Molecular analysis of GCN3, a translational activator of GCN4: evidence for posttranslational control of GCN3 regulatory function

1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 4808-4820
Author(s):  
E M Hannig ◽  
A G Hinnebusch
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Normal Growth ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Regulatory Function ◽  
Regulatory Sequences ◽  
Noncoding Dna ◽  
Physical Description ◽  
Amino Acid Availability ◽  
Translational Activator ◽  
Starvation Conditions

GCN4 encodes a transcriptional activator of amino acid biosynthetic genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The GCN3 product is a positive regulator required for increased synthesis of GCN4 protein in amino acid-starved cells. GCN3 appears to act indirectly by antagonizing GCD-encoded negative regulators of GCN4 expression under starvation conditions; however, GCN3 can also suppress the effects of gcd12 mutations under nonstarvation conditions. These results imply that the GCN3 product can promote either repression or activation of GCN4 expression depending on amino acid availability. We present a complete physical description of the GCN3 gene and its transcript, plus measurements of GCN3 expression at the transcriptional and translational levels under different growth conditions. GCN3 encodes a 305-amino-acid polypeptide with no significant homology to any other known protein sequence. GCN3 mRNA contains no leader AUG codons, and no potential GCN4 binding sites were found in GCN3 5' noncoding DNA. In accord with the absence of these regulatory sequences found at other genes in the general control system, GCN3 mRNA and a GCN3-lacZ fusion enzyme are present at similar levels under both starvation and nonstarvation conditions. These data suggest that modulation of GCN3 regulatory function in response to amino acid availability occurs posttranslationally. A gcn3 deletion leads to unconditional lethality in a gcd1-101 mutant, supporting the idea that GCN3 is expressed under normal growth conditions and cooperates with the GCD1 product under these circumstances to carry out an essential cellular function. We describe a point mutation that adds three amino acids to the carboxyl terminus of GCN3, which inactivates its positive regulatory function required under starvation conditions without impairing its ability to promote functions carried out by GCD12 under nonstarvation conditions.

scholarly journals Molecular analysis of GCN3, a translational activator of GCN4: evidence for posttranslational control of GCN3 regulatory function.

1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 4808-4820 ◽  
Author(s):  
E M Hannig ◽  
A G Hinnebusch
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Normal Growth ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Regulatory Function ◽  
Regulatory Sequences ◽  
Noncoding Dna ◽  
Physical Description ◽  
Amino Acid Availability ◽  
Translational Activator ◽  
Starvation Conditions

GCN4 encodes a transcriptional activator of amino acid biosynthetic genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The GCN3 product is a positive regulator required for increased synthesis of GCN4 protein in amino acid-starved cells. GCN3 appears to act indirectly by antagonizing GCD-encoded negative regulators of GCN4 expression under starvation conditions; however, GCN3 can also suppress the effects of gcd12 mutations under nonstarvation conditions. These results imply that the GCN3 product can promote either repression or activation of GCN4 expression depending on amino acid availability. We present a complete physical description of the GCN3 gene and its transcript, plus measurements of GCN3 expression at the transcriptional and translational levels under different growth conditions. GCN3 encodes a 305-amino-acid polypeptide with no significant homology to any other known protein sequence. GCN3 mRNA contains no leader AUG codons, and no potential GCN4 binding sites were found in GCN3 5' noncoding DNA. In accord with the absence of these regulatory sequences found at other genes in the general control system, GCN3 mRNA and a GCN3-lacZ fusion enzyme are present at similar levels under both starvation and nonstarvation conditions. These data suggest that modulation of GCN3 regulatory function in response to amino acid availability occurs posttranslationally. A gcn3 deletion leads to unconditional lethality in a gcd1-101 mutant, supporting the idea that GCN3 is expressed under normal growth conditions and cooperates with the GCD1 product under these circumstances to carry out an essential cellular function. We describe a point mutation that adds three amino acids to the carboxyl terminus of GCN3, which inactivates its positive regulatory function required under starvation conditions without impairing its ability to promote functions carried out by GCD12 under nonstarvation conditions.

scholarly journals Amino acid sequence similarity between GCN3 and GCD2, positive and negative translational regulators of GCN4: evidence for antagonism by competition.

