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1.
J Biol Chem ; 299(12): 105366, 2023 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37863264

ABSTRACT

Hypoxic responses in plants involve Plant Cysteine Oxidases (PCOs). They catalyze the N-terminal cysteine oxidation of Ethylene Response Factors VII (ERF-VII) in an oxygen-dependent manner, leading to their degradation via the cysteine N-degron pathway (Cys-NDP) in normoxia. In hypoxia, PCO activity drops, leading to the stabilization of ERF-VIIs and subsequent hypoxic gene upregulation. Thus far, no chemicals have been described to specifically inhibit PCO enzymes. In this work, we devised an in vivo pipeline to discover Cys-NDP effector molecules. Budding yeast expressing AtPCO4 and plant-based ERF-VII reporters was deployed to screen a library of natural-like chemical scaffolds and was further combined with an Arabidopsis Cys-NDP reporter line. This strategy allowed us to identify three PCO inhibitors, two of which were shown to affect PCO activity in vitro. Application of these molecules to Arabidopsis seedlings led to an increase in ERF-VII stability, induction of anaerobic gene expression, and improvement of tolerance to anoxia. By combining a high-throughput heterologous platform and the plant model Arabidopsis, our synthetic pipeline provides a versatile system to study how the Cys-NDP is modulated. Its first application here led to the discovery of at least two hypoxia-mimicking molecules with the potential to impact plant tolerance to low oxygen stress.


Subject(s)
Arabidopsis Proteins , Cysteine Dioxygenase , Enzyme Inhibitors , Small Molecule Libraries , Humans , Arabidopsis/drug effects , Arabidopsis/metabolism , Arabidopsis Proteins/genetics , Arabidopsis Proteins/metabolism , Cysteine/metabolism , Cysteine Dioxygenase/antagonists & inhibitors , Cysteine Dioxygenase/metabolism , Gene Expression Regulation, Plant/drug effects , Oxygen/metabolism , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genetics , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolism , Drug Evaluation, Preclinical/methods , Small Molecule Libraries/chemistry , Small Molecule Libraries/pharmacology , Seedlings/drug effects , Anaerobiosis , Degrons , Enzyme Activation/drug effects , Recombinant Proteins/metabolism , Enzyme Inhibitors/chemistry , Enzyme Inhibitors/isolation & purification , Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology
2.
Methods Mol Biol ; 2648: 207-230, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37039993

ABSTRACT

Enzymatic O2 sensors transduce the availability of O2 within the cell into a physiological, typically adaptive response. One such O2-sensing enzymatic family is the N-terminal cysteine dioxygenases in plants (plant cysteine oxidases [PCOs]). In vitro kinetic studies have determined the O2-sensing capacity of PCOs. Here we describe the rationale and experimental protocol for an assay with which the O2 sensitivity of Arabidopsis thaliana PCOs (AtPCOs) can be measured. We explain each step from the recombinant protein synthesis of AtPCOs to the steady-state kinetic assays of AtPCOs for primary substrate and O2 from which kinetic parameters can be derived. The same techniques can be applied to other N-terminal cysteine thiol dioxygenases, e.g. 2-aminoethanethiol dioxygenase (ADO), and similar principles can be applied to determine kinetic characteristics of other oxygenase enzymes towards O2.


Subject(s)
Arabidopsis , Cysteine Dioxygenase , Cysteine Dioxygenase/chemistry , Cysteine Dioxygenase/metabolism , Oxygen/metabolism , Cysteine/metabolism , Kinetics , Arabidopsis/metabolism
3.
ACS Bio Med Chem Au ; 2(5): 521-528, 2022 Oct 19.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36281301

