Bax crystal structures reveal how BH3 domains activate Bax and nucleate its oligomerization to induce apoptosis.

In stressed cells, apoptosis ensues when Bcl-2 family members Bax or Bak oligomerize and permeabilize the mitochondrial outer membrane. Certain BH3-only relatives can directly activate them to mediate this pivotal, poorly understood step. To clarify the conformational changes that induce Bax oligomerization, we determined crystal structures of BaxΔC21 treated with detergents and BH3 peptides. The peptides bound the Bax canonical surface groove but, unlike their complexes with prosurvival relatives, dissociated Bax into two domains. The structures define the sequence signature of activator BH3 domains and reveal how they can activate Bax via its groove by favoring release of its BH3 domain. Furthermore, Bax helices α2-α5 alone adopted a symmetric homodimer structure, supporting the proposal that two Bax molecules insert their BH3 domain into each other's surface groove to nucleate oligomerization. A planar lipophilic surface on this homodimer may engage the membrane. Our results thus define critical Bax transitions toward apoptosis.

Physiological restraint of Bak by Bcl-xL is essential for cell survival.

Due to the myriad interactions between prosurvival and proapoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family of proteins, establishing the mechanisms that regulate the intrinsic apoptotic pathway has proven challenging. Mechanistic insights have primarily been gleaned from in vitro studies because genetic approaches in mammals that produce unambiguous data are difficult to design. Here we describe a mutation in mouse and human Bak that specifically disrupts its interaction with the prosurvival protein Bcl-xL Substitution of Glu75 in mBak (hBAK Q77) for leucine does not affect the three-dimensional structure of Bak or killing activity but reduces its affinity for Bcl-xL via loss of a single hydrogen bond. Using this mutant, we investigated the requirement for physical restraint of Bak by Bcl-xL in apoptotic regulation. In vitro, Bak(Q75L) cells were significantly more sensitive to various apoptotic stimuli. In vivo, loss of Bcl-xL binding to Bak led to significant defects in T-cell and blood platelet survival. Thus, we provide the first definitive in vivo evidence that prosurvival proteins maintain cellular viability by interacting with and inhibiting Bak.

Intramitochondrial proteostasis is directly coupled to α-synuclein and amyloid ß1-42 pathologies.

Mitochondrial dysfunction has long been implicated in the neurodegenerative disorder Parkinson's disease (PD); however, it is unclear how mitochondrial impairment and α-synuclein pathology are coupled. Using specific mitochondrial inhibitors, EM analysis, and biochemical assays, we report here that intramitochondrial protein homeostasis plays a major role in α-synuclein aggregation. We found that interference with intramitochondrial proteases, such as HtrA2 and Lon protease, and mitochondrial protein import significantly aggravates α-synuclein seeding. In contrast, direct inhibition of mitochondrial complex I, an increase in intracellular calcium concentration, or formation of reactive oxygen species, all of which have been associated with mitochondrial stress, did not affect α-synuclein pathology. We further demonstrate that similar mechanisms are involved in amyloid-ß 1-42 (Aß42) aggregation. Our results suggest that, in addition to other protein quality control pathways, such as the ubiquitin-proteasome system, mitochondria per se can influence protein homeostasis of cytosolic aggregation-prone proteins. We propose that approaches that seek to maintain mitochondrial fitness, rather than target downstream mitochondrial dysfunction, may aid in the search for therapeutic strategies to manage PD and related neuropathologies.

BAK α6 permits activation by BH3-only proteins and homooligomerization via the canonical hydrophobic groove.

BAK and BAX are the essential effectors of apoptosis because without them a cell is resistant to most apoptotic stimuli. BAK and BAX undergo conformation changes to homooligomerize then permeabilize the mitochondrial outer membrane during apoptosis. How BCL-2 homology 3 (BH3)-only proteins bind to activate BAK and BAX is unclear. We report that BH3-only proteins bind inactive full-length BAK at mitochondria and then dissociate following exposure of the BAK BH3 and BH4 domains before BAK homodimerization. Using a functional obstructive labeling approach, we show that activation of BAK involves important interactions of BH3-only proteins with both the canonical hydrophobic binding groove (α2-5) and α6 at the rear of BAK, with interaction at α6 promoting an open groove to receive a BH3-only protein. Once activated, how BAK homodimers multimerize to form the putative apoptotic pore is unknown. Obstructive labeling of BAK beyond the BH3 domain and hydrophobic groove did not inhibit multimerization and mitochondrial damage, indicating that critical protein-protein interfaces in BAK self-association are limited to the α2-5 homodimerization domain.

Assembly of the Bak apoptotic pore: a critical role for the Bak protein α6 helix in the multimerization of homodimers during apoptosis.

