scholarly journals A conserved guided entry of tail-anchored pathway is involved in the trafficking of a subset of membrane proteins in Plasmodium falciparum

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. e1009595
Author(s):  
Tarkeshwar Kumar ◽  
Satarupa Maitra ◽  
Abdur Rahman ◽  
Souvik Bhattacharjee

Tail-anchored (TA) proteins are defined by the absence of N-terminus signal sequence and the presence of a single transmembrane domain (TMD) proximal to their C-terminus. They play fundamental roles in cellular processes including vesicular trafficking, protein translocation and quality control. Some of the TA proteins are post-translationally integrated by the Guided Entry of TA (GET) pathway to the cellular membranes; with their N-terminus oriented towards the cytosol and C-terminus facing the organellar lumen. The TA repertoire and the GET machinery have been extensively characterized in the yeast and mammalian systems, however, they remain elusive in the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. In this study, we bioinformatically predicted a total of 63 TA proteins in the P. falciparum proteome and revealed the association of a subset with the P. falciparum homolog of Get3 (PfGet3). In addition, our proximity labelling studies either definitively identified or shortlisted the other eligible GET constituents, and our in vitro association studies validated associations between PfGet3 and the corresponding homologs of Get4 and Get2 in P. falciparum. Collectively, this study reveals the presence of proteins with hallmark TA signatures and the involvement of evolutionary conserved GET trafficking pathway for their targeted delivery within the parasite.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tarkeshwar Kumar ◽  
Satarupa Maitra ◽  
Abdur Rahman ◽  
Souvik Bhattacharjee

Tail-anchored (TA) proteins are defined by the absence of N-terminus signal sequence and the presence of a single transmembrane domain (TMD) proximal to their extreme C-terminus. They play fundamental roles in cellular processes including vesicular trafficking, protein translocation and quality control. Accordingly, TA proteins are post-translationally integrated by the Guided Entry of TA (GET) pathway to the cellular membranes; with their N-terminus oriented towards the cytosol and C-terminus facing the organellar lumen. The TA repertoire and the GET machinery have been extensively characterized in the yeast and mammalian systems, however, they remain elusive in the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. In this study, we bioinformatically predicted a total of 63 TA proteins in the P. falciparum proteome and revealed the association of their subset with the P. falciparum homolog of Get3 (PfGet3). In addition, our proximity labelling studies either definitively identified or shortlisted the other eligible GET constituents, and our in vitro association studies validated associations between PfGet3 and the corresponding homologs of Get4 and Get2 in P. falciparum. Collectively, this study reveals the presence of proteins with hallmark TA signatures and the involvement of evolutionary conserved GET trafficking pathway for their targeted delivery within the parasite.


2001 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 2482-2496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nica Borgese ◽  
Ilaria Gazzoni ◽  
Massimo Barberi ◽  
Sara Colombo ◽  
Emanuela Pedrazzini

Many mitochondrial outer membrane (MOM) proteins have a transmembrane domain near the C terminus and an N-terminal cytosolic moiety. It is not clear how these tail-anchored (TA) proteins posttranslationally select their target, but C-terminal charged residues play an important role. To investigate how discrimination between MOM and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) occurs, we used mammalian cytochrome b 5, a TA protein existing in two, MOM or ER localized, versions. Substitution of the seven C-terminal residues of the ER isoform or of green fluorescent protein reporter constructs with one or two arginines resulted in MOM-targeted proteins, whereas a single C-terminal threonine caused promiscuous localization. To investigate whether targeting to MOM occurs from the cytosol or after transit through the ER, we tagged a MOM-directed construct with a C-terminal N-glycosylation sequence. Although in vitro this construct was efficiently glycosylated by microsomes, the protein expressed in vivo localized almost exclusively to MOM, and was nearly completely unglycosylated. The small fraction of glycosylated protein was in the ER and was not a precursor to the unglycosylated form. Thus, targeting occurs directly from the cytosol. Moreover, ER and MOM compete for the same polypeptide, explaining the dual localization of some TA proteins.


2010 ◽  
Vol 188 (4) ◽  
pp. 515-526 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neena S. Rane ◽  
Oishee Chakrabarti ◽  
Lionel Feigenbaum ◽  
Ramanujan S. Hegde

Protein translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum is mediated by signal sequences that vary widely in primary structure. In vitro studies suggest that such signal sequence variations may correspond to subtly different functional properties. Whether comparable functional differences exist in vivo and are of sufficient magnitude to impact organism physiology is unknown. Here, we investigate this issue by analyzing in transgenic mice the impact of signal sequence efficiency for mammalian prion protein (PrP). We find that replacement of the average efficiency signal sequence of PrP with more efficient signals rescues mice from neurodegeneration caused by otherwise pathogenic PrP mutants in a downstream hydrophobic domain (HD). This effect is explained by the demonstration that efficient signal sequence function precludes generation of a cytosolically exposed, disease-causing transmembrane form of PrP mediated by the HD mutants. Thus, signal sequences are functionally nonequivalent in vivo, with intrinsic inefficiency of the native PrP signal being required for pathogenesis of a subset of disease-causing PrP mutations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 167 (5) ◽  
pp. 473-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sung-Gun Kim ◽  
Yu-Jen Chen ◽  
Liliana Falzon ◽  
Jean Baum ◽  
Masayori Inouye

