Zinc homeostasis governed by Golgi-resident ZnT family members regulates ERp44-mediated proteostasis at the ER-Golgi interface.

Many secretory enzymes acquire essential zinc ions (Zn2+) in the Golgi complex. ERp44, a chaperone operating in the early secretory pathway, also binds Zn2+ to regulate its client binding and release for the control of protein traffic and homeostasis. Notably, three membrane transporter complexes, ZnT4, ZnT5/ZnT6 and ZnT7, import Zn2+ into the Golgi lumen in exchange with protons. To identify their specific roles, we here perform quantitative Zn2+ imaging using super-resolution microscopy and Zn2+-probes targeted in specific Golgi subregions. Systematic ZnT-knockdowns reveal that ZnT4, ZnT5/ZnT6 and ZnT7 regulate labile Zn2+ concentration at the distal, medial, and proximal Golgi, respectively, consistent with their localization. Time-course imaging of cells undergoing synchronized secretory protein traffic and functional assays demonstrates that ZnT-mediated Zn2+ fluxes tune the localization, trafficking, and client-retrieval activity of ERp44. Altogether, this study provides deep mechanistic insights into how ZnTs control Zn2+ homeostasis and ERp44-mediated proteostasis along the early secretory pathway.

Organelle-Level Labile Zn2+ Mapping Based on Targetable Fluorescent Sensors.

Although many Zn2+ fluorescent probes have been developed, there remains a lack of consensus on the labile Zn2+ concentrations ([Zn2+]) in several cellular compartments, as the fluorescence properties and zinc affinity of the fluorescent probes are greatly affected by the pH and redox environments specific to organelles. In this study, we developed two turn-on-type Zn2+ fluorescent probes, namely, ZnDA-2H and ZnDA-3H, with low pH sensitivity and suitable affinity (Kd = 5.0 and 0.16 nM) for detecting physiological labile Zn2+ in various cellular compartments, such as the cytosol, nucleus, ER, and mitochondria. Due to their sufficient membrane permeability, both probes were precisely localized to the target organelles in HeLa cells using HaloTag labeling technology. Using an in situ standard quantification method, we identified the [Zn2+] in the tested organelles, resulting in the subcellular [Zn2+] distribution as [Zn2+]ER < [Zn2+]mito < [Zn2+]cyto ∼ [Zn2+]nuc.

A unique leucine-valine adhesive motif supports structure and function of protein disulfide isomerase P5 via dimerization.

P5, also known as PDIA6, is a PDI family member involved in the ER quality control. Here, we revealed that P5 dimerizes via a unique adhesive motif contained in the N-terminal thioredoxin-like domain. Unlike conventional leucine zipper motifs with leucine residues every two helical turns on ∼30-residue parallel α helices, this adhesive motif includes periodic repeats of leucine/valine residues at the third or fourth position spanning five helical turns on 15-residue anti-parallel α helices. The P5 dimerization interface is further stabilized by several reciprocal salt bridges and C-capping interactions between protomers. A monomeric P5 mutant with the impaired adhesive motif showed structural instability and local unfolding, and behaved as aberrant proteins that induce the ER stress response. Disassembly of P5 to monomers compromised its ability to inactivate IRE1α via intermolecular disulfide bond reduction and its Ca2+-dependent regulation of chaperone function in vitro. Thus, the leucine-valine adhesive motif supports structure and function of P5.

Quantitative Imaging of Labile Zn2+ in the Golgi Apparatus Using a Localizable Small-Molecule Fluorescent Probe.

Fluorescent Zn2+ probes used for the quantitative analysis of labile Zn2+ concentration ([Zn2+]) in target organelles are crucial for understanding the role of Zn2+ in biological processes. Although several fluorescent Zn2+ probes have been developed to date, there is still a lack of consensus concerning the [Zn2+] in intracellular organelles. In this study, we describe the development of ZnDA-1H, a small-molecule fluorescent probe for Zn2+, which exhibits less pH sensitivity, high Zn2+ selectivity, and large fluorescence enhancement upon binding to Zn2+. Through protein labeling technology, ZnDA-1H was precisely targeted in various intracellular organelles, such as the nucleus, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi apparatus. ZnDA-1H exhibited a reversible fluorescence response toward labile Zn2+ in these organelles in live cells. Using this probe, the [Zn2+] in the Golgi apparatus was estimated to be 25 ± 1 nM, suggesting that labile Zn2+ plays a physiological role in the secretory pathway.

Zinc regulates ERp44-dependent protein quality control in the early secretory pathway.

Zinc ions (Zn2+) are imported into the early secretory pathway by Golgi-resident transporters, but their handling and functions are not fully understood. Here, we show that Zn2+ binds with high affinity to the pH-sensitive chaperone ERp44, modulating its localization and ability to retrieve clients like Ero1α and ERAP1 to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Silencing the Zn2+ transporters that uptake Zn2+ into the Golgi led to ERp44 dysfunction and increased secretion of Ero1α and ERAP1. High-resolution crystal structures of Zn2+-bound ERp44 reveal that Zn2+ binds to a conserved histidine-cluster. The consequent large displacements of the regulatory C-terminal tail expose the substrate-binding surface and RDEL motif, ensuring client capture and retrieval. ERp44 also forms Zn2+-bridged homodimers, which dissociate upon client binding. Histidine mutations in the Zn2+-binding sites compromise ERp44 activity and localization. Our findings reveal a role of Zn2+ as a key regulator of protein quality control at the ER-Golgi interface.

