 mutant cell clones accumulate ubiquitinated cargo, this is not the case with fab1 mutants. Even though endocytic receptor trafficking is impaired in fab1 mutants, Notch, Wingless, and Dpp signaling is unaffected. We conclude that Fab1, despite its importance for endosomal functions, is not required for receptor silencing. This is consistent with the possibility that Fab1 functions at a late stage in endocytic receptor trafficking, at a point when signal termination has occurred.

Animals↗

Both clathrin-positive and -negative coats are involved in endosomal sorting of the EGF receptor.

Sorting of endocytosed EGF receptor (EGFR) to internal vesicles of multivesicular bodies (MVBs) depends on sustained activation and ubiquitination of the EGFR. Ubiquitination of EGFR is mediated by the ubiquitin ligase Cbl, being recruited to the EGFR both directly and indirectly through association with Grb2. Endosomal sorting of ubiquitinated proteins further depends on interaction with ubiquitin binding adaptors like Hrs. Hrs localizes to flat, clathrin-coated domains on the limiting membrane of endosomes. In the present study, we have investigated the localization of EGFR, Cbl and Grb2 with respect to coated and non-coated domains of the endosomal membrane and to vesicles within MVBs. Both EGFR, Grb2, and Cbl were concentrated in coated domains of the limiting membrane before translocation to inner vesicles of MVBs. While almost all Hrs was in clathrin-positive coats, EGFR and Grb2 in coated domains only partially colocalized with Hrs and clathrin. The extent of colocalization of EGFR and Grb2 with Hrs and clathrin varied with time of incubation with EGF. These results demonstrate that both clathrin-positive and clathrin-negative electron dense coats exist on endosomes and are involved in endosomal sorting of the EGFR.

Cells, Cultured↗

Flat clathrin coats on endosomes mediate degradative protein sorting by scaffolding Hrs in dynamic microdomains.

Endocytosed membrane proteins that are destined for degradation in lysosomes are ubiquitylated and recognised by sorting complexes on endosome membranes. The ubiquitin-binding sorting component Hrs as well as ubiquitylated cargo are enriched in a characteristic flat clathrin coat on the endosome membrane. The function of clathrin within this coat has not been investigated. Here, we show that both clathrin and the clathrin-box motif of Hrs are required for the clustering of Hrs into restricted microdomains. The C-terminus of Hrs, which contains the clathrin-box, is sufficient to redirect a phosphatidylinositol(3)-phosphate-binding protein into the Hrs- and clathrin-containing microdomains. Although these microdomains show little lateral diffusion in the membrane, they are dynamic structures that exchange Hrs and clathrin with similar kinetics, and acquire the downstream sorting component Tsg101. The clathrin-mediated clustering is essential for the function of Hrs in degradative protein sorting. We conclude that clathrin is responsible for concentrating Hrs in endosomal microdomains specialised for recognition of ubiquitylated membrane proteins, thus enabling efficient sorting of cargo into the degradative pathway.

Cell Line↗

Endosomal and non-endosomal functions of ESCRT proteins.

The three endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRTs) are integral to the degradation of endocytosed membrane proteins and multivesicular body (MVB) biogenesis. Here, we review evidence that ESCRTs have evolved as a specialized machinery for the degradative sorting of ubiquitinated membrane proteins and we highlight recent studies that have shed light on the mechanisms by which these complexes mediate protein sorting, MVB biogenesis, tumour suppression and viral budding. We also discuss evidence that some ESCRT subunits have evolved additional functions that are unrelated to membrane trafficking.

Animals↗

A dual function for Deep orange in programmed autophagy in the Drosophila melanogaster fat body.

