Binding Of Regulatory Subunit Research Articles

The Role of Speedy/RINGO Protein in Breast Cancer as a Future Biomarker.

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are proteins that require the binding of regulatory subunits called cyclins and play a key role in cell cycle progression and activation. CDKs play a key role in carcinogenesis of many solid malignancies, and inhibition of these proteins has produced anti-cancer effects demonstrated in preclinical studies. This narrative review was conducted to develop a hypothetical approach to determine whether Speedy/RINGO, a protein associated with CDK2, could be a possible predictive factor in breast cancer patients treated with a CDK4/6 inhibitor. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, and Google Scholars search engines to match the following words: "Speedy/RINGO" or "Spy1" and "CDKs" or "Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs)" and "CDK4/6 inhibitors" and "Regulation" and "Molecular" and "Breast cancer" and "Carcinogenesis". Only articles investigating the relationship between the Speedy/RINGO protein and CDKs at the molecular level were included. Literature information was compiled by trying to establish a relationship with our hypothesis question. Speedy/RINGO is a tightly regulated proto-oncogenic mammalian protein playing important roles in the somatic cell cycle. Studies have emphasized that although it does not have amino acid sequence homology with cyclins, it can activate CDK2. In addition, results showing molecular compensation of CDK4/6 inhibition through CDK2 activation, also showed that CDK2 can predict drug resistance. Another important finding was that overexpressed Speedy/RINGO, during CDK4/6 inhibitor treatment, could strongly activate CDK2, resulting in a negative response to treatment. Although many predictive factors have been investigated to indicate response to CDK4/6 inhibitors or determine drug resistance, a consensus biomarker has yet to be established. In light of the information obtained from our review, it can be concluded that the Speedy/RINGO protein may have an important role as a predictive biomarker in terms of response to treatment, continuity of treatment and drug resistance in patients treated with CDK4/6 inhibitors.

Identification of potential CDK 8 inhibitor from pyrimidine derivatives via In-Silico approach

Pyrimidinesare six-membered heterocyclic scaffold present naturally in nucleic acid components and are promising leads for the synthesis of medicinally important compounds. Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) with a serine/threonine catalytic core are important druggable targets for cancer therapy and the binding of regulatory subunits controls them. In the present study series of virtually designed pyrimidine derivatives were screened using molecular docking techniques against the cyclin-dependent kinase-8 (CDK8) as a targeted protein. The density functional theory calculation of compounds having good binding affinity was done to estimate the orbital energy. The molecular dynamics simulation of the best-docked compound with the CDK8 was simulated to estimate the effect of mobility on the interactions.Themolecular docking provided insights regarding the binding ability of the designed compounds with the targeted CSK8 structure. As a result, the docked compounds exerted good interactions with the CDK8, and the compound PB129 showed the highest negative binding affinity of -12.4 kcal/mol with the formation of two hydrogen bonds. The results of the simulation study indicated that the complex of CDK-8 and PB129 hasa tight binding with constant hydrogen contacts. Moreover, the density functional theory indicated that PB129 has strong orbital energy and this compound will show tight interactions by either donating or accepting the electron with protein structure. Studied compounds showed good results for the docking study by exerting tight binding with the CDK-8 (PDB 6T41). Compound PB129 showed stable confirmation over the simulation run and has good orbital energies. Compound PB129 may act as a lead against the CDK8.

A split-luciferase lysate-based approach to identify small-molecule modulators of phosphatase subunit interactions

An emerging strategy for the therapeutic targeting of protein phosphatases involves the use of compounds that interfere with the binding of regulatory subunits or substrates. However, high-throughput screening strategies for such interfering molecules are scarce. Here, we report on the conversion of the NanoBiT split-luciferase system into a robust assay for the quantification of phosphatase subunit and substrate interactions in cell lysates. The assay is suitable to screen small-molecule libraries for interfering compounds. We designed and validated split-luciferase sensors for a broad range of PP1 and PP2A holoenzymes, including sensors that selectively report on weak interaction sites. To facilitate efficient hit triaging in large-scale screening campaigns, deselection procedures were developed to eliminate assay-interfering molecules with high fidelity. As a proof-of-principle, we successfully applied the split-luciferase screening tool to identify small-molecule disruptors of the interaction between the C-terminus of PP1β and the ankyrin-repeat domain of the myosin-phosphatase targeting subunit MYPT1.

