bims-auttor Biomed News
on Autophagy and mTOR
Issue of 2019–05–26
twenty-six papers selected by
Viktor Korolchuk, Newcastle University
  1. Bacterial outer membrane vesicles trigger pre-activation of a xenophagic response via AMPK.
  2. Exocyst Subcomplex Functions in Autophagosome Biogenesis by Regulating Atg9 Trafficking.
  3. ER-Targeted Beclin 1 Supports Autophagosome Biogenesis in the Absence of ULK1 and ULK2 Kinases.
  4. Essential and distinct roles of phosphatidylinositol 4-kinases, Pik1p and Stt4p, in yeast autophagy.
  5. Rapamycin directly activates lysosomal mucolipin TRP channels independent of mTOR.
  6. mTORC1 amplifies the ATF4-dependent de novo serine-glycine pathway to supply glycine during TGF-β1-induced collagen biosynthesis.
  7. ULK1-mediated phosphorylation of ATG16L1 promotes xenophagy, but destabilizes the ATG16L1 Crohn's mutant.
  8. Toward the function of mammalian ATG12-ATG5-ATG16L1 complex in autophagy and related processes.
  9. GPCR signaling inhibits mTORC1 via PKA phosphorylation of Raptor.
  10. ER-phagy: shaping up and de-stressing the endoplasmic reticulum.
  11. Rapamycin modulates tissue aging and lifespan independently of the gut microbiota in Drosophila.
  12. Assessment of mitophagy in mt-Keima Drosophila revealed an essential role of the PINK1-Parkin pathway in mitophagy induction in vivo.
  13. An Evolutionarily Conserved uORF Regulates PGC1α and Oxidative Metabolism in Mice, Flies, and Bluefin Tuna.
  14. TORC2 controls endocytosis through plasma membrane tension.
  15. BAG6 deficiency induces mis-distribution of mitochondrial clusters under depolarization.
  16. Amyloid Beta and Phosphorylated Tau-Induced Defective Autophagy and Mitophagy in Alzheimer's Disease.
  17. Integrin Mechano-chemical Signaling Generates Plasma Membrane Nanodomains that Promote Cell Spreading.
  18. Autophagy of germ-granule components, PGL-1 and PGL-3, contributes to DNA damage-induced germ cell apoptosis in C. elegans.
  19. Autophagy Keeps the Balance in Tissue Homeostasis.
  20. Nutrient-sensitive transcription factors TFEB and TFE3 couple autophagy and metabolism to the peripheral clock.
  21. Mitochondrial protein translocation-associated degradation.
  22. Coupling of COPII vesicle trafficking to nutrient availability by the IRE1α-XBP1s axis.
  23. Parkin recruitment to impaired mitochondria for nonselective ubiquitylation is facilitated by MITOL.
  24. Lysosomal Ca2+ release channel TRPML1 regulates lysosome size by promoting mTORC1 activity.
  25. Ubiquitylome study identifies increased histone 2A ubiquitylation as an evolutionarily conserved aging biomarker.
  26. NIPSNAP Beacons in Mitophagy.
  1. Autophagy. 2019 May 23. 1-3
    Bacterial outer membrane vesicles trigger pre-activation of a xenophagic response via AMPK.
    Truc T Losier, Ryan C Russell.
      Macroautophagy/autophagy is a conserved degradative pathway that host cells use to deal with invading pathogens. Despite significant overlap with starvation-induced autophagy, the early signaling that potentiates anti-bacterial autophagy is still unclear. Here we report AMPK, an upstream kinase regulating starvation-mediated autophagy induction, is activated in response to bacterial infection. AMPK inhibits MTORC1, an autophagy repressor, and activates autophagic ULK1 and PIK3C3/VPS34 complexes. Although AMPK-mediated inhibition of MTORC1 is not accompanied by the induction of bulk autophagy, AMPK regulation is critical for selectively targeting the bacteria for degradation. Moreover, AMPK signaling is triggered by the detection of bacteria-derived outer membrane vesicles and does not require bacterial invasion. Together, these data characterize and highlight the significance of AMPK signaling in priming the autophagic response to bacterial infection. Abbreviations: AMPK: AMP-activated protein kinase; MTORC1: MTOR complex 1; ULK1: Unc-51 like kinase 1; PIK3C3/VPS34: Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit type 3.
    Keywords:  AMPK; MTORC1; ULK1; Xenophagy; autophagy; outer membrane vesicles
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/15548627.2019.1618640
  2. J Mol Biol. 2019 May 16. pii: S0022-2836(18)30567-9. [Epub ahead of print]
    Exocyst Subcomplex Functions in Autophagosome Biogenesis by Regulating Atg9 Trafficking.
    Sunaina Singh, Ruchika Kumari, Sarika Chinchwadkar, Amol Aher, Saravanan Matheshwaran, Ravi Manjithaya.
      During autophagy, double membrane vesicles called autophagosomes capture and degrade the intracellular cargo. The de novo formation of autophagosomes requires several vesicle transport and membrane fusion events which are not completely understood. We studied the involvement of Exocyst- an octameric tethering complex, which has a primary function in tethering post-Golgi secretory vesicles to plasma membrane, in autophagy. Our findings indicate not all subunits of exocyst are involved in selective and general autophagy. We show that in the absence of autophagy specific subunits, autophagy arrest is accompanied by accumulation of incomplete autophagosome-like structures. In these mutants, impaired Atg9 trafficking leads to decreased delivery of membrane to the site of autophagosome biogenesis thereby impeding the elongation and completion of the autophagosomes. The subunits of exocyst which are dispensable for autophagic function do not associate with the autophagy specific subcomplex of exocyst.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmb.2019.04.048
  3. Cells. 2019 May 17. pii: E475. [Epub ahead of print]8(5):
    ER-Targeted Beclin 1 Supports Autophagosome Biogenesis in the Absence of ULK1 and ULK2 Kinases.