Genetics ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 122 (3) ◽  
pp. 551-559 ◽  
Author(s):  
C J Paddon ◽  
E M Hannig ◽  
A G Hinnebusch
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Amino Acid Sequence ◽  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
Normal Growth ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Amino Acid Sequence Similarity ◽  
Predicted Amino Acid Sequence ◽  
Carboxyl Terminal ◽  
Translational Regulators ◽  
Starvation Conditions

Abstract The GCD2 gene product is required in conditions of amino acid sufficiency to repress the synthesis of GCN4, a transcriptional activator of amino acid biosynthetic genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. GCD2 is also required unconditionally for cell viability. The constitutive derepression of GCN4 expression and temperature sensitivity for growth associated with GCD2 alleles, known as gcd12 mutations, are completely masked by wild-type GCN3, a positive regulator of GCN4 expression. This observation suggests that GCN3 can promote or at least partially substitute for GCD2 function in normal growth conditions, while acting as an antagonist of GCD2 in amino acid starvation conditions. We report here that the predicted amino acid sequence of GCN3 shows extensive similarity with the carboxyl-terminal portion of GCD2. Based on this finding, it seems likely that gcd12 mutations specifically affect the domain of GCD2 that is similar in sequence to GCN3. We propose that GCN3 can substitute for this domain in a gcd12 mutant grown in normal growth conditions, and that modification of GCN3 in starvation conditions causes it to interfere with, rather than substitute for GCD2 function. A gcd2 deletion and gcd2-1 are each expected to inactivate a second domain for which GCN3 cannot substitute, accounting for the inability of GCN3 to mask the phenotypes associated with these mutations.

The positive regulatory function of the 5'-proximal open reading frames in GCN4 mRNA can be mimicked by heterologous, short coding sequences

1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 3827-3836
Author(s):  
N P Williams ◽  
P P Mueller ◽  
A G Hinnebusch
Keyword(s):  
Translational Control ◽  
Normal Growth ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Regulatory Function ◽  
Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
Yeast Genes ◽  
Reading Frames

Translational control of GCN4 expression in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is mediated by multiple AUG codons present in the leader of GCN4 mRNA, each of which initiates a short open reading frame of only two or three codons. Upstream AUG codons 3 and 4 are required to repress GCN4 expression in normal growth conditions; AUG codons 1 and 2 are needed to overcome this repression in amino acid starvation conditions. We show that the regulatory function of AUG codons 1 and 2 can be qualitatively mimicked by the AUG codons of two heterologous upstream open reading frames (URFs) containing the initiation regions of the yeast genes PGK and TRP1. These AUG codons inhibit GCN4 expression when present singly in the mRNA leader; however, they stimulate GCN4 expression in derepressing conditions when inserted upstream from AUG codons 3 and 4. This finding supports the idea that AUG codons 1 and 2 function in the control mechanism as translation initiation sites and further suggests that suppression of the inhibitory effects of AUG codons 3 and 4 is a general consequence of the translation of URF 1 and 2 sequences upstream. Several observations suggest that AUG codons 3 and 4 are efficient initiation sites; however, these sequences do not act as positive regulatory elements when placed upstream from URF 1. This result suggests that efficient translation is only one of the important properties of the 5' proximal URFs in GCN4 mRNA. We propose that a second property is the ability to permit reinitiation following termination of translation and that URF 1 is optimized for this regulatory function.

scholarly journals Distinct Amino Acid Availability-Dependent Regulatory Mechanisms of MepS and MepM Levels in Escherichia coli

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yung Jae Kim ◽  
Byoung Jun Choi ◽  
Si Hyoung Park ◽  
Han Byeol Lee ◽  
Ji Eun Son ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Minimal Medium ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Aromatic Amino Acids ◽  
Normal Growth ◽  
Regulatory Mechanisms ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Bacterial Physiology ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Amino Acid Availability

