Rapid E2-E3 assembly and disassembly enable processive ubiquitylation of cullin-RING ubiquitin ligase substrates.

Degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome system requires assembly of a polyubiquitin chain upon substrate. However, the structural and mechanistic features that enable template-independent processive chain synthesis are unknown. We show that chain assembly by ubiquitin ligase SCF and ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme Cdc34 is facilitated by the unusual nature of Cdc34-SCF transactions: Cdc34 binds SCF with nanomolar affinity, nevertheless the complex is extremely dynamic. These properties are enabled by rapid association driven by electrostatic interactions between the acidic tail of Cdc34 and a basic 'canyon' in the Cul1 subunit of SCF. Ab initio docking between Cdc34 and Cul1 predicts intimate contact between the tail and the basic canyon, an arrangement confirmed by crosslinking and kinetic analysis of mutants. Basic canyon residues are conserved in both Cul1 paralogs and orthologs, suggesting that the same mechanism underlies processivity for all cullin-RING ubiquitin ligases. We discuss different strategies by which processive ubiquitin chain synthesis may be achieved.

Essential role for ubiquitin-ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme interaction in ubiquitin discharge from Cdc34 to substrate.

During ubiquitin conjugation, the thioester bond that links "donor" ubiquitin to ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (E2) undergoes nucleophilic attack by the ɛ-amino group of an acceptor lysine, resulting in formation of an isopeptide bond. Models of ubiquitination have envisioned the donor ubiquitin to be a passive participant in this process. However, we show here that the I44A mutation in ubiquitin profoundly inhibits its ability to serve as a donor for ubiquitin chain initiation or elongation, but can be rescued by computationally predicted compensatory mutations in the E2 Cdc34. The donor defect of ubiquitin-I44A can be partially suppressed either by using a low pKa amine (hydroxylamine) as the acceptor or by performing reactions at higher pH, suggesting that the discharge defect arises in part due to inefficient deprotonation of the acceptor lysine. We propose that interaction between Cdc34 and the donor ubiquitin organizes the active site to promote efficient ubiquitination of substrate.

Multimodal activation of the ubiquitin ligase SCF by Nedd8 conjugation.

Conjugation of ubiquitin-like protein Nedd8 to cullins (neddylation) is essential for the function of cullin-RING ubiquitin ligases (CRLs). Here, we show that neddylation stimulates CRL activity by multiple mechanisms. For the initiator ubiquitin, the major effect is to bridge the approximately 50 A gap between naked substrate and E2 approximately Ub bound to SCF. The gap between the acceptor lysine of ubiquitinated substrate and E2 approximately Ub is much smaller, and, consequentially, the impact of neddylation on transfer of subsequent ubiquitins by Cdc34 arises primarily from improved E2 recruitment and enhanced amide bond formation in the E2 active site. The combined effects of neddylation greatly enhance the probability that a substrate molecule acquires >or= 4 ubiquitins in a single encounter with a CRL. The surprisingly diverse effects of Nedd8 conjugation underscore the complexity of CRL regulation and suggest that modification of other ubiquitin ligases with ubiquitin or ubiquitin-like proteins may likewise have major functional consequences.

ING2 PHD domain links histone H3 lysine 4 methylation to active gene repression.

Dynamic regulation of diverse nuclear processes is intimately linked to covalent modifications of chromatin. Much attention has focused on methylation at lysine 4 of histone H3 (H3K4), owing to its association with euchromatic genomic regions. H3K4 can be mono-, di- or tri-methylated. Trimethylated H3K4 (H3K4me3) is preferentially detected at active genes, and is proposed to promote gene expression through recognition by transcription-activating effector molecules. Here we identify a novel class of methylated H3K4 effector domains--the PHD domains of the ING (for inhibitor of growth) family of tumour suppressor proteins. The ING PHD domains are specific and highly robust binding modules for H3K4me3 and H3K4me2. ING2, a native subunit of a repressive mSin3a-HDAC1 histone deacetylase complex, binds with high affinity to the trimethylated species. In response to DNA damage, recognition of H3K4me3 by the ING2 PHD domain stabilizes the mSin3a-HDAC1 complex at the promoters of proliferation genes. This pathway constitutes a new mechanism by which H3K4me3 functions in active gene repression. Furthermore, ING2 modulates cellular responses to genotoxic insults, and these functions are critically dependent on ING2 interaction with H3K4me3. Together, our findings establish a pivotal role for trimethylation of H3K4 in gene repression and, potentially, tumour suppressor mechanisms.

Control of cullin-ring ubiquitin ligase activity by nedd8.

