Morton Medal Lecture. New insights into the roles of phosphoinositides and inositol polyphosphates in yeast.

During the past half century, we have progressed from simply viewing myo -inositol-containing glycerophospholipids as quantitatively minor membrane constituents to the present, very striking, situation in which more and more important cellular functions are being assigned to a plethora of phosphorylated derivatives of inositol and phosphatidylinositol. Two such examples are discussed briefly: the activation by environmental stresses of the single phosphoinositidase C of yeast, which is related to the phospholipase C delta s of other eukaryotes, and the involvement of PtdIns(3,5) P (2) in endomembrane trafficking.

Identification of ARAP3, a novel PI3K effector regulating both Arf and Rho GTPases, by selective capture on phosphoinositide affinity matrices.

We show that matrices carrying the tethered homologs of natural phosphoinositides can be used to capture and display multiple phosphoinositide binding proteins in cell and tissue extracts. We present the mass spectrometric identification of over 20 proteins isolated by this method, mostly from leukocyte extracts: they include known and novel proteins with established phosphoinositide binding domains and also known proteins with surprising and unusual phosphoinositide binding properties. One of the novel PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 binding proteins, ARAP3, has an unusual domain structure, including five predicted PH domains. We show that it is a specific PtdIns(3,4,5)P3/PtdIns(3,4)P2-stimulated Arf6 GAP both in vitro and in vivo, and both its Arf GAP and Rho GAP domains cooperate in mediating PI3K-dependent rearrangements in the cell cytoskeleton and cell shape.

Characterization of MTMR3. an inositol lipid 3-phosphatase with novel substrate specificity.

Inositol lipids play key roles in many fundamental cellular processes that include growth, cell survival, motility, and membrane trafficking. Recent studies on the PTEN and Myotubularin proteins have underscored the importance of inositol lipid 3-phosphatases in cell function. Inactivating mutations in the genes encoding PTEN and Myotubularin are key steps in the progression of some cancers and in the onset of X-linked myotubular myopathy, respectively. Myotubularin-related protein 3 (MTMR3) shows extensive homology to Myotubularin, including the catalytic domain, but additionally possesses a C-terminal extension that includes a FYVE domain. We show that MTMR3 is an inositol lipid 3-phosphatase, with a so-far-unique substrate specificity. It is able to hydrolyze PtdIns3P and PtdIns3,5P2, both in vitro and when heterologously expressed in S. cerevisiae, and to thereby provide the first clearly defined route for the cellular production of PtdIns5P. Overexpression of a catalytically dead MTMR3 (C413S) in mammalian cells induces a striking formation of vacuolar compartments that enclose membranous structures that are highly concentrated in mutant proteins.

AtPIP5K1, an Arabidopsis thaliana phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinase, synthesizes PtdIns(3,4)P(2) and PtdIns(4,5)P(2) in vitro and is inhibited by phosphorylation.

PtdIns phosphate kinases (PIPkins), which generate PtdInsP(2) isomers, have been classified into three subfamilies that differ in their substrate specificities. We demonstrate here that the previously identified AtPIP5K1 gene from Arabidopsis thaliana encodes a PIPkin with dual substrate specificity in vitro, capable of phosphorylating PtdIns3P and PtdIns4P to PtdIns(3,4)P(2) and PtdIns(4,5)P(2) respectively. We also show that recombinant AtPIP5K1 is phosphorylated by protein kinase A and a soluble protein kinase from A. thaliana. Phosphorylation of AtPIP5K1 by protein kinase A is accompanied by a 40% inhibition of its catalytic activity. Full activity is recovered by treating phosphorylated AtPIP5K1 with alkaline phosphatase.

Antineutrophil cytoplasm autoantibodies from patients with systemic vasculitis activate neutrophils through distinct signaling cascades: comparison with conventional Fcgamma receptor ligation.

In systemic vasculitis, interactions between antineutrophil cytoplasm autoantibodies (ANCAs) and neutrophils initiate endothelial and vascular injury. ANCAs directed against either myeloperoxidase (MPO) or proteinase 3 (PR3) can activate cytokine-primed neutrophils by binding cell surface-expressed MPO or PR3, with the concurrent engagement of Fcgamma receptors (FcgammaR). Because roles for phospholipase D (PLD) and phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) have been demonstrated in FcgammaR activation of neutrophils, this study investigated the hypothesis that ANCA stimulation of neutrophils involved a similar engagement of FcgammaR and activation of PLD and PI3K. Pretreatment of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha-primed neutrophils with antibodies against FcgammaRII and FcgammaRIII inhibited MPO-ANCA and PR3-ANCA induced superoxide generation, confirming that FcgammaR ligation is involved in ANCA-mediated neutrophil activation. However, although stimulation of TNF-alpha-primed neutrophils by conventional FcgammaR ligation, either using antibody-mediated cross-linking of FcgammaR or aggregated IgG, induced PLD activation, ANCA stimulation did not. Moreover, although ANCA-induced neutrophil activation results in significant PI3K activation-as assessed by phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-triphosphate generation-conventional FcgammaR ligation, but not ANCA, activates the p85/p110 PI3K subtype. Inhibition of ANCA-induced superoxide generation with pertussis toxin suggests that ANCAs activate the p101/p110gamma PI3K isoform. In addition, the kinetics of activation of protein kinase B differs between conventional FcgammaR ligation and ANCA stimulation of neutrophils. These results demonstrate that though ligation of FcgammaRIIa and FcgammaRIIIb may be necessary, it is likely that ANCAs require other membrane cofactors for neutrophil activation.