Bak and Bax are the essential effectors of the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis. Following an apoptotic stimulus, both undergo significant changes in conformation that facilitates their self-association to form pores in the mitochondrial outer membrane. However, the molecular structures of Bak and Bax oligomeric pores remain elusive. To characterize how Bak forms pores during apoptosis, we investigated its oligomerization under native conditions using blue native PAGE. We report that, in a healthy cell, inactive Bak is either monomeric or in a large complex involving VDAC2. Following an apoptotic stimulus, activated Bak forms BH3:groove homodimers that represent the basic stable oligomeric unit. These dimers multimerize to higher-order oligomers via a labile interface independent of both the BH3 domain and groove. Linkage of the α6:α6 interface is sufficient to stabilize higher-order Bak oligomers on native PAGE, suggesting an important role in the Bak oligomeric pore. Mutagenesis of the α6 helix disrupted apoptotic function because a chimera of Bak with the α6 derived from Bcl-2 could be activated by truncated Bid (tBid) and could form BH3:groove homodimers but could not form high molecular weight oligomers or mediate cell death. An α6 peptide could block Bak function but did so upstream of dimerization, potentially implicating α6 as a site for activation by BH3-only proteins. Our examination of native Bak oligomers indicates that the Bak apoptotic pore forms by the multimerization of BH3:groove homodimers and reveals that Bak α6 is not only important for Bak oligomerization and function but may also be involved in how Bak is activated by BH3-only proteins.

Endoplasmic reticulum morphology regulation by RTN4 modulates neuronal regeneration by curbing luminal transport.

Cell functions rely on intracellular transport systems distributing bioactive molecules with high spatiotemporal accuracy. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) tubular network constitutes a system for delivering luminal solutes, including Ca2+, across the cell periphery. How the ER structure enables this nanofluidic transport system is unclear. Here, we show that ER membrane-localized reticulon 4 (RTN4/Nogo) is sufficient to impose neurite outgrowth inhibition in human cortical neurons while acting as an ER morphoregulator. Improving ER transport visualization methodologies combined with optogenetic Ca2+ dynamics imaging and in silico modeling, we observed that ER luminal transport is modulated by ER tubule narrowing and dilation, proportional to the amount of RTN4. Excess RTN4 limited ER luminal transport and Ca2+ release, while RTN4 elimination reversed the effects. The described morphoregulatory effect of RTN4 defines the capacity of the ER for peripheral Ca2+ delivery for physiological releases and thus may constitute a mechanism for controlling the (re)generation of neurites.

Satellite repeat transcripts modulate heterochromatin condensates and safeguard chromosome stability in mouse embryonic stem cells.

Heterochromatin maintains genome integrity and function, and is organised into distinct nuclear domains. Some of these domains are proposed to form by phase separation through the accumulation of HP1ɑ. Mouse heterochromatin contains noncoding major satellite repeats (MSR), which are highly transcribed in mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Here, we report that MSR transcripts can drive the formation of HP1ɑ droplets in vitro, and modulate heterochromatin into dynamic condensates in ESCs, contributing to the formation of large nuclear domains that are characteristic of pluripotent cells. Depleting MSR transcripts causes heterochromatin to transition into a more compact and static state. Unexpectedly, changing heterochromatin's biophysical properties has severe consequences for ESCs, including chromosome instability and mitotic defects. These findings uncover an essential role for MSR transcripts in modulating the organisation and properties of heterochromatin to preserve genome stability. They also provide insights into the processes that could regulate phase separation and the functional consequences of disrupting the properties of heterochromatin condensates.

Discovery of an exosite on the SOCS2-SH2 domain that enhances SH2 binding to phosphorylated ligands.

Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)2 protein is a key negative regulator of the growth hormone (GH) and Janus kinase (JAK)-Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (STAT) signaling cascade. The central SOCS2-Src homology 2 (SH2) domain is characteristic of the SOCS family proteins and is an important module that facilitates recognition of targets bearing phosphorylated tyrosine (pTyr) residues. Here we identify an exosite on the SOCS2-SH2 domain which, when bound to a non-phosphorylated peptide (F3), enhances SH2 affinity for canonical phosphorylated ligands. Solution of the SOCS2/F3 crystal structure reveals F3 as an α-helix which binds on the opposite side of the SH2 domain to the phosphopeptide binding site. F3:exosite binding appears to stabilise the SOCS2-SH2 domain, resulting in slower dissociation of phosphorylated ligands and consequently, enhances binding affinity. This biophysical enhancement of SH2:pTyr binding affinity translates to increase SOCS2 inhibition of GH signaling.

A waveguide imaging platform for live-cell TIRF imaging of neurons over large fields of view.

