Regulation of poly(a)-specific ribonuclease activity by reversible lysine acetylation
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
Authors: Dejene, Eden A.; Li, Yixuan; Showkatian, Zahra; Ling, Hongbo; Seto, Edward
Abstract
Poly(A)-specific ribonuclease (PARN) is a 3?-exoribonuclease that plays an important role in regulating the stability and maturation of RNAs. Recently, PARN has been found to regulate the maturation of the human telomerase RNA component (hTR), a noncoding RNA required for telomere elongation. Specifically, PARN cleaves the 3?-end of immature, polyadenylated hTR to form the mature, nonpolyadenylated template. Despite PARN's critical role in mediating telomere maintenance, little is known about how PARN's function is regulated by post-translational modifications. In this study, using shRNA- and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene silencing and knockout approaches, along with 3?-exoribonuclease activity assays and additional biochemical methods, we examined whether PARN is post-translationally modified by acetylation and what effect acetylation has on PARN's activity. We found PARN is primarily acetylated by the acetyltransferase p300 at Lys-566 and deacetylated by sirtuin1 (SIRT1). We also revealed how acetylation of PARN can decrease its enzymatic activity bothin vitro,using a synthetic RNA probe, andin vivo,by quantifying endogenous levels of adenylated hTR. Furthermore, we also found that SIRT1 can regulate levels of adenylated hTR through PARN. The findings of our study uncover a mechanism by which PARN acetylation and deacetylation regulate its enzymatic activity as well as levels of mature hTR. Thus, PARN's acetylation status may play a role in regulating telomere length.
Bacteria-induced IMD-Relish-AMPs pathway activation in Chinese mitten crab
FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY
Authors: Bai, Longwei; Zhou, Kaimin; Li, Hao; Qin, Yukai; Wang, Qun; Li, Weiwei
Abstract
The innate immune response is an important line of defense against invading pathogens in invertebrates. Signaling pathways, including the IMD pathway, play critical roles in the production of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which induce the transcription of immune effectors that protect against bacterial invasion. In the present study, the cDNA of IMD from Eriocheir sinensis was cloned (designated EsIMD) and shown to be significantly upregulated following Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial infection. In vivo and in vitro studies collectively suggested that both the Gram-negative bacterium Vibrio parahemolyticus and the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis elicit the translocation of Relish. Moreover, EsIMD positively regulated EsRelish translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus following stimulation with both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. EsRelish knockdown in hemocytes significantly suppressed AMPs' expression. Furthermore, both Lys-type and DAP-type peptidoglycan-containing bacteria activated the IMD pathway and elicited antibacterial responses in crab. Conclusively, these findings demonstrate that both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria activate IMD signaling, via a mechanism that is distinct with that by which Gramnegative bacteria activate IMD signaling in Drosophila. These findings might pave the way for a better understanding of the innate immune system and the fundamental network of the IMD signaling pathway in crustacean.