Mutations in the GCD7 subunit of yeast guanine nucleotide exchange factor eIF-2B overcome the inhibitory effects of phosphorylated eIF-2 on translation initiation

1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 3208-3222
Author(s):  
C R Vazquez de Aldana ◽  
A G Hinnebusch

Phosphorylation of the alpha subunit of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 (eIF-2 alpha) impairs translation initiation by inhibiting the guanine nucleotide exchange factor for eIF-2, known as eIF-2B. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, phosphorylation of eIF-2 alpha by the protein kinase GCN2 specifically stimulates translation of GCN4 mRNA in addition to reducing general protein synthesis. We isolated mutations in several unlinked genes that suppress the growth-inhibitory effect of eIF-2 alpha phosphorylation catalyzed by mutationally activated forms of GCN2. These suppressor mutations, affecting eIF-2 alpha and the essential subunits of eIF-2B encoded by GCD7 and GCD2, do not reduce the level of eIF-2 alpha phosphorylation in cells expressing the activated GCN2c kinase. Four GCD7 suppressors were shown to reduce the derepression of GCN4 translation in cells containing wild-type GCN2 under starvation conditions or in GCN2c strains. A fifth GCD7 allele, constructed in vitro by combining two of the GCD7 suppressors mutations, completely impaired the derepression of GCN4 translation, a phenotype characteristic of deletions in GCN1, GCN2, or GCN3. This double GCD7 mutation also completely suppressed the lethal effect of expressing the mammalian eIF-2 alpha kinase dsRNA-PK in yeast cells, showing that the translational machinery had been rendered completely insensitive to phosphorylated eIF-2. None of the GCD7 mutations had any detrimental effect on cell growth under nonstarvation conditions, suggesting that recycling of eIF-2 occurs efficiently in the suppressor strains. We propose that GCD7 and GCD2 play important roles in the regulatory interaction between eIF-2 and eIF-2B and that the suppressor mutations we isolated in these genes decrease the susceptibility of eIF-2B to the inhibitory effects of phosphorylated eIF-2 without impairing the essential catalytic function of eIF-2B in translation initiation.

1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 3208-3222 ◽  
Author(s):  
C R Vazquez de Aldana ◽  
A G Hinnebusch

Phosphorylation of the alpha subunit of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 (eIF-2 alpha) impairs translation initiation by inhibiting the guanine nucleotide exchange factor for eIF-2, known as eIF-2B. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, phosphorylation of eIF-2 alpha by the protein kinase GCN2 specifically stimulates translation of GCN4 mRNA in addition to reducing general protein synthesis. We isolated mutations in several unlinked genes that suppress the growth-inhibitory effect of eIF-2 alpha phosphorylation catalyzed by mutationally activated forms of GCN2. These suppressor mutations, affecting eIF-2 alpha and the essential subunits of eIF-2B encoded by GCD7 and GCD2, do not reduce the level of eIF-2 alpha phosphorylation in cells expressing the activated GCN2c kinase. Four GCD7 suppressors were shown to reduce the derepression of GCN4 translation in cells containing wild-type GCN2 under starvation conditions or in GCN2c strains. A fifth GCD7 allele, constructed in vitro by combining two of the GCD7 suppressors mutations, completely impaired the derepression of GCN4 translation, a phenotype characteristic of deletions in GCN1, GCN2, or GCN3. This double GCD7 mutation also completely suppressed the lethal effect of expressing the mammalian eIF-2 alpha kinase dsRNA-PK in yeast cells, showing that the translational machinery had been rendered completely insensitive to phosphorylated eIF-2. None of the GCD7 mutations had any detrimental effect on cell growth under nonstarvation conditions, suggesting that recycling of eIF-2 occurs efficiently in the suppressor strains. We propose that GCD7 and GCD2 play important roles in the regulatory interaction between eIF-2 and eIF-2B and that the suppressor mutations we isolated in these genes decrease the susceptibility of eIF-2B to the inhibitory effects of phosphorylated eIF-2 without impairing the essential catalytic function of eIF-2B in translation initiation.


2016 ◽  
Vol 310 (6) ◽  
pp. C456-C469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay M. Bhatt ◽  
Ekaterina G. Viktorova ◽  
Theodore Busby ◽  
Paulina Wyrozumska ◽  
Laura E. Newman ◽  
...  

Members of the large Sec7 domain-containing Arf guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) family have been shown to dimerize through their NH2-terminal dimerization and cyclophilin binding (DCB) and homology upstream of Sec7 (HUS) domains. However, the importance of dimerization in GEF localization and function has not been assessed. We generated a GBF1 mutant (91/130) in which two residues required for oligomerization (K91 and E130 within the DCB domain) were replaced with A and assessed the effects of these mutations on GBF1 localization and cellular functions. We show that 91/130 is compromised in oligomerization but that it targets to the Golgi in a manner indistinguishable from wild-type GBF1 and that it rapidly exchanges between the cytosolic and membrane-bound pools. The 91/130 mutant appears active as it integrates within the functional network at the Golgi, supports Arf activation and COPI recruitment, and sustains Golgi homeostasis and cargo secretion when provided as a sole copy of functional GBF1 in cells. In addition, like wild-type GBF1, the 91/130 mutant supports poliovirus RNA replication, a process requiring GBF1 but believed to be independent of GBF1 catalytic activity. However, oligomerization appears to stabilize GBF1 in cells, and the 91/130 mutant is degraded faster than the wild-type GBF1. Our data support a model in which oligomerization is not a key regulator of GBF1 activity but impacts its function by regulating the cellular levels of GBF1.


2001 ◽  
Vol 276 (50) ◽  
pp. 46995-47003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nam Pham ◽  
Daniela Rotin

Cyclic nucleotide ras GEF (CNrasGEF) is a guanine-nucleotide exchange factor previously isolated in a screen for Nedd4-WW domain interacting proteins (Pham, N., Cheglakov, I., Koch, C. A., de Hoog, C. L., Moran, M. F., and Rotin, D. (2000)Curr. Biol.10, 555–558). It activates Ras in a cAMP-dependent manner and Rap-1 independent of cAMP. Here we show that CNrasGEF is a likely substrate of the ubiquitin protein ligase Nedd4. CNrasGEF possesses two PY motifs at its C terminus that are responsible for binding to Nedd4in vitro. Moreover, Nedd4 and CNrasGEF co-immunoprecipitate from 293T cells expressing ectopic CNrasGEF and endogenous Nedd4, and this co-immunoprecipitation is abrogated in PY motif-mutated CNrasGEF (CNrasGEFΔ2PY). CNrasGEF is ubiquitinated in cells, and this ubiquitination is augmented upon overexpression of wt-Nedd4 but is inhibited in cells overexpressing a catalytically inactive Nedd4 (Nedd4(CS)) or in cells expressing CNrasGEFΔ2PY, which cannot bind Nedd4. Moreover, pulse-chase experiments have demonstrated that the half-life of CNrasGEF is reduced 5-fold (from ∼10 to ∼2 h) in cells co-expressing Nedd4 with CNrasGEF but not with CNrasGEFΔ2PY (t0.5∼ 14 h). CNrasGEF is also stabilized in cells co-expressing Nedd4(CS) or following treatment with lactacystin, indicating proteasomal degradation of this protein. Deletion/mutation of the CDC25 domain to abrogate Ras (or Rap-1) binding leads to impaired ubiquitination of CNrasGEF, suggesting that such binding is critical for ubiquitination. Treatment of cells with the cAMP analogue 8-bromo-cAMP does not affect the ability of CNrasGEF to bind Nedd4 nor its level of ubiquitination, suggesting that Ras bindingper seand not its activation is the critical step in triggering ubiquitination of CNrasGEF. These results suggest that CNrasGEF is a substrate for Nedd4, which regulates its ubiquitination and stability in cells.


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