The Ubiquitin Ligase CHIP Integrates Proteostasis and Aging by Regulation of Insulin Receptor Turnover.

Aging is attended by a progressive decline in protein homeostasis (proteostasis), aggravating the risk for protein aggregation diseases. To understand the coordination between proteome imbalance and longevity, we addressed the mechanistic role of the quality-control ubiquitin ligase CHIP, which is a key regulator of proteostasis. We observed that CHIP deficiency leads to increased levels of the insulin receptor (INSR) and reduced lifespan of worms and flies. The membrane-bound INSR regulates the insulin and IGF1 signaling (IIS) pathway and thereby defines metabolism and aging. INSR is a direct target of CHIP, which triggers receptor monoubiquitylation and endocytic-lysosomal turnover to promote longevity. However, upon proteotoxic stress conditions and during aging, CHIP is recruited toward disposal of misfolded proteins, reducing its capacity to degrade the INSR. Our study indicates a competitive relationship between proteostasis and longevity regulation through CHIP-assisted proteolysis, providing a mechanistic concept for understanding the impact of proteome imbalance on aging.

A dimer-monomer switch controls CHIP-dependent substrate ubiquitylation and processing.

The high substrate selectivity of the ubiquitin/proteasome system is mediated by a large group of E3 ubiquitin ligases. The ubiquitin ligase CHIP regulates the degradation of chaperone-controlled and chaperone-independent proteins. To understand how CHIP mediates substrate selection and processing, we performed a structure-function analysis of CHIP and addressed its physiological role in Caenorhabditis elegans and human cells. The conserved function of CHIP in chaperone-assisted degradation requires dimer formation to mediate proteotoxic stress resistance and to prevent protein aggregation. The CHIP monomer, however, promotes the turnover of the membrane-bound insulin receptor and longevity. The dimer-monomer transition is regulated by CHIP autoubiquitylation and chaperone binding, which provides a feedback loop that controls CHIP activity in response to cellular stress. Because CHIP also binds other E3 ligases, such as Parkin, the molecular switch mechanism described here could be a general concept for the regulation of substrate selectivity and ubiquitylation by combining different E3s.

The myosin chaperone UNC-45 is organized in tandem modules to support myofilament formation in C. elegans.

The UCS (UNC-45/CRO1/She4) chaperones play an evolutionarily conserved role in promoting myosin-dependent processes, including cytokinesis, endocytosis, RNA transport, and muscle development. To investigate the protein machinery orchestrating myosin folding and assembly, we performed a comprehensive analysis of Caenorhabditis elegans UNC-45. Our structural and biochemical data demonstrate that UNC-45 forms linear protein chains that offer multiple binding sites for cooperating chaperones and client proteins. Accordingly, Hsp70 and Hsp90, which bind to the TPR domain of UNC-45, could act in concert and with defined periodicity on captured myosin molecules. In vivo analyses reveal the elongated canyon of the UCS domain as a myosin-binding site and show that multimeric UNC-45 chains support organization of sarcomeric repeats. In fact, expression of transgenes blocking UNC-45 chain formation induces dominant-negative defects in the sarcomere structure and function of wild-type worms. Together, these findings uncover a filament assembly factor that directly couples myosin folding with myofilament formation.

Floxuridine supports UPS independent of germline signaling and proteostasis regulators via involvement of detoxification in C. elegans.

The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is critical for maintaining proteostasis, influencing stress resilience, lifespan, and thermal adaptability in organisms. In Caenorhabditis elegans, specific proteasome subunits and activators, such as RPN-6, PBS-6, and PSME-3, are associated with heat resistance, survival at cold (4°C), and enhanced longevity at moderate temperatures (15°C). Previously linked to improving proteostasis, we investigated the impact of sterility-inducing floxuridine (FUdR) on UPS functionality under proteasome dysfunction and its potential to improve cold survival. Our findings reveal that FUdR significantly enhances UPS activity and resilience during proteasome inhibition or subunit deficiency, supporting worms' normal lifespan and adaptation to cold. Importantly, FUdR effect on UPS activity occurs independently of major proteostasis regulators and does not rely on the germ cells proliferation or spermatogenesis. Instead, FUdR activates a distinct detoxification pathway that supports UPS function, with GST-24 appearing to be one of the factors contributing to the enhanced activity of the UPS upon knockdown of the SKN-1-mediated proteasome surveillance pathway. Our study highlights FUdR unique role in the UPS modulation and its crucial contribution to enhancing survival under low-temperature stress, providing new insights into its mechanisms of action and potential therapeutic applications.