ABSTRACT

All aerobic organisms require O2 for survival. When their O2 is limited (hypoxia), a response is required to reduce demand and/or improve supply. A hypoxic response mechanism has been identified in flowering plants: the stability of certain proteins with N-terminal cysteine residues is regulated in an O2-dependent manner by the Cys/Arg branch of the N-degron pathway. These include the Group VII ethylene response factors (ERF-VIIs), which can initiate adaptive responses to hypoxia. Oxidation of their N-terminal cysteine residues is catalyzed by plant cysteine oxidases (PCOs), destabilizing these proteins in normoxia; PCO inactivity in hypoxia results in their stabilization. Biochemically, the PCOs are sensitive to O2 availability and can therefore act as plant O2 sensors. It is not known whether oxygen-sensing mechanisms exist in other phyla from the plant kingdom. Known PCO targets are only conserved in flowering plants, however PCO-like sequences appear to be conserved in all plant species. We sought to determine whether PCO-like enzymes from the liverwort, Marchantia polymorpha (MpPCO), and the freshwater algae, Klebsormidium nitens (KnPCO), have a similar function as PCO enzymes from Arabidopsis thaliana. We report that MpPCO and KnPCO show O2-sensitive N-terminal cysteine dioxygenase activity toward known AtPCO ERF-VII substrates as well as a putative endogenous substrate, MpERF-like, which was identified by homology to the Arabidopsis ERF-VIIs transcription factors. This work confirms functional and O2-dependent PCOs from Bryophyta and Charophyta, indicating the potential for PCO-mediated O2-sensing pathways in these organisms and suggesting PCO O2-sensing function could be important throughout the plant kingdom.

4.
FEBS J ; 289(18): 5426-5439, 2022 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34346181

ABSTRACT

Cysteine dioxygenases, 3-mercaptopropionate dioxygenases and mercaptosuccinate dioxygenases are all thiol dioxygenases (TDOs) that catalyse oxidation of thiol molecules to sulphinates. They are Fe(II)-dependent dioxygenases with a cupin fold that supports a 3xHis metal-coordinating triad at the active site. They also have other, broadly common features including arginine residues involved in substrate carboxylate binding and a conserved trio of residues at the active site featuring a tyrosine important in substrate binding catalysis. Recently, N-terminal cysteinyl dioxygenase enzymes (NCOs) have been identified in plants (plant cysteine oxidases, PCOs), while human 2-aminoethanethiol dioxygenase (ADO) has been shown to act as both an NCO and a small molecule TDO. Although the cupin fold and 3xHis Fe(II)-binding triad seen in the small molecule TDOs are conserved in NCOs, other active site features and aspects of the overall protein architecture are quite different. Furthermore, the PCOs and ADO appear to act as biological O2 sensors, as shown by kinetic analyses and hypoxic regulation of the stability of their biological targets (N-terminal cysteine oxidation triggers protein degradation via the N-degron pathway). Here, we discuss the emergence of these two subclasses of TDO including structural features that could dictate their ability to bind small molecule or polypeptide substrates. These structural features may also underpin the O2 -sensing capability of the NCOs. Understanding how these enzymes interact with their substrates, including O2 , could reveal strategies to manipulate their activity, relevant to hypoxic disease states and plant adaptive responses to flooding.


Subject(s)
Dioxygenases , Oxygen , Plants , Arginine , Cysteamine , Cysteine/metabolism , Cysteine Dioxygenase/genetics , Cysteine Dioxygenase/metabolism , Dioxygenases/metabolism , Ferrous Compounds , Oxygen/metabolism , Plants/enzymology , Sulfhydryl Compounds , Tyrosine
5.
Plant J ; 109(4): 779-788, 2022 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34817108

ABSTRACT

Plant cysteine oxidases (PCOs) are plant O2 -sensing enzymes. They catalyse the O2 -dependent step which initiates the proteasomal degradation of Group VII ethylene response transcription factors (ERF-VIIs) via the N-degron pathway. When submerged, plants experience a reduction in O2 availability; PCO activity therefore decreases and the consequent ERF-VII stabilisation leads to upregulation of hypoxia-responsive genes which enable adaptation to low O2 conditions. Resulting adaptations include entering an anaerobic quiescent state to maintain energy reserves and rapid growth to escape floodwater and allow O2 transport to submerged tissues. Stabilisation of ERF-VIIs has been linked to improved survival post-submergence in Arabidopsis, rice (Oryza sativa) and barley (Hordeum vulgare). Due to climate change and increasing flooding events, there is an interest in manipulating the PCO/ERF-VII interaction as a method of improving yields in flood-intolerant crops. An effective way of achieving this may be through PCO inhibition; however, complete ablation of PCO activity is detrimental to growth and phenotype, likely due to other PCO-mediated roles. Targeting PCOs will therefore require either temporary chemical inhibition or careful engineering of the enzyme structure to manipulate their O2 sensitivity and/or substrate specificity. Sufficient PCO structural and functional information should make this possible, given the potential to engineer site-directed mutagenesis in vivo using CRISPR-mediated base editing. Here, we discuss the knowledge still required for rational manipulation of PCOs to achieve ERF-VII stabilisation without a yield penalty. We also take inspiration from the biocatalysis field to consider how enzyme engineering could be accelerated as a wider strategy to improve plant stress tolerance and productivity.