Regulation of the fungal fatty acid synthase through conformational selection.

The fungal type 1 fatty acid synthase (FAS1) is a paradigm for multifunctional metabolic enzymes. The α6β6 heterododecamer is composed of six catalytic units, arranged in a barrel shaped hollow body. Each catalytic unit contains a copy of the six enzymatic domains required for de novo fatty acid synthesis and an integral acyl carrier protein (ACP), responsible for the transfer of reaction intermediates. It is assumed that stochastic diffusion of ACP drives fatty acid synthesis, whereas spatial organization of enzymatic domains facilitates productive encounter. In this model, the supramolecular structure of FAS1 acts as a rigid framework. However, it has recently been discovered that binding of a regulatory subunit causes substantial structural rearrangements of FAS1, concomitant with relocation of ACP. It is therefore conceivable that the catalytic activity is coupled to both the conformational dynamics of the FAS1 complex and the stochastic dynamics of the ACP. Here we use large-scale molecular dynamics simulations to contrast the conformational dynamics of the yeast FAS1 with and without regulatory subunit. We find that FAS1 can sample distinct conformations at the microsecond timescale. Binding of the regulatory regulatory subunit rigidifies the complex and attenuates the conformational dynamics. At the same time, the regulatory subunit stabilizes binding of ACP to the acetyltransferase domain. Overall, our results show, that the FAS1 is not a rigid framework, but cycles between distinct conformations. The conformational dynamics described here are akin the conformational cycling of the metazoan FAS1 that is correlated with distinct enzymatic activities. Further evidence is required to show if this correlation is also a general property of the fungal FAS1. However, binding of the regulatory subunit indeed suggests that subtle changes in conformational dynamics correlate with changes in enzymatic activity.

The activation of spliced X-box binding protein 1 by isorhynchophylline therapy improves diabetic encephalopathy.

The primary symptom of diabetic encephalopathy (DE), a kind of central diabetic neuropathy caused by diabetes mellitus (DM), is cognitive impairment. In addition, the tetracyclic oxindole alkaloid isorhynchophylline (IRN) helps lessen cognitive impairment. However, it is still unclear how IRN affects DM and DE and what mechanisms are involved. The effectiveness of IRN on brain insulin resistance was carefully examined in this work, both in vitro and in vivo. We found that IRN accelerates spliced form of X-box binding protein 1 (sXBP1) translocation into the nucleus under high glucose conditions in vitro. IRN also facilitates the nuclear association of pCREB with sXBP1 and the binding of regulatory subunits of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) p85α or p85β with XBP1 to restore high glucose impairment. Also, IRN treatment improves high glucose-mediated impairment of insulin signaling, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and pyroptosis/apoptosis by depending on sXBP1 in vitro. In vivo studies suggested that IRN attenuates cognitive impairment, ameliorating peripheral insulin resistance, activating insulin signaling, inactivating activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) and C/EBP homology protein (CHOP), and mitigating pyroptosis/apoptosis by stimulation of sXBP1 nuclear translocation in the brain. In summary, these data indicate that IRN contributes to maintaining insulin homeostasis by activating sXBP1 in the brain. Thus, IRN is a potent antidiabetic agent as well as an sXBP1 activator that has promising potential for the prevention or treatment of DE.

Regulation of PP2A, PP4, and PP6 holoenzyme assembly by carboxyl-terminal methylation

The family of Phosphoprotein Phosphatases (PPPs) is responsible for most cellular serine and threonine dephosphorylation. PPPs achieve substrate specificity and selectivity by forming multimeric holoenzymes. PPP holoenzyme assembly is tightly controlled, and changes in the cellular repertoire of PPPs are linked to human disease, including cancer and neurodegeneration. For PP2A, PP4, and PP6, holoenzyme formation is in part regulated by carboxyl (C)-terminal methyl-esterification (often referred to as “methylation”). Here, we use mass spectrometry-based proteomics, methylation-ablating mutations, and genome editing to elucidate the role of C-terminal methylation on PP2A, PP4, and PP6 holoenzyme assembly. We find that the catalytic subunits of PP2A, PP4, and PP6 are frequently methylated in cancer cells and that deletion of the C-terminal leucine faithfully recapitulates loss of methylation. We observe that loss of PP2A methylation consistently reduced B55, B56, and B72 regulatory subunit binding in cancer and non-transformed cell lines. However, Striatin subunit binding is only affected in non-transformed cells. For PP4, we find that PP4R1 and PP4R3β bind in a methylation-dependent manner. Intriguingly, loss of methylation does not affect PP6 holoenzymes. Our analyses demonstrate in an unbiased, comprehensive, and isoform-specific manner the crucial regulatory function of endogenous PPP methylation in transformed and non-transformed cell lines.

