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GCM1 (glial cell missing 1) is a short-lived transcription factor essential for placental development. The F-box protein, FBW2 (F-box and WD-repeat domain-containing 2), which contains five WD (tryptophan-aspartate) repeats, recognizes GCM1 and mediates its ubiquitination via the SCFFBW2 E3 ligase complex. Although the interaction between GCM1 and FBW2 is facilitated by GCM1 phosphorylation, it is possible that this interaction might be regulated by additional cellular factors. In the present study, we perform tandem-affinity purification coupled with MS analysis identifying RACK1 (receptor for activated C-kinase 1) as an FBW2-interacting protein. RACK1 is a multifaceted scaffold protein containing seven WD repeats. We demonstrate that the WD repeats in both RACK1 and FBW2 are required for the interaction of RACK1 and FBW2. Furthermore, RACK1 competes with GCM1 for FBW2 and thereby preventsGCM1ubiquitination, which is also supported by the observation that GCM1 is destabilized in RACK1-knockdown BeWo placental cells. Importantly, RACK1 knockdown leads to decreased expression of the GCM1 target gene HTRA4 (hightemperature requirement protein A4), which encodes a serine protease crucial for cell migration and invasion. As a result, migration and invasion activities are down-regulated in RACK1- knockdown BeWo cells. The present study reveals a novel function for RACK1 to regulate GCM1 activity and placental cell migration and invasion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of general acid–base catalysis in the enzymatic mechanism of NADP+-dependent malic enzyme was examined by detailed steady-state kinetic studies through site-directed mutagenesis of the Tyr91 and Lys162 residues in the putative catalytic site of the enzyme. Y91F and K162A mutants showed approx. 200- and 27000-fold decreases in kcat values respectively, which could be partially recovered with ammonium chloride. Neither mutant had an effect on the partial dehydrogenase activity of the enzyme. However, both Y91F and K162A mutants caused decreases in the kcat values of the partial decarboxylase activity of the enzyme by approx. 14- and 3250-fold respectively. The pH-log(kcat) profile of K162A was found to be different from the bell-shaped profile pattern of wild-type enzyme as it lacked a basic pKa value. Oxaloacetate, in the presence of NADPH, can be converted by malic enzyme into L-malate by reduction and into enolpyruvate by decarboxylation activities. Compared with wild-type, the K162A mutant preferred oxaloacetate reduction to decarboxylation. These results are consistent with the function of Lys162 as a general acid that protonates the C-3 of enolpyruvate to form pyruvate. The Tyr91 residue could form a hydrogen bond with Lys162 to act as a catalytic dyad that contributes a proton to complete the enol–keto tautomerization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]