Lysosomal degradation of cytoplasm by way of autophagy is essential for cellular amino acid homeostasis and for tissue remodeling. In insects such as Drosophila, autophagy is developmentally upregulated in the larval fat body prior to metamorphosis. Here, autophagy is induced by the hormone ecdysone through down-regulation of the autophagy-suppressive phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway. In yeast, Vps18 and other members of the HOPS complex have been found essential for autophagic degradation. In Drosophila, the Vps18 homologue Deep orange (Dor) has previously been shown to mediate fusion of multivesicular endosomes with lysosomes. A requirement of Dor for ecdysone-mediated chromosome puffing has also been reported. In the present report, we have tested the hypothesis that Dor may control programmed autophagy at the level of ecdysone signaling as well as by mediating autophagosome-to-lysosome fusion. We show that dor mutants are defective in programmed autophagy and provide evidence that autophagy is blocked at two levels. First, PI3K activity was not down-regulated correctly in dor larvae, which correlated with a decrease in ecdysone reporter activity. The down-regulation of PI3K activity was restored by feeding ecdysone to the mutant larvae. Second, neither exogenous ecdysone nor overexpression of PTEN, a silencer of PI3K signaling, restored fusion of autophagosomes with lysosomes in the fat body of dor mutants. These results indicate that Dor controls autophagy indirectly, via ecdysone signaling, as well as directly, via autolysosomal fusion.

Animals↗

The ESCRT-III subunit hVps24 is required for degradation but not silencing of the epidermal growth factor receptor.

The endosomal sorting complexes required for transport, ESCRT-I, -II, and -III, are thought to mediate the biogenesis of multivesicular endosomes (MVEs) and endosomal sorting of ubiquitinated membrane proteins. Here, we have compared the importance of the ESCRT-I subunit tumor susceptibility gene 101 (Tsg101) and the ESCRT-III subunit hVps24/CHMP3 for endosomal functions and receptor signaling. Like Tsg101, endogenous hVps24 localized mainly to late endosomes. Depletion of hVps24 by siRNA showed that this ESCRT subunit, like Tsg101, is important for degradation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR) and for transport of the receptor from early endosomes to lysosomes. Surprisingly, however, whereas depletion of Tsg101 caused sustained EGF activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, depletion of hVps24 had no such effect. Moreover, depletion of Tsg101 but not of hVps24 caused a major fraction of internalized EGF to accumulate in nonacidified endosomes. Electron microscopy of hVps24-depleted cells showed an accumulation of EGFRs in MVEs that were significantly smaller than those in control cells, probably because of an impaired fusion with lyso-bisphosphatidic acid-positive late endosomes/lysosomes. Together, our results reveal functional differences between ESCRT-I and ESCRT-III in degradative protein trafficking and indicate that degradation of the EGFR is not required for termination of its signaling.

Down-Regulation↗

Regulation of membrane traffic by phosphoinositide 3-kinases.

Phosphoinositide (PI) 3-kinases control essential cellular functions such as cytoskeletal dynamics, signal transduction and membrane trafficking. FYVE, PX and PH domains mediate the binding of effector proteins to the lipid products of PI 3-kinases. Recent studies have provided significant insights into the roles of PI 3-kinases, their catalytic products and their downstream effectors in membrane trafficking. Class I and II PI 3-kinases trigger receptor-induced trafficking processes, such as phagocytosis, macropinocytosis and regulated exocytosis. Class I PI 3-kinases also function to inhibit autophagy. By contrast, class III PI 3-kinases mainly mediate receptor-independent trafficking events, which mostly are related to endocytic membrane traffic, phagosome maturation and autophagy.

1-Phosphatidylinositol 4-Kinase↗

Endocytic pathways regulate Toll-like receptor 4 signaling and link innate and adaptive immunity.

Immune responses are initiated when molecules of microbial origin are sensed by the Toll-like receptors (TLRs). We now report the identification of essential molecular components for the trafficking of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) receptor complex. LPS was endocytosed by a receptor-mediated mechanism dependent on dynamin and clathrin and colocalized with TLR4 on early/sorting endosomes. TLR4 was ubiquitinated and associated with the ubiquitin-binding endosomal sorting protein hepatocyte growth factor-regulated tyrosine kinase substrate, Hrs. Inhibition of endocytosis and endosomal sorting increased LPS signaling. Finally, the LPS receptor complex was sorted to late endosomes/lysosomes for degradation and loading of associated antigens onto HLA class II molecules for presentation to CD4+ T cells. Our results show that endosomal trafficking of the LPS receptor complex is essential for signal termination and LPS-associated antigen presentation, thus controlling both innate and adaptive immunity through TLR4.