    Tahira Anwar, Xiaonan Liu, Taina Suntio, Annika Marjamäki, Joanna Biazik, Edmond Y W Chan, Markku Varjosalo, Eeva-Liisa Eskelinen.
      Autophagy transports cytoplasmic material and organelles to lysosomes for degradation and recycling. Beclin 1 forms a complex with several other autophagy proteins and functions in the initiation phase of autophagy, but the exact role of Beclin 1 subcellular localization in autophagy initiation is still unclear. In order to elucidate the role of Beclin 1 localization in autophagosome biogenesis, we generated constructs that target Beclin 1 to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) or mitochondria. Our results confirmed the proper organelle-specific targeting of the engineered Beclin 1 constructs, and the proper formation of autophagy-regulatory Beclin 1 complexes. The ULK kinases are required for autophagy initiation upstream of Beclin 1, and autophagosome biogenesis is severely impaired in ULK1/ULK2 double knockout cells. We tested whether Beclin 1 targeting facilitated its ability to rescue autophagosome formation in ULK1/ULK2 double knockout cells. ER-targeted Beclin 1 was most effective in the rescue experiments, while mitochondria-targeted and non-targeted Beclin 1 also showed an ability to rescue, but with lower activity. However, none of the constructs was able to increase autophagic flux in the knockout cells. We also showed that wild type Beclin 1 was enriched on the ER during autophagy induction, and that ULK1/ULK2 facilitated the ER-enrichment of Beclin 1 under basal conditions. The results suggest that one of the functions of ULK kinases may be to enhance Beclin 1 recruitment to the ER to drive autophagosome formation.
    Keywords:  Beclin 1; ULK1; ULK2; autophagy; endoplasmic reticulum; mitochondria
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/cells8050475
  4. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids. 2019 May 21. pii: S1388-1981(19)30074-5. [Epub ahead of print]
    Essential and distinct roles of phosphatidylinositol 4-kinases, Pik1p and Stt4p, in yeast autophagy.
    Yuna Kurokawa, Rikako Konishi, Akane Yoshida, Kanna Tomioku, Taiki Futagami, Hisanori Tamaki, Kenji Tanabe, Akikazu Fujita.
      Autophagy is a degradative cellular pathway that protects eukaryotic cells from starvation/stress. Phosphatidylinositol 4-kinases, Pik1p and Stt4p, are indispensable for autophagy in budding yeast, but participation of PtdIns-4 kinases and their product, phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate [PtdIns(4)P], is not understood. Nanoscale membrane lipid distribution analysis showed PtdIns(4)P is more abundant in yeast autophagosomes in the luminal leaflet than the cytoplasmic leaflet. PtdIns(4)P is confined to the cytoplasmic leaflet of autophagosomal inner and outer membranes in mammalian cells. Using temperature-conditional single PIK1 or STT4 PtdIns 4-kinase mutants, autophagic bodies in the vacuole of PIK1 and STT4 mutant cells dramatically decreased at restrictive temperatures, and the number of autophagosomes in the cytosol of PIK1 mutants cells was also decreased, whereas autophagosome levels of STT4 mutant cells were comparable to that of wild-type and STT4 mutant cells at permissive temperatures. Localization of PtdIns(4)P in the luminal leaflet in the biological membrane is a novel finding, and differences in PtdIns(4)P distribution suggest substantial differences between yeast and mammals. We also demonstrate in this study that Pik1p and Stt4p play essential roles in autophagosome formation and autophagosome-vacuole fusion in yeast cells, respectively.
    Keywords:  Autophagosome; Electron microscopy; Freeze–fracture; Lipid; Nanometer scale; Vacuole fusion
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbalip.2019.05.004
  5. PLoS Biol. 2019 May;17(5): e3000252
    Rapamycin directly activates lysosomal mucolipin TRP channels independent of mTOR.
    Xiaoli Zhang, Wei Chen, Qiong Gao, Junsheng Yang, Xueni Yan, Han Zhao, Lin Su, Meimei Yang, Chenlang Gao, Yao Yao, Ken Inoki, Dan Li, Rong Shao, Shiyi Wang, Nirakar Sahoo, Fumitaka Kudo, Tadashi Eguchi, Benfang Ruan, Haoxing Xu.
      Rapamycin (Rap) and its derivatives, called rapalogs, are being explored in clinical trials targeting cancer and neurodegeneration. The underlying mechanisms of Rap actions, however, are not well understood. Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), a lysosome-localized protein kinase that acts as a critical regulator of cellular growth, is believed to mediate most Rap actions. Here, we identified mucolipin 1 (transient receptor potential channel mucolipin 1 [TRPML1], also known as MCOLN1), the principle Ca2+ release channel in the lysosome, as another direct target of Rap. Patch-clamping of isolated lysosomal membranes showed that micromolar concentrations of Rap and some rapalogs activated lysosomal TRPML1 directly and specifically. Pharmacological inhibition or genetic inactivation of mTOR failed to mimic the Rap effect. In vitro binding assays revealed that Rap bound directly to purified TRPML1 proteins with a micromolar affinity. In both healthy and disease human fibroblasts, Rap and rapalogs induced autophagic flux via nuclear translocation of transcription factor EB (TFEB). However, such effects were abolished in TRPML1-deficient cells or by TRPML1 inhibitors. Hence, Rap and rapalogs promote autophagy via a TRPML1-dependent mechanism. Given the demonstrated roles of TRPML1 and TFEB in cellular clearance, we propose that lysosomal TRPML1 may contribute a significant portion to the in vivo neuroprotective and anti-aging effects of Rap via an augmentation of autophagy and lysosomal biogenesis.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3000252
  6. Sci Signal. 2019 May 21. pii: eaav3048. [Epub ahead of print]12(582):
    mTORC1 amplifies the ATF4-dependent de novo serine-glycine pathway to supply glycine during TGF-β1-induced collagen biosynthesis.