The Highly Dynamic Nature of ERdj5 Is Key to Efficient Elimination of Aberrant Protein Oligomers through ER-Associated Degradation.

ERdj5, composed of an N-terminal J domain followed by six thioredoxin-like domains, is the largest protein disulfide isomerase family member and functions as an ER-localized disulfide reductase that enhances ER-associated degradation (ERAD). Our previous studies indicated that ERdj5 comprises two regions, the N- and C-terminal clusters, separated by a linker loop and with distinct functional roles in ERAD. We here present a new crystal structure of ERdj5 with a largely different cluster arrangement relative to that in the original crystal structure. Single-molecule observation by high-speed atomic force microscopy visualized rapid cluster movement around the flexible linker loop, indicating the highly dynamic nature of ERdj5 in solution. ERdj5 mutants with a fixed-cluster orientation compromised the ERAD enhancement activity, likely because of less-efficient reduction of aberrantly formed disulfide bonds and prevented substrate transfer in the ERdj5-mediated ERAD pathway. We propose a significant role of ERdj5 conformational dynamics in ERAD of disulfide-linked oligomers.

Preparation of Selenoinsulin as a Long-Lasting Insulin Analogue.

Synthetic insulin analogues with a long lifetime are current drug targets for the therapy of diabetic patients. The replacement of the interchain disulfide with a diselenide bridge, which is more resistant to reduction and internal bond rotation, can enhance the lifetime of insulin in the presence of the insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) without impairing the hormonal function. The [C7UA ,C7UB ] variant of bovine pancreatic insulin (BPIns) was successfully prepared by using two selenocysteine peptides (i.e., the C7U analogues of A- and B-chains, respectively). In a buffer solution at pH 10 they spontaneously assembled under thermodynamic control to the correct insulin fold. The selenoinsulin (Se-Ins) exhibited a bioactivity comparable to that of BPIns. Interestingly, degradation of Se-Ins with IDE was significantly decelerated (τ1/2 ≈8 h vs. ≈1 h for BPIns). The lifetime enhancement could be due to both the intrinsic stability of the diselenide bond and local conformational changes induced by the substitution.

Rabin8 suppresses autophagosome formation independently of its guanine nucleotide-exchange activity towards Rab8.

Macroautophagy is a bulk degradation system conserved from yeast to human. In budding yeast, the guanine nucleotide-exchange factor (GEF) Sec2p is required for autophagy. We examined the role of Rabin8 (a mammalian ortholog of Sec2p) with Rab8-GEF activity in autophagy in mammalian cells. Unexpectedly, depletion of Rabin8 promoted nutrient starvation-induced autophagosome formation, indicating that Rabin8 suppresses autophagosome formation. Depletion of Rab8 did not affect autophagosome formation, and expression of a Rabin8 GEF-domain mutant reverted the Rabin8 depletion-induced increase in autophagosomes, indicating that Rabin8 suppresses autophagosome formation independently of its Rab8-GEF activity. Nuclear Dbf2-related (NDR) kinases phosphorylate Rabin8 at Ser-272. The non-phosphorylatable Rabin8-S272A mutant did not revert the Rabin8 depletion-induced increase in autophagosomes, suggesting that Ser-272 phosphorylation of Rabin8 is involved in its suppressive function in autophagy. Depletion of NDR kinases enhanced autophagosome formation and reduced mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) activity, suggesting that NDR kinases suppress autophagosome formation by increasing mTORC1 activity, in addition to phosphorylating Rabin8. Expression of a C-terminal fragment of Rabin8, but not that of Sec2p, suppressed nutrient starvation-induced autophagosome formation. Thus, contrary to the stimulative role of yeast Sec2p, Rabin8 has a suppressive function in autophagy in mammalian cells through its non-conserved C-terminal region.

NDR2-mediated Rabin8 phosphorylation is crucial for ciliogenesis by switching binding specificity from phosphatidylserine to Sec15.

Primary cilia are antenna-like sensory organelles protruding from the plasma membrane. Defects in ciliogenesis cause diverse genetic disorders. NDR2 was identified as the causal gene for a canine ciliopathy, early retinal degeneration, but its role in ciliogenesis remains unknown. Ciliary membranes are generated by transport and fusion of Golgi-derived vesicles to the pericentrosome, a process requiring Rab11-mediated recruitment of Rabin8, a GDP-GTP exchange factor (GEF) for Rab8, and subsequent Rab8 activation and Rabin8 binding to Sec15, a component of the exocyst that mediates vesicle tethering. This study shows that NDR2 phosphorylates Rabin8 at Ser-272 and defects in this phosphorylation impair preciliary membrane assembly and ciliogenesis, resulting in accumulation of Rabin8-/Rab11-containing vesicles at the pericentrosome. Rabin8 binds to and colocalizes with GTP-bound Rab11 and phosphatidylserine (PS) on pericentrosomal vesicles. The phospho-mimetic S272E mutation of Rabin8 decreases affinity for PS but increases affinity for Sec15. These results suggest that NDR2-mediated Rabin8 phosphorylation is crucial for ciliogenesis by triggering the switch in binding specificity of Rabin8 from PS to Sec15, thereby promoting local activation of Rab8 and ciliary membrane formation.