Antigen Presentation↗

Double-sided ubiquitin binding of Hrs-UIM in endosomal protein sorting.

Hrs has an essential role in sorting of monoubiquitinated receptors to multivesicular bodies for lysosomal degradation, through recognition of ubiquitinated receptors by its ubiquitin-interacting motif (UIM). Here, we present the structure of a complex of Hrs-UIM and ubiquitin at 1.7-A resolution. Hrs-UIM forms a single alpha-helix, which binds two ubiquitin molecules, one on either side. These two ubiquitin molecules are related by pseudo two-fold screw symmetry along the helical axis of the UIM, corresponding to a shift by two residues on the UIM helix. Both ubiquitin molecules interact with the UIM in the same manner, using the Ile44 surface, with equal binding affinities. Mutational experiments show that both binding sites of Hrs-UIM are required for efficient degradative protein sorting. Hrs-UIM belongs to a new subclass of double-sided UIMs, in contrast to its yeast homolog Vps27p, which has two tandem single-sided UIMs.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

Cloning and subcellular localization of a human phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate 5-kinase, PIKfyve/Fab1.

Yeast Fab1 is a phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate 5-kinase involved in endocytic membrane traffic and vacuole homeostasis. Here we have cloned and sequenced the cDNA for the human homologue of Fab1, PIKfyve. The cDNA has an open reading frame of 6294 bp and encodes a 2098-amino acid protein with a calculated molecular mass of 237 kDa, containing a phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate-binding FYVE domain, a DEP domain, a chaperonin-like domain, and a phosphoinositide kinase domain. The human genome contains a single PIKfyve gene, which comprises 38 exons on chromosomal locus 2q34. PIKfyve is expressed as a single molecular species in a number of human cell lines derived from different tissues. The exogenously expressed protein was found to localize mainly to early endosomes containing two other FYVE domain proteins, EEA1 and Hrs. The endosomal membrane localization of PIKfyve was studied in more detail by examining cells transfected with a constitutively active mutant of the small GTPase Rab5, whose expression results in the enlargement of early endosomes. We show that PIKfyve is distributed in microdomains that are distinct from those occupied by EEA1 and Hrs.

Biological Transport↗

Regulation of ubiquitin-binding proteins by monoubiquitination.

Proteins containing ubiquitin-binding domains (UBDs) interact with ubiquitinated targets and regulate diverse biological processes, including endocytosis, signal transduction, transcription and DNA repair. Many of the UBD-containing proteins are also themselves monoubiquitinated, but the functional role and the mechanisms that underlie this modification are less well understood. Here, we demonstrate that monoubiquitination of the endocytic proteins Sts1, Sts2, Eps15 and Hrs results in intramolecular interactions between ubiquitin and their UBDs, thereby preventing them from binding in trans to ubiquitinated targets. Permanent monoubiquitination of these proteins, mimicked by the fusion of ubiquitin to their carboxyl termini, impairs their ability to regulate trafficking of ubiquitinated receptors. Moreover, we mapped the in vivo monoubiquitination site in Sts2 and demonstrated that its mutation enhances the Sts2-mediated effects of epidermal-growth-factor-receptor downregulation. We propose that monoubiquitination of ubiquitin-binding proteins inhibits their capacity to bind to and control the functions of ubiquitinated targets in vivo.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Analyzing phosphoinositides and their interacting proteins.

Phosphorylated derivatives of phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns), known as phosphoinositides (PIs), are essential regulators of nuclear functions, cytoskeletal dynamics, cell signaling and membrane trafficking. These lipids are found on the cytosolic face of intracellular membranes but can also be detected in membrane-free regions of the nucleoplasm. Their downstream effectors include several proteins that contain various PI-specific domains. Because impaired PI metabolism is associated with disorders such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and immune dysfunction, there is currently great interest in studying PIs and their metabolic enzymes. Here we describe strategies and techniques for quantitative and qualitative measurement of PIs, for characterization of specific PI-binding proteins and for determination of PI kinase and phosphatase activities in vitro and in vivo.

Animals↗