Primary sequence and heterologous expression of nuclear pore glycoprotein p62.

The major nuclear pore protein p62 is modified by O-linked N-acetylglucosamine and functions in nuclear transport. We have cloned, sequenced, and expressed the full-length rat p62 cDNA. The rat p62 mRNA is 2,941 nucleotides long and encodes a protein of 525 amino acids containing 30% serine and threonine residues. The amino acid sequence near the amino-terminus contains unique tetrapeptide repeats while the carboxy-terminus consists of a series of predicted alpha-helical regions with hydrophobic heptad repeats. Heterologous expression of rat p62 in African Green Monkey Kidney COS-1 cells and CV-1 cells was detected using a species-specific antipeptide serum. When transiently expressed in COS-1 cells, rat p62 binds wheat germ agglutinin and concentrates at the spindle poles during mitosis. In CV-1 cells cotransfected with rat p62 cDNA and SV40 viral DNA, rat p62 associates with the nuclear membrane without interfering with the nuclear transport of SV40 large T antigen. The ability to express p62 in tissue culture cells will facilitate analysis of the role of this pore protein in nuclear transport.

Calreticulin Is a receptor for nuclear export.

In previous work, we used a permeabilized cell assay that reconstitutes nuclear export of protein kinase inhibitor (PKI) to show that cytosol contains an export activity that is distinct from Crm1 (Holaska, J.M., and B.M. Paschal. 1995. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 95: 14739-14744). Here, we describe the purification and characterization of the activity as calreticulin (CRT), a protein previously ascribed to functions in the lumen of the ER. We show that cells contain both ER and cytosolic pools of CRT. The mechanism of CRT-dependent export of PKI requires a functional nuclear export signal (NES) in PKI and involves formation of an export complex that contains RanGTP. Previous studies linking CRT to downregulation of steroid hormone receptor function led us to examine its potential role in nuclear export of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). We found that CRT mediates nuclear export of GR in permeabilized cell, microinjection, and transfection assays. GR export is insensitive to the Crm1 inhibitor leptomycin B in vivo, and it does not rely on a leucine-rich NES. Rather, GR export is facilitated by its DNA-binding domain, which is shown to function as an NES when transplanted to a green fluorescent protein reporter. CRT defines a new export pathway that may regulate the transcriptional activity of steroid hormone receptors.

Mex67p of Schizosaccharomyces pombe interacts with Rae1p in mediating mRNA export.

We identified the Schizosaccharomyces pombe mex67 gene (spmex67) as a multicopy suppressor of rae1-167 nup184-1 synthetic lethality and the rae1-167 ts mutation. spMex67p, a 596-amino-acid-long protein, has considerable sequence similarity to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Mex67p (scMex67p) and human Tap. In contrast to scMEX67, spmex67 is essential for neither growth nor nuclear export of mRNA. However, an spmex67 null mutation (Deltamex67) is synthetically lethal with the rae1-167 mutation and accumulates poly(A)(+) RNA in the nucleus. We identified a central region (149 to 505 amino acids) within spMex67p that associates with a complex containing Rae1p that complements growth and mRNA export defects of the rae1-167 Deltamex67 synthetic lethality. This region is devoid of RNA-binding, N-terminal nuclear localization, and the C-terminal nuclear pore complex-targeting regions. The (149-505)-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion is found diffused throughout the cell. Overexpression of spMex67p inhibits growth and mRNA export and results in the redistribution of the diffused localization of the (149-505)-GFP fusion to the nucleus and the nuclear periphery. These results suggest that spMex67p competes for essential mRNA export factor(s). Finally, we propose that the 149-505 region of spMex67p could act as an accessory factor in Rae1p-dependent transport and that spMex67p participates at various common steps with Rae1p export complexes in promoting the export of mRNA.