SAC1 encodes a regulated lipid phosphoinositide phosphatase, defects in which can be suppressed by the homologous Inp52p and Inp53p phosphatases.

The yeast protein Sac1p is involved in a range of cellular functions, including inositol metabolism, actin cytoskeletal organization, endoplasmic reticulum ATP transport, phosphatidylinositol-phosphatidylcholine transfer protein function, and multiple-drug sensitivity. The activity of Sac1p and its relationship to these phenotypes are unresolved. We show here that the regulation of lipid phosphoinositides in sac1 mutants is defective, resulting in altered levels of all lipid phos- phoinositides, particularly phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate. We have identified two proteins with homology to Sac1p that can suppress drug sensitivity and also restore the levels of the phosphoinositides in sac1 mutants. Overexpression of truncated forms of these suppressor genes confirmed that suppression was due to phosphoinositide phosphatase activity within these proteins. We have now demonstrated this activity for Sac1p and have characterized its specificity. The in vitro phosphatase activity and specificity of Sac1p were not altered by some mutations. Indeed, in vivo mutant Sac1p phosphatase activity also appeared unchanged under conditions in which cells were drug-resistant. However, under different growth conditions, both drug sensitivity and the phosphatase defect were manifest. It is concluded that SAC1 encodes a novel lipid phosphoinositide phosphatase in which specific mutations can cause the sac1 phenotypes by altering the in vivo regulation of the protein rather than by destroying phosphatase activity.

Salinity and hyperosmotic stress induce rapid increases in phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, diacylglycerol pyrophosphate, and phosphatidylcholine in Arabidopsis thaliana cells.

In animal cells, phosphoinositides are key components of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate/diacylglycerol-based signaling pathway, but also have many other cellular functions. These lipids are also believed to fulfill similar functions in plant cells, although many details concerning the components of a plant phosphoinositide system, and their regulation are still missing. Only recently have the different phosphoinositide isomers been unambiguously identified in plant cells. Another problem that hinders the study of the function of phosphoinositides and their derivatives, as well as the regulation of their metabolism, in plant cells is the need for a homogenous, easily obtainable material, from which the extraction and purification of phospholipids is relatively easy and quantitatively reproducible. We present here a thorough characterization of the phospholipids purified from [(32)P]orthophosphate- and myo-[2-(3)H]inositol-radiolabeled Arabidopsis thaliana suspension-cultured cells. We then show that NaCl treatment induces dramatic increases in the levels of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate and diacylglycerol pyrophosphate and also affects the turnover of phosphatidylcholine. The increase in phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate was also observed with a non-ionic hyperosmotic shock. In contrast, the increase in diacylglycerol pyrophosphate and the turnover of phosphatidylcholine were relatively specific to salt treatments as only minor changes in the metabolism of these two phospholipids were detected when the cells were treated with sorbitol instead of NaCl.

Complementation analysis in PtdInsP kinase-deficient yeast mutants demonstrates that Schizosaccharomyces pombe and murine Fab1p homologues are phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate 5-kinases.

Phosphatidylinositol 3,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns(3,5)P(2)) is widespread in eukaryotic cells. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, PtdIns(3,5)P(2) synthesis is catalyzed by the PtdIns3P 5-kinase Fab1p, and loss of this activity results in vacuolar morphological defects, indicating that PtdIns(3,5)P(2) is essential for vacuole homeostasis. We have therefore suggested that all Fab1p homologues may be PtdIns3P 5-kinases involved in membrane trafficking. It is unclear which phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinases (PIPkins) are responsible for PtdIns(3,5)P(2) synthesis in higher eukaryotes. To clarify how PtdIns(3,5)P(2) is synthesized in mammalian and other cells, we determined whether yeast and mammalian Fab1p homologues or mammalian Type I PIPkins (PtdIns4P 5-kinases) make PtdIns(3,5)P(2) in vivo. The recently cloned murine (p235) and Schizosaccharomyces pombe FAB1 homologues both restored basal PtdIns(3,5)P(2) synthesis in Deltafab1 cells and made PtdIns(3,5)P(2) in vitro. Only p235 corrected the growth and vacuolar defects of fab1 S. cerevisiae. A mammalian Type I PIPkin supported no PtdIns(3,5)P(2) synthesis. Thus, FAB1 and its homologues constitute a distinct class of Type III PIPkins dedicated to PtdIns(3,5)P(2) synthesis. The differential abilities of p235 and of SpFab1p to complement the phenotypic defects of Deltafab1 cells suggests that interaction(s) with other protein factors may be important for spatial and/or temporal regulation of PtdIns(3,5)P(2) synthesis. These results also suggest that p235 may regulate a step in membrane trafficking in mammalian cells that is analogous to its function in yeast.

