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Vaccinia-related kinase 1 (VRK1) is a gene which has been implicated in the pathological process of a broad range of neurodevelopmental disorders as well as neuropathies, such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Here we report a family presenting ALS in an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance, segregating with a homozygous missense mutation located in VRK1 gene (p.R321C; Arg321Cys). Proteomic analyses from iPSC-derived motor neurons identified 720 proteins eligible for subsequent investigation, and our exploration of protein profiles revealed significant enrichments in pathways such as mTOR signaling, E2F, MYC targets, DNA repair response, cell proliferation and energetic metabolism. Functional studies further validated such alterations, showing that affected motor neurons presented decreased levels of global protein output, ER stress and downregulation of mTOR signaling. Mitochondrial alterations also pointed to decreased reserve capacity and increased non-mitochondrial oxygen consumption. Taken together, our results present the main pathological alterations associated with VRK1 mutation in ALS., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Ovarian cancer has a high mortality rate mainly due to its resistance to currently used therapies. This resistance has been associated with the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs), interactions with the microenvironment, and intratumoral heterogeneity. Therefore, the search for new therapeutic targets, particularly those targeting CSCs, is important for improving patient prognosis. HOOK1 has been found to be transcriptionally altered in a substantial percentage of ovarian tumors, but its role in tumor initiation and development is still not fully understood., Methods: The downregulation of HOOK1 was performed in ovarian cancer cell lines using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, followed by growth in vitro and in vivo assays. Subsequently, migration (Boyden chamber), cell death (Western-Blot and flow cytometry) and stemness properties (clonal heterogeneity analysis, tumorspheres assay and flow cytometry) of the downregulated cell lines were analysed. To gain insights into the specific mechanisms of action of HOOK1 in ovarian cancer, a proteomic analysis was performed, followed by Western-blot and cytotoxicity assays to confirm the results found within the mass spectrometry. Immunofluorescence staining, Western-blotting and flow cytometry were also employed to finish uncovering the role of HOOK1 in ovarian cancer., Results: In this study, we observed that reducing the levels of HOOK1 in ovarian cancer cells reduced in vitro growth and migration and prevented tumor formation in vivo. Furthermore, HOOK1 reduction led to a decrease in stem-like capabilities in these cells, which, however, did not seem related to the expression of genes traditionally associated with this phenotype. A proteome study, along with other analysis, showed that the downregulation of HOOK1 also induced an increase in endoplasmic reticulum stress levels in these cells. Finally, the decrease in stem-like properties observed in cells with downregulated HOOK1 could be explained by an increase in cell death in the CSC population within the culture due to endoplasmic reticulum stress by the unfolded protein response., Conclusion: HOOK1 contributes to maintaining the tumorigenic and stemness properties of ovarian cancer cells by preserving protein homeostasis and could be considered an alternative therapeutic target, especially in combination with inducers of endoplasmic reticulum or proteotoxic stress such as proteasome inhibitors., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

MAPK pathway-driven tumorigenesis, often induced by BRAF V600E , relies on epithelial dedifferentiation. However, how lineage differentiation events are reprogrammed remains unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that proteostatic reactivation of developmental factor, TBX3, accounts for BRAF/MAPK-mediated dedifferentiation and tumorigenesis. During embryonic development, BRAF/MAPK upregulates USP15 to stabilize TBX3, which orchestrates organogenesis by restraining differentiation. The USP15-TBX3 axis is reactivated during tumorigenesis, and Usp15 knockout prohibits BRAF V600E -driven tumor development in a Tbx3-dependent manner. Deleting Tbx3 or Usp15 leads to tumor redifferentiation, which parallels their overdifferentiation tendency during development, exemplified by disrupted thyroid folliculogenesis