scholarly journals Identification and Characterization of Human Orthologues to Saccharomyces cerevisiae Upf2 Protein and Upf3 Protein (Caenorhabditis elegans SMG-4)

2001 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 209-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillaume Serin ◽  
Anand Gersappe ◽  
Jennifer D. Black ◽  
Rachel Aronoff ◽  
Lynne E. Maquat
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Translation Termination ◽  
Additional Indication ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Nonsense Mediated Mrna Decay ◽  
Important Pathway ◽  
Translational Apparatus

ABSTRACT Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD), also called mRNA surveillance, is an important pathway used by all organisms that have been tested to degrade mRNAs that prematurely terminate translation and, as a consequence, eliminate the production of aberrant proteins that could be potentially harmful. In mammalian cells, NMD appears to involve splicing-dependent alterations to mRNA as well as ribosome-associated components of the translational apparatus. To date, human (h) Upf1 protein (p) (hUpf1p), a group 1 RNA helicase named after itsSaccharomyces cerevisiae orthologue that functions in both translation termination and NMD, has been the only factor shown to be required for NMD in mammalian cells. Here, we describe human orthologues to S. cerevisiae Upf2p and S. cerevisiae Upf3p (Caenorhabditis elegans SMG-4) based on limited amino acid similarities. The existence of these orthologues provides evidence for a higher degree of evolutionary conservation of NMD than previously appreciated. Interestingly, human orthologues toS. cerevisiae Upf3p (C. elegans SMG-4) derive from two genes, one of which is X-linked and both of which generate multiple isoforms due to alternative pre-mRNA splicing. We demonstrate using immunoprecipitations of epitope-tagged proteins transiently produced in HeLa cells that hUpf2p interacts with hUpf1p, hUpf3p-X, and hUpf3p, and we define the domains required for the interactions. Furthermore, we find by using indirect immunofluorescence that hUpf1p is detected only in the cytoplasm, hUpf2p is detected primarily in the cytoplasm, and hUpf3p-X localizes primarily to nuclei. The finding that hUpf3p-X is a shuttling protein provides additional indication that NMD has both nuclear and cytoplasmic components.

scholarly journals Caenorhabditis elegans SMG-2 Selectively Marks mRNAs Containing Premature Translation Termination Codons

2007 ◽  
Vol 27 (16) ◽  
pp. 5630-5638 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Johns ◽  
Andrew Grimson ◽  
Sherry L. Kuchma ◽  
Carrie Loushin Newman ◽  
Philip Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Translation Termination ◽  
Yeast Two Hybrid ◽  
Eukaryotic Mrnas ◽  
Nonsense Mediated Mrna Decay ◽  
Endogenous Genes ◽  
Alternatively Spliced ◽  
Two Hybrid ◽  
Premature Translation Termination

ABSTRACT Eukaryotic mRNAs containing premature translation termination codons (PTCs) are rapidly degraded by a process termed “nonsense-mediated mRNA decay” (NMD). We examined protein-protein and protein-RNA interactions among Caenorhabditis elegans proteins required for NMD. SMG-2, SMG-3, and SMG-4 are orthologs of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and mammalian Upf1, Upf2, and Upf3, respectively. A combination of immunoprecipitation and yeast two-hybrid experiments indicated that SMG-2 interacts with SMG-3, SMG-3 interacts with SMG-4, and SMG-2 interacts indirectly with SMG-4 via shared interactions with SMG-3. Such interactions are similar to those observed in yeast and mammalian cells. SMG-2-SMG-3-SMG-4 interactions require neither SMG-2 phosphorylation, which is abolished in smg-1 mutants, nor SMG-2 dephosphorylation, which is reduced or eliminated in smg-5 mutants. SMG-2 preferentially associates with PTC-containing mRNAs. We monitored the association of SMG-2, SMG-3, and SMG-4 with mRNAs of five endogenous genes whose mRNAs are alternatively spliced to either contain or not contain PTCs. SMG-2 associates with both PTC-free and PTC-containing mRNPs, but it strongly and preferentially associates with (“marks”) those containing PTCs. SMG-2 marking of PTC-mRNPs is enhanced by SMG-3 and SMG-4, but SMG-3 and SMG-4 are not detectably associated with the same mRNPs. Neither SMG-2 phosphorylation nor dephosphorylation is required for selective association of SMG-2 with PTC-containing mRNPs, indicating that SMG-2 is phosphorylated only after premature terminations have been discriminated from normal terminations. We discuss these observations with regard to the functions of SMG-2 and its phosphorylation during NMD.

scholarly journals An intron proximal to a PTC enhances NMD in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jikai Wen ◽  
Muyang He ◽  
Marija Petric ◽  
Laetitia Marzi ◽  
Jianming Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Mrna Decay ◽  
Translation Termination ◽  
Exon Junction Complex ◽  
Coding Region ◽  
Independent Mechanism ◽  
Nonsense Mediated Mrna Decay ◽  
Translation Termination Codon ◽  
Premature Translation Termination Codon

AbstractNonsense mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is regarded as the function of a specialized cytoplasmic translation-coupled mRNA decay pathway in eukaryotes, however, whether a premature translation termination codon (PTC) will lead to NMD often depends on splicing a downstream intron in the nucleus. Deposition of the exon junction complex (EJC) on mRNA is understood to mediate such splicing-dependent NMD in mammalian cells. The budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which has introns in only 5% of its genes, characteristically at the start of the coding region, and lacks proteins essential for EJC assembly, is not expected to undergo splicing-dependent NMD. However, we found that the presence of an intron near a PTC can also enhance NMD in this organism, regardless of whether it is downstream or upstream. These data provide evidence for a hitherto unsuspected EJC-independent mechanism linking translation and pre-mRNA in S. cerevisiae.

The glycomes of Caenorhabditis elegans and other model organisms

2002 ◽  
Vol 69 ◽  
pp. 117-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart M. Haslam ◽  
David Gems ◽  
Howard R. Morris ◽  
Anne Dell
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Structural Data ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Entire Genome ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
The Face ◽  
Area Of Concern ◽  
Nematode Worm

There is no doubt that the immense amount of information that is being generated by the initial sequencing and secondary interrogation of various genomes will change the face of glycobiological research. However, a major area of concern is that detailed structural knowledge of the ultimate products of genes that are identified as being involved in glycoconjugate biosynthesis is still limited. This is illustrated clearly by the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans, which was the first multicellular organism to have its entire genome sequenced. To date, only limited structural data on the glycosylated molecules of this organism have been reported. Our laboratory is addressing this problem by performing detailed MS structural characterization of the N-linked glycans of C. elegans; high-mannose structures dominate, with only minor amounts of complex-type structures. Novel, highly fucosylated truncated structures are also present which are difucosylated on the proximal N-acetylglucosamine of the chitobiose core as well as containing unusual Fucα1–2Gal1–2Man as peripheral structures. The implications of these results in terms of the identification of ligands for genomically predicted lectins and potential glycosyltransferases are discussed in this chapter. Current knowledge on the glycomes of other model organisms such as Dictyostelium discoideum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Drosophila melanogaster is also discussed briefly.

scholarly journals Characterization of Caenorhabditis elegans Homologs of the Down Syndrome Candidate Gene DYRK1A

Genetics ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 163 (2) ◽  
pp. 571-580 ◽  
Author(s):  
William B Raich ◽  
Celine Moorman ◽  
Clay O Lacefield ◽  
Jonah Lehrer ◽  
Dusan Bartsch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Trisomy 21 ◽  
Gene Dosage ◽  
Inducible Promoters ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Dual Specificity ◽  
Specificity Protein

Abstract The pathology of trisomy 21/Down syndrome includes cognitive and memory deficits. Increased expression of the dual-specificity protein kinase DYRK1A kinase (DYRK1A) appears to play a significant role in the neuropathology of Down syndrome. To shed light on the cellular role of DYRK1A and related genes we identified three DYRK/minibrain-like genes in the genome sequence of Caenorhabditis elegans, termed mbk-1, mbk-2, and hpk-1. We found these genes to be widely expressed and to localize to distinct subcellular compartments. We isolated deletion alleles in all three genes and show that loss of mbk-1, the gene most closely related to DYRK1A, causes no obvious defects, while another gene, mbk-2, is essential for viability. The overexpression of DYRK1A in Down syndrome led us to examine the effects of overexpression of its C. elegans ortholog mbk-1. We found that animals containing additional copies of the mbk-1 gene display behavioral defects in chemotaxis toward volatile chemoattractants and that the extent of these defects correlates with mbk-1 gene dosage. Using tissue-specific and inducible promoters, we show that additional copies of mbk-1 can impair olfaction cell-autonomously in mature, fully differentiated neurons and that this impairment is reversible. Our results suggest that increased gene dosage of human DYRK1A in trisomy 21 may disrupt the function of fully differentiated neurons and that this disruption is reversible.

scholarly journals Functional expression and characterization of the C. elegans G-protein-coupled FLP-2 Receptor (T19F4.1) in mammalian cells and yeast

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martha J. Larsen ◽  
Elizabeth Ruiz Lancheros ◽  
Tracey Williams ◽  
David E. Lowery ◽  
Timothy G. Geary ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
G Protein ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Functional Expression ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
G Protein Coupled