Subject(s)
Adaptation, Physiological/genetics , Adaptation, Physiological/physiology , Cysteine Dioxygenase/genetics , Cysteine Dioxygenase/metabolism , Acclimatization , Arabidopsis/genetics , Arabidopsis/metabolism , Arabidopsis Proteins/genetics , Arabidopsis Proteins/metabolism , Ethylenes , Gene Expression Regulation, Plant , Oryza/genetics , Oryza/metabolism , Plant Proteins/genetics , Plant Proteins/metabolism , Substrate Specificity , Transcription Factors/metabolism , Up-Regulation
6.
RSC Chem Biol ; 2(5): 1384-1401, 2021 Oct 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34704044

ABSTRACT

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced throughout plant cells as a by-product of electron transfer processes. While highly oxidative and potentially damaging to a range of biomolecules, there exists a suite of ROS-scavenging antioxidant strategies that maintain a redox equilibrium. This balance can be disrupted in the event of cellular stress leading to increased ROS levels, which can act as a useful stress signal but, in excess, can result in cell damage and death. As crop plants become exposed to greater degrees of multiple stresses due to climate change, efforts are ongoing to engineer plants with greater stress tolerance. It is therefore important to understand the pathways underpinning ROS-mediated signalling and damage, both through measuring ROS themselves and other indicators of redox imbalance. The highly reactive and transient nature of ROS makes this challenging to achieve, particularly in a way that is specific to individual ROS species. In this review, we describe the range of chemical and biological tools and techniques currently available for ROS and redox marker measurement in plant cells and tissues. We discuss the limitations inherent in current methodology and opportunities for advancement.

7.
Epigenetics ; 16(1): 14-27, 2021 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32609604

ABSTRACT

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) to the tails of the core histone proteins are critically involved in epigenetic regulation. Hypoxia affects histone modifications by altering the activities of histone-modifying enzymes and the levels of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) isoforms. Synthetic hypoxia mimetics promote a similar response, but how accurately the hypoxia mimetics replicate the effects of limited oxygen availability on the levels of histone PTMs is uncertain. Here we report studies on the profiling of the global changes to PTMs on intact histones in response to hypoxia/hypoxia-related stresses using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). We demonstrate that intact protein LC-MS profiling is a relatively simple and robust method for investigating potential effects of drugs on histone modifications. The results provide insights into the profiles of PTMs associated with hypoxia and inform on the extent to which hypoxia and hypoxia mimetics cause similar changes to histones. These findings imply chemically-induced hypoxia does not completely replicate the substantial effects of physiological hypoxia on histone PTMs, highlighting that caution should be used in interpreting data from their use.


Subject(s)
Cell Hypoxia , Histone Code , HEK293 Cells , HeLa Cells , Histones/metabolism , Humans , Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-Proline Dioxygenases/antagonists & inhibitors , Iron Chelating Agents/toxicity , MCF-7 Cells , Protein Processing, Post-Translational
8.
Science ; 370(6515)2020 10 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33093080

ABSTRACT

Oxygen-sensing mechanisms of eukaryotic multicellular organisms coordinate hypoxic cellular responses in a spatiotemporal manner. Although this capacity partly allows animals and plants to acutely adapt to oxygen deprivation, its functional and historical roots in hypoxia emphasize a broader evolutionary role. For multicellular life-forms that persist in settings with variable oxygen concentrations, the capacity to perceive and modulate responses in and between cells is pivotal. Animals and higher plants represent the most complex life-forms that ever diversified on Earth, and their oxygen-sensing mechanisms demonstrate convergent evolution from a functional perspective. Exploring oxygen-sensing mechanisms across eukaryotic kingdoms can inform us on biological innovations to harness ever-changing oxygen availability at the dawn of complex life and its utilization for their organismal development.


