The guanine nucleotide exchange factor VAV3 participates in ERBB4-mediated cancer cell migration.

ERBB4 is a member of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/ERBB subfamily of receptor tyrosine kinases that regulates cellular processes including proliferation, migration, and survival. ERBB4 signaling is involved in embryogenesis and homeostasis of healthy adult tissues, but also in human pathologies such as cancer, neurological disorders, and cardiovascular diseases. Here, an MS-based analysis revealed the Vav guanine nucleotide exchange factor 3 (VAV3), an activator of Rho family GTPases, as a critical ERBB4-interacting protein in breast cancer cells. We confirmed the ERBB4-VAV3 interaction by targeted MS and coimmunoprecipitation experiments and further defined it by demonstrating that kinase activity and Tyr-1022 and Tyr-1162 of ERBB4, as well as the intact phosphotyrosine-interacting SH2 domain of VAV3, are necessary for this interaction. We found that ERBB4 stimulates tyrosine phosphorylation of the VAV3 activation domain, known to be required for guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) activity of VAV proteins. In addition to VAV3, the other members of the VAV family, VAV1 and VAV2, also coprecipitated with ERBB4. Analyses of the effects of overexpression of dominant-negative VAV3 constructs or shRNA-mediated down-regulation of VAV3 expression in breast cancer cells indicated that active VAV3 is involved in ERBB4-stimulated cell migration. These results define the VAV GEFs as effectors of ERBB4 activity in a signaling pathway relevant for cancer cell migration.

p53-dependent transcription and tumor suppression are not affected in Set7/9-deficient mice.

Methylation of specific lysine residues in the C terminus of p53 is thought to govern p53-dependent transcription following genotoxic and oncogenic stress. In particular, Set7/9 (KMT7)-mediated monomethylation of human p53 at lysine 372 (p53K372me1) was suggested to be essential for p53 activation in human cell lines. This finding was confirmed in a Set7/9 knockout mouse model (Kurash et al., 2008). In an independent knockout mouse strain deficient in Set7/9, we have investigated its involvement in p53 regulation and find that cells from these mice are normal in their ability to induce p53-dependent transcription following genotoxic and oncogenic insults. Most importantly, we detect no impairment in canonical p53 functions in these mice, indicating that Set7/9-mediated methylation of p53 does not seem to represent a major regulatory event and does not appreciably control p53 activity in vivo.

Atmospheric pressure-electron capture dissociation of peptides using a modified PhotoSpray ion source.

An improved in-source atmospheric pressure-electron capture dissociation (AP-ECD) method is described. Building upon the early example of Laprévote's group, photoelectrons generated within a commercial PhotoSpray atmospheric pressure photoionization source are used to induce ECD of multiply charged peptide ions originating from an upstream heated nebulizer device. To attain high sensitivity, the method makes use of a novel electropneumatic-heated nebulizer to assist in the creation and transmission of multiply charged ions from sample solutions. Here, we demonstrate that readily interpretable AP-ECD spectra of infused peptides can be acquired from 100 fmol sample consumed, on a chromatographic time scale, using a conventional quadrupole time-of-flight (Q-ToF) mass spectrometer otherwise incapable of ECD/ETD experiments. Though much work remains to be done to develop and characterize the method, the results indicate that AP-ECD has the potential to be a practical new tool for the mass spectrometric analysis of peptides and proteins.

p97 regulates GluA1 homomeric AMPA receptor formation and plasma membrane expression.

The α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid subtype glutamate receptors (AMPARs) mediate the fast excitatory synaptic transmission in the mammalian brain and are important for synaptic plasticity. In particular, the rapid insertion of the GluA1 homomeric (GluA1-homo) AMPARs into the postsynaptic membrane is considered to be critical in the expression of hippocampal CA1 long-term potentiation (LTP), which is important for certain forms of learning and memory. However, how the formation and trafficking of GluA1-homo AMPARs are regulated remains poorly understood. Here, we report that p97 specifically interacts with and promotes the formation of GluA1-homo AMPARs. The association with p97 retains GluA1-homo AMPARs in the intracellular compartment under basal conditions, and its dissociation allows GluA1-homo AMPARs to be rapidly inserted into the postsynaptic membrane shortly after LTP induction. Thus, our results shed lights into the molecular mechanisms by which p97 regulates GluA1-homo AMPARs formation and trafficking, thereby playing a critical role in mediating synaptic plasticity.

The lysine methyltransferase Ehmt2/G9a is dispensable for skeletal muscle development and regeneration.

BACKGROUND: Euchromatic histone-lysine N-methyltransferase 2 (G9a/Ehmt2) is the main enzyme responsible for the apposition of H3K9 di-methylation on histones. Due to its dual role as an epigenetic regulator and in the regulation of non-histone proteins through direct methylation, G9a has been implicated in a number of biological processes relevant to cell fate control. Recent reports employing in vitro cell lines indicate that Ehmt2 methylates MyoD to repress its transcriptional activity and therefore its ability to induce differentiation of activated myogenic cells. METHODS: To further investigate the importance of G9a in modulating myogenic regeneration in vivo, we crossed Ehmt2 (floxed) mice to animals expressing Cre recombinase from the Myod locus, resulting in efficient knockout in the entire skeletal muscle lineage (Ehmt2 (ΔmyoD) ). RESULTS: Surprisingly, despite a dramatic drop in the global levels of H3K9me2, knockout animals did not show any developmental phenotype in muscle size and appearance. Consistent with this finding, purified Ehmt2 (ΔmyoD) satellite cells had rates of activation and proliferation similar to wild-type controls. When induced to differentiate in vitro, Ehmt2 knockout cells differentiated with kinetics similar to those of control cells and demonstrated normal capacity to form myotubes. After acute muscle injury, knockout mice regenerated as efficiently as wildtype. To exclude possible compensatory mechanisms elicited by the loss of G9a during development, we restricted the knockout within adult satellite cells by crossing Ehmt2 (floxed) mice to Pax7 (CreERT2) and also found normal muscle regeneration capacity. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, Ehmt2 and H3K9me2 do not play significant roles in skeletal muscle development and regeneration in vivo.