The Cullin-RING ubiquitin ligase (CRL) family, which may number as many as 350 different enzymes, has an enormous impact on cellular regulation. CRL enzymes regulate cell biology by conjugating ubiquitin onto target proteins that are involved in a multitude of processes. In most cases this leads to degradation of the target, but in some cases CRL-dependent ubiquitination acts as a switch to activate or repress target function. The ubiquitin ligase activity of CRLs is controlled by cycles of attachment and removal of the ubiquitin-like protein Nedd8. Conjugation of Nedd8 onto the cullin subunit of CRLs promotes assembly of an intact CRL complex and switches on ubiquitin ligase activity. Conversely, removal of Nedd8 switches off ubiquitin ligase activity and initiates CRL disassembly. Continuous maintenance of CRL function in vivo requires the activities of both the Nedd8-conjugating and deconjugating enzymes, pointing to a critical role of complex dynamics in CRL function. Here, we review how the Nedd8 cycle controls CRL activity and how perturbations of this cycle can lead to disease.

Chromatin remodeling through directional DNA translocation from an internal nucleosomal site.

The RSC chromatin remodeler contains Sth1, an ATP-dependent DNA translocase. On DNA substrates, RSC/Sth1 tracks along one strand of the duplex with a 3' --> 5' polarity and a tracking requirement of one base, properties that may enable directional DNA translocation on nucleosomes. The binding of RSC or Sth1 elicits a DNase I-hypersensitive site approximately two DNA turns from the nucleosomal dyad, and the binding of Sth1 requires intact DNA at this location. Results with various nucleosome substrates suggest that RSC/Sth1 remains at a fixed position on the histone octamer and that Sth1 conducts directional DNA translocation from a location about two turns from the nucleosomal dyad, drawing in DNA from one side of the nucleosome and pumping it toward the other. These studies suggest that nucleosome mobilization involves directional DNA translocation initiating from a fixed internal site on the nucleosome.

Prospective discovery of small molecule enhancers of an E3 ligase-substrate interaction.

Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) governing the recognition of substrates by E3 ubiquitin ligases are critical to cellular function. There is significant therapeutic potential in the development of small molecules that modulate these interactions; however, rational design of small molecule enhancers of PPIs remains elusive. Herein, we report the prospective identification and rational design of potent small molecules that enhance the interaction between an oncogenic transcription factor, ß-Catenin, and its cognate E3 ligase, SCFß-TrCP. These enhancers potentiate the ubiquitylation of mutant ß-Catenin by ß-TrCP in vitro and induce the degradation of an engineered mutant ß-Catenin in a cellular system. Distinct from PROTACs, these drug-like small molecules insert into a naturally occurring PPI interface, with contacts optimized for both the substrate and ligase within the same small molecule entity. The prospective discovery of 'molecular glue' presented here provides a paradigm for the development of small molecule degraders targeting hard-to-drug proteins.

Kinetic model for the ATP-dependent translocation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae RSC along double-stranded DNA.

The chromatin remodeling complex RSC from Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a DNA translocase that moves with directionality along double-stranded DNA in a reaction that is coupled to ATP hydrolysis. To better understand how this basic molecular motor functions, a novel method of analysis has been developed to study the kinetics of RSC translocation along double-stranded DNA. The data provided are consistent with RSC translocation occurring through a series of repeating uniform steps with an overall processivity of P = 0.949 +/- 0.003; this processivity corresponds to an average translocation distance of 20 +/- 1 base pairs (bp) before dissociation. Interestingly, a slow initiation process, following DNA binding, is required to make RSC competent for DNA translocation. These results are further discussed in the context of previously published studies of RSC and other DNA translocases.

Conformational flexibility in the chromatin remodeler RSC observed by electron microscopy and the orthogonal tilt reconstruction method.

Chromatin remodeling complexes (remodelers) are large, multisubunit macromolecular assemblies that use ATP hydrolysis to alter the structure and positioning of nucleosomes. The mechanisms proposed for remodeler action on nucleosomes are diverse, and require structural evaluation and insights. Previous reconstructions of remodelers using electron microscopy revealed interesting features, but also significant discrepancies, prompting new approaches. Here, we use the orthogonal tilt reconstruction method, which is well suited for heterogeneous samples, to provide a reconstruction of the yeast RSC (remodel the structure of chromatin) complex. Two interesting features are revealed: first, we observe a deep central cavity within RSC, displaying a remarkable surface complementarity for the nucleosome. Second, we are able to visualize two distinct RSC conformers, revealing a major conformational change in a large protein "arm," which may shift to further envelop the nucleosome. We present a model of the RSC-nucleosome complex that rationalizes the single molecule results obtained by using optical tweezers and also discuss the mechanistic implications of our structures.