Subject(s)
Dioxygenases/metabolism , Eukaryota/classification , Eukaryota/metabolism , Oxygen/metabolism , Anaerobiosis , Animals , Biological Evolution , Dioxygenases/genetics , Fungi , Plants
9.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A ; 117(37): 23140-23147, 2020 09 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32868422

ABSTRACT

In higher plants, molecular responses to exogenous hypoxia are driven by group VII ethylene response factors (ERF-VIIs). These transcriptional regulators accumulate in the nucleus under hypoxia to activate anaerobic genes but are destabilized in normoxic conditions through the action of oxygen-sensing plant cysteine oxidases (PCOs). The PCOs catalyze the reaction of oxygen with the conserved N-terminal cysteine of ERF-VIIs to form cysteine sulfinic acid, triggering degradation via the Cys/Arg branch of the N-degron pathway. The PCOs are therefore a vital component of the plant oxygen signaling system, connecting environmental stimulus with cellular and physiological response. Rational manipulation of PCO activity could regulate ERF-VII levels and improve flood tolerance, but requires detailed structural information. We report crystal structures of the constitutively expressed PCO4 and PCO5 from Arabidopsis thaliana to 1.24 and 1.91 Å resolution, respectively. The structures reveal that the PCOs comprise a cupin-like scaffold, which supports a central metal cofactor coordinated by three histidines. While this overall structure is consistent with other thiol dioxygenases, closer inspection of the active site indicates that other catalytic features are not conserved, suggesting that the PCOs may use divergent mechanisms to oxidize their substrates. Conservative substitution of two active site residues had dramatic effects on PCO4 function both in vitro and in vivo, through yeast and plant complementation assays. Collectively, our data identify key structural elements that are required for PCO activity and provide a platform for engineering crops with improved hypoxia tolerance.


Subject(s)
Arabidopsis Proteins/metabolism , Arabidopsis/metabolism , Oxygen/metabolism , Cysteine Dioxygenase/metabolism , Gene Expression Regulation, Plant/physiology , Oxidation-Reduction , Signal Transduction/physiology , Transcription Factors
10.
Science ; 365(6448): 65-69, 2019 07 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31273118

ABSTRACT

Organisms must respond to hypoxia to preserve oxygen homeostasis. We identify a thiol oxidase, previously assigned as cysteamine (2-aminoethanethiol) dioxygenase (ADO), as a low oxygen affinity (high-K mO2) amino-terminal cysteine dioxygenase that transduces the oxygen-regulated stability of proteins by the N-degron pathway in human cells. ADO catalyzes the conversion of amino-terminal cysteine to cysteine sulfinic acid and is related to the plant cysteine oxidases that mediate responses to hypoxia by an identical posttranslational modification. We show in human cells that ADO regulates RGS4/5 (regulator of G protein signaling) N-degron substrates, modulates G protein-coupled calcium ion signals and mitogen-activated protein kinase activity, and that its activity extends to other N-cysteine proteins including the angiogenic cytokine interleukin-32. Identification of a conserved enzymatic oxygen sensor in multicellular eukaryotes opens routes to better understanding and therapeutic targeting of adaptive responses to hypoxia.


Subject(s)
Dioxygenases/metabolism , Oxygen/metabolism , Anaerobiosis , Arabidopsis/genetics , Arabidopsis/metabolism , Calcium/metabolism , Calcium Signaling , Cell Line, Tumor , Cysteine/metabolism , Dioxygenases/genetics , Humans , Interleukins/metabolism , MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 5/metabolism , RGS Proteins/metabolism
11.
Plant Physiol ; 180(3): 1614-1628, 2019 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31019003