The genetic and RFLP characterization of the left end of linkage group III in Caenorhabditis elegans

Genome ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 712-724 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dave Pilgrim
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Linkage Group ◽  
Genetic Map ◽  
Physical Map ◽  
Group Iii ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Genomic Regions ◽  
Caenorhabditis Elegans Genome ◽  
Selection Of

A genetic approach was taken to identify new transposable element Tc1 -dependent polymorphisms on the left end of linkage group III in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The cloning of the genomic DNA surrounding the Tc1 allowed the selection of overlapping clones (from the collection being used to assemble the physical map of the C. elegans genome). A contig of approximately 600–800 kbp in the region has been identified, the genetic map of the region has been refined, and 10 new RFLPs as well as at least four previously characterized genetic loci have been positioned onto the physical map, to the resolution of a few cosmids. This analysis demonstrated the ability to combine physical and genetic mapping for the rapid analysis of large genomic regions (0.5–1 Mbp) in genetically amenable eukaryotes.Key words: Caenorhabditis elegans, genome analysis, RFLP, physical map, genetic map.

scholarly journals Baculovirus expression of two protein disulphide isomerase isoforms from Caenorhabditis elegans and characterization of prolyl 4-hydroxylases containing one of these polypeptides as their β subunit

1996 ◽  
Vol 317 (3) ◽  
pp. 721-729 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna VEIJOLA ◽  
Pia ANNUNEN ◽  
Peppi KOIVUNEN ◽  
Antony P. PAGE ◽  
Taina PIHLAJANIEMI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Cloning And Expression ◽  
Β Subunit ◽  
Α Subunit ◽  
Protein Disulphide Isomerase ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Baculovirus Expression ◽  
Expression Studies ◽  
Α Subunits

Protein disulphide isomerase (PDI; EC 5.3.4.1) is a multifunctional polypeptide that is identical to the β subunit of prolyl 4-hydroxylases. We report here on the cloning and expression of the Caenorhabditis elegans PDI/β polypeptide and its isoform. The overall amino acid sequence identity and similarity between the processed human and C. elegans PDI/β polypeptides are 61% and 85% respectively, and those between the C. elegans PDI/β polypeptide and the PDI isoform 46% and 73%. The isoform differs from the PDI/β and ERp60 polypeptides in that its N-terminal thioredoxin-like domain has an unusual catalytic site sequence -CVHC-. Expression studies in insect cells demonstrated that the C. elegans PDI/β polypeptide forms an active prolyl 4-hydroxylase α2β2 tetramer with the human α subunit and an αβ dimer with the C. elegans α subunit, whereas the C. elegans PDI isoform formed no prolyl 4-hydroxylase with either α subunit. Removal of the 32-residue C-terminal extension from the C. elegans α subunit totally eliminated αβ dimer formation. The C. elegans PDI/β polypeptide formed less prolyl 4-hydroxylase with both the human and C. elegans α subunits than did the human PDI/β polypeptide, being particularly ineffective with the C. elegans α subunit. Experiments with hybrid polypeptides in which the C-terminal regions had been exchanged between the human and C. elegans PDI/β polypeptides indicated that differences in the C-terminal region are one reason, but not the only one, for the differences in prolyl 4-hydroxylase formation between the human and C. elegans PDI/β polypeptides. The catalytic properties of the C. elegans prolyl 4-hydroxylase αβ dimer were very similar to those of the vertebrate type II prolyl 4-hydroxylase tetramer, including the Km for the hydroxylation of long polypeptide substrates.

scholarly journals DYC-1, a Protein Functionally Linked to Dystrophin in Caenorhabditis elegans Is Associated with the Dense Body, Where It Interacts with the Muscle LIM Domain Protein ZYX-1

2008 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 785-796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Lecroisey ◽  
Edwige Martin ◽  
Marie-Christine Mariol ◽  
Laure Granger ◽  
Yannick Schwab ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Dense Body ◽  
Striated Muscles ◽  
Lim Domain ◽  
Functional Link ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Lim Domain Protein ◽  
Muscle Necrosis ◽  
Domain Protein

