Biomedical subjects

Maria Deak

Publications and source records attributed to Maria Deak.

33 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2004

Interactions of LY333531 and other bisindolyl maleimide inhibitors with PDK1.

LY333531, BIM-1, BIM-2, BIM-3, and BIM-8 are bisindolyl maleimide-based, nanomolar protein kinase C inhibitors. LY333531, a PKCbeta-specific inhibitor, is in clinical trials against diabetes and cardiac ventricular hypertrophy complications. Specificity analysis with a panel of 29 protein kinases reveals that these bisindolyl maleimide inhibitors also inhibit PDK1, a key kinase from the insulin signaling pathway, albeit in the lower microM range. To understand the molecular basis of inhibition, the PDK1 kinase domain was cocrystallized with these bisindolyl maleimide inhibitors. The inhibitor complexes represent the first structural description of this class of compounds, revealing their unusual nonplanar conformation within the ATP binding site and also explaining the higher inhibitory potential of LY33331 compared to the BIM compounds toward PDK1. A combination of site-directed mutagenesis and essential dynamics analysis gives further insight into PDK1 and also PKC inhibition by these compounds, and may aid inhibitor design.

3-Phosphoinositide-Dependent Protein Kinases↗

PubMed2003

Interaction of the protein tyrosine phosphatase PTPL1 with the PtdIns(3,4)P2-binding adaptor protein TAPP1.

It has been postulated that PtdIns(3,4) P (2), one of the immediate breakdown products of PtdIns(3,4,5) P (3), functions as a signalling molecule in insulin- and growth-factor-stimulated pathways. To date, the t andem- P H-domain-containing p rotein- 1 (TAPP1) and related TAPP2 are still the only known PH-domain-containing proteins that interact strongly and specifically with PtdIns(3,4) P (2). In this study we demonstrate that endogenously expressed TAPP1, is constitutively associated with the protein-tyrosine-phosphatase-like protein-1 (PTPL1 also known as FAP-1). We show that PTPL1 binds to TAPP1 and TAPP2, principally though its first PDZ domain [where PDZ is postsynaptic density protein ( P SD-95)/ Drosophila disc large tumour suppressor ( d lg)/tight junction protein ( Z O1)] and show that this renders PTPL1 capable of associating with PtdIns(3,4) P (2) in vitro. Our data suggest that the binding of TAPP1 to PTPL1 does not influence PTPL1 phosphatase activity, but instead functions to maintain PTPL1 in the cytoplasm. Following stimulation of cells with hydrogen peroxide to induce PtdIns(3,4) P (2) production, PTPL1, complexed to TAPP1, translocates to the plasma membrane. This study provides the first evidence that TAPP1 and PtdIns(3,4) P (2) could function to regulate the membrane localization of PTPL1. We speculate that if PTPL1 was recruited to the plasma membrane by increasing levels of PtdIns(3,4) P (2), it could trigger a negative feedback loop in which phosphoinositide-3-kinase-dependent or other signalling pathways could be switched off by the phosphatase-catalysed dephosphorylation of receptor tyrosine kinases or tyrosine phosphorylated adaptor proteins such as IRS1 or IRS2. Consistent with this notion we observed RNA-interference-mediated knock-down of TAPP1 in HEK-293 cells, enhanced activation and phosphorylation of PKB following IGF1 stimulation.

Carrier Proteins↗

PubMed2003

Binding of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate to the pleckstrin homology domain of protein kinase B induces a conformational change.