ABSTRACT

Poplar (Populus spp.) is a tree species considered for the remediation of soil contaminated by metals, including zinc (Zn). To improve poplar's capacity for Zn assimilation and compartmentalization, it is necessary to understand the physiological and biochemical mechanisms that enable these features as well as their regulation at the molecular level. We observed that the molecular response of poplar roots to Zn excess overlapped with that activated by hypoxia. Therefore, we tested the effect of Zn excess on hypoxia-sensing components and investigated the consequence of root hypoxia on poplar fitness and Zn accumulation capacity. Our results suggest that high intracellular Zn concentrations mimic iron deficiency and inhibit the activity of the oxygen sensors Plant Cysteine Oxidases, leading to the stabilization and activation of ERF-VII transcription factors, which are key regulators of the molecular response to hypoxia. Remarkably, excess Zn and waterlogging similarly decreased poplar growth and development. Simultaneous excess Zn and waterlogging did not exacerbate these parameters, although Zn uptake was limited. This study unveils the contribution of the oxygen-sensing machinery to the Zn excess response in poplar, which may be exploited to improve Zn tolerance and increase Zn accumulation capacity in plants.


Subject(s)
Cysteine Dioxygenase/metabolism , Plant Proteins/metabolism , Plant Roots/metabolism , Populus/metabolism , Zinc/metabolism , Adaptation, Physiological/genetics , Anaerobiosis , Biodegradation, Environmental , Cysteine Dioxygenase/genetics , Gene Expression Regulation, Plant , Intracellular Space/metabolism , Plant Proteins/genetics , Plant Roots/genetics , Populus/genetics
12.
Chem Commun (Camb) ; 55(8): 1020-1023, 2019 Jan 22.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30452037

ABSTRACT

We describe covalently binding modulators of the activity of human prolyl hydroxylase domain 2 (PHD2) and studies towards a strategy for photocapture of PHD2 substrates. Reversible active site binding of electrophile bearing compounds enables susbsequent covalent reaction with a lysine residue (K408) in the flexible C-terminal region of PHD2 to give a modified protein that retains catalytic activity.


Subject(s)
Enzyme Inhibitors/metabolism , Hippurates/metabolism , Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-Proline Dioxygenases/metabolism , Azides/chemistry , Azides/radiation effects , Catalysis , Catalytic Domain , Enzyme Inhibitors/chemistry , HeLa Cells , Hippurates/chemistry , Humans , Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-Proline Dioxygenases/antagonists & inhibitors , Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-Proline Dioxygenases/chemistry , Ligands , Lysine/chemistry , Protein Binding , Ultraviolet Rays
13.
Nat Commun ; 9(1): 5438, 2018 12 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30575749

ABSTRACT

The polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) regulates epigenetic gene repression in eukaryotes. Mechanisms controlling its developmental specificity and signal-responsiveness are poorly understood. Here, we identify an oxygen-sensitive N-terminal (N-) degron in the plant PRC2 subunit VERNALIZATION(VRN) 2, a homolog of animal Su(z)12, that promotes its degradation via the N-end rule pathway. We provide evidence that this N-degron arose early during angiosperm evolution via gene duplication and N-terminal truncation, facilitating expansion of PRC2 function in flowering plants. We show that proteolysis via the N-end rule pathway prevents ectopic VRN2 accumulation, and that hypoxia and long-term cold exposure lead to increased VRN2 abundance, which we propose may be due to inhibition of VRN2 turnover via its N-degron. Furthermore, we identify an overlap in the transcriptional responses to hypoxia and prolonged cold, and show that VRN2 promotes tolerance to hypoxia. Our work reveals a mechanism for post-translational regulation of VRN2 stability that could potentially link environmental inputs to the epigenetic control of plant development.


Subject(s)
Arabidopsis Proteins/metabolism , Carrier Proteins/metabolism , Evolution, Molecular , Gene Expression Regulation, Plant , Nuclear Proteins/metabolism , Polycomb Repressive Complex 2/metabolism , Amino Acid Sequence , Arabidopsis , Cold Temperature , DNA-Binding Proteins , Hypoxia/metabolism , Oxygen/metabolism
14.
J Biol Chem ; 293(30): 11786-11795, 2018 07 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29848548

