Proteolysis by the ubiquitin (Ub) system plays essential roles in a multitude of biological processes, and has major ramifications for human health. Studies of the Ub-dependent N-end rule pathway by this laboratory over the last three decades were made possible, to a large extent, by the present grant (GM031530), currently in its 28th year of supporting our research. A focus of this renewal application stems from the 2010 discovery by the lab that the N-terminal acetylation (Nt-acetylation) of cellular proteins creates specific N-terminal degradation signals (degrons), termed AcN-degrons. The resulting expansion of the N-end rule pathway necessitated the change of the earlier title of this grant (""""""""The Functions, Mechanisms, and Regulation of N-Terminal Arginylation"""""""") to its present title, """"""""N-Terminal Acetylation and Protein Degradation by the N-End Rule Pathway"""""""".
Specific Aims (described more briefly than in Research Plan): 1) Studies of the Nt-acetylation branch of the N-end rule pathway in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae that include the use of recent mass spectrometry-based technologies to identify specific physiological substrates containing AcN-degrons. 2) Further development of the Ub-Reference Technique (URT), a method introduced by this laboratory in 1996. A novel (unpublished) version of URT t allows a nascent protein to undergo modifications (including Nt-acetylation) without kinetic delays. In another project of this Aim, we employ a different technique, based on activation of dormant N-degrons, to tackle a physiologically important problem of the posttranslational (as distinguished from cotranslational) Nt-acetylation. 3) Studies of the Nt-acetylation branch of the N-end rule pathway in mammalian cells. Proteins containing AcN-degrons have not been identified in mammals, until now. We shall focus, initially, on two proteins: Rgs2, a regulator of specific G proteins;and Aanat, the serotonin N-acetyltransferase. Aanat produces Ac-serotonin, the immediate precursor of melatonin, a hormone that regulates circadian rhythm. Regulated degradation of Aanat is likely to be mediated by its AcN-degron. 4) Studies of the previously known part of the N-end rule pathway, now called the UBR/arginylation branch. One of these projects is a study of Atl1 (Ate1's ligand-1) and its complex with Arg-transferase, Ate1. Other studies shall explore the recent (also unpublished) discovery that the UBR branch of the N-end rule pathway is mediated by a physical complex between Ubr1 (the previously known E3 of this pathway) and Ufd4, the E3 of the UFD (Ub-Fusion-Degradation) pathway. Until recently, the UFD pathway, identified and studied by this laboratory in 1986-1995, was thought to be entirely distinct from the N-end rule pathway.

Public Health Relevance

Studies proposed in this renewal application are based on recent discoveries by this laboratory. These studies will address the functions of systems that mediate regulated protein degradation in yeast and mammalian cells. Inborn or acquired defects in these systems, which include the ubiquitin system, are a cause of many human diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative syndromes. Understanding the mechanisms and functions of the N-end rule pathway, our focus and a major part of the ubiquitin system, is likely to result in better therapies for specific medical problems, including currently intractable ones.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01GM031530-31
Application #
8321481
Study Section
Membrane Biology and Protein Processing (MBPP)
Program Officer
Gerratana, Barbara
Project Start
1992-07-01
Project End
2015-05-31
Budget Start
2012-06-01
Budget End
2013-05-31
Support Year
31
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$605,644
Indirect Cost
$221,110
Name
California Institute of Technology
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
009584210
City
Pasadena
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
91125
Kim, Jeong-Mok; Seok, Ok-Hee; Ju, Shinyeong et al. (2018) Formyl-methionine as an N-degron of a eukaryotic N-end rule pathway. Science 362:
Chen, Shun-Jia; Wu, Xia; Wadas, Brandon et al. (2017) An N-end rule pathway that recognizes proline and destroys gluconeogenic enzymes. Science 355:
Oh, Jang-Hyun; Chen, Shun-Jia; Varshavsky, Alexander (2017) A reference-based protein degradation assay without global translation inhibitors. J Biol Chem 292:21457-21465
Oh, Jang-Hyun; Hyun, Ju-Yeon; Varshavsky, Alexander (2017) Control of Hsp90 chaperone and its clients by N-terminal acetylation and the N-end rule pathway. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 114:E4370-E4379
Wadas, Brandon; Piatkov, Konstantin I; Brower, Christopher S et al. (2016) Analyzing N-terminal Arginylation through the Use of Peptide Arrays and Degradation Assays. J Biol Chem 291:20976-20992
Liu, Yu-Jiao; Liu, Chao; Chang, ZeNan et al. (2016) Degradation of the Separase-cleaved Rec8, a Meiotic Cohesin Subunit, by the N-end Rule Pathway. J Biol Chem 291:7426-38
Wadas, Brandon; Borjigin, Jimo; Huang, Zheping et al. (2016) Degradation of Serotonin N-Acetyltransferase, a Circadian Regulator, by the N-end Rule Pathway. J Biol Chem 291:17178-96
Piatkov, Konstantin I; Vu, Tri T M; Hwang, Cheol-Sang et al. (2015) Formyl-methionine as a degradation signal at the N-termini of bacterial proteins. Microb Cell 2:376-393
Park, Sang-Eun; Kim, Jeong-Mok; Seok, Ok-Hee et al. (2015) Control of mammalian G protein signaling by N-terminal acetylation and the N-end rule pathway. Science 347:1249-1252
Varshavsky, Alexander (2014) Discovery of the biology of the ubiquitin system. JAMA 311:1969-70

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