and elevated differentiation factors such as Tpo, Nis, Tg. The clinical relevance is highlighted in that both USP15 and TBX3 highly correlates with BRAF V600E signature and poor tumor prognosis. Thus, USP15 stabilized TBX3 represents a critical proteostatic mechanism downstream of BRAF/MAPK-directed developmental homeostasis and pathological transformation, supporting that tumorigenesis largely relies on epithelial dedifferentiation achieved via embryonic regulatory program reinitiation., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Defects in protein homeostasis can induce proteotoxic stress, affecting cellular fitness and, consequently, overall tissue health. In various growing tissues, cell competition based mechanisms facilitate detection and elimination of these compromised, often referred to as 'loser', cells by the healthier neighbors. The precise connection between proteotoxic stress and competitive cell survival remains largely elusive. Here, we reveal the function of an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi localized protein Rer1 in the regulation of protein homeostasis in the developing Drosophila wing epithelium. Our results show that loss of Rer1 leads to proteotoxic stress and PERK-mediated phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α. Clonal analysis showed that rer1 mutant cells are identified as losers and eliminated through cell competition. Interestingly, we find that Rer1 levels are upregulated upon Myc-overexpression that causes overgrowth, albeit under high proteotoxic stress. Our results suggest that increased levels of Rer1 provide cytoprotection to Myc-overexpressing cells by alleviating the proteotoxic stress and thereby supporting Myc-driven overgrowth. In summary, these observations demonstrate that Rer1 acts as a novel regulator of proteostasis in Drosophila and reveal its role in competitive cell survival., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Paul et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Proteostasis can be disturbed by mutations affecting folding and stability of the encoded protein. An example is the ubiquitin ligase Parkin, where gene variants result in autosomal recessive Parkinsonism. To uncover the pathological mechanism and provide comprehensive genotype-phenotype information, variant abundance by massively parallel sequencing (VAMP-seq) is leveraged to quantify the abundance of Parkin variants in cultured human cells. The resulting mutational map, covering 9219 out of the 9300 possible single-site amino acid substitutions and nonsense Parkin variants, shows that most low abundance variants are proteasome targets and are located within the structured domains of the protein. Half of the known disease-linked variants are found at low abundance. Systematic mapping of degradation signals (degrons) reveals an exposed degron region proximal to the so-called "activation element". This work provides examples of how missense variants may cause degradation either via destabilization of the native protein, or by introducing local signals for degradation., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The Rad5/HLTF protein has a central role in the tolerance to DNA damage by mediating an error-free mode of bypassing unrepaired DNA lesions, and is therefore critical for the maintenance of genome stability. We show in this work that, following cellular stress, Rad5 is regulated by relocalization into two types of nuclear foci that coexist within the same cell, which we termed 'S' and 'I'. Rad5 S-foci form in response to genotoxic stress and are associated with Rad5's function in maintaining genome stability, whereas I-foci form in the presence of proteotoxic stress and are related to Rad5's own proteostasis. Rad5 accumulates into S-foci at DNA damage tolerance sites by liquid-liquid phase separation, while I-foci constitute sites of chaperone-mediated sequestration of Rad5 at the intranuclear quality control compartment (INQ). Relocalization of Rad5 into each type of foci involves different pathways and recruitment mechanisms, but in both cases is driven by the evolutionarily conserved E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme Rad6. This coordinated differential relocalization of Rad5 interconnects DNA damage response and proteostasis networks, highlighting the importance of studying these homeostasis mechanisms in tandem. Spatial regulation of Rad5 under cellular stress conditions thus provides a useful biological model to study cellular homeostasis as a whole., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.)

