Ubiquitinylation of the cytosolic domain of a type I membrane protein is not required to initiate its dislocation from the endoplasmic reticulum.

Human cytomegalovirus US2 and US11 target newly synthesized class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) heavy chains for rapid degradation by the proteasome through a process termed dislocation. The presence of US2 induces the formation of class I MHC heavy chain conjugates of increased molecular weight that are recognized by a conformation-specific monoclonal antibody, W6/32, suggesting that these class I MHC molecules retain their proper tertiary structure. These conjugates are properly folded glycosylated heavy chains modified by attachment of an estimated one, two, and three ubiquitin molecules. The folded ubiquitinated class I MHC heavy chains are not observed in control cells or in cells transfected with US11, suggesting that US2 targets class I MHC heavy chains for dislocation in a manner distinct from that used by US11. This is further supported by the fact that US2 and US11 show different requirements in terms of the conformation of the heavy chain molecule. Although ubiquitin conjugation may occur on the cytosolic tail of the class I MHC molecule, replacement of lysines in the cytosolic tail of heavy chains with arginine does not prevent their degradation by US2. In an in vitro system that recapitulates US2-mediated dislocation, heavy chains that lack these lysines still occur in an ubiquitin-modified form, but in the soluble (cytoplasmic) fraction. Such ubiquitin conjugation can only occur on the class I MHC lumenal domain and is likely to take place once class I MHC heavy chains have been discharged from the endoplasmic reticulum. We conclude that ubiquitinylation of class I MHC heavy chain is not required during the initial step of the US2-mediated dislocation reaction.

Protein unfolding is not a prerequisite for endoplasmic reticulum-to-cytosol dislocation.

We examined the effects of protein folding on endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-to-cytosol transport (dislocation) by exploiting the well-characterized dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) domain. DHFR retains the capacity to bind folate analogues in the lumen of microsomes and in the ER of intact cells, upon which it acquires a conformation resistant to proteinase K digestion. Here we show that a Class I major histocompatibility complex heavy chain fused to DHFR is still recognized by the human cytomegalovirus-encoded glycoproteins US2 and US11, resulting in dislocation of the fusion protein from the ER in vitro and in vivo. A folded state of the DHFR domain does not impair dislocation of Class I MHC heavy chains in vitro or in living cells. In fact, a slight acceleration of the dislocation of DHFR heavy chain fusion was observed in vitro in the presence of a folate analogue. These results suggest that one or more of the channels used for dislocation can accommodate polypeptides that contain a tightly folded domain of considerable size. Our data raise the possibility that the Sec61 channel can be modified to accommodate a folded DHFR domain for dislocation, but not for translocation into the ER, or that a channel altogether distinct from Sec61 is used for dislocation.

The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in thymocyte apoptosis: caspase-dependent processing of the deubiquitinating enzyme USP7 (HAUSP).

Programmed cell death (apoptosis) is crucial for thymocyte development. We analyzed the role of the ubiquitin (Ub)-proteasome pathway in dexamethasone-triggered and TCR-mediated apoptosis in fetal thymic organ culture (FTOC). Proteasome activity was increased in apoptotic thymocytes, as visualized by active-site labeling of proteasomal beta subunits. The activity of deubiquitinating enzymes in murine apoptotic thymocytes was likewise examined by active-site labeling. We show that the deubiquitinating enzyme USP7 (HAUSP) is proteolytically processed upon dexamethasone-, gamma-irradiation-, and antigen-induced cell death. Such processing of HAUSP does not occur in caspase 3-/- thymocytes, or upon pretreatment of wild type thymocytes with the general caspase inhibitor ZVAD-fmk. Thus, our results suggest that thymocyte apoptosis leads to modification of deubiquitinating enzymes by caspase activity and may provide an additional link between the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway and the caspase cascade during programmed cell death.

The human cytomegalovirus US10 gene product delays trafficking of major histocompatibility complex class I molecules.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) US10 encodes a glycoprotein that binds to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I heavy chains. While expression of US10 delays the normal trafficking of MHC class I molecules out of the endoplasmic reticulum, US10 does not obviously facilitate or inhibit the action of two other HCMV-encoded MHC class I binding proteins, US2 and US11.

Membrane-specific, host-derived factors are required for US2- and US11-mediated degradation of major histocompatibility complex class I molecules.

Human cytomegalovirus encodes two glycoproteins, US2 and US11, that target major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I heavy chains for proteasomal degradation. We have developed a mRNA-dependent cell-free system that recapitulates US2- and US11-mediated degradation of MHC class I heavy chains. Microsomes support the degradation of MHC class I heavy chains in the presence of US2 or US11 in a cytosol-dependent manner. In vitro, the glycosylated heavy chain is exported from the microsomes. A deglycosylated breakdown intermediate of the heavy chain identical to that generated in intact cells accumulates in soluble form in the presence of proteasome inhibitors. Microsomes derived from the U373 astrocytoma cell line are far more effective than canine-derived membranes in supporting this US2- or US11-dependent reaction. In contrast, the HIV-encoded Vpu membrane protein can cause the destruction of CD4 from either human- or canine-derived membranes. Using the in vitro system, we show that a truncation mutant of US2 that lacks the cytosolic domain is unable to catalyze degradation, whereas a similar truncation of US11 continues to catalyze degradation of class I heavy chains. Therefore, US2 requires both transmembrane and cytosolic interactions to trigger dislocation of heavy chains, whereas US11 relies on the transmembrane domain to target heavy chains. US2 and US11 thus utilize different targeting mechanisms for class I degradation.