A heterotypic assembly mechanism regulates CHIP E3 ligase activity.

CHIP (C-terminus of Hsc70-interacting protein) and its worm ortholog CHN-1 are E3 ubiquitin ligases that link the chaperone system with the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). CHN-1 can cooperate with UFD-2, another E3 ligase, to accelerate ubiquitin chain formation; however, the basis for the high processivity of this E3s set has remained obscure. Here, we studied the molecular mechanism and function of the CHN-1-UFD-2 complex in Caenorhabditis elegans. Our data show that UFD-2 binding promotes the cooperation between CHN-1 and ubiquitin-conjugating E2 enzymes by stabilizing the CHN-1 U-box dimer. However, HSP70/HSP-1 chaperone outcompetes UFD-2 for CHN-1 binding, thereby promoting a shift to the autoinhibited CHN-1 state by acting on a conserved residue in its U-box domain. The interaction with UFD-2 enables CHN-1 to efficiently ubiquitylate and regulate S-adenosylhomocysteinase (AHCY-1), a key enzyme in the S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) regeneration cycle, which is essential for SAM-dependent methylation. Our results define the molecular mechanism underlying the synergistic cooperation of CHN-1 and UFD-2 in substrate ubiquitylation.

DEGRONOPEDIA: a web server for proteome-wide inspection of degrons.

E3 ubiquitin ligases recognize substrates through their short linear motifs termed degrons. While degron-signaling has been a subject of extensive study, resources for its systematic screening are limited. To bridge this gap, we developed DEGRONOPEDIA, a web server that searches for degrons and maps them to nearby residues that can undergo ubiquitination and disordered regions, which may act as protein unfolding seeds. Along with an evolutionary assessment of degron conservation, the server also reports on post-translational modifications and mutations that may modulate degron availability. Acknowledging the prevalence of degrons at protein termini, DEGRONOPEDIA incorporates machine learning to assess N-/C-terminal stability, supplemented by simulations of proteolysis to identify degrons in newly formed termini. An experimental validation of a predicted C-terminal destabilizing motif, coupled with the confirmation of a post-proteolytic degron in another case, exemplifies its practical application. DEGRONOPEDIA can be freely accessed at degronopedia.com.

HSP70 inhibits CHIP E3 ligase activity to maintain germline function in Caenorhabditis elegans.

The ubiquitin-proteasome system is crucial for proteostasis, particularly during proteotoxic stress. The interaction between heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and the ubiquitin ligase CHIP plays a key role in this process. Our study investigates the C. elegans orthologs HSP-1 and CHN-1, demonstrating that HSP-1 binding decreases CHN-1 E3 ligase activity, aligning with the inhibitory effects observed in human HSP70-CHIP interactions. To explore the physiological significance of this inhibition, we utilized the HSP-1EEYD mutant, which binds CHN-1 without reducing its activity, expressed in C. elegans. Our results reveal that the HSP-1-CHN-1 interaction is critical for maintaining germline integrity under heat stress by preventing excessive turnover of essential reproductive proteins. In HSP-1EEYD nematodes, this protective mechanism is impaired, leading to disrupted stress-induced apoptosis, which is restored by CHN-1 depletion. Additionally, proteomic analysis identified DAF-18/PTEN as a potential CHN-1 substrate, which becomes destabilized when CHN-1 activity is not downregulated by HSP-1 during stress. Depleting DAF-18 significantly compromises the reproductive benefits observed from CHN-1 knockout in HSP-1EEYD mutants, suggesting that the maintenance of DAF-18 plays a role in the observed phenotypes. These findings highlight the importance of HSP-1 in regulating CHN-1 E3 ligase activity to preserve germline function under stress conditions.

A novel de novo FEM1C variant is linked to neurodevelopmental disorder with absent speech, pyramidal signs and limb ataxia.