Abstract Nascent polypeptides are synthesized on ribosomes starting at the N-terminus and simultaneously begin to fold during translation. We constructed N-terminal fragments of prosubtilisin E containing an intramolecular chaperone (IMC) at N-terminus to mimic cotranslational folding intermediates of prosubtilisin. The IMC-fragments of prosubtilisin exhibited progressive enhancement of their secondary structures and thermostabilities with increasing polypeptide length. However, even the largest IMC-fragment with 72 residues truncated from the C-terminus behaved as a molten globule, indicating the requirement of the C-terminal region to have a stable tertiary structure. Furthermore, truncation of the IMC in the IMC-fragments resulted in aggregation, suggesting that the IMC plays a crucial role to prevent misfolding and aggregation of cotranslational folding intermediates during translation of prosubtilisin polypeptide.


2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoko Usami ◽  
Yukihiro Kobayashi ◽  
Takahiro Kameda ◽  
Akari Miyazaki ◽  
Kazuyuki Matsuda ◽  
...  

MCs (mast cells) adversely affect atherosclerosis by promoting the progression of lesions and plaque destabilization. MC chymase cleaves apoA-I (apolipoprotein A-I), the main protein component of HDL (high-density lipoprotein). We previously showed that C-terminally truncated apoA-I (cleaved at the carboxyl side of Phe225) is present in normal human serum using a newly developed specific mAb (monoclonal antibody). In the present study, we aimed to identify chymase-induced cleavage sites in both lipid-free and lipid-bound (HDL3) forms of apoA-I. Lipid-free apoA-I was preferentially digested by chymase, at the C-terminus rather than the N-terminus. Phe229 and Tyr192 residues were the main cleavage sites. Interestingly, the Phe225 residue was a minor cleavage site. In contrast, the same concentration of chymase failed to digest apoA-I in HDL3; however, a 100-fold higher concentration of chymase modestly digested apoA-I in HDL3 at only the N-terminus, especially at Phe33. CPA (carboxypeptidase A) is another MC protease, co-localized with chymase in severe atherosclerotic lesions. CPA, in vitro, further cleaved C-terminal Phe225 and Phe229 residues newly exposed by chymase, but did not cleave Tyr192. These results indicate that several forms of C-terminally and N-terminally truncated apoA-I could exist in the circulation. They may be useful as new biomarkers to assess the risk of CVD (cardiovascular disease).


2008 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 185-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sébastien Legardinier ◽  
Jean-Claude Poirier ◽  
Danièle Klett ◽  
Yves Combarnous ◽  
Claire Cahoreau

Recombinant equine LH/chorionic gonadotropin (eLH/CG) was expressed in the baculovirus–Sf9 insect cell system either as a single-chain with the C-terminus of the β-subunit fused to the N-terminus of the α-subunit or as non-covalently linked heterodimers with or without a polyhistidine tag at various locations. All these non-covalently linked eLH/CG variants were secreted as stable heterodimers in the medium of infected Sf9 cells. To assess the influence of the presence and the position of polyhistidine tag on LH bioactivity, we expressed four non-covalently linked tagged heterodimeric eLH/CG variants that were secreted in threefold higher quantities than the single chain. Among them, only two exhibited full in vitro LH bioactivity, relative to untagged heterodimers, namely the one His-tagged at the N-terminus of α-subunit and the other at the C-terminus of the β-subunit both of which are amenable to nickel-affinity purification. Furthermore, single-chain eLH/CG was found to be N- and O-glycosylated but nevertheless less active in in vitro LH bioassays than natural eCG and heterodimeric recombinant eLH/CG. The thermal stability of natural and recombinant hormones was assessed by the initial rates of dissociation from 20 to 90 °C. Heterodimeric eLH/CG from Sf9 cells was found to be as stable as pituitary eLH and serum eCG (T1/2, 74–77 °C). Although Sf9 cells only elaborated short immature-type carbohydrate side chains on glycoproteins, recombinant eLH/CG produced in these cells exhibited stabilities similar to that of pituitary eLH. In conclusion, recombinant heterodimeric eLH/CG exhibits the same thermal stability as natural pituitary LH and its advantages over the single-chain eLH/CG include higher secretion, higher in vitro bioactivity, and reduced potential risk of immunogenicity.