    Brintha Selvarajah, Ilan Azuelos, Manuela Platé, Delphine Guillotin, Ellen J Forty, Greg Contento, Hannah V Woodcock, Matthew Redding, Adam Taylor, Gino Brunori, Pascal F Durrenberger, Riccardo Ronzoni, Andy D Blanchard, Paul F Mercer, Dimitrios Anastasiou, Rachel C Chambers.
      The differentiation of fibroblasts into a transient population of highly activated, extracellular matrix (ECM)-producing myofibroblasts at sites of tissue injury is critical for normal tissue repair. Excessive myofibroblast accumulation and persistence, often as a result of a failure to undergo apoptosis when tissue repair is complete, lead to pathological fibrosis and are also features of the stromal response in cancer. Myofibroblast differentiation is accompanied by changes in cellular metabolism, including increased glycolysis, to meet the biosynthetic demands of enhanced ECM production. Here, we showed that transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), the key pro-fibrotic cytokine implicated in multiple fibrotic conditions, increased the production of activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), the transcriptional master regulator of amino acid metabolism, to supply glucose-derived glycine to meet the amino acid requirements associated with enhanced collagen production in response to myofibroblast differentiation. We further delineated the signaling pathways involved and showed that TGF-β1-induced ATF4 production depended on cooperation between canonical TGF-β1 signaling through Smad3 and activation of mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) and its downstream target eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1). ATF4, in turn, promoted the transcription of genes encoding enzymes of the de novo serine-glycine biosynthetic pathway and glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1). Our findings suggest that targeting the TGF-β1-mTORC1-ATF4 axis may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for interfering with myofibroblast function in fibrosis and potentially in other conditions, including cancer.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1126/scisignal.aav3048
  7. EMBO Rep. 2019 May 24. pii: e46885. [Epub ahead of print]
    ULK1-mediated phosphorylation of ATG16L1 promotes xenophagy, but destabilizes the ATG16L1 Crohn's mutant.
    Reham M Alsaadi, Truc T Losier, Wensheng Tian, Anne Jackson, Zhihao Guo, David C Rubinsztein, Ryan C Russell.
      Autophagy is a highly regulated catabolic pathway that is potently induced by stressors including starvation and infection. An essential component of the autophagy pathway is an ATG16L1-containing E3-like enzyme, which is responsible for lipidating LC3B and driving autophagosome formation. ATG16L1 polymorphisms have been linked to the development of Crohn's disease (CD), and phosphorylation of CD-associated ATG16L1 T300A (caATG16L1) has been hypothesized to contribute to cleavage and autophagy dysfunction. Here we show that ULK1 kinase directly phosphorylates ATG16L1 in response to infection and starvation. Phosphorylated ATG16L1 localizes to the site of internalized bacteria and stable cell lines harbouring a phospho-dead mutant of ATG16L1 have impaired xenophagy, indicating a role for ATG16L1 phosphorylation in the promotion of anti-bacterial autophagy. In contrast to wild-type ATG16L1, ULK1-mediated phosphorylation of caATG16L1 drives its destabilization in response to stress. In summary, our results show that ATG16L1 is a novel target of ULK1 kinase and that ULK1 signalling to ATG16L1 is a double-edged sword, enhancing the function of the wild-type ATG16L1, but promoting degradation of caATG16L1.
    Keywords:  ATG16L1; Crohn's disease; ULK1; autophagy; caspase
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.15252/embr.201846885
  8. Autophagy. 2019 May 23. 1-2
    Toward the function of mammalian ATG12-ATG5-ATG16L1 complex in autophagy and related processes.
    Alf Håkon Lystad, Sven R Carlsson, Anne Simonsen.
      The machinery that decorates autophagic membranes with lipid-conjugated LC3/GABARAP is not yet fully understood. We recently reported the purification of the full-length ATG12-ATG5-ATG16L1 complex, and in reconstitution experiments with purified ATG7, ATG3, and LC3/GABARAP in vitro, together with rescue experiments in knockout cells, important aspects of the complete lipidation reaction were revealed. Hitherto unobserved membrane-binding regions in ATG16L1 were found, contributing to properties that explain the crucial role of this protein in membrane targeting and LC3/GABARAP lipidation in macroautophagy/autophagy and other related processes.
    Keywords:  ATG16L1; Amphipathic helix; GABARAP; LAP; LC3; autophagy; endosome; lipidation; membrane
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/15548627.2019.1618100
  9. Elife. 2019 May 21. pii: e43038. [Epub ahead of print]8
    GPCR signaling inhibits mTORC1 via PKA phosphorylation of Raptor.
    Jenna L Jewell, Vivian Fu, Audrey W Hong, Fa-Xing Yu, Delong Meng, Chase H Melick, Huanyu Wang, Wai-Ling Macrina Lam, Hai-Xin Yuan, Susan S Taylor, Kun-Liang Guan.