Cellular homeostasis is constantly challenged by a myriad of extrinsic and intrinsic stressors. To mitigate the stress-induced damage, cells activate transient survival programs. The heat shock response (HSR) is an evolutionarily well-conserved survival program that is activated in response to proteotoxic stress. The HSR encompasses a dual regulation of transcription, characterized by rapid activation of genes encoding molecular chaperones and concomitant global attenuation of non-chaperone genes. Recent genome-wide approaches have delineated the molecular depth of stress-induced transcriptional reprogramming. The dramatic rewiring of gene and enhancer networks is driven by key transcription factors, including heat shock factors (HSFs), that together with chromatin-modifying enzymes remodel the 3D chromatin architecture, determining the selection of either gene activation or repression. Here, we highlight the current advancements of molecular mechanisms driving transcriptional reprogramming during acute heat stress. We also discuss the emerging implications of HSF-mediated stress signaling in the context of physiological and pathological conditions., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The proteostasis network (PN) is a collection of protein folding and degradation pathways that spans cellular compartments and acts to preserve the integrity of the proteome. The differential expression of PN genes is a hallmark of many cancers, and the inhibition of protein quality control factors is an effective way to slow cancer cell growth. However, little is known about how the expression of PN genes differs between patients and how this impacts survival outcomes. To address this, we applied unbiased hierarchical clustering to gene expression data obtained from primary and metastatic cutaneous melanoma (CM) samples and found that two distinct groups of individuals emerge across each sample type. These patient groups are distinguished by the differential expression of genes encoding ATP-dependent and ATP-independent chaperones, and proteasomal subunits. Differences in PN gene expression were associated with increased levels of the transcription factors, MEF2A, SP4, ZFX, CREB1 and ATF2, as well as markedly different survival outcomes. However, surprisingly, similar PN alterations in primary and metastatic samples were associated with discordant survival outcomes in patients. Our findings reveal that the expression of PN genes demarcates CM patients and highlights several new proteostasis sub-networks that could be targeted for more effective suppression of CM within specific individuals., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system is used to induce mutations in genes of interest resulting in the loss of functional protein. A transgenic zebrafish α1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) model displays an unusual phenotype, in that it lacks the hepatic accumulation of the misfolding Z α1-antitrypsin (ZAAT) evident in human and mouse models. Here we describe the application of the CRISPR-Cas9 system to generate mutant zebrafish with defects in key proteostasis networks likely to be involved in the hepatic processing of ZAAT in this model. We describe the targeting of the atf6a and man1b1 genes as examples., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Functional networks in cells are created by physical, genetic, and regulatory interactions. Mapping them and annotating their functions by available methods remains a challenge. We use affinity purification mass spectrometry (AP-MS) coupled with SLiMFinder to discern such a network involving 26S proteasome non-ATPase regulatory subunit 9 (PSMD9), a chaperone of proteasome assembly. Approximately 20% of proteins within the PSMD9 interactome carry a short linear motif (SLiM) of the type 'EXKK'. The binding of purified PSMD9 with the peptide sequence ERKK, proteins heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins A2/B1 (hnRNPA2B1; containing ERKK), and peroxiredoxin-6 (PRDX6; containing EAKK) provided proof of principle for this motif-driven network. The EXKK motif in the peptide primarily interacts with the coiled-coil N domain of PSMD9, a unique interaction not reported for any coiled-coil domain. PSMD9 knockout (KO) HEK293 cells experience endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and respond by increasing the unfolded protein response (UPR) and reducing the formation of aggresomes and lipid droplets. Trans-expression of PSMD9 in the KO cells rescues lipid droplet formation. Overexpression of PSMD9 in HEK293 cells results in reduced UPR, and increased lipid droplet and aggresome formation. The outcome argues for the prominent role of PSMD9 in maintaining proteostasis. Probable mechanisms involve the binding of PSMD9 to binding immunoglobulin protein (BIP/GRP78; containing EDKK), an endoplasmic reticulum chaperone and key regulator of the UPR, and fatty acid synthase (FASN; containing ELKK), involved in fatty acid synthesis/lipid biogenesis. We propose that PSMD9 acts as a buffer in the cellular milieu by moderating the UPR and enhancing aggresome formation to reduce stress-induced proteotoxicity. Akin to waves created in ponds that perpetuate to a distance, perturbing the levels of PSMD9 would cause ripples down the networks, affecting final reactions in the pathway, one of which is altered proteostasis., (© 2023 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.)