Mks1p is a regulator of nitrogen catabolism upstream of Ure2p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The supply of nitrogen regulates yeast genes affecting nitrogen catabolism, pseudohyphal growth, and meiotic sporulation. Ure2p of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a negative regulator of nitrogen catabolism that inhibits Gln3p, a positive regulator of DAL5, and other genes of nitrogen assimilation. Dal5p, the allantoate permease, allows ureidosuccinate uptake (Usa(+)) when cells grow on a poor nitrogen source such as proline. We find that overproduction of Mks1p allows uptake of ureidosuccinate on ammonia and lack of Mks1p prevents uptake of ureidosuccinate or Dal5p expression on proline. Overexpression of Mks1p does not affect cellular levels of Ure2p. An mks1 ure2 double mutant can take up ureidosuccinate on either ammonia or proline. Moreover, overexpression of Ure2p suppresses the ability of Mks1p overexpression to allow ureidosuccinate uptake on ammonia. These results suggest that Mks1p is involved in nitrogen control upstream of Ure2p as follows: NH(3) dash, vertical Mks1p dash, vertical Ure2p dash, vertical Gln3p --> DAL5. Either overproduction of Mks1p or deletion of MKS1 interferes with pseudohyphal growth.

Organization of the mouse ASGR1 gene encoding the major subunit of the hepatic asialoglycoprotein receptor.

The hepatic asialoglycoprotein receptor was the first of the mammalian lectins to be recognized and has been the subject of intense investigation for three decades. Yet, the precise biological role of this major hepatic endocytic receptor has remained elusive. We describe here the characterization of the mouse gene for the major subunit of this receptor (ASGR1) along with 3.5 kb of the upstream 5' region. The gene comprises eight coding exons, with the major transcript in liver displaying a single non-coding 5' exon. A minor hepatic transcript initiates 435 bp upstream of the major start and includes an additional 5' non-coding exon and intron. A minimal 600 bp proximal region of ASGR1 exhibits hepatic-specific promoter activity in HepG2 cells in vitro. These results provide the basis for more detailed genetic studies on the functional role of the hepatic asialoglycoprotein receptor in mammals.

Glucocorticoid receptor binding to rat liver nuclei occurs without nuclear transport.

The binding of cell-free activated glucocorticoid receptor-steroid complexes from HTC cells to various preparations of HTC and rat liver nuclei has been examined under conditions that did or did not support the nuclear translocation of macromolecules via nuclear pores. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first such study with functionally active isolated nuclei. Conventionally prepared HTC nuclei were found to be porous, as determined from their inability to exclude the fluorescent macromolecule phycoerythrin (PE) at 4 degrees C. Thus the nuclear binding of activated complexes to these nuclei can not involve nuclear translocation. Further studies, using established conditions with sealed nuclei prepared from rat liver, revealed that nuclear translocation of PE containing a covalently linked, authentic nuclear translocation sequence could be obtained at 22 degrees C, but not at 4 degrees C. However, under the same conditions, activated glucocorticoid complexes displayed equal levels of nuclear binding at both temperatures. We therefore conclude that the current translocation conditions with intact rat liver nuclei are not sufficient to reproduce the nuclear transport of glucocorticoid complexes observed in intact cells. The nuclear binding that was seen with intact rat liver nuclei was not affected by aurintricarboxylic acid, which selectively inhibits protein-nucleic acid interactions. The antibody AP-64, shown to be specific for amino acids 506-514 of the nuclear translocation sequence of the rat glucocorticoid receptor, inhibited the nuclear binding of activated complexes, apparently by blocking receptor access to the nuclear membrane. Collectively, these data argue that activated complex binding to nuclei capable of nuclear translocation involves only an association with nuclear membrane components such as nuclear pores. Thus this system, and these reagents, may be useful in future studies of activated complex binding to nuclear pores.

Receptor-mediated endocytosis of alpha 2-macroglobulin: solubilization and partial purification of the fibroblast alpha 2-macroglobulin receptor.