      The mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) regulates cell growth, metabolism, and autophagy. Extensive research has focused on pathways that activate mTORC1 like growth factors and amino acids; however, much less is known about signaling cues that directly inhibit mTORC1 activity. Here, we report that G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) paired to Gαs proteins increase cyclic adenosine 3'5' monophosphate (cAMP) to activate protein kinase A (PKA) and inhibit mTORC1. Mechanistically, PKA phosphorylates the mTORC1 component Raptor on Ser 791, leading to decreased mTORC1 activity. Consistently, in cells where Raptor Ser 791 is mutated to Ala, mTORC1 activity is partially rescued even after PKA activation. Gαs-coupled GPCRs stimulation leads to inhibition of mTORC1 in multiple cell lines and mouse tissues. Our results uncover a signaling pathway that directly inhibits mTORC1, and suggest that GPCRs paired to Gαs proteins may be potential therapeutic targets for human diseases with hyperactivated mTORC1.
    Keywords:  cancer biology; cancer cells; cell biology; cells; human; mouse
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.43038
  10. FEBS J. 2019 May 22.
    ER-phagy: shaping up and de-stressing the endoplasmic reticulum.
    Simon Wilkinson.
      The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) network has central roles in metabolism and cellular organisation. The ER undergoes dynamic alterations in morphology, molecular composition and functional specification. Remodelling of the network under fluctuating conditions enables the continual performance of ER functions and minimises stress. Recent data have revealed that selective autophagy-mediated degradation of ER fragments, or ER-phagy, fundamentally contributes to this remodelling. This review provides a perspective on established views of selective autophagy, comparing these with emerging mechanisms of ER-phagy and related processes. The text discusses the impact of ER-phagy on the function of the ER and the cell, both in normal physiology and when dysregulated within disease settings. Finally, unanswered questions regarding the mechanisms and significance of ER-phagy are highlighted. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
    Keywords:   ERLAD ; ER-phagy; FAM134B; microautophagy; recovER-phagy
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/febs.14932
  11. Sci Rep. 2019 May 24. 9(1): 7824
    Rapamycin modulates tissue aging and lifespan independently of the gut microbiota in Drosophila.
    Joseph M Schinaman, Anil Rana, William W Ja, Rebecca I Clark, David W Walker.
      The FDA approved drug rapamycin can prolong lifespan in diverse species and delay the onset of age-related disease in mammals. However, a number of fundamental questions remain unanswered regarding the mechanisms by which rapamycin modulates age-related pathophysiology and lifespan. Alterations in the gut microbiota can impact host physiology, metabolism and lifespan. While recent studies have shown that rapamycin treatment alters the gut microbiota in aged animals, the causal relationships between rapamycin treatment, microbiota dynamics and aging are not known. Here, using Drosophila as a model organism, we show that rapamycin-mediated alterations in microbiota dynamics in aged flies are associated with improved markers of intestinal and muscle aging. Critically, however, we show that the beneficial effects of rapamycin treatment on tissue aging and lifespan are not dependent upon the microbiota. Indeed, germ-free flies show delayed onset of intestinal barrier dysfunction, improved proteostasis in aged muscles and a significant lifespan extension upon rapamycin treatment. In contrast, genetic inhibition of autophagy impairs the ability of rapamycin to mediate improved gut health and proteostasis during aging. Our results indicate that rapamycin-mediated modulation of the microbiota in aged animals is not causally required to slow tissue and organismal aging.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44106-5
  12. FASEB J. 2019 May 23. fj201900073R
    Assessment of mitophagy in mt-Keima Drosophila revealed an essential role of the PINK1-Parkin pathway in mitophagy induction in vivo.
    Young Yeon Kim, Jee-Hyun Um, Jeong-Hyun Yoon, Hyunjin Kim, Da-Ye Lee, Yoon Jung Lee, Hye Jin Jee, Young Mi Kim, Jae Sung Jang, Yoon-Gu Jang, Jongkyeong Chung, Hwan Tae Park, Toren Finkel, Hyongjong Koh, Jeanho Yun.
      Mitophagy has been implicated in mitochondrial quality control and in various human diseases. However, the study of in vivo mitophagy remains limited. We previously explored in vivo mitophagy using a transgenic mouse expressing the mitochondria-targeted fluorescent protein Keima (mt-Keima). Here, we generated mt-Keima Drosophila to extend our efforts to study mitophagy in vivo. A series of experiments confirmed that mitophagy can be faithfully and quantitatively measured in mt-Keima Drosophila. We also showed that alterations in mitophagy upon environmental and genetic perturbation can be measured in mt-Keima Drosophila. Analysis of different tissues revealed a variation in basal mitophagy levels in Drosophila tissues. In addition, we found a significant increase in mitophagy levels during Drosophila embryogenesis. Importantly, loss-of-function genetic analysis demonstrated that the phosphatase and tensin homolog-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1)-Parkin pathway is essential for the induction of mitophagy in vivo in response to hypoxic exposure and rotenone treatment. These studies showed that the mt-Keima Drosophila system is a useful tool for understanding the role and molecular mechanism of mitophagy in vivo. In addition, we demonstrated the essential role of the PINK1-Parkin pathway in mitophagy induction in response to mitochondrial dysfunction.-Kim, Y. Y., Um, J.-H., Yoon, J.-H., Kim, H., Lee, D.-Y., Lee, Y. J., Jee, H. J., Kim, Y. M., Jang, J. S., Jang, Y.-G., Chung, J., Park, H. T., Finkel, T., Koh, H., Yun, J. Assessment of mitophagy in mt-Keima Drosophila revealed an essential role of the PINK1-Parkin pathway in mitophagy induction in vivo.