The principal component of the protein homeostasis network is the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Ubiquitination is mediated by an enzymatic cascade involving, i.e. E3 ubiquitin ligases, many of which belong to the cullin-RING ligases family. Genetic defects in the ubiquitin-proteasome system components, including cullin-RING ligases, are known causes of neurodevelopmental disorders. Using exome sequencing to diagnose a pediatric patient with developmental delay, pyramidal signs and limb ataxia, we identified a de novo missense variant c.376G>C; p.(Asp126His) in the FEM1C gene encoding a cullin-RING ligase substrate receptor. This variant alters a conserved amino acid located within a highly constrained coding region and is predicted as pathogenic by most in silico tools. In addition, a de novo FEM1C mutation of the same residue p.(Asp126Val) was associated with an undiagnosed developmental disorder, and the relevant variant (FEM1CAsp126Ala) was found to be functionally compromised in vitro. Our computational analysis showed that FEM1CAsp126His hampers protein substrate binding. To further assess its pathogenicity, we used the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We found that the FEM-1Asp133His animals (expressing variant homologous to the FEM1C p.(Asp126Val)) had normal muscle architecture yet impaired mobility. Mutant worms were sensitive to the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor aldicarb but not levamisole (acetylcholine receptor agonist), showing that their disabled locomotion is caused by synaptic abnormalities and not muscle dysfunction. In conclusion, we provide the first evidence from an animal model suggesting that a mutation in the evolutionarily conserved FEM1C Asp126 position causes a neurodevelopmental disorder in humans.

Pathogenic Variants in the Myosin Chaperone UNC-45B Cause Progressive Myopathy with Eccentric Cores.

The myosin-directed chaperone UNC-45B is essential for sarcomeric organization and muscle function from Caenorhabditis elegans to humans. The pathological impact of UNC-45B in muscle disease remained elusive. We report ten individuals with bi-allelic variants in UNC45B who exhibit childhood-onset progressive muscle weakness. We identified a common UNC45B variant that acts as a complex hypomorph splice variant. Purified UNC-45B mutants showed changes in folding and solubility. In situ localization studies further demonstrated reduced expression of mutant UNC-45B in muscle combined with abnormal localization away from the A-band towards the Z-disk of the sarcomere. The physiological relevance of these observations was investigated in C. elegans by transgenic expression of conserved UNC-45 missense variants, which showed impaired myosin binding for one and defective muscle function for three. Together, our results demonstrate that UNC-45B impairment manifests as a chaperonopathy with progressive muscle pathology, which discovers the previously unknown conserved role of UNC-45B in myofibrillar organization.

Muscle-derived exophers promote reproductive fitness.

Organismal functionality and reproduction depend on metabolic rewiring and balanced energy resources. However, the crosstalk between organismal homeostasis and fecundity and the associated paracrine signaling mechanisms are still poorly understood. Using Caenorhabditis elegans, we discovered that large extracellular vesicles (known as exophers) previously found to remove damaged subcellular elements in neurons and cardiomyocytes are released by body wall muscles (BWM) to support embryonic growth. Exopher formation (exopheresis) by BWM is sex-specific and a non-cell autonomous process regulated by developing embryos in the uterus. Embryo-derived factors induce the production of exophers that transport yolk proteins produced in the BWM and ultimately deliver them to newly formed oocytes. Consequently, offspring of mothers with a high number of muscle-derived exophers grew faster. We propose that the primary role of muscular exopheresis is to stimulate reproductive capacity, thereby influencing the adaptation of worm populations to the current environmental conditions.

Maintaining proteostasis under mechanical stress.

Cell survival, tissue integrity and organismal health depend on the ability to maintain functional protein networks even under conditions that threaten protein integrity. Protection against such stress conditions involves the adaptation of folding and degradation machineries, which help to preserve the protein network by facilitating the refolding or disposal of damaged proteins. In multicellular organisms, cells are permanently exposed to stress resulting from mechanical forces. Yet, for long time mechanical stress was not recognized as a primary stressor that perturbs protein structure and threatens proteome integrity. The identification and characterization of protein folding and degradation systems, which handle force-unfolded proteins, marks a turning point in this regard. It has become apparent that mechanical stress protection operates during cell differentiation, adhesion and migration and is essential for maintaining tissues such as skeletal muscle, heart and kidney as well as the immune system. Here, we provide an overview of recent advances in our understanding of mechanical stress protection.

Ubiquitin Signaling Regulates RNA Biogenesis, Processing, and Metabolism.