Recent studies in our laboratory have been aimed at biochemically characterizing the alpha 2M receptor present on fibroblast membranes. The approach we have taken is to develop a means of assessing binding to solubilized alpha 2M binding sites. The binding activity was not removed by treatment with high salt concentration or treatment with chaotropic agents. Removal of the binding activity from membranes did occur using a variety of detergents which suggests that the receptor molecules may be "intrinsic" membrane proteins. The most useful detergent for solubilizing the alpha 2M receptor was octyl-beta-D-glucoside. The alpha 2M binding activity could be removed from NRK fibroblasts and Vero cells using this detergent and was found to remain in solution at 100,000 X g. Removal of the octyl-beta-D-glucoside by extensive dialysis resulted in formation of protein-lipid aggregates that bind to 125I-alpha 2M specifically and with high affinity. Such binding sites were not generated when KB cells (which lack receptors) were extracted with the detergent. Significantly, the observed affinities detected for both high- and low-affinity binding sites were similar to those reported with intact cells or membranes. In addition, binding to the solubilized sites could be inhibited using compounds known to block the receptor-mediated endocytosis of alpha 2M (bacitracin, IBHNA). Other compounds (monensin, dansylcadaverine), which did not directly inhibit the high-affinity binding sites, may exert their effects at different stages in receptor-mediated endocytosis (i.e., receptor recycling). alpha 2M binding sites from NIH-3T3 (spontaneous) tumors have been purified approximately 95-fold by a combination of ion exchange and gel permeation chromatography. The receptor appears to be an acidic protein that approximately coelutes with aldolase (45 A, 158,000 daltons) on gel filtration. Ion exchange chromatography appears to remove an endogenous inhibitor of alpha 2M binding and may also remove binding sites having lower affinity for 125I-alpha 2M. Recent studies using immobilized alpha 2M as an affinity resin suggest that the high-affinity alpha 2M receptor may have a subunit molecular weight of approximately 85,000. Studies are now in progress aimed at further characterizing these high-affinity binding sites. Once bound to the alpha 2M receptor, alpha 2M enters cells via coated pits and is rapidly transferred to receptosomes. These organelles carry the ligand into the Golgi region, from which it is transferred to lysosomes where it is slowly degraded.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Differential trafficking of the Niemann-Pick C1 and 2 proteins highlights distinct roles in late endocytic lipid trafficking.

UNLABELLED: The cellular location of Niemann-Pick C2 protein (NPC2) in cultured human fibroblasts and Chinese hamster ovary cells was examined immunocytochemically and in living cells by expression of a functional red fluorescent protein chimeric analogue. RESULTS: NPC2 is present in the lysosomes of both cholesterol-depleted and -replenished cells, unlike Niemann-Pick C1 protein (NPC1) which is recruited to late endosomes only upon uptake of low-density lipoprotein. With mobilization of cholesterol from lysosomes, immunocytochemical detection of NPC2 in lysosomes is greatly diminished, whereas NPC1 remains in the late endosomal compartment. We found a partial overlap in the trafficking and organellar sites of accumulation of NPC2 and NPC1. In living cells, NPC2 traffics with NPC1 in late endosomal tubules. However, in contrast to NPC1, which remains either in late endosomal vesicles and tubules or at the peripheries of cholesterol-laden lysosomes, NPC2 moves into the central core of lysosomes. Glycolipid analysis reveals that, in contrast to null mutant NPC1 cells, which accumulate GM2 ganglioside only at the plasma membrane, with no endocytic storage, absence of NPC2 protein in null mutant NPC2 cells does not block internalization of GM2 into endocytic vesicles. This difference in the cellular distribution of GM2 in NPC1 and NPC2 null mutants is the first report of a variation in the phenotypic expression of these genotypically distinct lesions. CONCLUSION: We speculate that while NPC1 may play a major role in the sorting of glycolipids as well as cholesterol within the late endosomes, NPC2 primarily plays a role in the egress of cholesterol and, potentially, glycolipids from lysosomes. These proteins appear not to be integrated into a tightly bound biological complex, but rather represent separate functional entities that complement each other.