ABSTRACT

Group VII ethylene response factors (ERF-VIIs) regulate transcriptional adaptation to flooding-induced hypoxia in plants. ERF-VII stability is controlled in an O2-dependent manner by the Cys/Arg branch of the N-end rule pathway whereby oxidation of a conserved N-terminal cysteine residue initiates target degradation. This oxidation is catalyzed by plant cysteine oxidases (PCOs), which use O2 as cosubstrate to generate Cys-sulfinic acid. The PCOs directly link O2 availability to ERF-VII stability and anaerobic adaptation, leading to the suggestion that they act as plant O2 sensors. However, their ability to respond to fluctuations in O2 concentration has not been established. Here, we investigated the steady-state kinetics of Arabidopsis thaliana PCOs 1-5 to ascertain whether their activities are sensitive to O2 levels. We found that the most catalytically competent isoform is AtPCO4, both in terms of responding to O2 and oxidizing AtRAP2.2/2,12 (two of the most prominent ERF-VIIs responsible for promoting the hypoxic response), which suggests that AtPCO4 plays a central role in ERF-VII regulation. Furthermore, we found that AtPCO activity is susceptible to decreases in pH and that the hypoxia-inducible AtPCOs 1/2 and the noninducible AtPCOs 4/5 have discrete AtERF-VII substrate preferences. Pertinently, the AtPCOs had Km(O2)app values in a physiologically relevant range, which should enable them to sensitively react to changes in O2 availability. This work validates an O2-sensing role for the PCOs and suggests that differences in expression pattern, ERF-VII selectivity, and catalytic capability may enable the different isoforms to have distinct biological functions. Individual PCOs could therefore be targeted to manipulate ERF-VII levels and improve stress tolerance in plants.


Subject(s)
Arabidopsis Proteins/metabolism , Arabidopsis/metabolism , Cysteine Dioxygenase/metabolism , Oxygen/metabolism , Ethylenes/metabolism , Kinetics , Oxidation-Reduction , Protein Isoforms/metabolism , Substrate Specificity
15.
Extremophiles ; 22(3): 553-562, 2018 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29523972

ABSTRACT

YcfD from Escherichia coli is a homologue of the human ribosomal oxygenases NO66 and MINA53, which catalyse histidyl-hydroxylation of the 60S subunit and affect cellular proliferation (Ge et al., Nat Chem Biol 12:960-962, 2012). Bioinformatic analysis identified a potential homologue of ycfD in the thermophilic bacterium Rhodothermus marinus (ycfDRM). We describe studies on the characterization of ycfDRM, which is a functional 2OG oxygenase catalysing (2S,3R)-hydroxylation of the ribosomal protein uL16 at R82, and which is active at significantly higher temperatures than previously reported for any other 2OG oxygenase. Recombinant ycfDRM manifests high thermostability (Tm 84 °C) and activity at higher temperatures (Topt 55 °C) than ycfDEC (Tm 50.6 °C, Topt 40 °C). Mass spectrometric studies on purified R. marinus ribosomal proteins demonstrate a temperature-dependent variation in uL16 hydroxylation. Kinetic studies of oxygen dependence suggest that dioxygen availability can be a limiting factor for ycfDRM catalysis at high temperatures, consistent with incomplete uL16 hydroxylation observed in R. marinus cells. Overall, the results that extend the known range of ribosomal hydroxylation, reveal the potential for ycfD-catalysed hydroxylation to be regulated by temperature/dioxygen availability, and that thermophilic 2OG oxygenases are of interest from a biocatalytic perspective.


Subject(s)
Escherichia coli Proteins/metabolism , Mixed Function Oxygenases/metabolism , Rhodothermus/enzymology , Ribosomal Proteins/metabolism , Enzyme Stability , Escherichia coli Proteins/chemistry , Escherichia coli Proteins/genetics , Hydroxylation , Mixed Function Oxygenases/chemistry , Mixed Function Oxygenases/genetics , Recombinant Proteins/chemistry , Recombinant Proteins/genetics , Recombinant Proteins/metabolism , Rhodothermus/genetics , Ribosomal Proteins/chemistry , Ribosomal Proteins/genetics , Sequence Homology
16.
Chembiochem ; 19(9): 917-921, 2018 05 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29443450

ABSTRACT

The JmjC histone lysyl demethylases (KDMs) play important roles in modulating histone methylation states and have the potential to be regulated by oxygen availability. Lys241 of the KDM4 subfamily is proposed to be important in oxygen binding by KDM4A. We report evidence that, although Lys241 is unlikely to be directly involved in oxygen binding, it has an important role in coupling 2-oxoglutarate cosubstrate oxidation with lysine demethylase activity. The results suggest that compounds promoting the uncoupling of substrate oxidation are of interest as JmjC-KDM inhibitors.