Noise filtering techniques for electrospray quadrupole time of flight mass spectra.

The sensitivity of protein identification by peptide sequencing using a nanoelectrospray ion source is limited by our ability to identify peptide ions in the mass spectrum. Their intensity must be higher than the chemical noise level to allow a rapid localization in the spectrum. Multiply-charged peptide ions on or below this level can only be found because their isotopic pattern is denser than that of the mostly singly-charged chemical background ions. However, to find peptides by looking for multiply-charged isotope clusters can be very timeconsuming and may lead to misassignments of the first isotope. Here we present a software-based method to increase the signal to noise ratio of ion signals in an electrospray spectrum. The software has two elements, one to reduce the noise level and a second to increase the intensity of ion peaks. Both methods together generate a spectrum in which the signal to noise ratio of ion signals is considerably improved. Peptide ions previously hidden in the chemical background are dismantled and can now be localized and selected for fragmentation. The method has been used successfully to identify low level proteins separated by one dimensional gel electrophoresis.

Thymic progenitor homing and lymphocyte homeostasis are linked via S1P-controlled expression of thymic P-selectin/CCL25.

Thymic T cell progenitor (TCP) importation is a periodic, gated event that is dependent on the expression of functional P-selectin ligands on TCPs. Occupancy of intrathymic TCP niches is believed to negatively regulate TCP importation, but the nature of this feedback mechanism is not yet resolved. We show that P-selectin and CCL25 are periodically expressed in the thymus and are essential parts of the thymic gate-keeping mechanism. Periodicity of thymic TCP receptivity and the size of the earliest intrathymic TCP pool were dependent on the presence of functional P-selectin ligand on TCPs. Furthermore, we show that the numbers of peripheral blood lymphocytes directly affected thymic P-selectin expression and TCP receptivity. We identified sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) as one feedback signal that could mediate influence of the peripheral lymphocyte pool on thymic TCP receptivity. Our findings suggest a model whereby thymic TCP importation is controlled by both early thymic niche occupancy and the peripheral lymphocyte pool via S1P.

Na+/H+ exchanger regulatory factor-1 is a hematopoietic ligand for a subset of the CD34 family of stem cell surface proteins.

CD34 and its relatives, podocalyxin and endoglycan, comprise a family of surface sialomucins expressed by hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells and vascular endothelia. Recent data suggest that they serve as either pro- or antiadhesion molecules depending on their cellular context and their post-translational modifications. In addition, their ability to function as blockers of adhesion may be further regulated by their subcellular localization in membrane microdomains via activation-dependent linkage with the actin cytoskeleton. To gain further insights into the function and regulation of CD34-type molecules, we sought to identify the intracellular ligands that govern their localization. Using both genetic and biochemical approaches, we have identified the Na(+)/H(+) exchanger regulatory factor-1 (NHERF-1) as a selective ligand for podocalyxin and endoglycan but not for the closely related CD34. Furthermore, we show that NHERF-1 is expressed by all c-kit(+) /lineage marker(-)/Sca-1(+) cells, which are known to express podocalyxin and have long-term repopulating abilities. Finally, we show that these proteins relocalize and colocalize in response to cytokine signaling. The results suggest that this cytosolic adaptor protein may be important for mobilization of CD34-type proteins in the plasma membrane and may thereby regulate their ability to block or enhance hematopoietic cell adhesion.

The DEXD/H-box RNA helicase RHII/Gu is a co-factor for c-Jun-activated transcription.

Tandem affinity purification (TAP) and mass spectrometric peptide sequencing showed that the DEAD-box RNA helicase RHII/Gu is a functional interaction partner of c-Jun in human cells. The N-terminal transcription activation region of, c-Jun interacts with a C-terminal domain of RHII/Gu. This interaction is stimulated by anisomycin treatment in a manner that is concurrent with, but independent of, c-Jun phosphorylation. A possible explanation for this effect is provided by the observation that RHII/Gu translocates from nucleolus to nucleoplasm upon anisomycin or UV treatment or when JNK signaling is activated by overexpression of a constitutively active form of MEKK1 kinase. Several experiments show that the RNA helicase activity of RHII/Gu supports c-Jun-mediated target gene activation: dominant-negative forms of RHII/Gu, as well as a neutralizing antibody against the enzyme, significantly interfered with c-Jun target gene activity but not with transcription in general. These findings clarify the mechanism of c-Jun-mediated transcriptional regulation, and provide evidence for an involvement of RHII/Gu in stress response and in RNA polymerase II-catalyzed transcription in mammalian cells.