Peptidoglycan (PG) hydrolases play important roles in various aspects of bacterial physiology, including cytokinesis, PG synthesis, quality control of PG, PG recycling, and antibiotic resistance. However, the regulatory mechanisms of their expression are poorly understood. In this study, we have uncovered novel regulatory mechanisms of the protein levels of the synthetically lethal PG endopeptidases MepS and MepM, which are involved in PG synthesis. A mutant defective for both MepS and MepM was lethal in an amino acid-rich medium, whereas it exhibited almost normal growth in a minimal medium, suggesting the expendability of MepS and MepM in a minimal medium. Protein levels of MepS and MepM dramatically decreased in the minimal medium. Although MepM was revealed as a substrate of Prc, a periplasmic protease involved in the proteolysis of MepS, only the decrease in the MepS level in the minimal medium was affected by the prc depletion. Phenotypic and biochemical analyses showed that the presence of aromatic amino acids in the medium induced the accumulation of MepS, but not MepM, while the presence of glutamate increased the level of MepM, but not MepS. Together, these results demonstrate that the protein levels of the two major PG endopeptidases are regulated in an amino acid availability-dependent manner, but their molecular mechanisms and signaling are significantly distinct.

The first and fourth upstream open reading frames in GCN4 mRNA have similar initiation efficiencies but respond differently in translational control to change in length and sequence

1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 5439-5447
Author(s):  
P P Mueller ◽  
B M Jackson ◽  
P F Miller ◽  
A G Hinnebusch
Keyword(s):  
Translational Control ◽  
Normal Growth ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Regulatory Function ◽  
Coding Sequences ◽  
Lacz Fusions ◽  
Upstream Open Reading Frames ◽  
Reading Frames ◽  
Starvation Conditions

The third and fourth AUG codons in GCN4 mRNA efficiently repress translation of the GCN4-coding sequences under normal growth conditions. The first AUG codon is approximately 30-fold less inhibitory and is required under amino acid starvation conditions to override the repressing effects of AUG codons 3 and 4. lacZ fusions constructed to functional, elongated versions of the first and fourth upstream open reading frames (URFs) were used to show that AUG codons 1 and 4 function similarly as efficient translational start sites in vivo, raising the possibility that steps following initiation distinguish the regulatory properties of URFs 1 and 4. In accord with this idea, we observed different consequences of changing the length and termination site of URF1 versus changing those of URFs 3 and 4. The latter were lengthened considerably, with little or no effect on regulation. In fact, the function of URFs 3 and 4 was partially reconstituted with a completely heterologous URF. By contrast, certain mutations that lengthen URF1 impaired its positive regulatory function nearly as much as removing its AUG codon did. The same mutations also made URF1 a much more inhibitory element when it was present alone in the mRNA leader. These results strongly suggest that URFs 1 and 4 both function in regulation as translated coding sequences. To account for the phenotypes of the URF1 mutations, we suggest the most ribosomes normally translate URF1 and that the mutations reduce the number of ribosomes that are able to complete URF1 translation and resume scanning downstream. This effect would impair URF1 positive regulatory function if ribosomes must first translate URF1 in order to overcome the strong translational block at the 3'-proximal URFs. Because URF1-lacZ fusions were translated at the same rate under repressing and derepressing conditions, it appears that modulating initiation at URF1 is not the means that is used to restrict the regulatory consequences of URF1 translation to starvation conditions.

scholarly journals Functional Analysis of the ATG8 Homologue Aoatg8 and Role of Autophagy in Differentiation and Germination in Aspergillus oryzae

2006 ◽  
Vol 5 (8) ◽  
pp. 1328-1336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takashi Kikuma ◽  
Mamoru Ohneda ◽  
Manabu Arioka ◽  
Katsuhiko Kitamoto
Keyword(s):  
Aspergillus Oryzae ◽  
Fusion Proteins ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Normal Growth ◽  
Nitrogen Sources ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Conidial Germination ◽  
Aerial Hyphae ◽  
Green Fluorescent ◽  
Starvation Conditions

