A Short Evolutionary Journey Across the HERC Ubiquitin Ligases Enrico Bracco2*, Cristina Panuzzo1, Barbara Pergolizzi1* 1Dept
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Bracco E, Panuzzo C, Pergolizzi B. J Immunol Sci. (2018); 2(1): 46-49 Journal of Immunological Sciences Mini Review Open Access A short evolutionary journey across the HERC Ubiquitin Ligases Enrico Bracco2*, Cristina Panuzzo1, Barbara Pergolizzi1* 1Dept. of Clinical & Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Italy 2Dept. of Oncology, University of Turin, Italy Article Info ABSTRACT Article Notes HECT ubiquitin ligases are key components of the eukaryotic ubiquitin- Received: December 22, 2017 proteasome system controlling different cellular physiological aspects as well Accepted: February 05, 2018 as the genesis of several human diseases. Among the HECT family, the HERC *Correspondence: subfamily members are characterized by having one or more RCC1-like domains, Dr. Enrico Bracco, Department of Oncology, University of a C-terminal HECT domain and the molecular mass ranging approximately Turin, AOU S. Luigi, 10043 Orbassano TO, Italy; from 120 kDa to 500 kDa. Due to their large size , some of them are refractory E-mail: [email protected]. to functional characterization. We have recently identified and functionally Dr. Barbara Pergolizzi, Dept. of Clinical & Biological characterized a novel large HECT member in Dictyostelium discoideum that, in Sciences, University of Turin, Italy; many aspects, exhibits structural similarities with the mammalian large HERC1. E-mail: [email protected] In the present minireview , we shortly summarize and revise the current phylogenetic history of HERC proteins among the different living organisms. © 2018 Bracco E. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Introduction Ubiquitination, which is the covalent ligation of ubiquitin to a substrate protein, is associated with almost every cellular process including signal transduction, DNA damage repair, cell cycle regulation and autophagic clearance. The process involves three sequential steps each of which is catalysed by a different class dependent way, by the ubiquitin activating enzyme (E1). Afterwards theof enzymes. activated In ubiquitin the first isstep physically the ubiquitin transferred is activated, to the in ubiquitin an ATP- the ubiquitination cascade, catalysing the transfer of ubiquitin from anconjugating E2 enzyme enzyme to form (E2). a Finally, covalent E3 ligbondases with carry a out substrate the final lysinestep in1 (Figure 1). stimulate the ubiquitin transfer either through a direct or an indirectThree mechanism, distinct families named of E3RING lig ases(Really have Interesting been identified, New Gene),which 2 . HECT (Homologous to the E6AP Carboxyl Terminus) and RBR (Ring BetweenIn human Ring) beings RING is the largest family with more than 600 putative members that do not have a direct catalytic role in protein ubiquitination but basically, they act as scaffold facilitating the interaction between E2 and the substrates. In contrast to RING E3 ligases, the HECT and RBR family members catalyse the ubiquitin thentransfer covalently to the substratelinked to throughthe substrate a two-step3,4. HECT reaction: E3s can ubiquitin either is first transferred to a catalytic cysteine residue on the E3 and Page 46 of 49 Bracco E, Panuzzo C, Pergolizzi B. J Immunol Sci. (2018); 2(1): 46-49 Journal of Immunological Sciences of t I) a catalytic HECT domain II) one or more (up to wo conserved domains: 8. HECT is a domain of ~350 localized at their C-terminus and three) RCC1-like domain (RLD) foundamino inacids different firstly species described ranging in Human from yeast Papilloma to humans. Virus (HPV) E6-Associated Protein (E6AP). The HECT domain is Structurally, it consists of two lobes, a larger 9N-terminal- contains(N-lobe) anda crucial a smaller catalytic C-terminal- cysteine (C-lobe) residue lobe and connected interacts by a short flexible linker essential for catalysis . The C-lobe interacts with the E2 enzymes10. Substrates recognition with ubiquitin during the transfer reaction while the N-lobe tois mediatedtheir size byHERC domains members localized have beenwithin catalogued the extended into Figure 1- Schematic representation of the ubiquitin system region N-terminal to the catalytic HECT domain.11 According, but this Ubiquitination proceeds through an initiation step during which the ubiquitin is activated by an E1 enzyme. Then, the activated small (HERC3-6) and large HERC (HERC1-2) ubiquitin is transferred to E2. Selectivity of substrate comes from evolutional considerations. classification is purely operational and not based on the E3 ubiquitin ligases, which couple with E2 to bind substrates The elaboration of a phylogenetic tree with the and catalyse the transfer of the