Protein kinase B (PKB/Akt) is a key regulator of cell growth, proliferation and metabolism. It possesses an N-terminal pleckstrin homology (PH) domain that interacts with equal affinity with the second messengers PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 and PtdIns(3,4)P2, generated through insulin and growth factor-mediated activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). The binding of PKB to PtdIns(3,4,5)P3/PtdIns(3,4)P2 recruits PKB from the cytosol to the plasma membrane and is also thought to induce a conformational change that converts PKB into a substrate that can be activated by the phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1). In this study we describe two high-resolution crystal structures of the PH domain of PKBalpha in a noncomplexed form and compare this to a new atomic resolution (0.98 A, where 1 A=0.1 nm) structure of the PH domain of PKBalpha complexed to Ins(1,3,4,5)P4, the head group of PtdIns(3,4,5)P3. Remarkably, in contrast to all other PH domains crystallized so far, our data suggest that binding of Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 to the PH domain of PKB, induces a large conformational change. This is characterized by marked changes in certain residues making up the phosphoinositide-binding site, formation of a short a-helix in variable loop 2, and a movement of variable loop 3 away from the lipid-binding site. Solution studies with CD also provided evidence of conformational changes taking place upon binding of Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 to the PH domain of PKB. Our data provides the first structural insight into the mechanism by which the interaction of PKB with PtdIns(3,4,5)P3/PtdIns(3,4)P2 induces conformational changes that could enable PKB to be activated by PDK1.

Binding Sites↗

PubMed2003

MO25alpha/beta interact with STRADalpha/beta enhancing their ability to bind, activate and localize LKB1 in the cytoplasm.

Mutations in the LKB1 protein kinase result in the inherited Peutz Jeghers cancer syndrome. LKB1 has been implicated in regulating cell proliferation and polarity although little is known about how this enzyme is regulated. We recently showed that LKB1 is activated through its interaction with STRADalpha, a catalytically deficient pseudokinase. Here we show that endogenous LKB1-STRADalpha complex is associated with a protein of unknown function, termed MO25alpha, through the interaction of MO25alpha with the last three residues of STRADalpha. MO25alpha and STRADalpha anchor LKB1 in the cytoplasm, excluding it from the nucleus. Moreover, MO25alpha enhances the formation of the LKB1-STRADalpha complex in vivo, stimulating the catalytic activity of LKB1 approximately 10-fold. We demonstrate that the related STRADbeta and MO25beta isoforms are also able to stabilize LKB1 in an active complex and that it is possible to isolate complexes of LKB1 bound to STRAD and MO25 isoforms, in which the subunits are present in equimolar amounts. Our results indicate that MO25 may function as a scaffolding component of the LKB1-STRAD complex and plays a crucial role in regulating LKB1 activity and cellular localization.

AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases↗

PubMed2003

Insulin-induced Drosophila S6 kinase activation requires phosphoinositide 3-kinase and protein kinase B.

An important mechanism by which insulin regulates cell growth and protein synthesis is through activation of the p70 ribosomal S6 protein kinase (S6K). In mammalian cells, insulin-induced PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase) activation, generates the lipid second messenger PtdIns(3,4,5) P (3), which is thought to play a key role in triggering the activation of S6K. Although the major components of the insulin-signalling pathway are conserved in Drosophila, recent studies suggested that S6K activation does not require PI3K in this system. To investigate further the role of dPI3K (Drosophila PI3K) in dS6K (Drosophila S6K) activation, we examined the effect of two structurally distinct PI3K inhibitors on insulin-induced dS6K activation in Kc167 and S2 Drosophila cell lines. We found that both inhibitors prevented insulin-stimulated phosphorylation and activation of dS6K. To investigate further the role of the dPI3K pathway in regulating dS6K activation, we also used dsRNAi (double-stranded RNA-mediated interference) to decrease expression of dPI3K and the PtdIns(3,4,5) P (3) phosphatase dPTEN ( Drosophila phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10) in Kc167 and S2 cells. Knock-down of dPI3K prevented dS6K activation, whereas knock-down of dPTEN, which would be expected to increase PtdIns(3,4,5) P (3) levels, stimulated dS6K activity. Moreover, when the expression of the dPI3K target, dPKB (Drosophila protein kinase B), was decreased to undetectable levels, we found that insulin could no longer trigger dS6K activation. This observation provides the first direct demonstration that dPKB is required for insulin-stimulated dS6K activation. We also present evidence that the amino-acid-induced activation of dS6K in the absence of insulin, thought to be mediated by dTOR (Drosophila target of rapamycin), which is unaffected by the inhibition of dPI3K by wortmannin. The results of the present study support the view that, in Drosophila cells, dPI3K and dPKB, as well dTOR, are required for the activation of dS6K by insulin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2003

In vivo role of the PIF-binding docking site of PDK1 defined by knock-in mutation.