The stress-activated phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate 5-kinase Fab1p is essential for vacuole function in S. cerevisiae.

Polyphosphoinositides have many roles in cell signalling and vesicle trafficking [1-3]. Phosphatidylinositol 3,5-bisphosphate (PI(3,5)P2), a recently discovered PIP2 isomer, is ubiquitous in eukaryotic cells and rapidly accumulates in hyperosmotically stressed yeast. PI(3,5)P2 is synthesised from PI(3)P in both yeast and mammalian cells [4,5]. A search of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome database identified FAB1, a gene encoding a PIP kinase homologue and potential PI(3)P 5-kinase. Fab1p shows PI(3)P 5-kinase activity both in vivo and in vitro. A yeast strain in which FAB1 had been deleted was unable to synthesise PI(3,5)P2, either in the presence or absence of osmotic shock. A loss of PI(3,5)P2 was observed also in a temperature-sensitive FAB1 strain at the non-permissive temperature. A recombinant glutathione-S-transferase (GST)-Fab1p fusion protein was shown to have selective PI(3)P 5-kinase activity in vitro. Thus, we have demonstrated that Fab1p is a PI(3)P-specific 5-kinase and represents a third class of PIP kinase activity, which we have termed type III. Deletion of the FAB1 gene produces a loss of vacuolar morphology [6]; it is therefore concluded that PI(3,5)P2, the lipid product of Fab1p, is required for normal vacuolar function.

Osmotic stress activates phosphatidylinositol-3,5-bisphosphate synthesis.

Inositol phospholipids play multiple roles in cell signalling systems. Two widespread eukaryotic phosphoinositide-based signal transduction mechanisms, phosphoinositidase C-catalysed phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2) hydrolysis and 3-OH kinase-catalysed PtdIns(4,5)P2 phosphorylation, make the second messengers inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins(1,4,5)P3) sn-1,2-diacylglycerol and PtdIns(3,4,5)P3. In addition, PtdIns(4,5)P2 and PtdIns3P have been implicated in exocytosis and membrane trafficking. We now show that when the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe are hyperosmotically stressed, they rapidly synthesize phosphatidylinositol-3,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns(3,5)P2) by a process that involves activation of a PtdIns3P 5-OH kinase. This PtdIns(3,5)P2 accumulation only occurs in yeasts that have an active vps34-encoded PtdIns 3-OH kinase, showing that this latter kinase makes the PtdIns3P needed for PtdIns(3,5)P2 synthesis and indicating that PtdIns(3,5)P2 may have a role in sorting vesicular proteins. PtdIns(3,5)P2 is also present in mammalian and plant cells: in monkey Cos-7 cells, its labelling is inversely related to the external osmotic pressure. The stimulation of a PtdIns3P 5-OH kinase-catalysed synthesis of PtdIns(3,5)P2, a molecule that might be a new type of phosphoinositide 'second messenger, thus appears to be central to a widespread and previously uncharacterized regulatory pathway.

Association of multiple GTP-binding proteins with the plant cytoskeleton and nuclear matrix.

Several types of GTP-binding proteins exist in plant cells. These include the ras-related low-molecular-weight monomeric GTP-binding proteins and the multi-subunit group which more closely resembles members of the mammalian heterotrimeric G-protein family. Proteins belonging to both of these families are known to be involved in cell signalling events and have until recently been assumed to be associated predominantly with membranes. We have investigated the possibility that GTP-binding proteins in plants also can be associated with membrane-free carrot (Daucus carota L.) cytoskeletons and nuclear matrices. Our results demonstrate that several low-molecular-weight GTP-binding proteins, and at least one G-protein alpha-subunit homologue, are associated with these cellular compartments.

Identification of a phosphatidylinositol 3-hydroxy kinase in plant cells: association with the cytoskeleton.

Radiolabelling experiments have revealed that plant cells contain the two 3-phosphorylated phosphoinositides: PtdIns3P and PtdIns(3,4)P2 [Brearley and Hanke (1992) Biochem. J. 283, 255-260]. However, nothing is known about the enzymes involved in the metabolism of these plant 3-phosphorylated phosphoinositides. In this study we demonstrate the presence of a PtdIns 3-hydroxy kinase(s) in plant cells. This activity was enriched in the cytoskeletal fraction whereas only low levels of phosphoinositide 3-hydroxy kinase could be detected in plasma membranes and microsomal preparations. This cytoskeletal phosphoinositide 3-hydroxy kinase was found to be wortmannin insensitive and thus resembles PtdIns-specific 3-hydroxy kinases of which vps34p is one example.