The fate of eukaryotic proteins, from their synthesis to destruction, is supervised by the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). The UPS is the primary pathway responsible for selective proteolysis of intracellular proteins, which is guided by covalent attachment of ubiquitin to target proteins by E1 (activating), E2 (conjugating), and E3 (ligating) enzymes in a process known as ubiquitylation. The UPS can also regulate protein synthesis by influencing multiple steps of RNA (ribonucleic acid) metabolism. Here, recent publications concerning the interplay between the UPS and different types of RNA are reviewed. This interplay mainly involves specific RNA-binding E3 ligases that link RNA-dependent processes with protein ubiquitylation. The emerging understanding of their modes of RNA binding, their RNA targets, and their molecular and cellular functions are primarily focused on. It is discussed how the UPS adapted to interact with different types of RNA and how RNA molecules influence the ubiquitin signaling components.

Ubiquitylation Pathways In Insulin Signaling and Organismal Homeostasis.

The insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signaling (IIS) pathway is a pivotal genetic program regulating cell growth, tissue development, metabolic physiology, and longevity of multicellular organisms. IIS integrates a fine-tuned cascade of signaling events induced by insulin/IGF-1, which is precisely controlled by post-translational modifications. The ubiquitin/proteasome-system (UPS) influences the functionality of IIS through inducible ubiquitylation pathways that regulate internalization of the insulin/IGF-1 receptor, the stability of downstream insulin/IGF-1 signaling targets, and activity of nuclear receptors for control of gene expression. An age-related decline in UPS activity is often associated with an impairment of IIS, contributing to pathologies such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative disorders. Recent findings identified a key role of diverse ubiquitin modifications in insulin signaling decisions, which governs dynamic adaption upon environmental and physiological changes. In this review, we discuss the mutual crosstalk between ubiquitin and insulin signaling pathways in the context of cellular and organismal homeostasis.

The ubiquitin-selective chaperone Cdc48/p97 associates with Ubx3 to modulate monoubiquitylation of histone H2B.

Cdc48/p97 is an evolutionary conserved ubiquitin-dependent chaperone involved in a broad array of cellular functions due to its ability to associate with multiple cofactors. Aside from its role in removing RNA polymerase II from chromatin after DNA damage, little is known about how this AAA-ATPase is involved in the transcriptional process. Here, we show that yeast Cdc48 is recruited to chromatin in a transcription-coupled manner and modulates gene expression. Cdc48, together with its cofactor Ubx3 controls monoubiquitylation of histone H2B, a conserved modification regulating nucleosome dynamics and chromatin organization. Mechanistically, Cdc48 facilitates the recruitment of Lge1, a cofactor of the H2B ubiquitin ligase Bre1. The function of Cdc48 in controlling H2B ubiquitylation appears conserved in human cells because disease-related mutations or chemical inhibition of p97 function affected the amount of ubiquitylated H2B in muscle cells. Together, these results suggest a prominent role of Cdc48/p97 in the coordination of chromatin remodeling with gene transcription to define cellular differentiation processes.

Optogenetic induction of mechanical muscle stress identifies myosin regulatory ubiquitin ligase NHL-1 in C. elegans.

Mechanical stress during muscle contraction is a constant threat to proteome integrity. However, there is a lack of experimental systems to identify critical proteostasis regulators under mechanical stress conditions. Here, we present the transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans model OptIMMuS (Optogenetic Induction of Mechanical Muscle Stress) to study changes in the proteostasis network associated with mechanical forces. Repeated blue light exposure of a muscle-expressed Chlamydomonas rheinhardii channelrhodopsin-2 variant results in sustained muscle contraction and mechanical stress. Using OptIMMuS, combined with proximity labeling and mass spectrometry, we identify regulators that cooperate with the myosin-directed chaperone UNC-45 in muscle proteostasis. One of these is the TRIM E3 ligase NHL-1, which interacts with UNC-45 and muscle myosin in genetic epistasis and co-immunoprecipitation experiments. We provide evidence that the ubiquitylation activity of NHL-1 regulates myosin levels and functionality under mechanical stress. In the future, OptIMMuS will help to identify muscle-specific proteostasis regulators of therapeutic relevance.