    Keywords:  Drosophila model; confocal microscopy; in vivo mitophagy; quantitation of mitophagy
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.201900073R
  13. Cell Metab. 2019 Apr 30. pii: S1550-4131(19)30197-4. [Epub ahead of print]
    An Evolutionarily Conserved uORF Regulates PGC1α and Oxidative Metabolism in Mice, Flies, and Bluefin Tuna.
    Phillip A Dumesic, Daniel F Egan, Philipp Gut, Mei T Tran, Alice Parisi, Nirmalya Chatterjee, Mark Jedrychowski, Margherita Paschini, Lawrence Kazak, Sarah E Wilensky, Florence Dou, Dina Bogoslavski, Jeffrey A Cartier, Norbert Perrimon, Shingo Kajimura, Samir M Parikh, Bruce M Spiegelman.
      Mitochondrial abundance and function are tightly controlled during metabolic adaptation but dysregulated in pathological states such as diabetes, neurodegeneration, cancer, and kidney disease. We show here that translation of PGC1α, a key governor of mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative metabolism, is negatively regulated by an upstream open reading frame (uORF) in the 5' untranslated region of its gene (PPARGC1A). We find that uORF-mediated translational repression is a feature of PPARGC1A orthologs from human to fly. Strikingly, whereas multiple inhibitory uORFs are broadly present in fish PPARGC1A orthologs, they are completely absent in the Atlantic bluefin tuna, an animal with exceptionally high mitochondrial content. In mice, an engineered mutation disrupting the PPARGC1A uORF increases PGC1α protein levels and oxidative metabolism and confers protection from acute kidney injury. These studies identify a translational regulatory element governing oxidative metabolism and highlight its potential contribution to the evolution of organismal mitochondrial function.
    Keywords:  5’ untranslated region; PGC1α; bluefin tuna; evolution; ischemic kidney injury; metabolism; mitochondria; oxidative phosphorylation; translational regulation; upstream open reading frame
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2019.04.013
  14. J Cell Biol. 2019 May 23. pii: jcb.201901096. [Epub ahead of print]
    TORC2 controls endocytosis through plasma membrane tension.
    Margot Riggi, Clélia Bourgoint, Mariano Macchione, Stefan Matile, Robbie Loewith, Aurélien Roux.
      Target of rapamycin complex 2 (TORC2) is a conserved protein kinase that regulates multiple plasma membrane (PM)-related processes, including endocytosis. Direct, chemical inhibition of TORC2 arrests endocytosis but with kinetics that is relatively slow and therefore inconsistent with signaling being mediated solely through simple phosphorylation cascades. Here, we show that in addition to and independently from regulation of the phosphorylation of endocytic proteins, TORC2 also controls endocytosis by modulating PM tension. Elevated PM tension, upon TORC2 inhibition, impinges on endocytosis at two different levels by (1) severing the bonds between the PM adaptor proteins Sla2 and Ent1 and the actin cytoskeleton and (2) hindering recruitment of Rvs167, an N-BAR-containing protein important for vesicle fission to endocytosis sites. These results underline the importance of biophysical cues in the regulation of cellular and molecular processes.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201901096
  15. FEBS Open Bio. 2019 May 24.
    BAG6 deficiency induces mis-distribution of mitochondrial clusters under depolarization.
    Mizuki Hayashishita, Hiroyuki Kawahara, Naoto Yokota.
      Accumulation of damaged mitochondria is implicated in a number of neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson's disease. Therefore, the machinery for mitochondrial quality control is important for the prevention of such diseases. It has been reported that Parkin- and p62/sequestosome 1-mediated clustering and subsequent elimination of damaged mitochondria (termed mitophagy) are critical for maintaining the quality of mitochondria under stress induced by uncoupling agents such as carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying mitochondrial translocation to the perinuclear region during mitophagy have not been adequately addressed to date. In this study, we found that BCL2-associated athanogene 6 (BAG6; also known as BAT3 or Scythe) is required for this process. Indeed, RNA interference-mediated depletion of endogenous BAG6 prevented Parkin-dependent relocalization of mitochondrial clusters to the perinuclear cytoplasmic region, whereas BAG6 knockdown did not affect the translocation of Parkin and p62/sequestosome 1 to the depolarized mitochondria and subsequent aggregation. These results suggest that BAG6 is essential for cytoplasmic redistribution, but not for clustering, of damaged mitochondria.
    Keywords:   CCCP ; BAG6; Mitochondria; PINK1; Parkin; p62
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/2211-5463.12677
  16. Cells. 2019 May 22. pii: E488. [Epub ahead of print]8(5):
    Amyloid Beta and Phosphorylated Tau-Induced Defective Autophagy and Mitophagy in Alzheimer's Disease.
    P Hemachandra Reddy, Darryll Ma Oliver.
      Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by memory loss and multiple cognitive impairments. Several decades of intense research have revealed that multiple cellular changes are implicated in the development and progression of AD, including mitochondrial damage, synaptic dysfunction, amyloid beta (Aβ) formation and accumulation, hyperphosphorylated tau (P-Tau) formation and accumulation, deregulated microRNAs, synaptic damage, and neuronal loss in patients with AD. Among these, mitochondrial dysfunction and synaptic damage are early events in the disease process. Recent research also revealed that Aβ and P-Tau-induced defective autophagy and mitophagy are prominent events in AD pathogenesis. Age-dependent increased levels of Aβ and P-Tau reduced levels of several autophagy and mitophagy proteins. In addition, abnormal interactions between (1) Aβ and mitochondrial fission protein Drp1; (2) P-Tau and Drp1; and (3) Aβ and PINK1/parkin lead to an inability to clear damaged mitochondria and other cellular debris from neurons. These events occur selectively in affected AD neurons. The purpose of our article is to highlight recent developments of a Aβ and P-Tau-induced defective autophagy and mitophagy in AD. This article also summarizes several aspects of mitochondrial dysfunction, including abnormal mitochondrial dynamics (increased fission and reduced fusion), defective mitochondrial biogenesis, reduced ATP, increased free radicals and lipid peroxidation, and decreased cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity and calcium dyshomeostasis in AD pathogenesis. Our article also discusses how reduced levels of Drp1, Aβ, and P-Tau can enhance the clearance of damaged mitochondria and other cellular debris by autophagy and mitophagy mechanisms.
    Keywords:  Alzheimer’s disease; amyloid beta; mitochondria and reactive oxygen species; phosphorylated tau
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/cells8050488
  17. Cell. 2019 May 16. pii: S0092-8674(19)30456-8. [Epub ahead of print]
    Integrin Mechano-chemical Signaling Generates Plasma Membrane Nanodomains that Promote Cell Spreading.
    Joseph Mathew Kalappurakkal, Anupama Ambika Anilkumar, Chandrima Patra, Thomas S van Zanten, Michael P Sheetz, Satyajit Mayor.
      Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins (GPI-APs) are a major class of lipid-anchored plasma membrane proteins. GPI-APs form nanoclusters generated by cortical acto-myosin activity. While our understanding of the physical principles governing this process is emerging, the molecular machinery and functional relevance of GPI-AP nanoclustering are unknown. Here, we first show that a membrane receptor signaling pathway directs nanocluster formation. Arg-Gly-Asp motif-containing ligands bound to the β1-integrin receptor activate src and focal adhesion kinases, resulting in RhoA signaling. This cascade triggers actin-nucleation via specific formins, which, along with myosin activity, drive the nanoclustering of membrane proteins with actin-binding domains. Concurrently, talin-mediated activation of the mechano-transducer vinculin is required for the coupling of the acto-myosin machinery to inner-leaflet lipids, thereby generating GPI-AP nanoclusters. Second, we show that these nanoclusters are functional; disruption of their formation either in GPI-anchor remodeling mutants or in vinculin mutants impairs cell spreading and migration, hallmarks of integrin function.
    Keywords:  GPI-anchored proteins; active actin-membrane composite; active rafts; cell signaling; cell spreading; integrin; mechanotransduction; membrane domains; nanoclusters; vinculin
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2019.04.037
  18. PLoS Genet. 2019 May;15(5): e1008150
    Autophagy of germ-granule components, PGL-1 and PGL-3, contributes to DNA damage-induced germ cell apoptosis in C. elegans.
    Hyemin Min, Yong-Uk Lee, Yhong-Hee Shim, Ichiro Kawasaki.
      Germ granules, termed P granules in nematode C. elegans, are the germline-specific cytoplasmic structures widely observed from worms to humans. P granules are known to have critical functions for postembryonic germline development likely through regulating RNA metabolism. They are localized at the perinuclear region of germ cells during most of the developmental stages. However, the biological significance of this specific localization remains elusive. PGL-1 and PGL-3, the defining components of P granules, were shown to be lost from the perinuclear region prior to germ cell apoptosis. Furthermore, this loss was shown to be significantly enhanced upon DNA damage. Here, we show that the removal of PGL-1 and PGL-3 from the perinuclear region following UV-induced DNA damage is significantly reduced in autophagy mutants. Autophagy was previously shown to be required for DNA damage-induced germ cell apoptosis. We show that the apoptosis defect of autophagy mutants is bypassed by depletion of pgl-1 or pgl-3. These findings are consistent with time-lapse observations of LGG-1 foci formation, showing that autophagy is activated following UV irradiation and that maximal accumulation of LGG-1 foci occurs before PGL-1 removal. We also show that some of the autophagy genes are transcriptionally activated following UV irradiation by CEP-1, the worm p53-like protein. Taken together, our results indicate that autophagy is required to remove the major P granule components, PGL-1 and PGL-3, and that their removal is required for the full induction of DNA damage-induced germ cell apoptosis. Our study contributes to a better understanding of germ cell apoptosis, a process that leads to the elimination of the vast majority of germ cells in various animals from worms to mammals.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1008150
  19. Dev Cell. 2019 May 20. pii: S1534-5807(19)30376-4. [Epub ahead of print]49(4): 499-500
    Autophagy Keeps the Balance in Tissue Homeostasis.
    Michael Buszczak, Helmut Krämer.
      Gut cells are exposed to diverse insults that necessitate their replacement from a stem cell pool balancing differentiation and proliferation. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Zhang and colleagues (2019) show autophagy-mediated regulation of EGFR signaling cell autonomously controls intestinal stem cell proliferation, with implications for human colorectal cancer development.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2019.05.005
  20. EMBO J. 2019 May 24. pii: e101347. [Epub ahead of print]
    Nutrient-sensitive transcription factors TFEB and TFE3 couple autophagy and metabolism to the peripheral clock.
    Nunzia Pastore, Anna Vainshtein, Niculin J Herz, Tuong Huynh, Lorenzo Brunetti, Tiemo J Klisch, Margherita Mutarelli, Patrizia Annunziata, Kenichiro Kinouchi, Nicola Brunetti-Pierri, Paolo Sassone-Corsi, Andrea Ballabio.
