Prey Plasmids Research Articles

Two linked resistance genes function divergently in defence against Verticillium Wilt in Alfalfa.

Two linked resistance genes function divergently in defence against Verticillium Wilt in Alfalfa.

Identification and evaluation of UL36 protein from Dermacentor silvarum salivary gland and its interaction with Anaplasma ovis VirB10

BackgroundAnaplasma ovis is a gram-negative, tick-borne obligate intraerythrocytic pathogen, which causes ovine anaplasmosis in small ruminants worldwide. VirB10 of A. ovis is an integral component of the Type IV Secretion System (T4SS). The T4SS is used by bacteria to transfer DNA and/or proteins undeviatingly into the host cell to increase their virulence. To more thoroughly understand the interaction between A. ovis and Dermacentor silvarum, a vector containing the virb10 gene of A. ovis was used as a bait plasmid to screen interacting proteins from the cDNA library of the D. silvarum salivary gland using the yeast two-hybrid system.MethodsThe cDNA of the D. silvarum salivary gland was cloned into the pGADT7-SmaI vector (prey plasmid) to construct the yeast two-hybrid cDNA library. The virb10 gene was cloned into the pGBKT7 vector to generate a bait plasmid. Any gene auto-activation or toxicity effects in the yeast strain Y2HGold were excluded. The screening was performed by combining the bait and prey plasmids in yeast strains to identify positive preys. The positive preys were then sequenced, and the obtained sequences were subjected to further analyses using Gene Ontology, UniProt, SMART, and STRING. Additionally, the interaction between the bait and the prey was evaluated using the glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-down assay.ResultsA total of two clones were obtained from the cDNA library using the yeast two-hybrid system, and the sequence analysis showed that both clones encoded the same large tegument protein, UL36. Furthermore, the proteins GST-UL36 and His-VirB10 were successfully expressed in vitro and the interaction between the two proteins was successfully demonstrated by the GST pull-down assay.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this study is the first to screen for D. silvarum salivary gland proteins that interact with A. ovis VirB10. The resulting candidate, UL36, is a multi-functional protein. Further investigations into the functionality of UL36 should be carried out, which might help in identifying novel prevention and treatment strategies for A. ovis infection. The present study provides a base for exploring and further understanding the interactions between A. ovis and D. silvarum.

Identification of Host Proteins Interacting with Toxoplasma gondii SAG1 by Yeast Two-Hybrid Assay

Toxoplasma gondii is one of the most successful human pathogens. To eliminate the infection, identification of receptors or binding partners from humans is indeed urgent. T. gondii surface antigen is the ultimate component involved during the attachment of parasite into host cell. However, mechanism of invasion between SAG and host-cell membrane remains unclear. Yeast two-hybrid experiment was used to identify the binding partners from cDNA human library by using T. gondii SAG1 as bait. Mated yeast cells were plated on DDO/X plates to confirm only prey plasmid that expressing interacting protein was selected. We detected 39 clones interacted with SAG1 based on a series of the selection procedures. After colony PCR, only 29 clones were positive and subsequently sent for sequencing. The yeast plasmids for true positive clones were rescued by transformation into E. coli TOP 10F' cells. Twenty-two clones were further examined by small-scale Y2H experiment. The results indicated that a strong interaction existed between Homo sapiens lysine-rich coil-coiled and SAG1 protein, which could activate the expressions of the reporter genes in diploid yeast. Co-immunoprecipitation experiment result indicated the binding between this prey and SAG1 protein was significant (Mann-Whitney U test, Z = - 1.964, P = 0.05). H. sapiens lysine-rich coil-coiled protein was found to be interacted with SAG1. This prey protein may serve as the potential drug target in vaccination study.

A novel, easy and rapid method for constructing yeast two-hybrid vectors using In-Fusion technology.

Yeast two-hybrid systems are powerful tools for analyzing interactions between proteins. Vector construction is an essential step in yeast two-hybrid experiments, which require bait and prey plasmids. In this study, we modified the multiple cloning site sequence of the yeast plasmid pGADT7 by site-directed mutagenesis PCR to generate the pGADT7-In vector, which resulted in an easy and rapid method for constructing yeast two-hybrid vectors using the In-Fusion cloning technique. This method has three key advantages: only one pair of primers and one round of PCR are needed to generate bait and prey plasmids for each gene, it is restriction endonuclease- and ligase-independent, and it is fast and easily performed.

Development and application of a recombination-based library versus library high- throughput yeast two-hybrid (RLL-Y2H) screening system.

Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network maintains proper function of all organisms. Simple high-throughput technologies are desperately needed to delineate the landscape of PPI networks. While recent state-of-the-art yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) systems improved screening efficiency, either individual colony isolation, library preparation arrays, gene barcoding or massive sequencing are still required. Here, we developed a recombination-based ‘library vs library’ Y2H system (RLL-Y2H), by which multi-library screening can be accomplished in a single pool without any individual treatment. This system is based on the phiC31 integrase-mediated integration between bait and prey plasmids. The integrated fragments were digested by MmeI and subjected to deep sequencing to decode the interaction matrix. We applied this system to decipher the trans-kingdom interactome between Mycobacterium tuberculosis and host cells and further identified Rv2427c interfering with the phagosome–lysosome fusion. This concept can also be applied to other systems to screen protein–RNA and protein–DNA interactions and delineate signaling landscape in cells.

Screening and identification of host proteins interacting with Theileria annulata cysteine proteinase (TaCP) by yeast-two-hybrid system

BackgroundTheileria annulata can infect monocytes/macrophages and B lymphocytes and causes severe lymphoproliferative disease in ruminants. Meanwhile, infection by T. annulata leads to the permanent proliferation of cell population through regulating signaling pathways of host cells. Cysteine proteinases (CPs) are one kind of protein hydrolase and usually play critical roles in parasite virulence, host invasion, nutrition and host immune response. However, the biological function of T. annulata CP (TaCP) is still unclear. In this study, a yeast-two-hybrid assay was performed to screen host proteins interacting with TaCP, to provide information to help our understanding of the molecular mechanisms between T. annulata and host cells.MethodsThe cDNA from purified bovine B cells was inserted into pGADT7-SfiI vector (pGADT7-SfiI-BcDNA, Prey plasmid) for constructing the yeast two-hybrid cDNA library. TaCP was cloned into the pGBKT7 vector (pGBKT7-TaCP) and was considered as bait plasmid after evaluating the expression, auto-activation and toxicity tests in the yeast strain Y2HGold. The yeast two-hybrid screening was carried out via co-transforming bait and prey plasmids into yeast strain Y2HGold. Sequences of positive preys were analyzed using BLAST, Gene Ontology, UniProt and STRING.ResultsTwo host proteins, CRBN (Bos taurus cereblon transcript variant X2) and Ppp4C (Bos indicus protein phosphatase 4 catalytic subunit) were identified to interact with TaCP. The results of functional analysis showed that the two proteins were involved in many cellular processes, such as ubiquitylation regulation, microtubule organization, DNA repair, cell apoptosis and maturation of spliceosomal snRNPs.ConclusionsThis study is the first to screen the host proteins of bovine B cells interacting with TaCP, and 2 proteins, CRBN and Ppp4C, were identified using yeast two-hybrid technique. The results of functional analysis suggest that the two proteins are involved in many cellular processes, such as ubiquitylation regulating, microtubule organization, DNA repair, cell apoptosis and maturation of spliceosomal snRNPs. The interaction with CRBN and Ppp4C indicate that TaCP possibly is involved in regulating signaling pathways and cell proliferation, which is helpful for understanding the interaction between T. annulata and host cells.

The involvement of the ceramide transporter in Alzheimer’s disease Investigating the binding properties of the ceramide transporter in the human brain by optimizing the splitubiquitin Yeast Two-Hybrid system

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, characterized by aggregates of Amyloid-ß (Aβ) peptides. The ceramide transporter (CERTL ) exists in a complex with serum amyloid P component in the Aβ plaques of AD patients. The goal is to obtain more information about the protein binding activity of CERTL in the human brain. To be able to do so, the Yeast Two-Hybrid (Y2H) technique, that was used to confirm the results from a previously executed CERTL Y2H screening, had to be optimized. Technical problems were encountered with the plasmid purification of the yeast NMY51 using the EZNA plasmid DNA minikit I and with the transformation in competent E.coli cells. Initially it was believed that there was a problem with the EZNA plasmid DNA minikit I. In this report troubleshooting was performed to identify the problem of the plasmid purification technique that has been used. Methods: To examine the protein binding activity of CERTL a split-ubiquitin Y2H system was used. In this system proteins are attached to two parts of one complete ubiquitin molecule, called the split-ubiquitin. The middle region domain of CERTL (the bait) was attached to the C-terminal half of the split-ubiquitin and the transcription factor LexA-VP16. The possible interactor, a prey library containing human brain proteins was fused to the N-terminal half of the split-ubiquitin. The presence of an interaction between bait and prey will results in the re-assembly of the split-ubiquitin, which activates ubiquitin proteases. The transcription factor is released and reporter genes are activated.The results of a previously executed Y2H screening had to be confirmed by performing another Y2H screening. The new screening had to be carried out using glycerol stocks of the yeast NMY51, containing both bait and prey, from the earlier performed Y2H screening. To optimize prey plasmid purification from the yeast using the EZNA plasmid DNA minikit I, troubleshooting was performed on the technique. Next to this, other methods to isolate the plasmid DNA, a QIAprep spin miniprep kit protocol and a phenol extraction and ethanol precipitation, were performed. The failing results were possibly due to the yeast being stored as a glycerol stock. In order to correct for this, a freshly transformed yeast sample was made. Results: Extracting the plasmid from glycerol stocks from the yeast NMY51 did not succeed. Plasmid purification and transformation of the prey plasmid from the fresh transformed yeast in E.coli competent cells was successful. Conclusion: From the results it is now believed that storing the yeast NMY51 containing the prey plasmid in glycerol stocks causes the prey plasmid to integrate into the genomic DNA of the yeast. Performing a new Y2H screening would therefore only be possible on fresh transformed yeast NMY51 cells.

Identification of protein-protein interactions by standard gal4p-based yeast two-hybrid screening.

Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) screening permits identification of completely new protein interaction partners for a protein of interest, in addition to confirming binary protein-protein interactions. After discussing the general advantages and drawbacks of Y2H and existing alternatives, this chapter provides a detailed protocol for traditional Gal4p-based Y2H library screens in Saccharomyces cerevisiae AH109. This includes bait transformation, bait auto-activation testing, prey library transformation, Y2H evaluation, and subsequent identification of the prey plasmids. Moreover, a one-on-one mating protocol to confirm interactions between suspected partners is given. Finally, a quantitative α-galactosidase assay protocol to compare interaction strengths is provided.

Dbf4 and Cdc7 Proteins Promote DNA Replication through Interactions with Distinct Mcm2–7 Protein Subunits

The essential cell cycle target of the Dbf4/Cdc7 kinase (DDK) is the Mcm2-7 helicase complex. Although Mcm4 has been identified as the critical DDK phosphorylation target for DNA replication, it is not well understood which of the six Mcm2-7 subunits actually mediate(s) docking of this kinase complex. We systematically examined the interaction between each Mcm2-7 subunit with Dbf4 and Cdc7 through two-hybrid and co-immunoprecipitation analyses. Strikingly different binding patterns were observed, as Dbf4 interacted most strongly with Mcm2, whereas Cdc7 displayed association with both Mcm4 and Mcm5. We identified an N-terminal Mcm2 region required for interaction with Dbf4. Cells expressing either an Mcm2 mutant lacking this docking domain (Mcm2ΔDDD) or an Mcm4 mutant lacking a previously identified DDK docking domain (Mcm4ΔDDD) displayed modest DNA replication and growth defects. In contrast, combining these two mutations resulted in synthetic lethality, suggesting that Mcm2 and Mcm4 play overlapping roles in the association of DDK with MCM rings at replication origins. Consistent with this model, growth inhibition could be induced in Mcm4ΔDDD cells through Mcm2 overexpression as a means of titrating the Dbf4-MCM ring interaction. This growth inhibition was exacerbated by exposing the cells to either hydroxyurea or methyl methanesulfonate, lending support for a DDK role in stabilizing or restarting replication forks under S phase checkpoint conditions. Finally, constitutive overexpression of each individual MCM subunit was examined, and genotoxic sensitivity was found to be specific to Mcm2 or Mcm4 overexpression, further pointing to the importance of the DDK-MCM ring interaction.

Analysis of novel interacting protein partners of Wsc1p and Mid2p, two sensor proteins of the PKC1 signaling pathway

Wsc1 and Mid2 are protein sensors of cell wall stress that activate the PKC1‐Cell Wall Integrity Pathway in response to environmental stress. We hypothesized that Wsc1p and Mid2p attract additional interacting protein partners (interactors) that can be associated with PKC1 activation. To identify novel interactors, the integrated membrane Y2H (iMYTH) technique was applied. A cDNA plasmid library of prey proteins was expressed in bait strains containing iMYTH reporter modules of Wsc1p and Mid2p. The interacting prey plasmid clones were recovered and sequenced. To assess their functionality in PKC1 activation, we performed Western blot analysis of phospho‐Slt2p in null mutants of the interactors. Under normal culture conditions at 30°C, 14 novel interactors were confirmed for Wsc1p and 29 for Mid2p. In a second iMYTH screen performed under heat stress conditions at 37°C, 4 novel interactors for Mid2p and 1 for Wsc1p were identified. At 37°C, YHR193C was the dominant interactor for Wsc1p and Mid2p. Null mutants of the interactors YOL109W, YHR135C, YPL199C exhibited normal PKC1 activation status at 30°C and 37°C while theYHR193C null mutant failed to activate PKC1 at 37°C. In conclusion, YHR193C is a protein interactor of Wsc1p and Mid2p required for activation of the PKC1 pathway. Supported by NCRR‐RCMI‐G12RR03051, MBRS‐RISE‐R25GM061838 & Univ. of Toronto.

The Cdc45·Mcm2–7·GINS Protein Complex in Trypanosomes Regulates DNA Replication and Interacts with Two Orc1-like Proteins in the Origin Recognition Complex

Accurate DNA replication requires a complex interplay of many regulatory proteins at replication origins. The CMG (Cdc45·Mcm2-7·GINS) complex, which is composed of Cdc45, Mcm2-7, and the GINS (Go-Ichi-Ni-San) complex consisting of Sld5 and Psf1 to Psf3, is recruited by Cdc6 and Cdt1 onto origins bound by the heterohexameric origin recognition complex (ORC) and functions as a replicative helicase. Trypanosoma brucei, an early branched microbial eukaryote, appears to express an archaea-like ORC consisting of a single Orc1/Cdc6-like protein. However, unlike archaea, trypanosomes possess components of the eukaryote-like CMG complex, but whether they form an active helicase complex, associate with the ORC, and regulate DNA replication remains unknown. Here, we demonstrated that the CMG complex is formed in vivo in trypanosomes and that Mcm2-7 helicase activity is activated by the association with Cdc45 and the GINS complex in vitro. Mcm2-7 and GINS proteins are confined to the nucleus throughout the cell cycle, whereas Cdc45 is exported out of the nucleus after DNA replication, indicating that nuclear exclusion of Cdc45 constitutes one mechanism for preventing DNA re-replication in trypanosomes. With the exception of Mcm4, Mcm6, and Psf1, knockdown of individual CMG genes inhibits DNA replication and cell proliferation. Finally, we identified a novel Orc1-like protein, Orc1b, as an additional component of the ORC and showed that both Orc1b and Orc1/Cdc6 associate with Mcm2-7 via interactions with Mcm3. All together, we identified the Cdc45·Mcm2-7·GINS complex as the replicative helicase that interacts with two Orc1-like proteins in the unusual origin recognition complex in trypanosomes.

Abstract 1946: Detecting protein-protein interactions between MUC16 CDΔ102 (80AA) and a SKOV-3 cDNA library using yeast two-hybrid screening

Abstract MUC16 is a membrane-bound mucin that extends from the surface of ovarian cancer cells. Recent studies suggest that MUC16 influences carcinogenesis and metastasis of ovarian cancer cells. It is expected that protein-protein interactions play a crucial role in MUC 16 signaling and oncogenic transformation. To define the mandatory molecular partners for MUC16 signaling and transformation, we investigated potential protein binding partners, using a classic yeast two-hybrid screening. The 80AA MUC16-CDΔ102 construct (ectodomain deletion mutant) was cloned into the bait plasmid pGBKT7 and transformed into Y2HGold yeast cells, allowing expression of MUC16-CDΔ102 fused to the Gal4 DNA-binding domain (BD). A SKOV-3 cDNA library was generated and cloned into the prey plasmid pGADT7 and transformed into yeast cells, allowing expression of cDNAs fused to the Gal4 activation domain (AD). Bait and prey yeast cells were allowed to bind to potential partners and bringing the BD and AD into proximity to each other, which then activated transcription of three reporter genes. An array of diploid yeast clones was produced, by co-culturing the two strains overnight, each co-expressing the bait with a different library prey protein. The clone pool was plated on selective media (basic SD-/Trp with Agar) and incubated to screen for individual clones that express the appropriate reporter genes and markers, indicating the presence of interacting hybrid protein pairs. Prey plasmids were then isolated from yeast cells and DNA fragments of the positive clones were amplified by PCR to determine the interacting binding partner. Seven potential binding proteins (no. of colonies), i.e. TTC1 (4), DARS (1), MAPK1IP1L (1), FAM175B (1), SEPT2 (1), CAMLG (4), and SKAP2 (3), were identified. Protein-complex immuno-precipitation analysis is planned to confirm the interactions between the seven potential binding proteins in human ovarian cancer cell lines, in order to verify that each identified member of the protein complex was a valid identification. 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 1946. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1946

Fbos, a Novel Oocyte-specific Protein, Interacts with Proteins Important for Oocyte Development in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

Oogenesis is characterized by a series of developmentally regulated events, which result in the matured oocyte that can give rise to a new organism after fertilization. Oocyte-specific genes play critical roles in oogenesis; however, the molecular details of oocyte-specific genes are poorly defined. Through analysis of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from a rainbow trout oocyte cDNA library, we identified and characterized a novel oocyte-specific gene coding for an F-box protein (Fbos, F-box oocyte-specific). F-box proteins are components of ubiquitin-ligase complexes, which bind substrates for uiquitin-mediated proteolysis. F-box proteins have also been associated with cellular functions such as signal transduction and regulation of the cell cycle. To define the molecular mechanisms of Fbos-dependent biological processes during oogenesis in rainbow trout, we used Fbos as bait in a yeast two-hybrid screen system, along with a rainbow trout ovary cDNA library. More than 300 yeast colonies were able to grow on nutritional selective plates; 18 clones displayed strong LacZ activity as shown by colony lift filter assay for β-galactosidase activity. After verifying the interactions by reintroduction of the candidate prey plasmids into yeast reporter strain containing Fbos plasmid, 8 plasmids were rescued successfully and subjected to DNA sequence analysis. The sequencing data demonstrated that Fbos protein interacts with a number of proteins including histone H3.3, adenylate kinase 2, ribosomal protein L36, oocyte protease inhibitor 1, zona pellucida protein 2 (ZP2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP-2). All 5 proteins showed significant β-galactosidase activities at different levels compared to the control in a quantitative β-galactosidase assay, indicating different binding affinities of these proteins with Fbos protein. Some of these proteins like ZP2 and TIMP-2 are known to play critical roles in oocyte development in various species. Our results suggest that through protein-protein interactions, the novel oocyte-specific F-box protein may play an important role in early oocyte development by regulating other critical proteins involved in oogenesis in rainbow trout. (poster)

A Novel Cytoplasmic Adaptor for Retinoic Acid Receptor (RAR) and Thyroid Receptor Functions as a Derepressor of RAR in the Absence of Retinoic Acid*

In most mammalian cells, the retinoic acid receptor (RAR) is nuclear rather than cytoplasmic, regardless of its cognate ligand, retinoic acid (RA). In testis Sertoli cells, however, RAR is retained in the cytoplasm and moves to the nucleus only when RA is supplied. This led us to identify a protein that regulates the translocation of RAR. From yeast two-hybrid screening, we identified a novel RAR-interacting protein called CART1 (cytoplasmic adaptor for RAR and TR). Systematic interaction assays using deletion mutants showed that the C-terminal CoRNR box of CART1 was responsible for the interaction with the NCoR binding region of RAR and TR. Such interaction was impaired in the presence of ligand RA, as further determined by GST pulldown assays in vitro and immunoprecipitation assays in vivo. Fluorescence microscopy showed that unliganded RAR was captured by CART1 in the cytoplasm, whereas liganded RAR was liberated and moved to the nucleus. Overexpression of CART1 blocked the transcriptional repressing activity of unliganded apoRAR, mediated by corepressor NCoR in the nucleus. CART1 siRNA treatment in a mouse Sertoli cell line, TM4, allowed RAR to move to the nucleus and blocked the derepressing function of CART1, suggesting that CART1 might be a cytoplasmic, testis-specific derepressor of RAR.

LINGO-1 Interacts with WNK1 to Regulate Nogo-induced Inhibition of Neurite Extension

LINGO-1 is a component of the tripartite receptor complexes, which act as a convergent mediator of the intracellular signaling in response to myelin-associated inhibitors and lead to collapse of growth cone and inhibition of neurite extension. Although the function of LINGO-1 has been intensively studied, its downstream signaling remains elusive. In the present study, a novel interaction between LINGO-1 and a serine-threonine kinase WNK1 was identified by yeast two-hybrid screen. The interaction was further validated by fluorescence resonance energy transfer and co-immunoprecipitation, and this interaction was intensified by Nogo66 treatment. Morphological evidences showed that WNK1 and LINGO-1 were co-localized in cortical neurons. Furthermore, either suppressing WNK1 expression by RNA interference or overexpression of WNK1-(123-510) attenuated Nogo66-induced inhibition of neurite extension and inhibited the activation of RhoA. Moreover, WNK1 was identified to interact with Rho-GDI1, and this interaction was attenuated by Nogo66 treatment, further indicating its regulatory effect on RhoA activation. Taken together, our results suggest that WNK1 is a novel signaling molecule involved in regulation of LINGO-1 mediated inhibition of neurite extension.

Factors Affecting the Diversity of DNA Replication Licensing Control in Eukaryotes

Replication of eukaryotic genomes is limited to once per cell cycle, by a two-step mechanism. DNA replication origins are first "licensed" during G1 phase by loading of an inactive DNA helicase (Mcm2-7) into pre-replicative complexes (pre-RCs). Initiation then occurs during S phase, triggered by cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), which promote recruitment of proteins required for helicase activation and replisome assembly. CDKs and the anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) restrict licensing to G1 phase by directly and indirectly regulating pre-RC components, including ORC, Cdc6, Cdt1, and Mcm2-7. Despite the fundamental importance of licensing regulation, the mechanisms by which pre-RC components are regulated differ widely across Eukarya. Here we show that even within the genus Saccharomyces, Cdc6 is regulated differently in different species. We propose that two factors contribute to the rapid evolution of licensing regulation. The first is redundancy: eliminating any single pre-RC-regulatory mechanism has very little affect on viability. The second is interchangeability: we show that regulatory mechanisms can be swapped between pre-RC components without compromising the block to re-replication. These experiments provide a framework for understanding the diversity of licensing regulation in eukaryotes and provide new tools for manipulating the chromosome-replication cycle.

RIBEYE Recruits Munc119, a Mammalian Ortholog of the Caenorhabditis elegans Protein unc119, to Synaptic Ribbons of Photoreceptor Synapses

Munc119 (also denoted as RG4) is a mammalian ortholog of the Caenorhabditis elegans protein unc119 and is essential for vision and synaptic transmission at photoreceptor ribbon synapses by unknown molecular mechanisms. Munc119/RG4 is related to the prenyl-binding protein PrBP/delta and expressed at high levels in photoreceptor ribbon synapses. Synaptic ribbons are presynaptic specializations in the active zone of these tonically active synapses and contain RIBEYE as a unique and major component. In the present study, we identified Munc119 as a RIBEYE-interacting protein at photoreceptor ribbon synapses using five independent approaches. The PrBP/delta homology domain of Munc119 is essential for the interaction with the NADH binding region of RIBEYE(B) domain. But RIBEYE-Munc119 interaction does not depend on NADH binding. A RIBEYE point mutant (RE(B)E844Q) that no longer interacted with Munc119 still bound NADH, arguing that binding of Munc119 and NADH to RIBEYE are independent from each other. Our data indicate that Munc119 is a synaptic ribbon-associated component. We show that Munc119 can be recruited to synaptic ribbons via its interaction with RIBEYE. Our data suggest that the RIBEYE-Munc119 interaction is essential for synaptic transmission at the photoreceptor ribbon synapse.

Homo-oligomerization Is Essential for Toll/Interleukin-1 Receptor Domain-containing Adaptor Molecule-1-mediated NF-κB and Interferon Regulatory Factor-3 Activation

Toll-IL-1 receptor (TIR) domain-containing adaptor molecule-1 (TICAM-1, also named TIR domain-containing adaptor-inducing interferon (IFN)-beta or TRIF)) is a signaling adaptor of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 3/4 that activates the transcription factors, interferon regulatory factor-3 (IRF-3) and NF-kappaB leading to inducing IFN-beta production. The mechanisms by which TICAM-1 is activated by TLR3/4 to serve as a signaling platform are unknown. In this study, we show that homo-oligomerization of TICAM-1 is critical for TICAM-1-mediated activation of NF-kappaB and IRF-3. Both TIR and C-terminal domain of TICAM-1 mediated TICAM-1 oligomerization. Pro(434) located in the TIR domain and the C-terminal region, with the exception of the RIP homotypic-interacting motif, were determinants of TICAM-1 oligomerization. Mutation of TIR domain (P434H) or deletion of C-terminal domain greatly reduced TICAM-1-mediated NF-kappaB and IFN-beta promoter activation. TICAM-1 oligomerization at either the TIR domain or the C-terminal region resulted in recruitment of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 3, a downstream signaling molecule essential for TICAM-1-mediated IRF-3 activation, but not recruitment of the IRF-3 kinase complex, NF-kappaB-activating kinase-associated protein 1 and TANK-binding kinase 1. In addition, RIP homotypic-interacting motif mutant, which possesses two oligomerization motifs but not the RIP1 binding motif, also failed to recruit NF-kappaB-activating kinase-associated protein 1 and TANK-binding kinase 1. Thus, full activation and formation of TICAM-1 signalosomes requires oligomerization induced at two different sites and RIP1 binding.

The Cell Adhesion Receptor Carcinoembryonic Antigen-related Cell Adhesion Molecule 1 Regulates Nucleocytoplasmic Trafficking of DNA Polymerase δ-Interacting Protein 38

The homophilic cell-cell adhesion receptor CEACAM1 (carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1, CD66a) acts as a regulator of contact-dependent cell survival, differentiation, and growth. It is involved in the control of proliferation in hematopoietic and epithelial cells and can act as a tumor suppressor. In this study, we identify DNA polymerase delta-interacting protein 38 (PDIP38) as a novel binding partner for CEACAM1-L and CEACAM1-S. We show that PDIP38 can occur in the nucleus, in the cytoplasm and at the plasma membrane in NBT-II, IEC18, RBE, and HeLa cells and that the distribution in NBT-II cells is influenced by the confluency of the cells. We also demonstrate that the interaction of CEACAM1 and PDIP38 is of functional importance in NBT-II cells, which co-express the long and the short CEACAM1 isoform. In subconfluent, proliferating NBT-II cells, perturbation of CEACAM1 by antibody clustering induces increased binding to PDIP38 and results in rapid recruitment of PDIP38 to the plasma membrane. The same treatment of confluent, quiescent NBT-II cells leads to a different response, i.e. translocation of PDIP38 to the nucleus. Together, our data show that PDIP38 can shuttle between the cytoplasmic and the nuclear compartments and that its subcellular localization is regulated by CEACAM1, implicating that PDIP38 may constitute a novel downstream target of CEACAM1 signaling.

The role of LANP and ataxin 1 in E4F‐mediated transcriptional repression

The leucine-rich acidic nuclear protein (LANP) belongs to the INHAT family of corepressors that inhibits histone acetyltransferases. The mechanism by which LANP restricts its repression to specific genes is unknown. Here, we report that LANP forms a complex with transcriptional repressor E4F and modulates its activity. As LANP interacts with ataxin 1--a protein mutated in the neurodegenerative disease spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1)--we tested whether ataxin 1 can alter the E4F-LANP interaction. We show that ataxin 1 relieves the transcriptional repression induced by the LANP-E4F complex by competing with E4F for LANP. These results provide the first functional link, to our knowledge, between LANP and ataxin 1, and indicate a potential mechanism for the transcriptional aberrations observed in SCA1.