scholarly journals Cracking the Monoubiquitin Code of Genetic Diseases

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (9) ◽  
pp. 3036 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raj Nayan Sewduth ◽  
Maria Francesca Baietti ◽  
Anna A. Sablina

Ubiquitination is a versatile and dynamic post-translational modification in which single ubiquitin molecules or polyubiquitin chains are attached to target proteins, giving rise to mono- or poly-ubiquitination, respectively. The majority of research in the ubiquitin field focused on degradative polyubiquitination, whereas more recent studies uncovered the role of single ubiquitin modification in important physiological processes. Monoubiquitination can modulate the stability, subcellular localization, binding properties, and activity of the target proteins. Understanding the function of monoubiquitination in normal physiology and pathology has important therapeutic implications, as alterations in the monoubiquitin pathway are found in a broad range of genetic diseases. This review highlights a link between monoubiquitin signaling and the pathogenesis of genetic disorders.

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 357-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanna Grimaldi ◽  
Daniela Corda

AbstractADP-ribosylation is an ancient and reversible post-translational modification (PTM) of proteins, in which the ADP-ribose moiety is transferred from NAD+ to target proteins by members of poly-ADP-ribosyl polymerase (PARP) family. The 17 members of this family have been involved in a variety of cellular functions, where their regulatory roles are exerted through the modification of specific substrates, whose identification is crucial to fully define the contribution of this PTM. Evidence of the role of the PARPs is now available both in the context of physiological processes and of cell responses to stress or starvation. An emerging role of the PARPs is their control of intracellular transport, as it is the case for tankyrases/PARP5 and PARP12. Here, we discuss the evidence pointing at this novel aspect of PARPs-dependent cell regulation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (23) ◽  
pp. 9043
Author(s):  
Maria Mercado-Gómez ◽  
Fernando Lopitz-Otsoa ◽  
Mikel Azkargorta ◽  
Marina Serrano-Maciá ◽  
Sofia Lachiondo-Ortega ◽  
...  

Liver fibrosis is the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins that occurs in chronic liver disease. Ubiquitination is a post-translational modification that is crucial for a plethora of physiological processes. Even though the ubiquitin system has been implicated in several human diseases, the role of ubiquitination in liver fibrosis remains poorly understood. Here, multi-omics approaches were used to address this. Untargeted metabolomics showed that carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver fibrosis promotes changes in the hepatic metabolome, specifically in glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids. Gene ontology analysis of public deposited gene array-based data and validation in our mouse model showed that the biological process “protein polyubiquitination” is enriched after CCl4-induced liver fibrosis. Finally, by using transgenic mice expressing biotinylated ubiquitin (bioUb mice), the ubiquitinated proteome was isolated and characterized by mass spectrometry in order to unravel the hepatic ubiquitinated proteome fingerprint in CCl4-induced liver fibrosis. Under these conditions, ubiquitination appears to be involved in the regulation of cell death and survival, cell function, lipid metabolism, and DNA repair. Finally, ubiquitination of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is induced during CCl4-induced liver fibrosis and associated with the DNA damage response (DDR). Overall, hepatic ubiquitome profiling can highlight new therapeutic targets for the clinical management of liver fibrosis.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Pijnenborg ◽  
Emiel Rossing ◽  
Marek Noga ◽  
Willem Titulaer ◽  
Raisa Veizaj ◽  
...  

Fucose sugars are expressed on mammalian cell membranes as part of glycoconjugates and mediates essential physiological processes. The aberrant expression of fucosylated glycans has been linked to pathologies such as cancer, inflammation, infection, and genetic disorders. Tools to modulate fucose expression on living cells are needed to elucidate the biological role of fucose sugars and the development of potential therapeutics. Herein, we report a novel class of fucosylation inhibitors directly targeting de novo GDP-fucose biosynthesis. We demonstrate that cell permeable fluorinated mannoside 1-phosphate derivatives (Fucotrim I & II) are metabolic prodrugs that are metabolized to their respective GDP-mannose derivatives and efficiently inhibit cellular fucosylation.


Author(s):  
Sabrina Carrella ◽  
Sandro Banfi ◽  
Marianthi Karali

Photoreceptors (PRs) are specialized neuroepithelial cells of the retina responsible for sensory transduction of light stimuli. In the highly structured vertebrate retina, PRs have a highly polarized modular structure to accommodate the demanding processes of phototransduction and the visual cycle. Because of their function, PRs are exposed to continuous cellular stress. PRs are therefore under pressure to maintain their function in defiance of constant environmental perturbation, besides being part of a highly sophisticated developmental process. All this translates into the need for tightly regulated and responsive molecular mechanisms that can reinforce transcriptional programs. It is commonly accepted that regulatory non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), and in particular microRNAs (miRNAs), are not only involved but indeed central in conferring robustness and accuracy to developmental and physiological processes. Here we integrate recent findings on the role of regulatory ncRNAs (e.g., miRNAs, lncRNAs, circular RNAs, and antisense RNAs), and of their contribution to PR pathophysiology. We also outline the therapeutic implications of translational studies that harness ncRNAs to prevent PR degeneration and promote their survival and function.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jissele A. Verdinez ◽  
Julien A. Sebag