The origin of GSKIP, a multifaceted regulatory factor in the mammalian Wnt pathway

GSK3β interacting protein (GSKIP) is a naturally occurring negative regulator of GSK3β and retains both the Protein Kinase A Regulatory subunit binding (PKA-RII) domain and GSK3β interacting domain. Of these two domains, we found that PKA-RII is required for forming a working complex comprising PKA/GSKIP/GSK3β/Drp1 to influence phosphorylation of Drp1 Ser637. In this study, bioinformatics and experimental explorations re-analyzing GSKIP's biofunctions suggest that the evolutionarily conserved Domain of Unknown Function (DUF727) is an ancestral prototype of GSKIP in prokaryotes, and acquired the C-terminal GSK3β binding site (tail) in invertebrates except for Saccharomyces spp., after which the N-terminal PKA-RII binding region (head) evolved in vertebrates. These two regions mutually influence each other and modulate GSKIP binding to GSK3β in yeast two-hybrid assays and co-immunoprecipitation. Molecular modeling showed that mammalian GSKIP could form a dimer through the L130 residue (GSK3β binding site) rather than V41/L45 residues. In contrast, V41/L45P mutant facilitated a gain-of-function effect on GSKIP dimerization, further influencing binding behavior to GSK3β compared to GSKIP wild-type (wt). The V41/L45 residues are not only responsible for PKA RII binding that controls GSK3β activity, but also affect dimerization of GSKIP monomer, with net results of gain-of-function in GSKIP-GSK3β interaction. In addition to its reported role in modulating Drp1, Ser637 phosphorylation caused mitochondrial elongation; we postulated that GSKIP might be involved in the Wnt signaling pathway as a scavenger to recruit GSK3β away from the β-catenin destruction complex and as a competitor to compete for GSK3β binding, resulting in accumulation of S675 phosphorylated β-catenin.

Functional importance of PP2A regulatory subunit loss in breast cancer.

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a family of serine/threonine phosphatases that regulate multiple cellular signalling pathways involved in proliferation, survival and apoptosis. PP2A inhibition occurs in many cancers and is considered a tumour suppressor. Deletion/downregulation of PP2A genes has been observed in breast tumours, but the functional role of PP2A subunit loss in breast cancer has not been investigated. PP2A subunit expression was examined by immunohistochemistry in human breast tumours, and by qPCR and immunoblotting in breast cancer cell lines. PP2A subunits were inhibited by shRNA, and mutant PP2A genes overexpressed, in MCF10A and MCF7 cells, and growth and signalling in standard and three-dimensional cultures were assessed. Expression of PP2A-Aα, PP2A-Bα and PP2A-B'α subunits was significantly lower in primary human breast tumours and lymph node metastases, compared to normal mammary tissue. PP2A-Aα and the regulatory subunits PP2A-Bα, -Bδ and -B'γ were also reduced in breast cancer cell lines compared to normal mammary epithelial cells. Functionally, shRNA-mediated knockdown of PP2A-Bα, -B'α and -B'γ, but not PP2A-Aα, induced hyper-proliferation and large multilobular acini in MCF10A 3D cultures, characterised by activation of ERK. Expression of a breast cancer-associated PP2A-A mutant, PP2A-Aα-E64G, which inhibits binding of regulatory subunits to the PP2A core, induced a similar hyper-proliferative phenotype. Knockdown of PP2A-Bα also induced hyper-proliferation in MCF7 breast cancer cells. These results suggest that loss of specific PP2A regulatory subunits is functionally important in breast tumourigenesis, and support strategies to enhance PP2A activity as a therapeutic approach in breast cancer.