Intracellular transport of VSV G protein occurs in cells lacking a nuclear envelope.

The intracellular transport of the G protein of a temperature sensitive vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) mutant (ts 045) was examined in nucleated chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and in CHO cells subjected to enucleation with cytochalasin B. Although protein synthesis was virtually unaffected, enucleated cells synthesized only 30-45% of the amount of G protein assembled in control cells. As measured by acquisition of endoglycosidase H resistance, the rate of transport of the G protein from the RER to the medial golgi was found to be similar for nucleated and enucleated cells (t1/2 = 15 min). These data suggest that elements of the RER may directly transfer their contents to the Golgi, without the obligatory involvement of an intact NE.

The nuclear pore: at the crossroads.

The nuclear pore complex is at the crossroads of macromolecular traffic across the nuclear envelope. Our knowledge of the mechanism whereby nuclear transport is mediated by the nuclear pore complex is also at a crossroads; a molecular understanding of this process has major implications for applied medical sciences. This becomes obvious with the realization that nuclear proteins are synthesized in the cytoplasm and yet function in the nucleus, and that RNA is transcribed in the nucleus but translated in the cytoplasm. Thus, control of macromolecular traffic across the nuclear membrane is an important means for altering the levels and activities of such molecules as steroid hormone receptors, transcription factors, and enzymes involved in DNA replication. Nuclear proteins have been found to contain nuclear localization sequences (NLS) rich in basic amino acids, which target them for transport through the nuclear pore to the nucleus. It is also clear that a group of novel glycoproteins having a unique carbohydrate modification are required for transport across the nuclear pore complex. However, the mechanism by which the NLS is recognized to mediate transport across the nuclear envelope is poorly understood. It is the aim of this brief review to attempt a synthesis of what is known of this mechanism and what may be newly inferred on the basis of current experimental data.

Glycan-dependent signaling: O-linked N-acetylglucosamine.

The addition of O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) to target proteins may serve as a signaling modification analogous to protein phosphorylation. Like phosphorylation, O-GlcNAc is a dynamic modification occurring in the nucleus and cytoplasm. Various analytical methods have been developed to detect O-GlcNAc and distinguish it from glycosylation in the endomembrane system. Many target molecules have been identified; these targets are typically components of supramolecular complexes such as transcription factors, nuclear pore proteins, or cytoskeletal components. The enzymes responsible for O-GlcNAc addition and removal are highly conserved molecules having molecular features consistent with a signaling role. The O-GlcNAc transferase and O-GlcNAcase are likely to act in consort with kinases and phosphatases generating various isoforms of physiological substrates. These isoforms may differ in such properties as protein-protein interactions, protein stability, and enzymatic activity. Since O-GlcNAc plays a critical role in the regulation of signaling pathways of higher plants, the glycan modification is likely to perform similar signaling functions in mammalian cells. Glucose and amino acid metabolism generates hexosamine precursors that may be key regulators of a nutrient sensing pathway involving O-GlcNAc signaling. Altered O-linked GlcNAc metabolism may also occur in human diseases including neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes mellitus and cancer.

Glycosylation of nuclear pore protein p62. Reticulocyte lysate catalyzes O-linked N-acetylglucosamine addition in vitro.

The addition of O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) to the major nuclear pore complex glycoprotein p62 was examined. Expression of the rat p62 cDNA in transfected monkey cells was detected using a rat p62-specific antipeptide antiserum and two previously described nuclear pore-specific monoclonal antibodies which require O-linked GlcNAc for binding. Although the p62 cDNA was predicted to encode a 54-kDa polypeptide, the product expressed in monkey cells migrated on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis as two species of 62 and 59-kDa. Cell-free translation of the p62 in vitro transcript yielded a 59-kDa polypeptide using wheat germ extract and a 62-kDa product using a commercially available rabbit reticulocyte lysate. Several lines of evidence indicated that the 62-kDa rabbit reticulocyte lysate translation product was modified by O-linked N-acetylglucosamine; the protein bound specifically to a wheat germ agglutinin affinity column and was converted to 59 kDa when treated with jack bean beta-acetylglucosaminidase. The 59-kDa unglycosylated wheat germ translation product was converted to the 62-kDa glycosylated form upon incubation with reticulocyte lysate demonstrating that O-linked GlcNAc can be added to p62 post-translationally.