ABSTRACT Autophagy is a well-known degradation system, induced by nutrient starvation, in which cytoplasmic components and organelles are digested via vacuoles/lysosomes. Recently, it was reported that autophagy is involved in the turnover of cellular components, development, differentiation, immune responses, protection against pathogens, and cell death. In this study, we isolated the ATG8 gene homologue Aoatg8 from the filamentous fungus Aspergillus oryzae and visualized autophagy by the expression of DsRed2-AoAtg8 and enhanced green fluorescent protein-AoAtg8 fusion proteins in this fungus. While the fusion proteins were localized in dot structures which are preautophagosomal structure-like structures under normal growth conditions, starvation or rapamycin treatment caused their accumulation in vacuoles. DsRed2 expressed in the cytoplasm was also taken up into vacuoles under starvation conditions or during the differentiation of conidiophores and conidial germination. Deletion mutants of Aoatg8 did not form aerial hyphae and conidia, and DsRed2 was not localized in vacuoles under starvation conditions, indicating that Aoatg8 is essential for autophagy. Furthermore, Aoatg8 conditional mutants showed delayed conidial germination in the absence of nitrogen sources. These results suggest that autophagy functions in both the differentiation of aerial hyphae and in conidial germination in A. oryzae.

scholarly journals The translational activator GCN3 functions downstream from GCN1 and GCN2 in the regulatory pathway that couples GCN4 expression to amino acid availability in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Genetics ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 126 (3) ◽  
pp. 549-562 ◽  
Author(s):  
E M Hannig ◽  
N P Williams ◽  
R C Wek ◽  
A G Hinnebusch
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
State Level ◽  
Negative Regulator ◽  
Regulatory Function ◽  
Temperature Sensitive ◽  
General Control ◽  
Biosynthetic Genes ◽  
Protein Coding ◽  
General Amino Acid Control ◽  
Amino Acid Availability

Abstract The GCN4 protein of S. cerevisiae is a transcriptional activator of amino acid biosynthetic genes which are subject to general amino acid control. GCN3, a positive regulator required for increased GCN4 expression in amino acid-starved cells, is thought to function by antagonism of one or more negative regulators encoded by GCD genes. We isolated gcn3c alleles that lead to constitutively derepressed expression of GCN4 and amino acid biosynthetic genes under its control. These mutations map in the protein-coding sequences and, with only one exception, do not increase the steady-state level of GCN3 protein. All of the gcn3c alleles lead to derepression of genes under the general control in the absence of GCN1 and GCN2, two other positive regulators of GCN4 expression. This finding suggests that GCN3 functions downstream from GCN1 and GCN2 in the general control pathway. In accord with this idea, constitutively derepressing alleles of GCN2 are greatly dependent on GCN3 for their derepressed phenotype. The gcn3c alleles that are least dependent on GCN1 and GCN2 for derepression cause slow-growth under nonstarvation conditions. In addition, all of the gcn3c alleles are less effective than wild-type GCN3 in overcoming the temperature-sensitive lethality associated with certain mutations in the negative regulator GCD2. These results suggest that activation of GCN3 positive regulatory function by the gcn3c mutations involves constitutive antagonism of GCD2 function, leading to reduced growth rates and derepression of GCN4 expression in the absence of amino acid starvation.

scholarly journals c-Src-Mediated Epithelial Cell Migration and Invasion Regulated by PDZ Binding Site

2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 642-655 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Baumgartner ◽  
Gerald Radziwill ◽  
Mihaela Lorger ◽  
Andreas Weiss ◽  
Karin Moelling
Keyword(s):  
Cell Migration ◽  
Basement Membrane ◽  
Normal Growth ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Regulatory Function ◽  
Migration And Invasion ◽  
Src Tyrosine Kinase ◽  
Surrounding Matrix ◽  
Cell Matrix ◽  
C Terminus

ABSTRACT c-Src tyrosine kinase controls proliferation, cell adhesion, and cell migration and is highly regulated. A novel regulatory mechanism to control c-Src function that has recently been identified involves the C-terminal amino acid sequence Gly-Glu-Asn-Leu (GENL) of c-Src as ligand for PDZ domains. Herein, we determined the biological relevance of this c-Src regulation in human breast epithelial cells. The intact GENL sequence maintained c-Src in an inactive state in starved cells and restricted c-Src functions that might lead to metastatic transformation under normal growth conditions. c-Src with a C-terminal Leu/Ala mutation in GENL (Src-A) promoted the activation and translocation of cortactin and focal adhesion kinase and increased the motility and persistence of cell migration on the basement membrane. Src-A promoted increased extracellular proteolytic activity, and in acinar cultures, it led to the escape of cells through the basement membrane into the surrounding matrix. We ascribe the regulatory function of C-terminal Leu to the role of GENL in modulating c-Src activity downstream of cell matrix adhesion. We propose that the C terminus of c-Src via its GENL sequence presents a mechanism that restricts c-Src in epithelia and prevents progression toward an invasive phenotype.