PKB/Akt, S6K, SGK and RSK are mediators of responses triggered by insulin and growth factors and are activated following phosphorylation by 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1 (PDK1). To investigate the importance of a substrate-docking site in the kinase domain of PDK1 termed the 'PIF-pocket', we generated embryonic stem (ES) cells in which both copies of the PDK1 gene were altered by knock-in mutation to express a form of PDK1 retaining catalytic activity, in which the PIF-pocket site was disrupted. The knock-in ES cells were viable, mutant PDK1 was expressed at normal levels and insulin-like growth factor 1 induced normal activation of PKB and phosphorylation of the PKB substrates GSK3 and FKHR. In contrast, S6K, RSK and SGK were not activated, nor were physiological substrates of S6K and RSK phosphorylated. These experiments establish the importance of the PIF-pocket in governing the activation of S6K, RSK, SGK, but not PKB, in vivo. They also illustrate the power of knock-in technology to probe the physiological roles of docking interactions in regulating the specificity of signal transduction pathways.

3-Phosphoinositide-Dependent Protein Kinases↗

PubMed2003

Heat-shock protein 90 and Cdc37 interact with LKB1 and regulate its stability.

LKB1 is a widely expressed serine/threonine protein kinase that is mutated in the inherited Peutz-Jeghers cancer syndrome. Recent findings indicate that LKB1 functions as a tumour suppressor, but little is known regarding the detailed mechanism by which LKB1 regulates cell growth. In this study we have purified LKB1 from cells and establish that it is associated with the heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90) chaperone and the Cdc37 kinase-specific targetting subunit for Hsp90. We demonstrate that Cdc37 and Hsp90 bind specifically to the kinase domain of LKB1. We also perform experiments using Hsp90 inhibitors, which indicate that the association of Hsp90 and Cdc37 with LKB1 regulates LKB1 stability and prevents its degradation by the proteasome. Hsp90 inhibitors are being considered as potential anti-cancer agents. However, our observations indicate that prolonged usage of these drugs could possibly lead to tumour development by decreasing cellular levels of LKB1.

AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases↗

PubMed2002

Ionizing radiation induces ataxia telangiectasia mutated kinase (ATM)-mediated phosphorylation of LKB1/STK11 at Thr-366.

The serine/threonine protein kinase LKB1 functions as a tumour suppressor, and mutations in this enzyme lead to the inherited Peutz-Jeghers cancer syndrome. We previously found that LKB1 was phosphorylated at Thr-366 in vivo, a residue conserved in mammalian, Xenopus and Drosophila LKB1, located on a C-terminal non-catalytic moiety of the enzyme. Mutation of Thr-366 to Ala or Asp partially inhibited the ability of LKB1 to suppress growth of G361 melanoma cells, but did not affect LKB1 activity in vitro or LKB1 localization in vivo. As a first step in exploring the role of this phosphorylation further, we have generated a phosphospecific antibody specifically recognizing LKB1 phosphorylated at Thr-366 and demonstrate that exposure of cells to ionizing radiation (IR) induced a marked phosphorylation of LKB1 at Thr-366 in the nucleus. Thr-366 lies in an optimal phosphorylation motif for the phosphoinositide 3-kinase-like kinases DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), ataxia telangiectasia mutated kinase (ATM) and ataxia telangiectasia-related kinase (ATR), which function as sensors for DNA damage in cells and mediate cellular responses to DNA damage. We demonstrate that both DNA-PK and ATM efficiently phosphorylate LKB1 at Thr-366 in vitro and provide evidence that ATM mediates this phosphorylation in vivo. This is based on the finding that LKB1 is not phosphorylated in a cell line lacking ATM in response to IR, and that agents which induce cellular responses via ATR in preference to ATM poorly induce phosphorylation of LKB1 at Thr-366. These observations provide the first link between ATM and LKB1 and suggest that ATM could regulate LKB1.

AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases↗

PubMed2002

A phosphoserine/threonine-binding pocket in AGC kinases and PDK1 mediates activation by hydrophobic motif phosphorylation.

The growth factor-activated AGC protein kinases RSK, S6K, PKB, MSK and SGK are activated by serine/threonine phosphorylation in the activation loop and in the hydrophobic motif, C-terminal to the kinase domain. In some of these kinases, phosphorylation of the hydrophobic motif creates a specific docking site that recruits and activates PDK1, which then phosphorylates the activation loop. Here, we discover a pocket in the kinase domain of PDK1 that recognizes the phosphoserine/phosphothreonine in the hydrophobic motif by identifying two oppositely positioned arginine and lysine residues that bind the phosphate. Moreover, we demonstrate that RSK2, S6K1, PKBalpha, MSK1 and SGK1 contain a similar phosphate-binding pocket, which they use for intramolecular interaction with their own phosphorylated hydrophobic motif. Molecular modelling and experimental data provide evidence for a common activation mechanism in which the phosphorylated hydrophobic motif and activation loop act on the alphaC-helix of the kinase structure to induce synergistic stimulation of catalytic activity. Sequence conservation suggests that this mechanism is a key feature in activation of >40 human AGC kinases.

3-Phosphoinositide-Dependent Protein Kinases↗

PubMed2002

High resolution crystal structure of the human PDK1 catalytic domain defines the regulatory phosphopeptide docking site.

3-phosphoinositide dependent protein kinase-1 (PDK1) plays a key role in regulating signalling pathways by activating AGC kinases such as PKB/Akt and S6K. Here we describe the 2.0 A crystal structure of the PDK1 kinase domain in complex with ATP. The structure defines the hydrophobic pocket termed the "PIF-pocket", which plays a key role in mediating the interaction and phosphorylation of certain substrates such as S6K1. Phosphorylation of S6K1 at its C-terminal PIF-pocket-interacting motif promotes the binding of S6K1 with PDK1. In the PDK1 structure, this pocket is occupied by a crystallographic contact with another molecule of PDK1. Interestingly, close to the PIF-pocket in PDK1, there is an ordered sulfate ion, interacting tightly with four surrounding side chains. The roles of these residues were investigated through a combination of site-directed mutagenesis and kinetic studies, the results of which confirm that this region of PDK1 represents a phosphate-dependent docking site. We discuss the possibility that an analogous phosphate-binding regulatory motif may participate in the activation of other AGC kinases. Furthermore, the structure of PDK1 provides a scaffold for the design of specific PDK1 inhibitors.

3-Phosphoinositide-Dependent Protein Kinases↗

PubMed2002

High-resolution structure of the pleckstrin homology domain of protein kinase b/akt bound to phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate.

The products of PI 3-kinase activation, PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 and its immediate breakdown product PtdIns(3,4)P2, trigger physiological processes, by interacting with proteins possessing pleckstrin homology (PH) domains. One of the best characterized PtdIns(3,4,5)P3/PtdIns(3,4)P2 effector proteins is protein kinase B (PKB), also known as Akt. PKB possesses a PH domain located at its N terminus, and this domain binds specifically to PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 and PtdIns(3,4)P2 with similar affinity. Following activation of PI 3-kinase, PKB is recruited to the plasma membrane by virtue of its interaction with PtdIns(3,4,5)P3/PtdIns(3,4)P2. PKB is then activated by the 3-phosphoinositide-dependent pro-tein kinase-1 (PDK1), which like PKB, possesses a PtdIns(3,4,5)P3/PtdIns(3,4)P2 binding PH domain. Here, we describe the high-resolution crystal structure of the isolated PH domain of PKB(alpha) in complex with the head group of PtdIns(3,4,5)P3. The head group has a significantly different orientation and location compared to other Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 binding PH domains. Mutagenesis of the basic residues that form ionic interactions with the D3 and D4 phosphate groups reduces or abolishes the ability of PKB to interact with PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 and PtdIns(3,4)P2. The D5 phosphate faces the solvent and forms no significant interactions with any residue on the PH domain, and this explains why PKB interacts with similar affinity with both PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 and PtdIns(3,4)P2.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2002