      Autophagy and energy metabolism are known to follow a circadian pattern. However, it is unclear whether autophagy and the circadian clock are coordinated by common control mechanisms. Here, we show that the oscillation of autophagy genes is dependent on the nutrient-sensitive activation of TFEB and TFE3, key regulators of autophagy, lysosomal biogenesis, and cell homeostasis. TFEB and TFE3 display a circadian activation over the 24-h cycle and are responsible for the rhythmic induction of genes involved in autophagy during the light phase. Genetic ablation of TFEB and TFE3 in mice results in deregulated autophagy over the diurnal cycle and altered gene expression causing abnormal circadian wheel-running behavior. In addition, TFEB and TFE3 directly regulate the expression of Rev-erbα (Nr1d1), a transcriptional repressor component of the core clock machinery also involved in the regulation of whole-body metabolism and autophagy. Comparative analysis of the cistromes of TFEB/TFE3 and REV-ERBα showed an extensive overlap of their binding sites, particularly in genes involved in autophagy and metabolic functions. These data reveal a direct link between nutrient and clock-dependent regulation of gene expression shedding a new light on the crosstalk between autophagy, metabolism, and circadian cycles.
    Keywords:  MiT‐TFE; REV‐ERBα; circadian rhythm; gene oscillation
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.15252/embj.2018101347
  21. Nature. 2019 May 22.
    Mitochondrial protein translocation-associated degradation.
    Christoph U Mårtensson, Chantal Priesnitz, Jiyao Song, Lars Ellenrieder, Kim Nguyen Doan, Felix Boos, Alessia Floerchinger, Nicole Zufall, Silke Oeljeklaus, Bettina Warscheid, Thomas Becker.
      Mitochondrial biogenesis and functions depend on the import of precursor proteins via the 'translocase of the outer membrane' (TOM complex). Defects in protein import lead to an accumulation of mitochondrial precursor proteins that induces a range of cellular stress responses. However, constitutive quality-control mechanisms that clear trapped precursor proteins from the TOM channel under non-stress conditions have remained unknown. Here we report that in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ubx2, which functions in endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation, is crucial for this quality-control process. A pool of Ubx2 binds to the TOM complex to recruit the AAA ATPase Cdc48 for removal of arrested precursor proteins from the TOM channel. This mitochondrial protein translocation-associated degradation (mitoTAD) pathway continuously monitors the TOM complex under non-stress conditions to prevent clogging of the TOM channel with precursor proteins. The mitoTAD pathway ensures that mitochondria maintain their full protein-import capacity, and protects cells against proteotoxic stress induced by impaired transport of proteins into mitochondria.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1227-y
  22. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2019 May 23. pii: 201814480. [Epub ahead of print]
    Coupling of COPII vesicle trafficking to nutrient availability by the IRE1α-XBP1s axis.
    Lin Liu, Jie Cai, Huimin Wang, Xijun Liang, Qian Zhou, Chenyun Ding, Yuangang Zhu, Tingting Fu, Qiqi Guo, Zhisheng Xu, Liwei Xiao, Jing Liu, Yujing Yin, Lei Fang, Bin Xue, Yan Wang, Zhuo-Xian Meng, Aibin He, Jian-Liang Li, Yong Liu, Xiao-Wei Chen, Zhenji Gan.
      The cytoplasmic coat protein complex-II (COPII) is evolutionarily conserved machinery that is essential for efficient trafficking of protein and lipid cargos. How the COPII machinery is regulated to meet the metabolic demand in response to alterations of the nutritional state remains largely unexplored, however. Here, we show that dynamic changes of COPII vesicle trafficking parallel the activation of transcription factor X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1s), a critical transcription factor in handling cellular endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in both live cells and mouse livers upon physiological fluctuations of nutrient availability. Using live-cell imaging approaches, we demonstrate that XBP1s is sufficient to promote COPII-dependent trafficking, mediating the nutrient stimulatory effects. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) coupled with high-throughput DNA sequencing (ChIP-seq) and RNA-sequencing analyses reveal that nutritional signals induce dynamic XBP1s occupancy of promoters of COPII traffic-related genes, thereby driving the COPII-mediated trafficking process. Liver-specific disruption of the inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α)-XBP1s signaling branch results in diminished COPII vesicle trafficking. Reactivation of XBP1s in mice lacking hepatic IRE1α restores COPII-mediated lipoprotein secretion and reverses the fatty liver and hypolipidemia phenotypes. Thus, our results demonstrate a previously unappreciated mechanism in the metabolic control of liver protein and lipid trafficking: The IRE1α-XBP1s axis functions as a nutrient-sensing regulatory nexus that integrates nutritional states and the COPII vesicle trafficking.
    Keywords:  COPII; XBP1s; liver steatosis; metabolic sensing; nutrient availability
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1814480116
  23. J Biol Chem. 2019 May 20. pii: jbc.RA118.006302. [Epub ahead of print]
    Parkin recruitment to impaired mitochondria for nonselective ubiquitylation is facilitated by MITOL.
    Fumika Koyano, Koji Yamano, Hidetaka Kosako, Keiji Tanaka, Noriyuki Matsuda.