Analysis of the interactome of the Ser/Thr Protein Phosphatase type 1 in Plasmodium falciparum.

BackgroundProtein Phosphatase 1 (PP1) is an enzyme essential to cell viability in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum (Pf). The activity of PP1 is regulated by the binding of regulatory subunits, of which there are up to 200 in humans, but only 3 have been so far reported for the parasite. To better understand the P. falciparum PP1 (PfPP1) regulatory network, we here report the use of three strategies to characterize the PfPP1 interactome: co-affinity purified proteins identified by mass spectrometry, yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) screening and in silico analysis of the P. falciparum predicted proteome.ResultsCo-affinity purification followed by MS analysis identified 6 PfPP1 interacting proteins (Pips) of which 3 contained the RVxF consensus binding, 2 with a Fxx[RK]x[RK] motif, also shown to be a PP1 binding motif and one with both binding motifs. The Y2H screens identified 134 proteins of which 30 present the RVxF binding motif and 20 have the Fxx[RK]x[RK] binding motif. The in silico screen of the Pf predicted proteome using a consensus RVxF motif as template revealed the presence of 55 potential Pips. As further demonstration, 35 candidate proteins were validated as PfPP1 interacting proteins in an ELISA-based assay.ConclusionsTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on PfPP1 interactome. The data reports several conserved PP1 interacting proteins as well as a high number of specific interactors to PfPP1. Their analysis indicates a high diversity of biological functions for PP1 in Plasmodium. Based on the present data and on an earlier study of the Pf interactome, a potential implication of Pips in protein folding/proteolysis, transcription and pathogenicity networks is proposed. The present work provides a starting point for further studies on the structural basis of these interactions and their functions in P. falciparum.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-2571-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Study of Protein Phosphatase 2A (PP2A) Activity in LPS-Induced Tolerance Using Fluorescence-Based and Immunoprecipitation-Aided Methodology.

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is one of the most abundant intracellular serine/threonine (Ser/Thr) phosphatases accounting for 1% of the total cellular protein content. PP2A is comprised of a heterodimeric core enzyme and a substrate-specific regulatory subunit. Potentially, at least seventy different compositions of PP2A exist because of variable regulatory subunit binding that accounts for various activity modulating numerous cell functions. Due to the constitutive phosphatase activity present inside cells, a sensitive assay is required to detect the changes of PP2A activity under various experimental conditions. We optimized a fluorescence assay (DIFMU assay) by combining it with prior anti-PP2A immunoprecipitation to quantify PP2A-specific phosphatase activity. It is also known that prior exposure to lipopolysaccharides (LPS) induces “immune tolerance” of the cells to subsequent stimulation. Herein we report that PP2A activity is upregulated in tolerized peritoneal macrophages, corresponding to decreased TNF-α secretion upon second LPS stimulation. We further examined the role of PP2A in the tolerance effect by using PP2ACαlox/lox;lyM-Cre conditional knockout macrophages. We found that PP2A phosphatase activity cannot be further increased by tolerance. TNF-α secretion from tolerized PP2ACαlox/lox;lyM-Cre macrophages is higher than tolerized control macrophages. Furthermore, we showed that the increased TNF-α secretion may be due to an epigenetic transcriptionally active signature on the promoter of TNF-α gene rather than regulation of the NFκB/IκB signaling pathway. These results suggest a role for increased PP2A activity in the regulation of immune tolerance.

Allosteric Regulation of Protein Kinase Enzymes via an Electrostatic Switch that Modulates Active Site Dynamics

Protein kinase (PK) enzymes are a large family of signaling proteins that play a central role in signal transduction pathways. Robust regulation of their catalytic activity is critical, and many oncogenes harbor mutations that result in misregulated PK activity. The chemical basis for how some PK regulatory factors ultimately affect the rate of chemistry is still not completely understood. We have identified a long-range electrostatic switch that we believe is used by allosteric PK regulatory factors to modulate the rate of chemistry by tuning active-site dynamics.We applied a combination of crystallography, kinetics, and molecular dynamics to determine the chemical kinetic basis for how this electrostatic switch, toggled by regulatory subunit binding, affects each step of catalysis by CDK2 kinase. We engineered point mutants to deconstruct the kinetic, dynamic, and thermodynamic consequences of the switch. We also evaluated other PKs and find that, although it has evolved to be triggered in different ways by diverse PK regulatory factors, the mechanics of this switch can be conserved.We demonstrate that a key component of the switch is that it affects a significant change in the electrostatic potential within the ATP∗Mg binding site of the enzyme. This electrostatic effect is propagated through the low-dielectric protein interior and directly affects the two dominant rate-determining steps of catalysis: attenuating both the recruitment of catalytically essential Mg cofactors (affecting both kcat and KM) as well as the release of the ADP product.Conclusion: We present a chemical hypothesis that provides a mechanistic explanation for one way that a large-scale conformation transition, observed in diverse PK family members, is able to significantly affect the rate of chemistry by acting at a distance from the active site.

Rac1 Modulates Agonist-Induced Smooth Muscle Contraction

Smooth muscle is distributed in many organs, and plays a critical role in maintaining blood pressure in vasculature and airflow in airway and malfunction of the smooth muscle causes severe health problems. Smooth muscle contraction is primarily regulated by myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation, which is regulated by both Ca2+ dependent and Ca2+ independent pathways. Recent studies have revealed that MLC phosphatase (MLCP) plays a key role in the latter mechanism. MLCP activity is regulated by the phosphorylation of MYPT1, a myosin binding regulatory subunit of MLCP, and CPI-17, a MLCP specific inhibitor protein. Here we found novel signaling mechanism of controlling smooth muscle contraction induced by agonists. We found that agonist stimulation significantly activates Rac1 activity in smooth muscle, and the inhibition of Rac markedly decreases agonist induced force of arterial smooth muscle. Moreover, introduction of active Rac1 activates smooth muscle contraction, while dominant-negative Rac1 attenuates the agonist-induced contraction. Rac1 dependent change in contraction is accompanied by the change in MLC phosphorylation, MYPT1 phosphorylation and CPI-17 hosphorylation. Rac inhibitors activated MLCP activity, but not MLCK activity, suggesting that Rac1 dependent change in MLC phosphorylation is due to the change in MLCP activity. Rac inhibitors did not change RhoA and ROCK activities, unlike RhoA pathway. Interestingly, Rac1 inhibition induced the change in MYPT1/CPI-17 phosphatase activity. The result suggests that Rac1 dependent change in MYPT1/CPI-17 phosphorylation is due to the change in the phosphatase activity rather than the kinase activites that phopshorylate MYPT1 and CPI-17 such as ROCK. These results suggest that agonist induced change in MLCP activity in smooth muscle is concertedly regulated by RhoA pathway that modulates ROCK and Rac1 pathway that regulates MYPT1/CPI-17 phosphatases.

Binding of Regulatory Subunits of Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinase to Cyclic CMP Agarose

The bacterial adenylyl cyclase toxins CyaA from Bordetella pertussis and edema factor from Bacillus anthracis as well as soluble guanylyl cyclase α1β1 synthesize the cyclic pyrimidine nucleotide cCMP. These data raise the question to which effector proteins cCMP binds. Recently, we reported that cCMP activates the regulatory subunits RIα and RIIα of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. In this study, we used two cCMP agarose matrices as novel tools in combination with immunoblotting and mass spectrometry to identify cCMP-binding proteins. In agreement with our functional data, RIα and RIIα were identified as cCMP-binding proteins. These data corroborate the notion that cAMP-dependent protein kinase may serve as a cCMP target.

Ebselen and Congeners Inhibit NADPH Oxidase 2-Dependent Superoxide Generation by Interrupting the Binding of Regulatory Subunits

NADPH oxidases (Nox) are a primary source of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which function in normal physiology and, when overproduced, in pathophysiology. Recent studies using mice deficient in Nox2 identify this isoform as a novel target against Nox2-implicated inflammatory diseases. Nox2 activation depends on the binding of the proline-rich domain of its heterodimeric partner p22phox to p47phox. A high-throughput screen that monitored this interaction via fluorescence polarization identified ebselen and several of its analogs as inhibitors. Medicinal chemistry was performed to explore structure-activity relationships and to optimize potency. Ebselen and analogs potently inhibited Nox1 and Nox2 activity but were less effective against other isoforms. Ebselen also blocked translocation of p47phox to neutrophil membranes. Thus, ebselen and its analogs represent a class of compounds that inhibit ROS generation by interrupting the assembly of Nox2-activating regulatory subunits.

Ebselen Congeners Inhibit NADPH-oxidase 2 (Nox2)Dependent Superoxide Generation by Interrupting the Binding of Regulatory Subunits

Ebselen Congeners Inhibit NADPH-oxidase 2 (Nox2)Dependent Superoxide Generation by Interrupting the Binding of Regulatory Subunits

Pre-Donor Evaluation of an HLA Matched Sibling Identifies a Novel Inherited RUNX1 Mutation Encoding a Missense Mutation Found Outside of the RUNT Domain in Familial Platelet Disorder

AbstractAbstract 2709 Introduction:RUNX1 is a critical transcription factor in the regulation of normal hematopoiesis. Inherited RUNX1 mutations have been identified as the culprit genetic lesion in Familial Platelet Disorder (FPD; OMIM 601399), a rare autosomal dominant condition with a propensity to myeloid malignancy. The spectrum of RUNX1 mutations causing the FPD/acute myeloid leukemia (AML) syndrome includes frameshift and termination mutations detected throughout the gene, and missense mutations clustered within the highly conserved RUNT homology domain (RHD), which is responsible for both DNA binding and heterodimerization with CBFβ/PEBP2β, the non-DNA binding regulatory subunit. We present a new FPD/AML pedigree with a novel missense mutation leading to a single amino acid change, L56S. This L56S mutation is the first reported point mutation in this syndrome to be found outside of the RHD. Patients and Methods:Our new pedigree involves a 41-year-old man (proband) diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS, specifically refractory anemia with excess blasts type-2) with a normal karyotype. He was initiated on azacitidine, which was administered on a seven-day treatment schedule every four weeks. Bone marrow biopsy analysis after six monthly cycles of azacitidine showed persistent MDS, with similar findings after a total of ten monthly cycles. Given his lack of a clinical response, his young age and good performance status, he was referred to The University of Chicago for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT). Routine pre-transplant evaluation revealed mild thrombocytopenia (platelets = 123,000 K/μl) in his HLA-matched brother. In addition, his father was reported to have thrombocytopenia. Clinical concern for an inherited condition initiated the investigation for a RUNX1 mutation in the family. Results:We sequenced full-length cDNA synthesized from leukocyte-derived RNA collected from the proband's sibling with thrombocytopenia, and detected a novel missense germline mutation in exon 4 at nucleotide position 371, causing a T to C mutation leading to a single amino acid change in the RUNX1 protein, L56S. This amino acid substitution is located N-terminal to the RHD (aa 76–209). RUNX1 sequencing of the proband with MDS demonstrated the same mutation. The RUNX1 RHD and the transactivation domain remain intact in this mutant. Initial transactivation assays using a luciferase reporter assay performed in triplicate demonstrated similar levels of activation as wild-type RUNX1. Corresponding Western blot analysis showed similar levels of protein expression of both wild-type RUNX1 and mutant RUNX1 transfected cell lines using an anti-RUNX1-antibody. Current studies include determination of the transactivation ability of mutant RUNX1 with its heterodimerization partner, CBFβ/PEBP2β, testing the DNA binding ability of this RUNX1 mutant by electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and analysis of the RUNX1 cDNA for an acquired biallelic mutation in leukocytes collected from the proband's bone marrow aspirate at the time of diagnosis of bone marrow malignancy. Conclusions:FPD/AML is likely an underreported condition. Clinical suspicion for this inherited syndrome may be raised by the presence of mild to moderate thrombocytopenia in healthy siblings, and should lead to prompt screening for germline RUNX1 mutations to confirm an inherited predisposition and to prevent siblings carrying RUNX1 mutations from being selected as HCT donors. In vitro studies of identified RUNX1 mutations may elucidate potential mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of the FPD/AML syndrome. Disclosures:No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Human KATP channelopathies: diseases of metabolic homeostasis