Molecular basis for the substrate specificity of NIMA-related kinase-6 (NEK6). Evidence that NEK6 does not phosphorylate the hydrophobic motif of ribosomal S6 protein kinase and serum- and glucocorticoid-induced protein kinase in vivo.

The AGC family of protein kinases, which includes isoforms of protein kinase B (also known as Akt), ribosomal S6 protein kinase (S6K), and serum- and glucocorticoid-induced protein kinase (SGK) are activated in response to many extracellular signals and play key roles in regulating diverse cellular processes. They are activated by the phosphorylation of the T loop of their kinase domain by the 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1 and by phosphorylation of a residue located C-terminal to the kinase domain in a region termed the hydrophobic motif. Recent work has implicated the NIMA (never in mitosis, gene A)-related kinase-6 (NEK6) as the enzyme that phosphorylates the hydrophobic motif of S6K1 in vivo. Here we demonstrate that in addition to phosphorylating S6K1 and SGK1 at their hydrophobic motif, NEK6 also phosphorylates S6K1 at two other sites and phosphorylates SGK1 at one other site in vitro. Employing the Jerini pepSTAR method in combination with kinetic analysis of phosphorylation of variant peptides, we establish the key substrate specificity determinants for NEK6. Our analysis indicates that NEK6 has a strong preference for Leu 3 residues N-terminal to the site of phosphorylation. Its mutation to either Ile or Val severely reduced the efficacy with which NEK6-phosphorylated peptide substrates, and moreover, mutation of the equivalent Leu residue in S6K1 or SGK1 prevented phosphorylation of their hydrophobic motifs by NEK6 in vitro. However, these mutants of S6K1 or SGK1 still became phosphorylated at their hydrophobic motif following insulin-like growth factor-1 stimulation of transfected 293 cells. This study provides the first description of the basis for the substrate specificity of NEK6 and indicates that NEK6 is unlikely to be responsible for the IGF1-induced phosphorylation of the hydrophobic motif of S6K, SGK, and protein kinase B isoforms in vivo.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2002

Identification and characterization of four novel phosphorylation sites (Ser31, Ser325, Thr336 and Thr366) on LKB1/STK11, the protein kinase mutated in Peutz-Jeghers cancer syndrome.

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is an inherited cancer syndrome, which results in a greatly increased risk of developing tumours in those affected. The causative gene encodes a nuclear-localized protein kinase, termed LKB1, which is predicted to function as a tumour suppressor. The mechanism by which LKB1 is regulated in cells is not known, and nor have any of its physiological substrates been identified. Recent studies have demonstrated that LKB1 is phosphorylated in cells. As a first step towards identifying the roles that phosphorylation of LKB1 play, we have mapped the residues that are phosphorylated in human embryonic kidney (HEK)-293 cells, as well as the major in vitro autophosphorylation sites. We demonstrate that LKB1 expressed in HEK-293 cells, in addition to being phosphorylated at Ser(431), a previously characterized phosphorylation site, is also phosphorylated at Ser(31), Ser(325) and Thr(366). Incubation of wild-type LKB1, but not a catalytically inactive mutant, with manganese-ATP in vitro resulted in the phosphorylation of LKB1 at Thr(336) as well as at Thr(366). We were unable to detect autophosphorylation at Thr(189), a site previously claimed to be an LKB1 autophosphorylation site. A catalytically inactive mutant of LKB1 was phosphorylated at Ser(31) and Ser(325) in HEK-293 cells to the same extent as the wild-type enzyme, indicating that LKB1 does not phosphorylate itself at these residues. We show that phosphorylation of LKB1 does not directly affect its nuclear localization or its catalytic activity in vitro, but that its phosphorylation at Thr(336), and perhaps to a lesser extent at Thr(366), inhibits LKB1 from suppressing cell growth.

AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases↗

PubMed2002

Evidence that the tandem-pleckstrin-homology-domain-containing protein TAPP1 interacts with Ptd(3,4)P2 and the multi-PDZ-domain-containing protein MUPP1 in vivo.

PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 is an established second messenger of growth-factor and insulin-induced signalling pathways. There is increasing evidence that one of the immediate breakdown products of PtdIns(3,4,5)P3, namely PtdIns(3,4)P2, whose levels are elevated by numerous extracellular agonists, might also function as a signalling molecule. Recently, we identified two related pleckstrin-homology (PH)-domain-containing proteins, termed 'tandem-PH-domain-containing protein-1' (TAPP1) and TAPP2, which interacted in vitro with high affinity with PtdIns(3,4)P2, but did not bind PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 or other phosphoinositides. In the present study we demonstrate that stimulation of Swiss 3T3 or 293 cells with agonists that stimulate PtdIns(3,4)P2 production results in the marked translocation of TAPP1 to the plasma membrane. This recruitment is dependent on a functional PtdIns(3,4)P2-binding PH domain and is inhibited by wortmannin, a phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitor that prevents PtdIns(3,4)P2 generation. A search for proteins that interact with TAPP1 identified the multi-PDZ-containing protein termed 'MUPP1', a protein possessing 13 PDZ domains and no other known modular or catalytic domains [PDZ is postsynaptic density protein (PSD-95)/Drosophila disc large tumour suppressor (dlg)/tight junction protein (ZO1)]. We demonstrate that immunoprecipitation of endogenously expressed TAPP1 from 293-cell lysates results in the co-immunoprecipitation of endogenous MUPP1, indicating that these proteins are likely to interact with each other physiologically. We show that TAPP1 and TAPP2 interact with the 10th and 13th PDZ domain of MUPP1 through their C-terminal amino acids. The results of the present study suggest that TAPP1 and TAPP2 could function in cells as adapter proteins to recruit MUPP1, or other proteins that they may interact with, to the plasma membrane in response to signals that elevate PtdIns(3,4)P2.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

ACK family tyrosine kinase activity is a component of Dcdc42 signaling during dorsal closure in Drosophila melanogaster.

We have characterized Drosophila melanogaster ACK (DACK), one of two members of the ACK family of nonreceptor tyrosine kinases in Drosophila. The ACKs are likely effectors for the small GTPase Cdc42, but signaling by these proteins remains poorly defined. ACK family tyrosine kinase activity functions downstream of Drosophila Cdc42 during dorsal closure of the embryo, as overexpression of DACK can rescue the dorsal closure defects caused by dominant-negative Dcdc42. Similar to known participants in dorsal closure, DACK is enriched in the leading edge cells of the advancing epidermis, but it does not signal through activation of the Jun amino-terminal kinase cascade operating in these cells. Transcription of DACK is responsive to changes in Dcdc42 signaling specifically at the leading edge and in the amnioserosa, two tissues involved in dorsal closure. Unlike other members of the ACK family, DACK does not contain a conserved Cdc42-binding motif, and transcriptional regulation may be one route by which Dcdc42 can affect DACK function. Expression of wild-type and kinase-dead DACK transgenes in embryos, and in the developing wing and eye, reveals that ACK family tyrosine kinase activity is involved in a range of developmental events similar to that of Dcdc42.

Amino Acid Sequence↗