Extreme acidophiles thrive in harsh environments characterized by acidic pH, high concentrations of dissolved metals and high osmolarity. Most of these microorganisms are chemolithoautotrophs that obtain energy from low redox potential sources, such as the oxidation of ferrous ions. Under these conditions, the mechanisms that maintain homeostasis of proteins (proteostasis), as the main organic components of the cells, are of utmost importance. Thus, the analysis of protein chaperones is critical for understanding how these organisms deal with proteostasis under such environmental conditions. In this work, using a bioinformatics approach, we performed a comparative genomic analysis of the genes encoding classical, periplasmic and stress chaperones, and the protease systems. The analysis included 35 genomes from iron- or sulfur-oxidizing autotrophic, heterotrophic, and mixotrophic acidophilic bacteria. The results showed that classical ATP-dependent chaperones, mostly folding chaperones, are widely distributed, although they are sub-represented in some groups. Acidophilic bacteria showed redundancy of genes coding for the ATP-independent holdase chaperones RidA and Hsp20. In addition, a systematically high redundancy of genes encoding periplasmic chaperones like HtrA and YidC was also detected. In the same way, the proteolytic ATPase complexes ClpPX and Lon presented redundancy and broad distribution. The presence of genes that encoded protein variants was noticeable. In addition, genes for chaperones and protease systems were clustered within the genomes, suggesting common regulation of these activities. Finally, some genes were differentially distributed between bacteria as a function of the autotrophic or heterotrophic character of their metabolism. These results suggest that acidophiles possess an abundant and flexible proteostasis network that protects proteins in organisms living in energy-limiting and extreme environmental conditions. Therefore, our results provide a means for understanding the diversity and significance of proteostasis mechanisms in extreme acidophilic bacteria., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no competing interests., (Copyright: © 2023 Izquierdo-Fiallo et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

The chloroplast proteome is a dynamic mosaic of plastid- and nuclear-encoded proteins. Plastid protein homeostasis is maintained through the balance between de novo synthesis and proteolysis. Intracellular communication pathways, including the plastid-to-nucleus signalling and the protein homeostasis machinery, made of stromal chaperones and proteases, shape chloroplast proteome based on developmental and physiological needs. However, the maintenance of fully functional chloroplasts is costly and under specific stress conditions the degradation of damaged chloroplasts is essential to the maintenance of a healthy population of photosynthesising organelles while promoting nutrient redistribution to sink tissues. In this work, we have addressed this complex regulatory chloroplast-quality-control pathway by modulating the expression of two nuclear genes encoding plastid ribosomal proteins PRPS1 and PRPL4. By transcriptomics, proteomics and transmission electron microscopy analyses, we show that the increased expression of PRPS1 gene leads to chloroplast degradation and early flowering, as an escape strategy from stress. On the contrary, the overaccumulation of PRPL4 protein is kept under control by increasing the amount of plastid chaperones and components of the unfolded protein response (cpUPR) regulatory mechanism. This study advances our understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying chloroplast retrograde communication and provides new insights into cellular responses to impaired plastid protein homeostasis., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Tadini et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Alteration in the buffering capacity of the proteostasis network is an emerging feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD), highlighting the occurrence of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. The unfolded protein response (UPR) is the main adaptive pathway to cope with protein folding stress at the ER. Inositol-requiring enzyme-1 (IRE1) operates as a central ER stress sensor, enabling the establishment of adaptive and repair programs through the control of the expression of the transcription factor X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1). To artificially enforce the adaptive capacity of the UPR in the AD brain, we developed strategies to express the active form of XBP1 in the brain. Overexpression of XBP1 in the nervous system using transgenic mice reduced the load of amyloid deposits and preserved synaptic and cognitive function. Moreover, local delivery of XBP1 into the hippocampus of an 5xFAD mice using adeno-associated vectors improved different AD features. XBP1 expression corrected a large proportion of the proteomic alterations observed in the AD model, restoring the levels of several synaptic proteins and factors involved in