N-Linked glycoprotein assembly. Evidence that oligosaccharide attachment occurs within the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum.

The transbilayer orientation of the oligosaccharide chain transferred from oligosaccharide-lipid to endogenous protein acceptors in sealed hen oviduct microsomes has been examined using endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H as a topological probe. The oligosaccharide moiety of these acceptors was released by the enzyme only under conditions where the microsomes were made permeable to macromolecules. The release of the oligosaccharide chain by endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H was not increased by removal of ribosomes or by mild trypsinization of the sealed microsomes. The endogenous acceptors were shown to be membrane-associated proteins that are not a part of the mRNA . ribosome . tRNA . nascent chain complex. From these results we conclude that the transfer of oligosaccharide from oligosaccharide-lipid occurs at the luminal face of the rough endoplasmic reticulum.

The topological orientation of N,N'-diacetylchitobiosylpyrophosphoryldolichol in artificial and natural membranes.

Purified N,N'-diacetylchitobiosylpyrophosphoryldolichol (chitobiosyl-lipid) in the presence of detergent was shown to act as a substrate for the soluble enzyme galactosyltransferase. The nature of this transfer reaction and the galactose-containing trisaccharide-lipid product have been partially characterized. Using galactosyltransferase as a probe, the topolical arrangement of chitobiosyl-lipid in both artificial and natural membranes has been examined. When incorporated into unilamellar liposomes made from phosphatidylcholine, the disaccharide residue of chitogiosyl-lipid adopts a random transbilayer orientation. Furthermore, no significant mobility in the transverse plane of the membrane (i.e. flip-flop) is detectable. Using both sealed total microsomes or isolated rough microsomes from hen oviduct, the topology of chitobiosyl-lipid after its biosynthesis in the membrane has been determined. The results suggest that, once formed, chitobiosyl-lipid is a relatively static component of the membrane and is oriented with its disaccharide residue facing the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum.

Calmodulin activates nuclear protein import: a link between signal transduction and nuclear transport.

In addition to the well-characterized GTP-dependent nuclear transport observed in permeabilized cells, we detected a mode of nuclear transport that was GTP-independent at elevated cytoplasmic calcium concentrations. Nuclear transport under these conditions was blocked by calmodulin inhibitors. Recombinant calmodulin restored ATP-dependent nuclear transport in the absence of cytosol. Calmodulin-dependent transport was inhibited by wheat germ agglutinin consistent with transport proceeding through nuclear pores. We propose that release of intracellular calcium stores upon cell activation inhibits GTP-dependent nuclear transport; the elevated cytosolic calcium then acts through calmodulin to stimulate the novel GTP-independent mode of import.

Functional nuclear pores reconstituted with beta 1-4 galactose-modified O-linked N-acetylglucosamine glycoproteins.

Nuclear pore proteins bearing O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) are involved in nuclear transport, although a role for their glycosylation is not established. Xenopus egg extracts capable of reforming functional nuclei in vitro yielded nuclei with impaired transport and reduced nuclear pore density when depleted of wheat germ agglutinin-binding proteins. Many of the nuclear pores remaining in wheat germ agglutinin-depleted nuclei showed a striking loss of internal structure. Nuclear transport and normal nuclear pore structure were restored by the addition of nuclear pore glycoproteins from rat liver or Xenopus eggs. Glycoproteins modified by the addition of galactose to O-linked GlcNAc were also competent for assembling normal nuclear pores and restoring nuclear transport. Aphidicolin-sensitive DNA synthesis was unaffected by the removal or modification of O-linked GlcNAc glycoproteins. These data argue against a requirement for a lectin-like recognition of O-linked GlcNAc glycoproteins in nuclear pore assembly, nuclear transport, or DNA synthesis.

