Regulation of calcium homeostasis and flux between the endoplasmic reticulum and the cytosol.

The concentration of Ca2+ in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is critically important for maintaining its oxidizing environment as well as for maintaining luminal ATP levels required for chaperone activity. Therefore, local luminal Ca2+ concentrations and the dynamic Ca2+ flux between the different subcellular compartments are tightly controlled. Influx of Ca2+ into the ER is enabled by a reductive shift, which opens the sarcoendoplasmic reticulum calcium transport ATPase pump, building the Ca2+ gradient across the ER membrane required for ATP import. Meanwhile, Ca2+ leakage from the ER has been reported to occur via the Sec61 translocon following protein translocation. In this review, we provide an overview of the complex regulation of Ca2+ homeostasis, Ca2+ flux between subcellular compartments, and the cellular stress response (the unfolded protein response) induced upon dysregulated luminal Ca2+ metabolism. We also provide insight into the structure and gating mechanism at the Sec61 translocon and examine the role of ER-resident cochaperones in assisting the central ER-resident chaperone BiP in the control of luminal Ca2+ concentrations.

Interaction of Substrates with γ-Secretase at the Level of Individual Transmembrane Helices-A Methodological Approach.

Intramembrane proteases, such as γ secretase, typically recruit multiple substrates from an excess of single-span membrane proteins. It is currently unclear to which extent substrate recognition depends on specific interactions of their transmembrane domains (TMDs) with TMDs of a protease. Here, we investigated a large number of potential pairwise interactions between TMDs of γ secretase and a diverse set of its substrates using two different configurations of BLaTM, a genetic reporter system. Our results reveal significant interactions between TMD2 of presenilin, the enzymatic subunit of γ secretase, and the TMD of the amyloid precursor protein, as well as of several other substrates. Presenilin TMD2 is a prime candidate for substrate recruitment, as has been shown from previous studies. In addition, the amyloid precursor protein TMD enters interactions with presenilin TMD 4 as well as with the TMD of nicastrin. Interestingly, the Gly-rich interfaces between the amyloid precursor protein TMD and presenilin TMDs 2 and 4 are highly similar to its homodimerization interface. In terms of methodology, the economics of the newly developed library-based method could prove to be a useful feature in related future work for identifying heterotypic TMD-TMD interactions within other biological contexts.

The function of the co-chaperone ERdj4 in diverse (patho-)physiological conditions.

Accumulation of misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) induces a well-orchestrated cellular response to reduce the protein burden within the ER. This unfolded protein response (UPR) is controlled primarily by three transmembrane proteins, IRE1α, ATF6, and PERK, the activity of which is controlled by BiP, the ER-resident Hsp70 protein. Binding of BiP to co-chaperones via their highly conserved J-domains stimulates the intrinsic ATPase activity of BiP, thereby providing the energy necessary for (re-)folding of proteins, or for targeting of misfolded proteins to the degradation pathway, processes specified and controlled by the respective co-chaperone. In this review, our aim is to elucidate the function of the co-chaperone ERDJ4, also known as MDG1, MDJ7, or DNAJB9. Knockout and knockin experiments clearly point to the central role of ERDJ4 in controlling lipogenesis and protein synthesis by promoting degradation of SREBP1c and the assembly of the protein complex mTORC2. Accumulating data reveal that ERDJ4 controls epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, a central process during embryogenesis, in wound healing, and tumor development. Overexpression of ERdj4 has been shown to improve engraftment of transplanted human stem cells, possibly due to its ability to promote cellular survival in stressed cells. High ERDJ4-plasma levels are specific for fibrillary glomerulonephritis and serve as a diagnostic marker. As outlined in this review, the functions of ERDJ4 are manifold, depending on the cellular (patho-) physiological state, the cellular protein repertoire, and the subcellular localization of ERDJ4.

Regulation of Translation, Translocation, and Degradation of Proteins at the Membrane of the Endoplasmic Reticulum.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of mammalian cells is the central organelle for the maturation and folding of transmembrane proteins and for proteins destined to be secreted into the extracellular space. The proper folding of target proteins is achieved and supervised by a complex endogenous chaperone machinery. BiP, a member of the Hsp70 protein family, is the central chaperone in the ER. The chaperoning activity of BiP is assisted by ER-resident DnaJ (ERdj) proteins due to their ability to stimulate the low, intrinsic ATPase activity of BiP. Besides their co-chaperoning activity, ERdj proteins also regulate and tightly control the translation, translocation, and degradation of proteins. Disturbances in the luminal homeostasis result in the accumulation of unfolded proteins, thereby eliciting a stress response, the so-called unfolded protein response (UPR). Accumulated proteins are either deleterious due to the functional loss of the respective protein and/or due to their deposition as intra- or extracellular protein aggregates. A variety of metabolic diseases are known to date, which are associated with the dysfunction of components of the chaperone machinery. In this review, we will delineate the impact of ERdj proteins in controlling protein synthesis and translocation under physiological and under stress conditions. A second aspect of this review is dedicated to the role of ERdj proteins in the ER-associated degradation pathway, by which unfolded or misfolded proteins are discharged from the ER. We will refer to some of the most prominent diseases known to be based on the dysfunction of ERdj proteins.

Protein expression pattern of the molecular chaperone Mdg1/ERdj4 during embryonic development.

The vertebrate-specific co-chaperone Mdg1/ERdj4, which is localized in the endoplasmic reticulum, controls the folding and degradation of proteins. We characterized its protein pattern during chick embryonic development. During early development, Mdg1/ERdj4 protein is present in mesenchymal and epithelial cells. In mesenchymal cells, it has a salt and pepper pattern. In contrast, during epithelial tissue differentiation, Mdg1/ERdj4 marks the basal and/or apical compartment of epithelial linings. The distinct protein pattern in epithelial tissue might point to its role in organizing and maintaining the epithelial structure. This could be achieved, e.g. by controlling folding and secretion of membrane-bound receptors or by inhibiting the IRE1α-Xbp1s-SNAI1/2-induced mesenchymalization. High Mdg1/ERdj4 protein levels are maintained in tissue with sustained secretory activity as in ependymal cells or enterocytes, substantiating its important role for secretion. We conclude that the transient elevation of Mdg1/ERdj4 protein levels controls the differentiation of epithelial linings while constitutive high levels are closely linked to secretory activity.

Dual topology of co-chaperones at the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum.

Dual topologies of proteins at the ER membrane are known for a variety of proteins allowing the same protein to exert different functions according to the topology adopted. A dual topology of the co-chaperone ERdj4, which resides in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), was proposed recently, a thesis that we found to align all published data and existing controversies into one whole picture. The aim of this review is to reassess all primary data available in the literature on ER-resident Hsp40 co-chaperones with respect to their topology. After careful and critical analyses of all experimental data published so far, we identified, next to ERdj4, two other co-chaperones, ERdj3 and ERdj6, that also display features of a dual topology at the ER membrane. We assume that during cellular stress subpools of some ER-resident J protein can alter their topology so that these proteins can exert different functions in order to adapt to cellular stress.