The 14-3-3γ isoform binds to and regulates the localization of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane protein TMCC3 for the reticular network of the ER.

The reticular network of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is formed by connecting ER tubules through three-way junctions and undergoes constant remodeling through formation and loss of the three-way junctions. Transmembrane and coiled-coil domain family 3 (TMCC3), an ER membrane protein localizing at three-way junctions, has been shown to positively regulate formation of the reticular ER network. However, elements that negatively regulate TMCC3 localization have not been characterized. In this study, we report that 14-3-3γ, a phospho-serine/phospho-threonine-binding protein involved in various signal transduction pathways, is a negative regulator of TMCC3. We demonstrate that overexpression of 14-3-3γ reduced localization of TMCC3 to three-way junctions and decreased the number of three-way junctions. TMCC3 bound to 14-3-3γ through the N terminus and had deduced 14-3-3 binding motifs. Additionally, we determined that a TMCC3 mutant substituting alanine for serine to be phosphorylated in the binding motif reduced binding to 14-3-3γ. The TMCC3 mutant was more prone than wildtype TMCC3 to localize at three-way junctions in the cells overexpressing 14-3-3γ. Furthermore, the TMCC3 mutant rescued the ER sheet expansion caused by TMCC3 knockdown less than wild-type TMCC3. Taken together, these results indicate that 14-3-3γ binding negatively regulates localization of TMCC3 to the three-way junctions for the proper reticular ER network, implying that the negative regulation of TMCC3 by 14-3-3γ would underlie remodeling of the reticular network of the ER.

Tetra Primer ARMS PCR Optimization to Detect Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms of the CYP2E1 Gene.

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) detection has been used extensively for genetic association studies of diseases including cancer. For mass, yet accurate and more economic SNP detection we have optimized tetra primer amplification refractory mutation system polymerase chain reaction (ARMS PCR) to detect three SNPs in the cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) gene locus; i.e. rs3813865, rs2070672 and rs3813867. The optimization system strategies used were (1) designing inner and outer primers; (2) determining of their optimum primer concentration ratios; and (3) determining of the optimum PCR annealing temperature. The tetra primer ARMS PCR result could be directly observed using agarose gel electrophoresis. The method succesfully determined three SNPs in CYP2E1 locus, the results being consistent with validation using DNA sequencing and restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP).