Acidic Domain Of MDM2 Research Articles

Tau protein binds to the P53 E3 ubiquitin ligase MDM2

Tau gene mutations cause a progressive dementia and neurotoxic Tau forms deposited in neurofibrillary tangles are hallmarks of neurodegenerative tauopathies. Loss of non-canonical Tau functions may contribute to disease. In fact, Tau depletion affects the cellular response to DNA damage and tauopathies exhibit the accumulation of DNA lesions. Moreover, Tau modulates P53 activity and cell fate. Considering that MDM2 is the main antagonist of P53, we investigated, using orthogonal assays, if Tau interacts with MDM2. We report the existence in cells and brain of a Tau-MDM2 complex that, in vitro, exhibits reduced P53 ubiquitination activity in a manner sensitive to a Tau mutation. The Tau-MDM2 interaction involves the microtubule-binding domain of Tau and the acidic domain of MDM2, reminiscent of the binding of Tau to negatively charged microtubules. Notably, MDM2 accumulates aberrantly in neurofibrillary tangles. Aging-associated insults may expose a novel loss-of-function of Tau in neurodegeneration and cancer.

1H, 15N and 13C backbone resonance assignments of the acidic domain of the human MDM2 protein.

The human MDM2 protein regulates the tumor suppressor protein p53 by restricting its transcriptional activity and by promoting p53 degradation. MDM2 is ubiquitously expressed, with its overexpression implicated in many forms of cancer. The inhibitory effects of MDM2 on p53 have been shown to involve its N-terminal p53-binding domain and its C-terminal RING domain. The presence of an intact central acidic domain of MDM2 has also been shown to regulate p53 ubiquitination, with this domain shown to directly interact with the p53 DNA-binding domain to regulate the DNA binding activity of p53. To date, little structural information has been obtained for the MDM2 acidic domain. Thus, to gain insight into the structure and function relationship of this region, we have applied solution-state NMR spectroscopy to characterize the segment of MDM2 spanning residues 215-300. These boundaries for the acidic domain were determined on the basis of consensus observed in multiple sequence alignment. Here, we report the 1H, 15N and 13C backbone and 13Cβ chemical shift assignments and steady-state {1H}-15N heteronuclear NOE enhancement factors as a function of residue for the acidic domain of MDM2. We show that this domain exhibits the hallmarks of being a disordered protein, on the basis both of assigned chemical shifts and residue-level backbone dynamics, with localized variation in secondary structure propensity inferred from chemical shift analysis.

Articles of Significant Interest in This Issue

This article refers to:hnRNP Q Regulates Internal Ribosome Entry Site-Mediated fmr1 Translation in NeuronsMutant p53 Sequestration of the MDM2 Acidic Domain Inhibits E3 Ligase Activity

Cancer-mutated ribosome protein L22 (RPL22/eL22) suppresses cancer cell survival by blocking p53-MDM2 circuit.

Several ribosomal proteins (RPs) in response to various ribosomal stressors have been shown to play a critical role in p53-dependent regulation of cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and tumor suppression. Here, we report ribosomal protein L22 (RPL22/eL22) as a novel p53 activator highly mutated (mostly deletion mutation) in various types of human cancers, but not essential for ribosomal biogenesis in normal cells. Ectopic expression of RPL22/eL22 suppressed the colony formation of cancer cells in a p53-dependent manner, whereas knockdown of RPL22/eL22 significantly compromised p53 activation by Actinomycin D, rescuing p53-induced G1/G0 cell cycle arrest. Interestingly, human tumors with RPL22/eL22 deletion appeared to sustain wild type p53. Mechanistically, RPL22/eL22 bound to MDM2 acidic domain and inhibited MDM2-mediated p53 ubiquitination and degradation, hence extending the half-life of p53. Ribosome-profiling analysis revealed that induction of ribosomal stress by Actinomycin D leads to the increase of ribosome-free RPL22/eL22 pool. Also, RPL22/eL22 formed a complex with MDM2/RPL5/uL18/RPL11/uL5 and synergized with RPL11/uL5 to activate p53. Furthermore, the N terminus of RPL22/eL22 bound to MDM2, while the C terminus interacted with RPL5/uL18/RPL11/uL5; both of these two fragments activated p53 by inhibiting MDM2. Our study indicates that RPL22/eL22 highly mutated in human cancers plays an anti-cancer role likely through regulation of the MDM2-p53 feedback loop, and also suggests that targeting the RPL22/eL22-MDM2-p53 pathway could be a potential strategy for future development of anti-cancer therapy.

DNAJB1 stabilizes MDM2 and contributes to cancer cell proliferation in a p53-dependent manner

Both MDM2 and MDMX regulate p53, but these proteins play different roles in this process. To clarify the difference, we performed a yeast 2 hybrid (Y2H) screen using the MDM2 acidic domain as bait. DNAJB1 was found to specifically bind to MDM2, but not MDMX, in vitro and in vivo. Further investigation revealed that DNAJB1 stabilizes MDM2 at the post-translational level. The C-terminus of DNAJB1 is essential for its interaction with MDM2 and for MDM2 accumulation. MDM2 was degraded faster by a ubiquitin-mediated pathway when DNAJB1 was depleted. DNAJB1 inhibited the MDM2-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of p53 and contributed to p53 activation in cancer cells. Depletion of DNAJB1 in cancer cells inhibited activity of the p53 pathway, enhanced the activity of the Rb/E2F pathway, and promoted cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. This function was p53 dependent, and either human papillomavirus (HPV) E6 protein or siRNA against p53 was able to block the contribution caused by DNAJB1 depletion. In this study, we discovered a new MDM2 interacting protein, DNAJB1, and provided evidence to support its p53-dependent tumor suppressor function.

Mutational analysis reveals a dual role of Mdm2 acidic domain in the regulation of p53 stability

The exact role of the central acidic domain of Mdm2 in p53 degradation remains unclear. We therefore performed a systematic and comprehensive analysis of the acidic domain using a series of short deletions and found that only a minor part of the domain was indispensable for Mdm2-mediated p53 ubiquitylation. Moreover, we identified a short stretch of acidic amino acids required for p53 degradation but not ubiquitylation, indicating that, in addition to p53 ubiquitylation, the acidic domain might be involved in a critical post-ubiquitylation step in p53 degradation. Rather than representing a single functional domain, different parts of the acidic region perform separate functions in p53 degradation, suggesting that it might be possible to therapeutically target them independently. Structured summary of protein interactionsMDM2 physically interacts with S6b by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (View interaction)MDM2 physically interacts with p53 by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (View interaction: 1, 2)MDM2 physically interacts with C8α by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (View interaction: 1, 2)YY1 physically interacts with MDM2 by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (View interaction)MDM2 physically interacts with S6a by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (View interaction)

MDM2 Protein-mediated Ubiquitination of NUMB Protein: IDENTIFICATION OF A SECOND PHYSIOLOGICAL SUBSTRATE OF MDM2 THAT EMPLOYS A DUAL-SITE DOCKING MECHANISM

The E3 ubiquitin ligase, MDM2, uses a dual-site mechanism to ubiquitinate and degrade the tumor suppressor protein p53, involving interactions with the N-terminal hydrophobic pocket and the acidic domain of MDM2. The results presented here demonstrate that MDM2 also uses this same dual-site mechanism to bind to the cell fate determinant NUMB with both the N-terminal hydrophobic pocket and the acidic domain of MDM2 also involved in forming the interaction with NUMB. Furthermore, the acidic domain interactions are crucial for MDM2-mediated ubiquitination of NUMB. Contrary to p53, where two separate domains form the interface with MDM2, only one region within the phosphotyrosine binding domain of NUMB (amino acids 113-148) mediates binding to both these regions of MDM2. By binding to both domains on MDM2, NUMB disrupts the MDM2-p53 complex and MDM2-catalyzed ubiquitination of p53. Therefore, we have identified the mechanism NUMB uses to regulate the steady-state levels of the p53 in cells. By targeting the acidic domain of MDM2 using acid domain-binding ligands we can overcome MDM2-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of NUMB impacting on the stabilization of p53 in cells. Furthermore, delivery of MDM2 acid domain-binding ligands to cancer cells promotes p53-dependent growth arrest and the induction of apoptosis. This highlights the dual-site mechanism of MDM2 on another physiological substrate and identifies the acid domain as well as N terminus as a potential target for small molecules that inhibit MDM2.

Regulation of MDM2 E3 Ligase Activity by Phosphorylation after DNA Damage

MDM2 is a major regulator of p53 by acting as a ubiquitin E3 ligase. The central acidic domain and C-terminal RING domain of MDM2 are both indispensable for ubiquitination of p53. Our previous study suggested that ATM phosphorylation of MDM2 near the C terminus inhibits RING domain oligomerization, resulting in p53 stabilization after DNA damage. We present here evidence that these modifications allosterically regulate the functions of both acidic domain and RING domain of MDM2. Using chemical cross-linking, we show that the MDM2 RING domain forms oligomers including dimer and higher-order complexes in vivo. RING domain dimerization efficiency is negatively regulated by upstream sequence. ATM-mediated phosphorylation of the upstream sequence further inhibits RING dimerization. Forced oligomerization of MDM2 partially overcomes the inhibitory effect of phosphorylation and stimulates p53 ubiquitination. Furthermore, the ability of MDM2 acidic domain to bind p53 core domain and induce p53 misfolding are also suppressed by the same C-terminal ATM sites after DNA damage. These results suggest that the acidic domain and RING domain of MDM2 are both allosterically coupled to the intervening ATM sites, which enables the same modification to regulate multiple MDM2 functions critical for p53 ubiquitination.

Inhibition of p53 DNA Binding Function by the MDM2 Protein Acidic Domain

MDM2 regulates p53 predominantly by promoting p53 ubiquitination. However, ubiquitination-independent mechanisms of MDM2 have also been implicated. Here we show that MDM2 inhibits p53 DNA binding activity in vitro and in vivo. MDM2 binding promotes p53 to adopt a mutant-like conformation, losing reactivity to antibody Pab1620, while exposing the Pab240 epitope. The acidic domain of MDM2 is required to induce p53 conformational change and inhibit p53 DNA binding. Alternate reading frame binding to the MDM2 acidic domain restores p53 wild type conformation and rescues DNA binding activity. Furthermore, histone methyl transferase SUV39H1 binding to the MDM2 acidic domain also restores p53 wild type conformation and allows p53-MDM2-SUV39H1 complex to bind DNA. These results provide further evidence for an ubiquitination-independent mechanism of p53 regulation by MDM2 and reveal how MDM2-interacting repressors gain access to p53 target promoters and repress transcription. Furthermore, we show that the MDM2 inhibitor Nutlin cooperates with the proteasome inhibitor Bortezomib by stimulating p53 DNA binding and transcriptional activity, providing a rationale for combination therapy using proteasome and MDM2 inhibitors.

Abstract 3090: Inhibition of p53 DNA binding function by the MDM2 acidic domain

Abstract MDM2 is an important regulator of p53, acting in part by promoting p53 ubiquitination. However, MDM2 has also been implicated in regulation of p53 through ubiquitination-independent mechanisms. Here we show that MDM2 inhibits p53 DNA binding activity in vitro and in vivo. MDM2 binding promotes p53 to adopt a mutant-like conformation, losing reactivity to antibody Pab1620, while exposing the Pab240 epitope. The acidic domain of MDM2 is required to induce p53 conformational change and inhibit p53 DNA binding, possibly by interacting with the p53 DNA binding domain. ARF binding to the MDM2 acidic domain restores p53 wild type conformation and rescues DNA binding activity. Furthermore, histone methyl transferase SUV39H1 binding to the MDM2 acidic domain also restores p53 wild type conformation and allows p53-MDM2-SUV39H1 complex to bind DNA. These results provide further evidence for an ubiquitination-independent mechanism of p53 regulation by MDM2, and reveal how MDM2-interacting repressors gain access to p53 target promoters and repress transcription. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3090. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3090

The Effects of Phosphomimetic Lid Mutation on the Thermostability of the N-terminal Domain of MDM2

The multidomain E3 ubiquitin ligase MDM2 catalyzes p53 ubiquitination by a “dual-site” docking mechanism whereby MDM2 binding to at least two distinct peptide motifs on p53 promotes ubiquitination. One protein–protein interaction occurs between the N-terminal hydrophobic pocket of MDM2 and the transactivation motif of p53, and the second interaction occurs between the acidic domain of MDM2 and a motif in the DNA-binding domain of p53. A flexible N-terminal pseudo-substrate or “lid” adjacent to the N-terminal hydrophobic pocket of MDM2 has a phosphorylation site, and there are distinct models proposed on how the phosphorylated lid could affect MDM2 function. Biochemical studies have predicted that phosphomimetic mutation will stabilize the lid on the surface of MDM2 and will “open” the hydrophobic pocket and stabilize the MDM2–p53 complex, while NMR studies proposed that phosphomimetic mutation “closes” the lid over the MDM2 pocket and inhibits MDM2–p53 complex formation. To resolve these discrepancies, we utilized a quantitative fluorescence-based dye binding assay to measure the thermal unfolding of wild-type (wt), ΔLid, and S17D N-terminal domains of MDM2 as a function of increasing ligand concentration. Our data reveal that S17D lid mutation increases, rather than decreases, the thermostability of the N-terminal domain of MDM2 in the absence or in the presence of ligand. ΔLid mutation, by contrast, increases MDM2 thermoinstability. This is consistent with biochemical data, using full-length MDM2, showing that the S17D mutation stabilizes the MDM2–p53 complex and increases the specific activity of the E3 ubiquitin ligase function of MDM2. These data indicate that phosphomimetic lid mutation results in an “opening,” rather than a “closing,” of the pocket of MDM2 and highlight the ability of small intrinsically disordered or unstructured peptide motifs to regulate the specific activity of a protein.

Acidic domain is indispensable for MDM2 to negatively regulate the acetylation of p53

MDM2 is the most important negative regulator of tumor suppressor p53. Both RING finger domain and acidic domain of MDM2 contribute to the ubiquitination of p53. The crosstalk between ubiquitination and acetylation of p53 prompts us to examine whether acidic domain is essential for MDM2 to regulate the acetylation of p53. We find that the acidic domain of MDM2 is necessary to inhibit p300-mediated acetylation of p53 as well as to mediate the deacetylation of p53. Our results indicate that acidic domain of MDM2 provides essential information for acetyltransferase p300 and deacetylase HDAC1 and is indispensable for MDM2 to negatively regulate the acetylation of p53.

Transcription factor TAFII250 phosphorylates the acidic domain of Mdm2 through recruitment of protein kinase CK2

Induction and activation of the p53 tumour suppressor protein occurs in response to a number of cellular stresses, including disruption of RNA polymerase II-mediated transcription. Both p53 itself and its principle negative regulator, the E3 ubiquitin ligase Mdm2, are substrates for phosphorylation by the protein kinase CK2 in vitro. CK2 phosphorylates Mdm2 within its central acidic domain, a region that is critical for making a second point of contact with p53 and mediating p53 ubiquitylation and turnover. Additionally, there is evidence that CK2 interacts with, and regulates, both p53 and Mdm2 within the cell but the molecular mechanisms through which CK2-mediated regulation of the p53 response can occur are only poorly understood. Previously, we showed that the basal transcription factor TAFII250, a critical component of TFIID, can interact with Mdm2 and promote the association of the Mdm2 acidic domain with p53. In the present study, we show that immunoprecipitates of TAFII250, either from mammalian cell extracts or from baculovirus-infected cells expressing elevated levels of HA-tagged TAFII250, can phosphorylate Mdm2 in vitro within its acidic domain. We show that CK2 is tightly associated with TAFII250 and is the principal activity responsible for TAFII250-mediated phosphorylation of Mdm2. Our data fit with recent observations that phosphorylation of the acidic domain of Mdm2 stimulates its association with p53 and are consistent with a model in which recruitment of CK2 by TAFII250 may play a contributory role in the maintenance of Mdm2 phosphorylation and function.

Transcription factor TAFII250 promotes Mdm2-dependent turnover of p53

The p53 tumour suppressor is regulated mainly by Mdm2, an E3 ubiquitin ligase that promotes the ubiquitylation and proteasome-mediated degradation of p53. Many agents that induce p53 are inhibitors of transcription, suggesting that the p53 pathway can detect a signal(s) arising from transcriptional malfunction. Mdm2 associates with TAFII250, a component of the general transcription factor TFIID. Inactivation of TAFII250 in ts13 cells, which express a temperature-sensitive mutant of TAFII250, leads to the induction of p53 and cell cycle arrest. In the present study, we show that TAFII250 stimulates the ubiquitylation and degradation of p53 in a manner that is dependent upon Mdm2 and requires its acidic domain. Mechanistically, TAFII250 downregulates Mdm2 auto-ubiquitylation, leading to Mdm2 stabilization, and promotes p53-Mdm2 association through a recently defined second binding site in the acidic domain of Mdm2. These data provide a novel route through which TAFII250 can directly influence p53 levels and are consistent with the idea that the maintenance of p53 turnover is coupled to the integrity of RNA polymerase II transcription.

Physical and Functional Interactions between PML and MDM2

The tumor suppressor protein PML and oncoprotein MDM2 have opposing effects on p53. PML stimulates p53 activity by recruiting it to nuclear foci termed PML nuclear bodies. In contrast, MDM2 inhibits p53 by promoting its degradation. To date, neither a physical nor functional relationship between PML and MDM2 has been described. In this study, we report an in vivo and in vitro interaction between PML and MDM2 which is independent of p53. Two separate regions of PML are recognized which can interact with MDM2. The C-terminal half of PML, encoded by residues 300-633, can interact with the central region of MDM2 which includes the MDM2 acidic domain. In addition, PML amino acids 1-200, which encode the RING-finger and most of the B box zinc binding motifs, can interact with the C-terminal, RING-finger containing region of MDM2. Interestingly, PML mutants in which sumoylation at lysine 160 was inhibited displayed an increased association with MDM2, suggesting that sumoylation at this site may be a determinant of PML-MDM2 binding. Coexpression with MDM2 caused a redistribution of PML from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, and this required the PML N terminus and the MDM2 RING-finger domain. These results suggest that interaction between the PML N terminus and MDM2 C terminus can promote PML nuclear exclusion. Wild-type MDM2 inhibited the ability of PML to stimulate the transcriptional activity of a GAL4-CBP fusion protein. This inhibition required the central, acidic region of MDM2, but did not require the MDM2 C terminus. Taken together, these studies demonstrate that MDM2 and PML can interact through at least two separate protein regions, and that these interactions can have specific effects on the activity and/or localization of PML.

The contribution of the acidic domain of MDM2 to p53 and MDM2 stability.

p53 and MDM2 are both degraded by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. MDM2 binds p53 and promotes its rapid degradation. MDM2 is an E3 ligase that activates self and p53 ubiquitylation. Moreover, MDM2 nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling contributes to p53 degradation in the cytoplasm. We have identified a new region of MDM2 which regulates the stability of both p53 and MDM2. The first 50 amino-acids of the MDM2 acidic domain (222-272) contribute to MDM2 and MDM2-mediated p53 degradation by a mechanism which is independent of either MDM2 E3-ligase activity or MDM2 nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling. The transcriptional coactivator p300 could have been involved, since it binds to the MDM2 acidic domain. However, we found that p300 stabilises MDM2, even in absence of an intact acidic domain, indicating that the MDM2 acidic region contributes to proteolysis independently of p300. We propose that the MDM2 acidic domain is required for unbiquitylated MDM2 and p53 to be degraded by cytoplasmic proteasomes.

HUMAN ONCOPROTEIN MDM2 INTERACTS WITH THE TATA-BINDING PROTEIN IN-VITRO AND IN-VIVO

Human oncoprotein MDM2 inhibits p53-induced transcriptional activation of promoters containing p53-binding sites. In this report we show that MDM2 interacts with the human TATA binding protein (TBP), in vivo and in. vitro, in the absence of p53. The C-terminal boundary of the TBP-binding domain on MDM2 resides between amino acids 221 and 276, whereas the N-terminal boundary is beyond amino acid 120. Thus, the acidic domain of MDM2 overlaps with the TBP binding domain and is needed for the interaction. The C-terminal conserved domain of TBP is required for MDM2 binding. MDM2-TBP interaction suggests a p53-independent, transcription regulatory role of MDM2.