activated ubiquitin from the E2 itself to the substrate. E3 HECT, RING and RBR ligase domains, act sequences of all published animal HECTs from different through different reaction mechanisms. While the E3-HECT ligase catalyses by itself the ubiquitin transfer to the substrate by forming 12. Indeed, the an E3-ubiquitin thioester intermediate, E3-RING ligase domain phylogeneticspecies suggested analysis that established the aforementioned that the small classification and large does not possess direct catalytic activity but rely on the enzymatic HERCwas, subfamiliesto some areextent, only distantlyoversimplified related. In addition, the activity of E2 to ubiquitinate the substrates. Eventually, RBR ligases study allowed to trace the oldest common ancestral HERC combine features of both RING- and HECT-type ligases. Monosiga brevicollis function on their own or in conjunction with accessory whose genome encodes for a small HERC, mostly like the encoding gene in the choanoflagellate or adaptor protein5 mammalian HERC4 and HERC3, but not for canonical large for the substrate recognition for RING E3 ligase is mainly HERC. Animal large HERC members, namely HERC1 and accomplished by . theWhile requirement the selectivity of andmultisubunit specificity HERC1 is structurally characterized by a HECT domain HERC2, are giant proteins with molecular mass ≥500 kDa. region is most likely the sole that serves as the substrate recognitioncomplexes, for domain. the HECT and RBR members the N-terminal localized at its C-terminus and by a single SPRY (spl A moreand Ryanodine composite Receptor),than that ofWD40 HERC1 (G because protein itβ-subunit contains substrate proteins of individual HECT, the physiological like repeats) and two RLDs. The architecture of HERC2 is relevanceDespite ofthe manyefforts madeof these in the interactions identification remain of potential still multiple conserved regions other than the HECT and RLD characterization of HECT E3 members is however available domains, including a Cytb5 (cytochrome b5-like) region, a unclear. Besides the animal kingdom, where the functional only for a handful of them, the evolutionary history of the DOC (DOC1/APC10), a mind-bomb/HERC2 (MIB), a Cullin7 HECT E3s and their biological roles remain still mostly proteinRecently, homology in a (CPH)genetic and suppressor a ZZ-type screeningzinc finger usingdomain. as unknown. In this respect we have recently characterized parental strain a Dictyostelium discoideum a novel large HECT member which might be a functional, mutant13 but not structural, distant relative of the large HERC E3 TORC2 deficient 6,7. In the present minireview, we will attempt to communications we identified, and signal and transduction.functionally characterized,As a matter shortly summarize and revise the long evolutionary history a giant HECT protein regulating some aspects of cell- ofsub-family the HERC E3 ubiquitin ligases members. of fact, this giant E3-ubiquitin ligase6. The controls protein G-protein displays HERC family members structural features and themediated highest cell-to-cell homology signaling to the andhuman acts large as a suppressor HERC1 (57% for domain composition throughout the evolution the TORC2-dependent PKB activity The structurally related HERC E3 ubiquitin ligases the Dictyostelium and the human protein possess a single belong to a subfamily of the HECT E3 family. The HERC similarity and 38% identity within the HECT domain). Both members are proteins of different size (ranging from of several proteins and peculiar of HERC1. Furthermore, theSPRY comparison domain, likely of themediating Dictyostelium protein interaction, typicalitin 100-120 kDa to >500 kDa), characterized by the presence giant E3-ubiqu Page 47 of 49 Bracco E, Panuzzo C, Pergolizzi B. J Immunol Sci. (2018); 2(1): 46-49 Journal of Immunological Sciences a kingdom different from that of an animal as hitherto believed12. Indeed, the vast majority of protists organisms ligase with the human HERC1, shows that the first lacks harbour genes encoding for both putative small and large the RLD whose molecular function in HERC proteins is still HERC. Interestingly, the structural domain composition of andnot fullyguanine understood. releasing Indeed,factor (GRF) RLD1 for domain ARF1, andof the as GEFhuman for HERC1 may act either as a guanine exchange14. On thefactor contrary, (GEF) putative large HERC evokes that of canonical mammalian this biochemical feature is not shared with the structurally the N-terminal region of the vast majority of the protists some Rab family GTPases (Rab3a, Rab5) 15. Additionally, it HERC1 because they possess at least a RLD, SPRY,16. Animalsa single related RLD domain of the small HERCs suchHECT asand the in someurochordate cases, an ( CionaUBA domain intestinalis but all) andof them the has been reported