Subject(s)
Histones/metabolism , Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases/metabolism , Ketoglutaric Acids/metabolism , Lysine/metabolism , Demethylation , Humans , Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases/chemistry , Lysine/chemistry , Models, Molecular , Oxidation-Reduction , Oxygen/metabolism , Substrate Specificity
17.
J Mol Biol ; 429(19): 2895-2906, 2017 09 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28827149

ABSTRACT

Methylation of lysine-4 of histone H3 (H3K4men) is an important regulatory factor in eukaryotic transcription. Removal of the transcriptionally activating H3K4 methylation is catalyzed by histone demethylases, including the Jumonji C (JmjC) KDM5 subfamily. The JmjC KDMs are Fe(II) and 2-oxoglutarate (2OG)-dependent oxygenases, some of which are associated with cancer. Altered levels of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates and the associated metabolites D- and L-2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG) can cause changes in chromatin methylation status. We report comprehensive biochemical, structural and cellular studies on the interaction of TCA cycle intermediates with KDM5B, which is a current medicinal chemistry target for cancer. The tested TCA intermediates were poor or moderate KDM5B inhibitors, except for oxaloacetate and succinate, which were shown to compete for binding with 2OG. D- and L-2HG were moderate inhibitors at levels that might be relevant in cancer cells bearing isocitrate dehydrogenase mutations. Crystallographic analyses with succinate, fumarate, L-malate, oxaloacetate, pyruvate and D- and L-2HG support the kinetic studies showing competition with 2OG. An unexpected binding mode for oxaloacetate was observed in which it coordinates the active site metal via its C-4 carboxylate rather than the C-1 carboxylate/C-2 keto groups. Studies employing immunofluorescence antibody-based assays reveal no changes in H3K4me3 levels in cells ectopically overexpressing KDM5B in response to dosing with TCA cycle metabolite pro-drug esters, suggesting that the high levels of cellular 2OG may preclude inhibition. The combined results reveal the potential for KDM5B inhibition by TCA cycle intermediates, but suggest that in cells, such inhibition will normally be effectively competed by 2OG.


Subject(s)
Enzyme Inhibitors/metabolism , Glutarates/metabolism , Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases/chemistry , Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases/metabolism , Nuclear Proteins/chemistry , Nuclear Proteins/metabolism , Repressor Proteins/chemistry , Repressor Proteins/metabolism , Tricarboxylic Acids/metabolism , Crystallography, X-Ray , Kinetics , Models, Molecular , Protein Binding , Protein Conformation
18.
Mol Cell ; 66(2): 206-220.e9, 2017 Apr 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28416140

ABSTRACT

Cells exposed to hypoxia experience replication stress but do not accumulate DNA damage, suggesting sustained DNA replication. Ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) is the only enzyme capable of de novo synthesis of deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates (dNTPs). However, oxygen is an essential cofactor for mammalian RNR (RRM1/RRM2 and RRM1/RRM2B), leading us to question the source of dNTPs in hypoxia. Here, we show that the RRM1/RRM2B enzyme is capable of retaining activity in hypoxia and therefore is favored over RRM1/RRM2 in order to preserve ongoing replication and avoid the accumulation of DNA damage. We found two distinct mechanisms by which RRM2B maintains hypoxic activity and identified responsible residues in RRM2B. The importance of RRM2B in the response to tumor hypoxia is further illustrated by correlation of its expression with a hypoxic signature in patient samples and its roles in tumor growth and radioresistance. Our data provide mechanistic insight into RNR biology, highlighting RRM2B as a hypoxic-specific, anti-cancer therapeutic target.