Regulation of macromolecular traffic mediated by the nuclear pore complex.

A sophisticated selective mechanism that regulates nuclear-cytoplasmic traffic has evolved in eukaryotes which circumvents the formidable barrier presented by the nuclear envelope. The sites of RNA and protein exchanges are the nuclear pore complexes (NPCs), 125 MDa supramolecular assemblies inserted into the envelope (see recent reviews by Dingwall, 1991; Goldfarb and Michaud, 1991; Miller et al., 1991; Nigg et al., 1991). In this article, the role NPCs play in regulating intracellular macromolecular traffic will be discussed.

Transmembrane assembly of N-linked glycoproteins. Studies on the topology of saccharide synthesis.

The mechanism of synthesis of dolichol-linked saccharides has been examined using sealed hen oviduct microsomes. N,N'-Diacetylchitobiosylpyrophosphoryldolichol (chitobiosyl-lipid) was shown to be inaccessible to a soluble galactosyltransferase during its synthesis from UDP-GlcNac. In contrast, exogenous chitobiosyl-lipid added to microsomes is accessible to galactosyltransferase and does not appear to be unidirectionally translocated to the lumen. These results imply that assembly of chitobiosyl-lipid does not occur on the cytoplasmic face of the rough endoplasmic reticulum followed by a rapid unidirectional translocation to the lumen. Two lines of evidence rule out sugar nucleotide uptake and utilization within the lumen as a mechanism for chitobiosyl-lipid synthesis. GDP-mannose, which is involved in the elongation of chitobiosyl-lipid to form oligosaccharide-lipid, also does not permeate microsomal vesicles. This observation regarding GDP-mannose raises two important questions. 1) What is the topology of the oligosaccharide in sealed microsomes? and 2) how is the chitobiosyl-lipid elongated by addition of mannosyl units to form an oligosaccharide-lipid? During the synthesis of oligosaccharide-lipid in freeze-thawed microsomes, approximately 40% of the oligosaccharide is released from the lipid by hydrolysis and remains entrapped within the sealed microsomes. These data suggest that oligosaccharide-lipid is transiently present at the luminal face of the rough endoplasmic reticulum during its synthesis. Most of the enzymes involved in the synthesis of oligosaccharide-lipid can be inactivated by external proteolysis of microsomal vesicles. These data are discussed in terms of a model in which synthesis of chitobiosyl-lipid and its elongation to oligosaccharide-lipid are coupled processes that occur in a transmembrane multienzyme complex.

Functional expression of O-linked GlcNAc transferase. Domain structure and substrate specificity.

O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) modifies nuclear pore proteins and transcription factors. In Arabidopsis, the OGT homolog participates in the gibberellin signaling pathway. We and others have proposed that mammalian OGT is the terminal step in a glucose-sensitive signal transduction pathway that becomes disregulated in insulin resistance. To facilitate mutational analysis of OGT in the absence of competing endogenous activity, we expressed the 103-kDa human OGT in Escherichia coli. Kinetic parameters for the purified recombinant enzyme (K(m) = 1.2 microM for Nup 62; K(m) = 0.5 microM for UDP-GlcNAc) are nearly identical to purified mammalian OGT. Deletions in the highly conserved C terminus result in a complete loss of activity. The N-terminal tetratricopeptide repeat domain is required for optimal recognition of substrates. Removal of the first three tetratricopeptide repeats greatly reduces the O-GlcNAc addition to macromolecular substrates. However, this altered enzyme retains full activity against appropriate synthetic peptides. Autoglycosylation of OGT is augmented when the first six tetratricopeptide repeats are removed showing that these repeats are not required for catalysis. Given its proposed role in modulating insulin action, OGT may modify kinases involved in this signaling cascade. Among the many kinases tested, OGT glycosylates glycogen synthase kinase-3 and casein kinase II, two enzymes critical in the regulation of glycogen synthesis.