Prokineticin receptors are GPCRs involved in several physiological processes including the regulation of energy homeostasis, nociception, and reproductive function. PKRs are inhibited by the endogenous accessory protein MRAP2 which prevents them from trafficking to the plasma membrane. Very little is known about the importance of post-translational modification of PKRs and their role in receptor trafficking and signaling. Here we identify 2 N-linked glycosylation sites within the N-terminal region of PKR2 and demonstrate that glycosylation of PKR2 at position 27 is important for its plasma membrane localization and signaling. Additionally, we show that glycosylation at position 7 results in a decrease in PKR2 signaling through Gαs without impairing Gαq/11 signaling.


Biomolecules ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 79
Author(s):  
Francesca Ronca ◽  
Antonio Raggi

Multiple muscle-specific isoforms of the Zn2+ metalloenzyme AMP deaminase (AMPD) have been identified based on their biochemical and genetic differences. Our previous observations suggested that the metal binding protein histidine-proline-rich glycoprotein (HPRG) participates in the assembly and maintenance of skeletal muscle AMP deaminase (AMPD1) by acting as a zinc chaperone. The evidence of a role of millimolar-strength phosphate in stabilizing the AMPD-HPRG complex of both AMPD1 and cardiac AMP deaminase (AMPD3) is suggestive of a physiological mutual dependence between the two subunit components with regard to the stability of the two isoforms of striated muscle AMPD. The observed influence of the HPRG content on the catalytic behavior of the two enzymes further strengthens this hypothesis. Based on the preferential localization of HPRG at the sarcomeric I-band and on the presence of a Zn2+ binding motif in the N-terminal regions of fast TnT and of the AMPD1 catalytic subunit, we advance the hypothesis that the Zn binding properties of HPRG could promote the association of AMPD1 to the thin filament.


Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 2293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nur Farah Meor Azlan ◽  
Jinwei Zhang

The SLC12 family of cation-chloride-cotransporters (CCCs) is comprised of potassium chloride cotransporters (KCCs), which mediate Cl− extrusion and sodium-potassium chloride cotransporters (N[K]CCs), which mediate Cl− loading. The CCCs play vital roles in cell volume regulation and ion homeostasis. The functions of CCCs influence a variety of physiological processes, many of which overlap with the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease. Although not all of the cotransporters have been linked to Mendelian genetic disorders, recent studies have provided new insights into their functional role in vascular and renal cells in addition to their contribution to cardiovascular diseases. Particularly, an imbalance in potassium levels promotes the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and disturbances in sodium homeostasis are one of the causes of hypertension. Recent findings suggest hypothalamic signaling as a key signaling pathway in the pathophysiology of hypertension. In this review, we summarize and discuss the role of CCCs in cardiovascular disease with particular emphasis on knowledge gained in recent years on NKCCs and KCCs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan F. A. Pijnenborg ◽  
Emiel Rossing ◽  
Jona Merx ◽  
Marek J. Noga ◽  
Willem H. C. Titulaer ◽  
...  

AbstractThe sugar fucose is expressed on mammalian cell membranes as part of glycoconjugates and mediates essential physiological processes. The aberrant expression of fucosylated glycans has been linked to pathologies such as cancer, inflammation, infection, and genetic disorders. Tools to modulate fucose expression on living cells are needed to elucidate the biological role of fucose sugars and the development of potential therapeutics. Herein, we report a class of fucosylation inhibitors directly targeting de novo GDP-fucose biosynthesis via competitive GMDS inhibition. We demonstrate that cell permeable fluorinated rhamnose 1-phosphate derivatives (Fucotrim I & II) are metabolic prodrugs that are metabolized to their respective GDP-mannose derivatives and efficiently inhibit cellular fucosylation.


Author(s):  
Johan Pijnenborg ◽  
Emiel Rossing ◽  
Marek Noga ◽  
Willem Titulaer ◽  
Raisa Veizaj ◽  
...  

Fucose sugars are expressed on mammalian cell membranes as part of glycoconjugates and mediates essential physiological processes. The aberrant expression of fucosylated glycans has been linked to pathologies such as cancer, inflammation, infection, and genetic disorders. Tools to modulate fucose expression on living cells are needed to elucidate the biological role of fucose sugars and the development of potential therapeutics. Herein, we report a novel class of fucosylation inhibitors directly targeting de novo GDP-fucose biosynthesis. We demonstrate that cell permeable fluorinated mannoside 1-phosphate derivatives (Fucotrim I & II) are metabolic prodrugs that are metabolized to their respective GDP-mannose derivatives and efficiently inhibit cellular fucosylation.


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