Large fields of view (FOVs) in total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) via waveguides have been shown to be highly beneficial for single molecule localisation microscopy on fixed cells [1,2] and have also been demonstrated for short-term live-imaging of robust cell types [3-5], but not yet for delicate primary neurons nor over extended periods of time. Here, we present a waveguide-based TIRFM set-up for live-cell imaging of demanding samples. Using the developed microscope, referred to as the ChipScope, we demonstrate successful culturing and imaging of fibroblasts, primary rat hippocampal neurons and axons of Xenopus retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). The high contrast and gentle illumination mode provided by TIRFM coupled with the exceptionally large excitation areas and superior illumination homogeneity offered by photonic waveguides have potential for a wide application span in neuroscience applications.

Compatibility of RUNX1/ETO fusion protein modules driving CD34+ human progenitor cell expansion.

Chromosomal translocations represent frequent events in leukemia. In t(8;21)+ acute myeloid leukemia, RUNX1 is fused to nearly the entire ETO protein, which contains four conserved nervy homology regions, NHR1-4. Furthermore RUNX1/ETO interacts with ETO-homologous proteins via NHR2, thereby multiplying NHR domain contacts. As shown recently, RUNX1/ETO retains oncogenic activity upon either deletion of the NHR3 + 4 N-CoR/SMRT interaction domain or substitution of the NHR2 tetramer domain. Thus, we aimed to clarify the specificities of the NHR domains. A C-terminally NHR3 + 4 truncated RUNX1/ETO containing a heterologous, structurally highly related non-NHR2 tetramer interface translocated into the nucleus and bound to RUNX1 consensus motifs. However, it failed to interact with ETO-homologues, repress RUNX1 targets, and transform progenitors. Surprisingly, transforming capacity was fully restored by C-terminal fusion with ETO's NHR4 zinc-finger or the repressor domain 3 of N-CoR, while other repression domains failed. With an inducible protein assembly system, we further demonstrated that NHR4 domain activity is critically required early in the establishment of progenitor cultures expressing the NHR2 exchanged truncated RUNX1/ETO. Together, we can show that NHR2 and NHR4 domains can be replaced by heterologous protein domains conferring tetramerization and repressor functions, thus showing that the NHR2 and NHR4 domain structures do not have irreplaceable functions concerning RUNX1/ETO activity for the establishment of human CD34+ cell expansion. We could resemble the function of RUNX1/ETO through modular recomposition with protein domains from RUNX1, ETO, BCR and N-CoR without any NHR2 and NHR4 sequences. As most transcriptional repressor proteins do not comprise tetramerization domains, our results provide a possible explanation as to the reason that RUNX1 is recurrently found translocated to ETO family members, which all contain tetramer together with transcriptional repressor moieties.

Mcl-1 and Bcl-xL sequestration of Bak confers differential resistance to BH3-only proteins.

The prosurvival Bcl-2 family proteins Mcl-1 and Bcl-xL inhibit apoptosis by sequestering BH3-only proteins such as Bid and Bim (MODE 1) or the effector proteins Bak and Bax (MODE 2). To better understand the contributions of MODE 1 and MODE 2 in blocking cell death, and thus how to bypass resistance to cell death, we examined prescribed mixtures of Bcl-2 family proteins. In a Bim and Bak mixture, Bcl-xL and Mcl-1 each sequestered not only Bim but also Bak as it became activated by Bim. In contrast, in a Bid and Bak mixture, Bcl-xL preferentially sequestered Bid while Mcl-1 preferentially sequestered Bak. Notably, Bcl-xL could sequester Bak in response to the BH3 mimetic ABT-737, despite this molecule targeting Bcl-xL. These findings highlight the importance of Bak sequestration in resistance to anti-cancer treatments, including BH3 mimetics.

VDAC2 enables BAX to mediate apoptosis and limit tumor development.

Intrinsic apoptosis is critical to prevent tumor formation and is engaged by many anti-cancer agents to eliminate tumor cells. BAX and BAK, the two essential mediators of apoptosis, are thought to be regulated through similar mechanisms and act redundantly to drive apoptotic cell death. From an unbiased genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screen, we identified VDAC2 (voltage-dependent anion channel 2) as important for BAX, but not BAK, to function. Genetic deletion of VDAC2 abrogated the association of BAX and BAK with mitochondrial complexes containing VDAC1, VDAC2, and VDAC3, but only inhibited BAX apoptotic function. Deleting VDAC2 phenocopied the loss of BAX in impairing both the killing of tumor cells by anti-cancer agents and the ability to suppress tumor formation. Together, our studies show that efficient BAX-mediated apoptosis depends on VDAC2, and reveal a striking difference in how BAX and BAK are functionally impacted by their interactions with VDAC2.