Subject(s)
Cell Cycle Proteins/metabolism , Colonic Neoplasms/enzymology , DNA Replication , DNA, Neoplasm/biosynthesis , Oxygen/metabolism , Ribonucleotide Reductases/metabolism , Tumor Suppressor Proteins/metabolism , Animals , Apoptosis , Cell Cycle Proteins/chemistry , Cell Cycle Proteins/genetics , Colonic Neoplasms/genetics , Colonic Neoplasms/pathology , Colonic Neoplasms/radiotherapy , DNA Damage , DNA, Neoplasm/genetics , Female , HCT116 Cells , Humans , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Mice, Nude , RNA Interference , Radiation Tolerance , Ribonucleoside Diphosphate Reductase/metabolism , Ribonucleotide Reductases/chemistry , Ribonucleotide Reductases/genetics , Time Factors , Transfection , Tumor Burden , Tumor Hypoxia , Tumor Suppressor Proteins/chemistry , Tumor Suppressor Proteins/genetics , Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
19.
Nat Commun ; 8: 14690, 2017 03 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28332493

ABSTRACT

Crop yield loss due to flooding is a threat to food security. Submergence-induced hypoxia in plants results in stabilization of group VII ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTORs (ERF-VIIs), which aid survival under these adverse conditions. ERF-VII stability is controlled by the N-end rule pathway, which proposes that ERF-VII N-terminal cysteine oxidation in normoxia enables arginylation followed by proteasomal degradation. The PLANT CYSTEINE OXIDASEs (PCOs) have been identified as catalysts of this oxidation. ERF-VII stabilization in hypoxia presumably arises from reduced PCO activity. We directly demonstrate that PCO dioxygenase activity produces Cys-sulfinic acid at the N terminus of an ERF-VII peptide, which then undergoes efficient arginylation by an arginyl transferase (ATE1). This provides molecular evidence of N-terminal Cys-sulfinic acid formation and arginylation by N-end rule pathway components, and a substrate of ATE1 in plants. The PCOs and ATE1 may be viable intervention targets to stabilize N-end rule substrates, including ERF-VIIs, to enhance submergence tolerance in agriculture.


Subject(s)
Aminoacyltransferases/metabolism , Arabidopsis Proteins/metabolism , Arabidopsis/enzymology , Cysteine Dioxygenase/metabolism , Amino Acid Sequence , Aminoacyltransferases/genetics , Arabidopsis/genetics , Arabidopsis/metabolism , Arabidopsis Proteins/genetics , Arginine/metabolism , Biocatalysis , Cysteine/metabolism , Cysteine Dioxygenase/genetics , Dioxygenases/metabolism , Isoenzymes/genetics , Isoenzymes/metabolism , Oxidation-Reduction , Oxygen/metabolism
20.
ACS Chem Biol ; 12(4): 1011-1019, 2017 04 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28051298

ABSTRACT

The JmjC histone lysine demethylases (KDMs) are epigenetic regulators involved in the removal of methyl groups from post-translationally modified lysyl residues within histone tails, modulating gene transcription. These enzymes require molecular oxygen for catalytic activity and, as 2-oxoglutarate (2OG)-dependent oxygenases, are related to the cellular oxygen sensing HIF hydroxylases PHD2 and FIH. Recent studies have indicated that the activity of some KDMs, including the pseudogene-encoded KDM4E, may be sensitive to changing oxygen concentrations. Here, we report detailed analysis of the effect of oxygen availability on the activity of the KDM4 subfamily member KDM4A, importantly demonstrating a high level of O2 sensitivity both with isolated protein and in cells. Kinetic analysis of the recombinant enzyme revealed a high KMapp(O2) of 173 ± 23 µM, indicating that the activity of the enzyme is able to respond sensitively to a reduction in oxygen concentration. Furthermore, immunofluorescence experiments in U2OS cells conditionally overexpressing KDM4A showed that the cellular activity of KDM4A against its primary substrate, H3K9me3, displayed a graded response to depleting oxygen concentrations in line with the data obtained using isolated protein. These results suggest that KDM4A possesses the potential to act as an oxygen sensor in the context of chromatin modifications, with possible implications for epigenetic regulation in hypoxic disease states. Importantly, this correlation between the oxygen sensitivity of the catalytic activity of KDM4A in biochemical and cellular assays demonstrates the utility of biochemical studies in understanding the factors contributing to the diverse biological functions and varied activity of the 2OG oxygenases.


Subject(s)
Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases/metabolism , Oxygen/metabolism , Cell Line, Tumor , Chromatin/metabolism , Fluorescent Antibody Technique , Humans , Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases/genetics , Kinetics , Pseudogenes
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