      PINK1 (PARK6) and PARKIN (PARK2) are causal genes of recessive familial Parkinson's disease. Parkin is a ubiquitin ligase E3 that conjugates ubiquitin to impaired-mitochondrial proteins for organelle degradation. PINK1, a Ser/Thr kinase that accumulates only on impaired mitochondria, phosphorylates two authentic substrates, the ubiquitin-like domain of Parkin and ubiquitin. Our group and others have revealed that both the subcellular localization and ligase activity of Parkin are regulated through interactions with phosphorylated ubiquitin. Once PINK1 localizes on impaired mitochondria, PINK1-catalyzed phospho-ubiquitin recruits and activates Parkin. Parkin then supplies a ubiquitin chain to PINK1 for phosphorylation. The amplified ubiquitin functions as a signal for the sequestration and degradation of the damaged mitochondria. Although, a bewildering variety of Parkin substrates have been reported, the basis for Parkin substrate specificity remains poorly understood. Moreover, the mechanism underlying initial activation and translocation of Parkin onto mitochondria remains unclear, as the presence of ubiquitin on impaired mitochondria is thought to be a prerequisite for the initial PINK1 phosphorylation process. Here, we show that artificial mitochondria-targeted proteins are ubiquitylated by Parkin, suggesting that substrate specificity of Parkin is not determined by its amino acid sequence. Moreover, recruitment and activation of Parkin are delayed following depletion of the mitochondrial E3, MITOL/March5. We propose a model in which the initial step in Parkin recruitment and activation requires protein ubiquitylation by MITOL/March5 with subsequent PINK1-mediated phosphorylation. As PINK1 and Parkin amplify the ubiquitin signal via a positive feedback loop, the low substrate specificity of Parkin might facilitate this amplification process.
    Keywords:  Parkinson disease; mitophagy; parkin; ubiquitin; ubiquitin ligase
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.RA118.006302
  24. Eur J Cell Biol. 2019 May 14. pii: S0171-9335(18)30183-3. [Epub ahead of print]
    Lysosomal Ca2+ release channel TRPML1 regulates lysosome size by promoting mTORC1 activity.
    Yiming Yang, Mengnan Xu, Xiaojuan Zhu, Jing Yao, Bing Shen, Xian-Ping Dong.
      Lysosomal Ca2+ release channel TRPML1 has been suggested to regulate lysosome size by activating calmodulin (CaM). To further understand how TRPML1 and CaM regulate lysosome size, in this study, we report that inhibiting mTORC1 causes enlarged lysosomes, and the recovery of enlarged lysosomes is suppressed by inhibiting mTORC1. We also show that lysosome vacuolation induced by inhibiting TRPML1 is corrected by mTORC1 upregulation, and the facilitating effect of TRPML1 on the recovery of enlarged lysosomes is suppressed by inhibiting mTORC1. In the meantime, lysosome vacuolation induced by inhibiting CaM is corrected by mTORC1 upregulation, and mTORC1 overexpression corrects the inhibitory effect of CaM antagonist on the recovery of enlarged lysosomes. Conversely, the vacuolation induced by suppressing mTORC1 is not corrected by upregulating CaM. These data suggest that mTORC1 functions downstream of TRPML1 and CaM to regulate lysosome size. Together with our recent finding showing that TRPML1, CaM and mTORC1 form a macromolecular complex to control mTORC1 activity, we suggest that TRPML1 and CaM control lysosome fission through regulating mTORC1, identifying an mTORC1-dependent molecular mechanism for lysosomal membrane fission.
    Keywords:  Lysosomal Ca(2+); Lysosomal membrane trafficking; Lysosome fission; TRPML1; mTORC1
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejcb.2019.05.001
  25. Nat Commun. 2019 May 21. 10(1): 2191
    Ubiquitylome study identifies increased histone 2A ubiquitylation as an evolutionarily conserved aging biomarker.
    Lu Yang, Zaijun Ma, Han Wang, Kongyan Niu, Ye Cao, Le Sun, Yang Geng, Bo Yang, Feng Gao, Zuolong Chen, Zhen Wu, Qingqing Li, Yong Shen, Xumin Zhang, Hong Jiang, Yelin Chen, Rui Liu, Nan Liu, Yaoyang Zhang.
      The long-lived proteome constitutes a pool of exceptionally stable proteins with limited turnover. Previous studies on ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation primarily focused on relatively short-lived proteins; how ubiquitylation modifies the long-lived proteome and its regulatory effect on adult lifespan is unclear. Here we profile the age-dependent dynamics of long-lived proteomes in Drosophila by mass spectrometry using stable isotope switching coupled with antibody-enriched ubiquitylome analysis. Our data describe landscapes of long-lived proteins in somatic and reproductive tissues of Drosophila during adult lifespan, and reveal a preferential ubiquitylation of older long-lived proteins. We identify an age-modulated increase of ubiquitylation on long-lived histone 2A protein in Drosophila, which is evolutionarily conserved in mouse, monkey, and human. A reduction of ubiquitylated histone 2A in mutant flies is associated with longevity and healthy lifespan. Together, our data reveal an evolutionarily conserved biomarker of aging that links epigenetic modulation of the long-lived histone protein to lifespan.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-10136-w
  26. Dev Cell. 2019 May 20. pii: S1534-5807(19)30380-6. [Epub ahead of print]49(4): 503-505
    NIPSNAP Beacons in Mitophagy.
    Rukmini Mukherjee, Ivan Dikic.
      In healthy cells, dysfunctional mitochondria are removed by selective autophagy (mitophagy), impairment of which causes disease. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Princely Abudu et al. (2019) delineate the function of NIPSNAP1 and NIPSNAP2 in recruiting mitophagy receptors to depolarized mitochondria, highlighting their importance in the zebrafish brain.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2019.05.008
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