Analysis of RNA expression of normal and cancer tissues reveals high correlation of COP9 gene expression with respiratory chain complex components
BMC GENOMICS
Authors: Wicker, Christina A.; Izumi, Tadahide
Abstract
Background: The COP9 signalosome, composed of eight subunits, is implicated in cancer genetics with its deneddylase activity to modulate cellular concentration of oncogenic proteins such as IkB and TGF beta. However, its function in the normal cell physiology remains elusive. Primarily focusing on gene expression data of the normal tissues of the head and neck, the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) database was used to identify groups of genes that were expressed synergistically with the COP9 genes, particularly with the COPS5 (CSN5), which possesses the catalytic activity of COP9. Results: Expressions of seven of the COP9 genes (COPS2, COPS3, COPS4, COPS5, COPS6, COPS7A, and COPS8) were found to be highly synergistic in the normal tissues. In contrast, the tumor tissues decreased the coordinated expression pattern of COP9 genes. Pathway analysis revealed a high coordination of the expression of the COPS5 and the other COP9 genes with mitochondria- related functional pathways, including genes encoding the respiratory chain complex. Conclusions: The results indicate that mRNA expression data for the matched normal tissues available in TCGA are statistically reliable, and are highly useful to assess novel associations of genes with functional pathways in normal physiology as well as in the cancer tissues. This study revealed the significant correlation between the expressions of the COP9 genes and those related to the mitochondrial activity.
COP9 signalosome complex subunit 5, an IFT20 binding partner, is essential to maintain male germ cell survival and acrosome biogenesis
BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION
Authors: Huang, Qian; Liu, Hong; Zeng, Jing; Li, Wei; Zhang, Shiyang; Zhang, Ling; Song, Shizhen; Zhou, Ting; Sutovsky, Miriam; Sutovsky, Peter; Pardi, Ruggero; Hess, Rex A.; Zhang, Zhibing
Abstract
Intraflagellar transport protein 20 (IFT20) is essential for spermatogenesis in mice. We discovered that COPS5 was a major binding partner of IFT20. COPS5 is the fifth component of the constitutive photomorphogenic-9 signalosome (COP9), which is involved in protein ubiquitination and degradation. COPS5 is highly abundant in mouse testis. Mice deficiency in COPS5 specifically in male germ cells showed dramatically reduced sperm numbers and were infertile. Testis weight was about one third compared to control adult mice, and germ cells underwent significant apoptosis at a premeiotic stage. Testicular poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1, a protein that helps cells to maintain viability, was dramatically decreased, and Caspase-3, a critical executioner of apoptosis, was increased in the mutant mice. Expression level of FANK1, a known COPS5 binding partner, and a key germ cell apoptosis regulator was also reduced. An acrosome marker, lectin PNA, was nearly absent in the few surviving spermatids, and expression level of sperm acrosome associated 1, another acrosomal component was significantly reduced. IFT20 expression level was significantly reduced in the Cops5 knockout mice, and it was no longer present in the acrosome, but remained in the Golgi apparatus of spermatocytes. In the conditional Ift20 mutant mice, COPS5 localization and testicular expression levels were not changed. COP9 has been shown to be involved in multiple signal pathways, particularly functioning as a co-factor for protein ubiquitination. COPS5 is believed to maintain normal spermatogenesis through multiple mechanisms, including maintaining male germ cell survival and acrosome biogenesis, possibly by modulating protein ubiquitination.