actin cytoskeleton regulation and axonal growth. Our results illustrate the therapeutic potential of targeting UPR-dependent gene expression programs as a strategy to ameliorate AD features and sustain synaptic function., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare that no conflicts of interest exist., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Maintenance of calcium homeostasis is important for proper endoplasmic reticulum (ER) function. When cellular stress conditions deplete the high concentration of calcium in the ER, ER-resident proteins are secreted into the extracellular space in a process called exodosis. Monitoring exodosis provides insight into changes in ER homeostasis and proteostasis resulting from cellular stress associated with ER calcium dysregulation. To monitor cell-type specific exodosis in the intact animal, we created a transgenic mouse line with a Gaussia luciferase (GLuc)-based, secreted ER calcium-modulated protein, SERCaMP, preceded by a LoxP-STOP-LoxP (LSL) sequence. The Cre-dependent LSL-SERCaMP mice were crossed with albumin (Alb)-Cre and dopamine transporter (DAT)-Cre mouse lines. GLuc-SERCaMP expression was characterized in mouse organs and extracellular fluids, and the secretion of GLuc-SERCaMP in response to cellular stress was monitored following pharmacological depletion of ER calcium. In LSL-SERCaMP × Alb-Cre mice, robust GLuc activity was observed only in the liver and blood, whereas in LSL-SERCaMP × DAT-Cre mice, GLuc activity was seen in midbrain dopaminergic neurons and tissue samples innervated by dopaminergic projections. After calcium depletion, we saw increased GLuc signal in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid collected from the Alb-Cre and DAT-Cre crosses, respectively. This mouse model can be used to investigate the secretion of ER-resident proteins from specific cell and tissue types during disease pathogenesis and may aid in the identification of therapeutics and biomarkers of disease., (© 2023. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Tissue homeostasis is maintained after stress by engaging and activating the hematopoietic stem and progenitor compartments in the blood. Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are essential for long-term repopulation after secondary transplantation. Here, using a conditional knockout mouse model, we revealed that the RNA-binding protein SYNCRIP is required for maintenance of blood homeostasis especially after regenerative stress due to defects in HSCs and progenitors. Mechanistically, we find that SYNCRIP loss results in a failure to maintain proteome homeostasis that is essential for HSC maintenance. SYNCRIP depletion results in increased protein synthesis, a dysregulated epichaperome, an accumulation of misfolded proteins and induces endoplasmic reticulum stress. Additionally, we find that SYNCRIP is required for translation of CDC42 RHO-GTPase, and loss of SYNCRIP results in defects in polarity, asymmetric segregation, and dilution of unfolded proteins. Forced expression of CDC42 recovers polarity and in vitro replating activities of HSCs. Taken together, we uncovered a post-transcriptional regulatory program that safeguards HSC self-renewal capacity and blood homeostasis., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Deleterious, mostly de novo, mutations in the lamin A (LMNA) gene cause spatio-functional nuclear abnormalities that result in several laminopathy-associated progeroid conditions. In this study, exome sequencing in a sixteen-year-old male with manifestations of premature aging led to the identification of a mutation, c.784G>A, in LMNA, resulting in a missense protein variant, p.Glu262Lys (E262K), that aggregates in nucleoplasm. While bioinformatic analyses reveal the instability and pathogenicity of LMNA E262K , local unfolding of the mutation-harboring helical region drives the structural collapse of LMNA E262K into aggregates. The E262K mutation also disrupts SUMOylation of lysine residues by preventing UBE2I binding to LMNA E262K , thereby reducing LMNA E262K degradation, aggregated LMNA E262K sequesters nuclear chaperones, proteasomal proteins, and DNA repair proteins. Consequently, aggregates of LMNA E262K disrupt nuclear proteostasis and DNA repair response. Thus, we report a structure-function association of mutant LMNA E262K with toxicity, which is consistent with the concept that loss of nuclear proteostasis causes early aging in laminopathies., (© 2022 The Authors. Aging Cell published by Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Cells are exposed to several environmental or chemical stressors that may cause DNA damage. DNA damage alters the normal functioning of the cell and contributes to several diseases, including cancer. Cells either induce DNA damage repair pathways or programmed cell death pathways to prevent disease formation depending on the severity of the stress and the damage caused. The DNA repair mechanisms are crucial to maintaining genome stability. During this adaptive response, the heat shock proteins (HSPs) are the key players. HSPs are overexpressed during genotoxic