Unique, Intersecting, and Overlapping Roles of C/EBP beta and CREB in Cells of the Innate Immune System
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
Authors: Larabee, Jason L.; Hauck, Garrett; Ballard, Jimmy D.
Abstract
CREB and C/EBP beta signaling pathways are modulated during inflammation and also targeted by Bacillus anthracis edema toxin (ET), but how these factors individually and jointly contribute to changes in immune cell function is poorly understood. Using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, macrophage cell lines lacking CREB and isoforms of C/EBP beta were generated and analyzed for changes in responses to LPS, ET, and IL-4. Macrophages lacking C/EBP beta suppressed induction of IL-10 and Arg1, while IL-6 was increased in these cells following exposure to LPS. Examination of C/EBP beta isoforms indicated the 38 kDa isoform was necessary for the expression of IL-10 and Arg1. ChIP-Seq analysis of CREB and C/EBP beta binding to targets on the chromosome of human PBMC identified several regions where both factors overlapped in their binding, suggesting similar gene targeting or cooperative effects. Based on the ChIP-Seq data, a panel of previously unknown targets of CREB and C/EBP beta was identified and includes genes such as VNN2, GINS4, CTNNBL1, and SULF2. Isoforms of a transcriptional corepressor, transducin-like enhancer of Split (TLE), were also found to have CREB and C/EBP beta binding their promoter and were up regulated by ET. Finally, we explore a possible layer of C/EBP beta regulation by a protein complex consisting of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) and PKA. Collectively, these data provide new insights into the role of CREB and C/EBP beta as immunosignaling regulators and targets of an important bacterial virulence factor.
A Structural Basis for Restricted Codon Recognition Mediated by 2-thiocytidine in tRNA Containing a Wobble Position Inosine
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
Authors: Vangaveti, Sweta; Cantara, William A.; Spears, Jessica L.; DeMirci, Hasan; Murphy, Frank V.; Ranganathan, Sri V.; Sarachan, Kathryn L.; Agris, Paul F.
Abstract
Three of six arginine codons (CGU, CGC, and CGA) are decoded by two Escherichia coli tRNA(Arg) isoacceptors. The anticodon stem and loop (ASL) domains of tRNA(Arg1) and tRNA(Arg2) both contain inosine and 2-methyladenosine modifications at positions 34 (I-34) and 37 (m(2)A(37)). tRNA(Arg1) is also modified from cytidine to 2-thiocytidine at position 32 (s(2)C(32)). The s(2)C(32) modification is known to negate wobble codon recognition of the rare CGA codon by an unknown mechanism, while still allowing decoding of CGU and CGC. Substitution of s(2)C(32) for C-32 in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae tRNA(IAU)(lle) anticodon stem and loop domain (ASL) negates wobble decoding of its synonymous A-ending codon, suggesting that this function of s(2)C at position 32 is a generalizable property. X-ray crystal structures of variously modified ASL(ICG)(Arg1) and ASL(ICG)(Arg2) constructs bound to cognate and wobble codons on the ribosome revealed the disruption of a C-32-A(38) cross-loop interaction but failed to fully explain the means by which s(2)C(32) restricts I-34 wobbling. Computational studies revealed that the adoption of a spatially broad inosine-adenosine base pair at the wobble position of the codon cannot be maintained simultaneously with the canonical ASL U-turn motif. C-32-A(38) cross-loop interactions are required for stability of the anticodon/codon interaction in the ribosomal A-site. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.