In Caenorhabditis elegans, mutations of the dystrophin homologue, dys-1, produce a peculiar behavioral phenotype (hyperactivity and a tendency to hypercontract). In a sensitized genetic background, dys-1 mutations also lead to muscle necrosis. The dyc-1 gene was previously identified in a genetic screen because its mutation leads to the same phenotype as dys-1, suggesting that the two genes are functionally linked. Here, we report the detailed characterization of the dyc-1 gene. dyc-1 encodes two isoforms, which are expressed in neurons and muscles. Isoform-specific RNAi experiments show that the absence of the muscle isoform, and not that of the neuronal isoform, is responsible for the dyc-1 mutant phenotype. In the sarcomere, the DYC-1 protein is localized at the edges of the dense body, the nematode muscle adhesion structure where actin filaments are anchored and linked to the sarcolemma. In yeast two-hybrid assays, DYC-1 interacts with ZYX-1, the homologue of the vertebrate focal adhesion LIM domain protein zyxin. ZYX-1 localizes at dense bodies and M-lines as well as in the nucleus of C. elegans striated muscles. The DYC-1 protein possesses a highly conserved 19 amino acid sequence, which is involved in the interaction with ZYX-1 and which is sufficient for addressing DYC-1 to the dense body. Altogether our findings indicate that DYC-1 may be involved in dense body function and stability. This, taken together with the functional link between the C. elegans DYC-1 and DYS-1 proteins, furthermore suggests a requirement of dystrophin function at this structure. As the dense body shares functional similarity with both the vertebrate Z-disk and the costamere, we therefore postulate that disruption of muscle cell adhesion structures might be the primary event of muscle degeneration occurring in the absence of dystrophin, in C. elegans as well as vertebrates.

scholarly journals Intracellular organelles mediate cytoplasmic pulling force for centrosome centration in the Caenorhabditis elegans early embryo

2010 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
pp. 137-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenji Kimura ◽  
Akatsuki Kimura
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Cytoplasmic Dynein ◽  
Early Embryo ◽  
Organelle Transport ◽  
Animal Cells ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Cell Functions ◽  
Intracellular Organelles ◽  
Pulling Force

The centrosome is generally maintained at the center of the cell. In animal cells, centrosome centration is powered by the pulling force of microtubules, which is dependent on cytoplasmic dynein. However, it is unclear how dynein brings the centrosome to the cell center, i.e., which structure inside the cell functions as a substrate to anchor dynein. Here, we provide evidence that a population of dynein, which is located on intracellular organelles and is responsible for organelle transport toward the centrosome, generates the force required for centrosome centration in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. By using the database of full-genome RNAi in C. elegans, we identified dyrb-1, a dynein light chain subunit, as a potential subunit involved in dynein anchoring for centrosome centration. DYRB-1 is required for organelle movement toward the minus end of the microtubules. The temporal correlation between centrosome centration and the net movement of organelle transport was found to be significant. Centrosome centration was impaired when Rab7 and RILP, which mediate the association between organelles and dynein in mammalian cells, were knocked down. These results indicate that minus end-directed transport of intracellular organelles along the microtubules is required for centrosome centration in C. elegans embryos. On the basis of this finding, we propose a model in which the reaction forces of organelle transport generated along microtubules act as a driving force that pulls the centrosomes toward the cell center. This is the first model, to our knowledge, providing a mechanical basis for cytoplasmic pulling force for centrosome centration.

scholarly journals Tpa1p Is Part of an mRNP Complex That Influences Translation Termination, mRNA Deadenylation, and mRNA Turnover in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

2006 ◽  
Vol 26 (14) ◽  
pp. 5237-5248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim M. Keeling ◽  
Joe Salas-Marco ◽  
Lev Z. Osherovich ◽  
David M. Bedwell
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Mrna Decay ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Translation Termination ◽  
Tail Length ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
Yeast Strains ◽  
Messenger Ribonucleoprotein ◽  
Nonsense Mediated Mrna Decay

ABSTRACT In this report, we show that the Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein Tpa1p (for termination and polyadenylation) influences translation termination efficiency, mRNA poly(A) tail length, and mRNA stability. Tpa1p is encoded by the previously uncharacterized open reading frame YER049W. Yeast strains carrying a deletion of the TPA1 gene (tpa1Δ) exhibited increased readthrough of stop codons, and coimmunoprecipitation assays revealed that Tpa1p interacts with the translation termination factors eRF1 and eRF3. In addition, the tpa1Δ mutation led to a 1.5- to 2-fold increase in the half-lives of mRNAs degraded by the general 5′→3′ pathway or the 3′→5′ nonstop decay pathway. In contrast, this mutation did not have any affect on the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay pathway. Examination of mRNA poly(A) tail length revealed that poly(A) tails are longer than normal in a tpa1Δ strain. Consistent with a potential role in regulating poly(A) tail length, Tpa1p was also found to coimmunoprecipitate with the yeast poly(A) binding protein Pab1p. These results suggest that Tpa1p is a component of a messenger ribonucleoprotein complex bound to the 3′ untranslated region of mRNAs that affects translation termination, deadenylation, and mRNA decay.

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