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Although the physical separation of transcription in the nucleus and translation in the cytoplasm has presided as a fundamental tenet of cell biology for decades, it has not done so without recurring challenges and contentious debate. In this issue, David et al. (2012. J. Cell Biol. http://dx.doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201112145) rekindle the controversy by providing convincing experimental evidence for nuclear translation.

In chemical carcinogenesis models, GRP94 (gp96) elicits tumor-specific protective immunity. The tumor specificity of this response is thought to reflect immune responses to GRP94-bound peptide antigens, the cohort of which uniquely identifies the GRP94 tissue of origin. In this study, we examined the apparent tissue restriction of GRP94-elicited protective immunity in a 4T1 mammary carcinoma model. We report that the vaccination of BALB/c mice with irradiated fibroblasts expressing a secretory form of GRP94 markedly suppressed 4T1 tumor growth and metastasis. In addition, vaccination with irradiated cells secreting the GRP94 NH(2)-terminal geldanamycin-binding domain (NTD), a region lacking canonical peptide-binding motifs, yielded a similar suppression of tumor growth and metastatic progression. Conditioned media from cultures of GRP94 or GRP94 NTD-secreting fibroblasts elicited the up-regulation of major histocompatibility complex class II and CD86 in dendritic cell cultures, consistent with a natural adjuvant function for GRP94 and the GRP94 NTD. Based on these findings, we propose that GRP94-elicited tumor suppression can occur independent of the GRP94 tissue of origin and suggest a primary role for GRP4 natural adjuvant function in antitumor immune responses.

A series of fusion protein constructs were designed to investigate the contribution of secretory nascent chains to regulation of the ribosome-membrane junction in the mammalian endoplasmic reticulum. As a component of these studies, the membrane topology of the signal sequence was determined at stages of protein translocation immediately after targeting and before signal sequence cleavage. Truncated translation products were used to delimit the analysis to defined stages of translocation. In a study of secretory protein precursors, formation of a protease-resistant ribosome-membrane junction, currently thought to define the pathway of the translocating nascent chain, was observed to be precursor- and stage-dependent. Analysis of the binding of early intermediates indicated that the nascent chain was bound to the membrane independent of the ribosome, and that the binding was predominately electrostatic. The membrane topology of the signal sequence was determined as a function of the stage of translocation, and was found to be identical for all assayed intermediates. Unexpectedly, the hydrophobic core of the signal sequence was observed to be accessible to the cytosolic face of the membrane at stages of translocation immediately after targeting as well as stages before signal sequence cleavage. Removal of the ribosome from bound intermediates did not disrupt subsequent translocation, suggesting that the active state of the protein-conducting channel is maintained in the absence of the bound ribosome. A model describing a potential mode of regulation of the ribosome-membrane junction by the nascent chain is presented.

Protein translocation in the mammalian endoplasmic reticulum (ER) occurs cotranslationally and requires the binding of translationally active ribosomes to components of the ER membrane. Three candidate ribosome receptors, p180, p34, and Sec61p, have been identified in binding studies with inactive ribosomes, suggesting that ribosome binding is mediated through a receptor-ligand interaction. To determine if the binding of nascent chain-bearing ribosomes is regulated in a manner similar to inactive ribosomes, we have investigated the ribosome/nascent chain binding event that accompanies targeting. In agreement with previous reports, indicating that Sec61p displays the majority of the ER ribosome binding activity, we observed that Sec61p is shielded from proteolytic digestion by native, bound ribosomes. The binding of active, nascent chain bearing ribosomes to the ER membrane is, however, insensitive to the ribosome occupancy state of Sec61p. To determine if additional, Sec61p independent, stages of the ribosome binding reaction could be identified, ribosome/nascent chain binding was assayed as a function of RM concentration. At limiting RM concentrations, a protease resistant ribosome-membrane junction was formed, yet the nascent chain was salt extractable and cross-linked to Sec61p with low efficiency. At nonlimiting RM concentrations, bound nascent chains were protease and salt resistant and cross-linked to Sec61p with higher efficiency. On the basis of these and other data, we propose that ribosome binding to the ER membrane is a multi-stage process comprised of an initial, Sec61p independent binding event, which precedes association of the ribosome/nascent chain complex with Sec61p.

Near-neighbor interactions between translocating nascent chains and Sec61p were investigated by chemical cross-linking. At stages of translocation before signal sequence cleavage, nascent chains could be cross-linked to Sec61p at high (60-80%) efficiencies. Cross-linking occurred through the signal sequence and the mature portion of wild-type and signal cleavage mutant nascent chains. At later stages of translocation, as represented through truncated translocation intermediates, cross-linking to Sec61p was markedly reduced. Dissociation of the ribosome into its large and small subunits after assembly of the precursor into the translocon, but before cross-linking, resulted in a dramatic reduction in subsequent cross-linking yield, indicating that at early stages of translocation, nascent chain-Sec61p interactions are in part mediated through interactions of the ribosome with components of the ER membrane, such as Sec61p. Dissociation of the ribosome was, however, without effect on subsequent translocation. These results are discussed with respect to a model in which Sec61p performs a function essential for the initiation of protein translocation.

We have investigated the effects of chemical alkylation of microsomal membranes on nascent chain binding and translocation. Assays were conducted using either full-length or truncated preprolactin transcripts in combination with a reconstituted membrane system consisting of proteolyzed rough microsomes and the cytoplasmic domain of the signal recognition particle receptor. Treatment of rough microsomes with N-ethylmaleimide was observed to inhibit preprolactin processing at a site other than the signal recognition particle or the signal recognition particle receptor. As formation of a translocation competent junction between the ribosome/nascent chain complex and the membrane has recently been demonstrated to require GTP (Connolly, T., and R. Gilmore. J. Cell Biol. 1986. 103:2253-2261), the effects of membrane alkylation on this parameter were assessed. N-ethylmaleimide treatment did not inhibit nascent chain targeting or GTP-dependent signal sequence insertion. Translocation of the targeted and inserted nascent chain was, however, blocked. These data indicate (a) that the process of nascent chain translocation is distinct from targeting and signal sequence insertion, and (b) translocation of the peptide chain across the membrane is mediated by an N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive membrane protein component(s). To further substantiate the observation that nascent chain targeting and signal sequence insertion can be distinguished from translocation, the temperature dependencies of the two phenomena were compared. Signal sequence insertion occurred at low temperatures (4 degrees C) and was maximal between 10 and 15 degrees C. Translocation was only observed at higher temperatures and was maximal between 25 and 30 degrees C.