Pheromone-based communication influences the production of somatic extracellular vesicles in C. elegans.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are integral to numerous biological processes, yet it is unclear how environmental factors or interactions among individuals within a population affect EV-regulated systems. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the evolutionarily conserved large EVs, known as exophers, are part of a maternal somatic tissue resource management system. Consequently, the offspring of individuals exhibiting active exopher biogenesis (exophergenesis) develop faster. Our research focuses on unraveling the complex inter-tissue and social dynamics that govern exophergenesis. We found that ascr#10, the primary male pheromone, enhances exopher production in hermaphrodites, mediated by the G-protein-coupled receptor STR-173 in ASK sensory neurons. In contrast, pheromone produced by other hermaphrodites, ascr#3, diminishes exophergenesis within the population. This process is regulated via the neuropeptides FLP-8 and FLP-21, which originate from the URX and AQR/PQR/URX neurons, respectively. Our results reveal a regulatory network that controls the production of somatic EV by the nervous system in response to social signals.

SARS-CoV-2 inhibitory potential of fish oil-derived 2-pyrone compounds by acquiring linoleic acid binding site on the spike protein.

Traditional medicines have reportedly treated SARS-CoV-2 infection. Substantial evidence shows that fish oil supplements promote human immune function, suggesting they may lessen susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and suppress viral replication by inducing interferon. Fish oil was subjected to partition chromatography and separated into two compounds (EP01 and DH01). Isolated compounds were purified and characterized using UV, FTIR, NMR, and mass spectrometry to confirm their identity. Molecular docking was studied on the SARS CoV-2 variants of concern; SARS CoV-2 WT (PDB: 6VXX), SARS CoV-2 Alpha variant (PDB: 7LWS), SARS CoV-2 Delta variant (PDB: 7TOU), SARS CoV-2 Gamma variant (PDB: 7V78), SARS CoV-2 Kappa variant (PDB: 7VX9), and SARS CoV-2 Omicron variant (PDB: 7QO7) and TMPRSS2 (PDB: 7Y0E). Further selected protein-ligand complexes were subjected to 100 ns MD simulations to predict their biological potential in the SARS-CoV-2 treatment. In-vitro biological studies were carried out to support in-silico findings. Isolated compounds EP01 and DH01 were identified as 5-Tridecyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-one and 5-Heptadecyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-one, respectively. The compound EP01 significantly reduced (93.24 %) the viral RNA copy number with an IC50 of ~8.661 µM. EP01 proved to be a potent antiviral by in-vitro method against the SARS-CoV-2 clinical isolate, making it a promising antiviral candidate, with a single dose capable of preventing viral replication.

Preparation of Caenorhabditis elegans for Scoring of Muscle-derived Exophers.

Utilizingresources available from the mother's body to guarantee healthy offspring growth is the fundamental reproductive strategy. Recently, we showed that a class of the largest extracellular vesicles known as exophers, which are responsible for the removal of neurotoxic components from neurons ( Melentijevic et al., 2017 ) and damaged mitochondria from cardiomyocytes (Nicolás-Ávila et al., 2020), are released by the Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodite body wall muscles (BWM), to support embryonic growth ( Turek et al., 2021 ). Employing worms expressing fluorescent reporters in BWM cells, we found that exopher formation (exophergenesis) is sex-specific and fertility-dependent. Moreover, exophergenesis is regulated by the developing embryo in utero, and exophers serve as transporters for muscle-generated yolk proteins, which can be used to nourish the next generation. Given the specific regulation of muscular exophergenesis, and the fact that muscle-generated exophers are much larger than neuronal ones and have different targeting, their identification and quantification required a modified approach from that designed for neuronal-derived exophers ( Arnold et al., 2020 ). Here, we present a methodology for assessing and quantifying muscle-derived exophers that can be easily extended to determine their function and regulation in various biological contexts. Graphical abstract.

SAM, SAH and C. elegans longevity: insights from a partial AHCY deficiency model.

Supplementation with S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) extends the lifespan of model organisms. To explore the impact of SAH on aging, we generated a Caenorhabditis elegans model by introducing the S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (AHCY-1) variant Y145C, corresponding to the human AHCY Y143C pathogenic mutation. This mutation is anticipated to impair SAH hydrolysis, resulting in its increased levels. Our findings revealed that animals with this endogenous mutation exhibited delayed aging, accompanied by decreased S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and moderately increased SAH levels. The extended lifespan of these worms depends on the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), its activator Vaccinia virus-related kinase (VRK-1), and the DAF-16 transcription factor. The results underline the complex nature of SAH's influence on aging, proposing that the balance between SAM and SAH might play a pivotal role in defining the lifespan of C. elegans. Moreover, our partial AHCY-1 deficiency model offers a tool for studying the intersection of methionine metabolism and aging.