Assembly of an inward rectifier K+ channel pore (Kir6.1/Kir6.2) and an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-binding regulatory subunit (SUR1/SUR2A/SUR2B) forms ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channel heteromultimers, widely distributed in metabolically active tissues throughout the body. KATP channels are metabolism-gated biosensors functioning as molecular rheostats that adjust membrane potential-dependent functions to match cellular energetic demands. Vital in the adaptive response to (patho)physiological stress, KATP channels serve a homeostatic role ranging from glucose regulation to cardioprotection. Accordingly, genetic variation in KATP channel subunits has been linked to the etiology of life-threatening human diseases. In particular, pathogenic mutations in KATP channels have been identified in insulin secretion disorders, namely, congenital hyperinsulinism and neonatal diabetes. Moreover, KATP channel defects underlie the triad of developmental delay, epilepsy, and neonatal diabetes (DEND syndrome). KATP channelopathies implicated in patients with mechanical and/or electrical heart disease include dilated cardiomyopathy (with ventricular arrhythmia; CMD1O) and adrenergic atrial fibrillation. A common Kir6.2 E23K polymorphism has been associated with late-onset diabetes and as a risk factor for maladaptive cardiac remodeling in the community-at-large and abnormal cardiopulmonary exercise stress performance in patients with heart failure. The overall mutation frequency within KATP channel genes and the spectrum of genotype–phenotype relationships remain to be established, while predicting consequences of a deficit in channel function is becoming increasingly feasible through systems biology approaches. Thus, advances in molecular medicine in the emerging field of human KATP channelopathies offer new opportunities for targeted individualized screening, early diagnosis, and tailored therapy.

Radial Spoke Protein 3 Is a Mammalian Protein Kinase A-anchoring Protein That Binds ERK1/2

Initially identified in Chlamydomonas, RSP3 (radial spoke protein 3) is 1 of more than 20 identified radial spoke structural components of motile cilia and is required for axonemal sliding and flagellar motility. The mammalian orthologs for this and other radial spoke proteins, however, remain to be characterized. We found mammalian RSP3 to bind to the MAPK ERK2 through a yeast two-hybrid screen designed to identify interacting proteins that have a higher affinity for the phosphorylated, active form of the protein kinase. Consistent with the screening result, the human homolog, RSPH3, interacts with and is a substrate for ERK1/2. Moreover, RSPH3 is a protein kinase A-anchoring protein (AKAP) that scaffolds the cAMP-dependent protein kinase holoenzyme. The binding of RSPH3 to the regulatory subunits of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, RIIalpha and RIIbeta, is regulated by ERK1/2 activity and phosphorylation. Here we describe an ERK1/2-interacting AKAP and suggest a mechanism by which cAMP-dependent protein kinase-AKAP binding can be modulated by the activity of other enzymes.

Calcineurin and cardiac function: is more or less better for the heart?

calcineurin (cn) is a Ca2+-calmodulin-activated serine-threonine phosphatase that is ubiquitously expressed and plays an important role in transducing Ca2+-dependent signals. Cn is a heterodimer composed of calmodulin binding catalytic subunit A (CnA) and a Ca2+ binding regulatory subunit B (CnB) ([

Cell cycle regulation of the mammalian CDK activator RINGO/Speedy A

Cell cycle progression is regulated by cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), whose activation requires the binding of regulatory subunits named cyclins. RINGO/Speedy A is a mammalian protein that has no amino acid sequence homology with cyclins but can activate CDKs. Here we show that RINGO/Speedy A is a highly unstable protein whose expression and phosphorylation are periodically regulated during the cell cycle. RINGO/Speedy A is degraded by the proteasome and the process involves the ubiquitin ligase SCFSkp2. Overexpression of a stabilized RINGO/Speedy A form results in the accumulation of high levels of RINGO/Speedy A at late stages of mitosis, which interfere with cytokinesis and chromosome decondensation. Our data show that tight regulation of RINGO/Speedy A is important for the somatic cell cycle. Structured summaryMINT-7226413:RINGO A (uniprotkb:Q5MJ70) physically interacts (MI:0914) with Ubiquitin (uniprotkb:P62988) by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0006)MINT-7226431, MINT-7226448:RINGO A (uniprotkb:Q5MJ70) physically interacts (MI:0914) with Skp2 (uniprotkb:Q13309) by anti tag coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0007)