Mechanisms for nucleosome movement by ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes.

Chromatin remodeling complexes (remodelers) are a set of diverse multi-protein machines that reposition and restructure nucleosomes. Remodelers are specialized, containing unique proteins that assist in targeting, interaction with modified nucleosomes, and performing specific chromatin tasks. However, all remodelers contain an ATPase domain that is highly similar to known DNA translocases/helicases, suggesting that DNA translocation is a property common to all remodelers. Here we examine the different reactions they perform in vitro, focusing on the SWI/SNF and the ISWI complexes, and explore how DNA translocation might be utilized to execute various remodeling processes.

Chromatin remodelling: the industrial revolution of DNA around histones.

Chromatin remodellers are specialized multi-protein machines that enable access to nucleosomal DNA by altering the structure, composition and positioning of nucleosomes. All remodellers have a catalytic ATPase subunit that is similar to known DNA-translocating motor proteins, suggesting DNA translocation as a unifying aspect of their mechanism. Here, we explore the diversity and specialization of chromatin remodellers, discuss how nucleosome modifications regulate remodeller activity and consider a model for the exposure of nucleosomal DNA that involves the use of directional DNA translocation to pump 'DNA waves' around the nucleosome.

DNA translocation and loop formation mechanism of chromatin remodeling by SWI/SNF and RSC.

ATP-dependent chromatin-remodeling complexes (remodelers) modulate gene transcription by regulating the accessibility of highly packaged genomic DNA. However, the molecular mechanisms involved at the nucleosomal level in this process remain controversial. Here, we monitor the real-time activity of single ySWI/SNF or RSC complexes on single, stretched nucleosomal templates under tensions above 1 pN forces. We find that these remodelers can translocate along DNA at rates of approximately 13 bp/s and generate forces up to approximately 12 pN, producing DNA loops of a broad range of sizes (20-1200 bp, average approximately 100 bp) in a nucleosome-dependent manner. This nucleosome-specific activity differs significantly from that on bare DNA observed under low tensions and suggests a nucleosome-remodeling mechanism through intranucleosomal DNA loop formation. Such loop formation may provide a molecular basis for the biological functions of remodelers.

The nuclear actin-related proteins Arp7 and Arp9: a dimeric module that cooperates with architectural proteins for chromatin remodeling.

Nuclear actin-related proteins (ARPs) are essential components of chromatin remodeling and modifying complexes, but their functions and relationship to actin remain elusive. The yeast SWI/SNF and RSC complexes contain Arp7 and Arp9, and are shown to form a stable heterodimer with the properties of a functional module. Arp7 and Arp9 rely on their actin-related regions for heterodimerization, and their unique C-termini cooperate for assembly into RSC. We suggest that regulated ARP-ARP (and possibly ARP-beta-actin) heterodimerization might be a conserved feature of chromatin complexes. A RSC complex lacking Arp7/9 was isolated that displays robust nucleosome remodeling activity, suggesting a separate essential role for ARPs in the regulation of chromatin structure. A screen for suppressors of arp mutations yielded the DNA bending architectural transcription factor Nhp6, which interacts with RSC complex physically and functionally and shows facilitated binding to nucleosomes by RSC. We propose that Arp7/9 dimers function with DNA bending proteins to facilitate proper chromatin architecture and complex- complex interactions.

Chromatin remodeling by RSC involves ATP-dependent DNA translocation.

Chromatin-remodeling complexes couple ATP hydrolysis to alterations in histone-DNA interactions and nucleosome mobility, allowing transcription factors access to chromatin. Here, we use triple-helix strand-displacement assays, DNA length-dependent ATPase assays, and DNA-minicircle ATPase assays to establish that RSC, as well as its isolated ATPase subunit Sth1, are DNA translocases. RSC/Sth1 ATPase activity is stimulated by single-stranded DNA, suggesting that Sth1 tracks along one strand of the DNA duplex. Each RSC complex appears to contain a single molecule of Sth1, and isolated Sth1 is capable of nucleosome remodeling. We propose that the remodeling enzyme remains in a fixed position on the octamer and translocates a segment of DNA (with accompanying DNA twist), which breaks histone-DNA contacts and propagates as a wave of DNA around the octamer. The demonstration of DNA translocation presented here provides a mechanistic basis for this DNA wave. To test the relative contribution of twist to remodeling, we use nucleosomes containing nicks in precise locations to uncouple twist and translocation. Nucleosomes bearing nicks are remodeled less efficiently than intact nucleosomes. These results suggest that RSC and Sth1 are DNA translocases that use both DNA translocation and twist to remodel nucleosomes efficiently.