scholarly journals Transcriptional Autoregulation and Inhibition of mRNA Translation of Amino Acid Regulator GenecpcAof Filamentous FungusAspergillus nidulans

2001 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2846-2857 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernd Hoffmann ◽  
Oliver Valerius ◽  
Meike Andermann ◽  
Gerhard H. Braus
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Protein Level ◽  
Mrna Level ◽  
Point Mutations ◽  
Mrna Translation ◽  
Transcriptional Activator ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Amino Acid Availability ◽  
Starvation Conditions

The CPCA protein of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans is a member of the c-Jun-like transcriptional activator family. It acts as central transcription factor of the cross-pathway regulatory network of amino acid biosynthesis and is functionally exchangeable for the general control transcriptional activator Gcn4p of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In contrast to GCN4, expression of cpcA is strongly regulated by two equally important mechanisms with additive effects that lead to a fivefold increased CPCA protein amount under amino acid starvation conditions. One component of cpcA regulation involves a transcriptional autoregulatory mechanism via a CPCA recognition element (CPRE) in the cpcA promoter that causes a sevenfold increased cpcA mRNA level when cells are starved for amino acids. Point mutations in the CPRE cause a constitutively low mRNA level of cpcA and a halved protein level when amino acids are limited. Moreover, two upstream open reading frames (uORFs) in the 5′ region of thecpcA mRNA are important for a translational regulatory mechanism. Destruction of both short uORFs results in a sixfold increased CPCA protein level under nonstarvation conditions and a 10-fold increase under starvation conditions. Mutations in both the CPRE and uORF regulatory elements lead to an intermediate effect, with a low cpcA mRNA level but a threefold increased CPCA protein level independent of amino acid availability. These data argue for a combined regulation of cpcA that includes a translational regulation like that of yeast GCN4 as well as a transcriptional regulation like that of the mammalianjun and fos genes.

scholarly journals The Sko1p Repressor and Gcn4p Activator Antagonistically Modulate Stress-Regulated Transcription inSaccharomyces cerevisiae

2001 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amparo Pascual-Ahuir ◽  
Ramón Serrano ◽  
Markus Proft
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Specific Binding ◽  
Ion Homeostasis ◽  
Normal Growth ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Target Sequence ◽  
Acid Uptake ◽  
Amino Acid Availability

ABSTRACT In the transcriptional response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to stress, both activators and repressors are implicated. Here we demonstrate that the ion homeostasis determinant,HAL1, is regulated by two antagonistically operating bZIP transcription factors, the Sko1p repressor and the Gcn4p activator. A single CRE-like sequence (CRE HAL1 ) at position −222 to −215 with the palindromic core sequence TTACGTAA is essential for stress-induced expression of HAL1. Down-regulation of HAL1 under normal growth conditions requires specific binding of Sko1p to CRE HAL1 and the corepressor gene SSN6. Release from this repression depends on the function of the high-osmolarity glycerol pathway. The Gcn4p transcriptional activator binds in vitro to the same CRE HAL1 and is necessary for up-regulatedHAL1 expression in vivo, indicating a dual control mechanism by a repressor-activator pair occupying the same promoter target sequence. gcn4 mutants display a strong sensitivity to elevated K+ or Na+ concentrations in the growth medium. In addition to reduced HAL1 expression, this sensitivity is explained by the fact that amino acid uptake is drastically impaired by high Na+ and K+concentrations in wild-type yeast cells. The reduced amino acid biosynthesis of gcn4 mutants would result in amino acid deprivation. Together with the induction of HAL1 by amino acid starvation, these results suggest that salt stress and amino acid availability are physiologically interconnected.

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