Project description:FOXK2 is a crucial transcription factor implicated in a wide array of biological activities and yet understanding of its molecular regulation at the level of protein turnover is limited. Here we identify that FOXK2 is sensitive to degradation by the virulent pathogens P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae in lung epithelia through ubiquitin-proteasomal processing. FOXK2 through its carboxyl-terminus (aa 428-478) binds the Skp-Cullin-F-box ubiquitin E3 ligase subunit FBXO24 that mediates multisite polyubiquitylation of the transcription factor resulting in its nuclear degradation. FOXK2 was detected within mitochondria and targeted depletion of the transcription factor or cellular expression of FOXK2 mutants devoid of key carboxyl-terminal domains significantly impaired mitochondrial function. In experimental bacterial pneumonia, Fbxo24 heterozygous mice exhibited preserved mitochondrial function and Foxk2 protein levels compared to wild-type littermates. The results suggest a new mode of regulatory control of mitochondrial energetics through modulation of FOXK2 cellular abundance.
Project description:Analysis of gene expression altered upon knockdown of Siah2 in prosate cancer cells. The objective is to elucidate which signaling pathways or transcription factors are regulated by the E3 ubiquitin ligase Siah2 in human prostate cancer cells. CWR22Rv1 cells were in fected with pLKO.1 control or Siah2 shRNA, and selected with 1ug/ml of puromycin to get stable transfectants. Total RNA was extracted for micorarray analysis to compare the diffentially expressed genes between pLKO.1 control and Siah2 knockdown cells.
Project description:Analysis of gene expression altered upon knockdown of Siah2 in prosate cancer cells. The objective is to elucidate which signaling pathways or transcription factors are regulated by the E3 ubiquitin ligase Siah2 in human prostate cancer cells.
Project description:Transcriptome analysis by RNA-seq of lungs from control and Rfwd2 epithelial-specific conditional knockout mice at embryonic 13.5 day age. RFWD2, is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that modifies specific target proteins, priming their degradation via the ubiquitin proteasome system. Rfwd2 deficiency led to a striking halt in branching morphogenesis shortly after secondary branch formation. In the mutant lung, two ETS transcript factors essential for normal lung branching, ETV4 and ETV5, were upregulated at the protein, but not transcript level. Introduction of Etv loss-of-function alleles into the Rfwd2 mutant background attenuated the branching phenotype, suggesting that RFWD2 functions at least in part through degrading ETV proteins. As a number of E3 ligases are known to target factors important for lung development, our findings provides a preview of a protein-level regulatory network essential for lung branching morphogenesis.
Project description:Epigenetic regulation is important for establishing lineage-specific gene expression during early development. Although signaling pathways have been well-studied for regulation of trophectoderm reprogramming, epigenetic regulation of trophectodermal genes with histone modification dynamics have been poorly understood. Here, we identify that plant homeodomain finger protein 6 (PHF6) is a key epigenetic regulator for activation of trophectodermal genes using RNA-sequencing and ChIP assays. PHF6 acts as an E3 ubiquitin ligase for ubiquitination of H2BK120 (H2BK120ub) via its extended plant homeodomain 1 (PHD1), while the extended PHD2 of PHF6 recognizes acetylation of H2BK12 (H2BK12Ac). Intriguingly, the recognition of H2BK12Ac by PHF6 is important for exerting its E3 ubiquitin ligase activity for H2BK120ub. Together, our data provide evidence that PHF6 is crucial for epigenetic regulation of trophectodermal gene expression by linking H2BK12Ac to H2BK120ub modification.
Project description:Primary and secondary hypertension are major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Elevated secretion of aldosterone resulting from primary aldosteronism (PA) is a key driver of secondary hypertension. Here, we identify an unexpected role for the ubiquitin ligase Siah1 in adrenal gland development and PA. Siah1a-/- mice exhibit altered adrenal gland morphology, as reflected by dysregulated zonation of the glomerulosa, increased aldosterone levels and aldosterone target gene expression, and reduced plasma potassium levels. Genes involved in catecholamine biosynthesis and cAMP signaling are upregulated in the adrenal glands of Siah1a-/- mice, while genes related to retinoic acid signaling and cholesterol biosynthesis are downregulated. Loss of Siah1 leads to increased expression of PIAS1, an E3 SUMO-protein ligase implicated in the suppression of LXR. Notably, SIAH1 sequence variants which impaired SIAH1 ubiquitin ligase activity, resulting in elevated PIAS1 expression, were identified in patients with PA. The involvement of Siah1–PIAS1 in adrenal gland organization and function points to a possible new therapeutic target for hyperaldosteronism.
Project description:an E3 ligase substrate-trapping strategy by fusing a tandem ubiquitin-binding entity (TUBE) with an anti-ubiquitin remnant antibody for effectively identifying ubiquitinated substrates
Project description:FBXW7 is and E3 ubiquitin ligase and is highly mutated in colorectal cancer. We used human colon organoids with engineered FBXW7 hotspot mutations to investigate novel targets of E3 ligase activity with a combined transcriptomic and proteomic approach uncovering the EGFR-MAPK pathway as highly regulated by the E3 ligase activity.