2001 ◽  
Vol 69 (12) ◽  
pp. 7839-7850 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gillian D. Pullinger ◽  
R. Sowdhamini ◽  
Alistair J. Lax

ABSTRACT The locations of the catalytic and receptor-binding domains of thePasteurella multocida toxin (PMT) were investigated. N- and C-terminal fragments of PMT were cloned and expressed as fusion proteins with affinity tags. Purified fusion proteins were assessed in suitable assays for catalytic activity and cell-binding ability. A C-terminal fragment (amino acids 681 to 1285) was catalytically active. When microinjected into quiescent Swiss 3T3 cells, it induced changes in cell morphology typical of toxin-treated cells and stimulated DNA synthesis. An N-terminal fragment with a His tag at the C terminus (amino acids 1 to 506) competed with full-length toxin for binding to surface receptors and therefore contains the cell-binding domain. The inactive mutant containing a mutation near the C terminus (C1165S) also bound to cells in this assay. Polyclonal antibodies raised to the N-terminal PMT region bound efficiently to full-length native toxin, suggesting that the N terminus is surface located. Antibodies to the C terminus of PMT were microinjected into cells and inhibited the activity of toxin added subsequently to the medium, confirming that the C terminus contains the active site. Analysis of the PMT sequence predicted a putative transmembrane domain with predicted hydrophobic and amphipathic helices near the N terminus over the region of homology to the cytotoxic necrotizing factors. The C-terminal end of PMT was predicted to be a mixed α/β domain, a structure commonly found in catalytic domains. Homology to proteins of known structure and threading calculations supported these assignments.


2002 ◽  
Vol 184 (8) ◽  
pp. 2243-2250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuhiko Chiba ◽  
Hiroyuki Mori ◽  
Koreaki Ito

ABSTRACT SecY, a central component of the membrane-embedded sector of protein translocase, contains six cytosolic domains. Here, we examined the importance of the C-terminal cytosolic region of SecY by systematically shortening the C-terminal end and examining the functional consequences of these mutations in vivo and in vitro. It was indicated that the C-terminal five residues are dispensable without any appreciable functional defects in SecY. Mutants missing the C-terminal six to seven residues were partially compromised, especially at low temperature or in the absence of SecG. In vitro analyses indicated that the initial phase of the translocation reaction, in which the signal sequence region of the preprotein is inserted into the membrane, was affected by the lack of the C-terminal residues. SecA binding was normal, but SecA insertion in response to ATP and a preprotein was impaired. It is suggested that the C-terminal SecY residues are required for SecA-dependent translocation initiation.


2000 ◽  
Vol 345 (2) ◽  
pp. 247-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita GOYAL ◽  
Janendra K. BATRA

Chimaeric toxins have considerable therapeutic potential to treat various malignancies. We have previously used the fungal ribonucleolytic toxin restrictocin to make chimaeric toxins in which the ligand was fused at either the N-terminus or the C-terminus of the toxin. Chimaeric toxins containing ligand at the C-terminus of restrictocin were shown to be more active than those having ligand at the N-terminus of the toxin. Here we describe the further engineering of restrictocin-based chimaeric toxins, anti-TFR(scFv)-restrictocin and restrictocin-anti-TFR(scFv), containing restrictocin and a single chain fragment variable (scFv) of a monoclonal antibody directed at the human transferrin receptor (TFR), to enhance their cell-killing activity. To promote the independent folding of the two proteins in the chimaeric toxin, a linear flexible peptide, Gly-Gly-Gly-Gly-Ser, was inserted between the toxin and the ligand to generate restrictocin-linker-anti-TFR(scFv) and anti-TFR(scFv)-linker-restrictocin. A 12-residue spacer, Thr-Arg-His-Arg-Gln-Pro-Arg-Gly-Trp-Glu-Gln-Leu, containing the recognition site for the protease furin, was incorporated between the toxin and the ligand to generate restrictocin-spacer-anti-TFR(scFv) and anti-TFR(scFv)-spacer-restrictocin. The incorporation of the proteolytically cleavable spacer enhanced the cell-killing activity of both constructs by 2-30-fold depending on the target cell line. However, the introduction of linker improved the cytotoxic activity only for anti-TFR(scFv)-linker-restrictocin. The proteolytically cleavable spacer-containing chimaeric toxins had similar cytotoxic activities irrespective of the location of the ligand on the toxin and they were found to release the restrictocin fragment efficiently on proteolysis in vitro.


2000 ◽  
Vol 182 (3) ◽  
pp. 637-646 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine Enz ◽  
Susanne Mahren ◽  
Uwe H. Stroeher ◽  
Volkmar Braun

ABSTRACT In Escherichia coli, transcription of the ferric citrate transport genes fecABCDE is controlled by a novel signal transduction mechanism that starts at the cell surface. Binding of ferric citrate to the outer membrane protein FecA initiates a signal that is transmitted by FecR across the cytoplasmic membrane into the cytoplasm where FecI, the sigma factor, is activated. Interaction between the signaling proteins was demonstrated by utilizing two methods. In in vitro binding assays, FecR that was His tagged at the N terminus [(His)10-FecR] and bound to a Ni-nitrilotriacetic acid agarose column was able to retain FecA, and FecR that was His tagged at the C terminus [FecR-(His)6] retained FecI on the column. An N-terminally truncated, induction-negative but transport-active FecA protein did not bind to (His)10-FecR. The in vivo assay involved the determination of the FecA, FecR, and FecI interacting domains with the bacterial two-hybrid Lex-based system. FecA1–79 interacts with FecR101–317 and FecR1–85 interacts with FecI1–173. These data clearly support a model that proposes interaction of the periplasmic N terminus of FecA with the periplasmic C-terminal portion of FecR and interaction of the cytoplasmic N terminus of FecR with FecI, which results in FecI activation.


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