stress, but the role of different molecular players in the interaction between HSPs and DNA repair proteins is still poorly understood. As DNA damage promotes genomic instability and proteotoxic stress, modulating the protein quality control systems like the HSPs network could be a promising strategy for targeting disease pathologies associated with genomic instability, such as cancer. Hence, this review highlights the role of HSPs in DNA repair pathways. Further, the review also provides an outlook on the role of genomic instability and protein homeostasis in cancer, which is crucial to understanding the mechanisms behind its survival and developing novel targeted therapies., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The establishment of photosynthetic protein complexes during chloroplast development requires the influx of a large number of chloroplast proteins that are encoded by the nuclear genome, which is critical for cytosol and chloroplast protein homeostasis and chloroplast development. However, the mechanisms regulating this process are still not well understood in higher plants. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of the pale green Arabidopsis pga1-1 mutant, which is defective in chloroplast development and chloroplast protein accumulation. Using genetic and biochemical evidence, we reveal that PGA1 encodes AtFtsH12, a chloroplast envelope-localized protein of the FtsH family proteins. We determined a G703R mutation in the GAD motif of the conserved ATPase domain renders the pga1-1 a viable hypomorphic allele of the essential gene AtFtsH12. In de-etiolation assays, we showed that the accumulation of photosynthetic proteins and the expression of photosynthetic genes were impaired in pga1-1. Using the FNR ctp -GFP and pTAC2-GFP reporters, we demonstrated that AtFtsH12 was required for the accumulation of chloroplast proteins in vivo. Interestingly, we identified an increase in expression of the mutant AtFtsH12 gene in pga1-1, suggesting a feedback regulation. Moreover, we found that cytosolic and chloroplast proteostasis responses were triggered in pga1-1. Together, taking advantage of the novel pga1-1 mutant, we demonstrate the function of AtFtsH12 in chloroplast protein homeostasis and chloroplast development., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest with the contents of this article., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Proper regulation of protein homeostasis (proteostasis) is essential for all organisms to survive. A diverse range of post-translational modifications (PTMs) allow precise control of protein abundance, function and cellular localisation. In eukaryotic cells, ubiquitination is a widespread, essential PTM that regulates most, if not all cellular processes. Ubiquitin is added to target proteins via a well-defined enzymatic cascade involving a range of conjugating enzymes and ligases, while its removal is catalysed by a class of enzymes known as deubiquitinases (DUBs). Many human diseases have now been linked to DUB dysfunction, demonstrating the importance of these enzymes in maintaining cellular function. These findings have led to a recent explosion in studying the structure, molecular mechanisms and physiology of DUBs in mammalian systems. Plant DUBs have however remained relatively understudied, with many DUBs identified but their substrates, binding partners and the cellular pathways they regulate only now beginning to emerge. This review focuses on the most recent findings in plant DUB biology, particularly on newly identified DUB substrates and how these offer clues to the wide-ranging roles that DUBs play in the cell. Furthermore, the future outlook on how new technologies in mammalian systems can accelerate the plant DUB field forward is discussed., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

Gustatory Receptor 64 (Gr64) genes are a cluster of 6 neuronally expressed receptors involved in sweet taste sensation in Drosophila melanogaster. Gr64s modulate calcium signalling and excitatory responses to several different sugars. Here, we discover an unexpected nonneuronal function of Gr64 receptors and show that they promote proteostasis in epithelial cells affected by proteotoxic stress. Using heterozygous mutations in ribosome proteins (Rp), which have recently been shown to induce proteotoxic stress and protein aggregates in cells, we show that Rp/+ cells in Drosophila imaginal discs up-regulate expression of the entire Gr64 cluster and depend on these receptors for survival. We further show that loss of Gr64 in Rp/+ cells exacerbates stress pathway activation and proteotoxic stress by negatively affecting autophagy and proteasome function. This work identifies a noncanonical role in proteostasis maintenance for a family of gustatory receptors known for their function in neuronal sensation., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Valosin-containing protein (VCP) acts as a key regulator of cellular protein homeostasis by coordinating protein turnover and quality control. Mutations in VCP lead to (cardio-)myopathy and neurodegenerative diseases such as inclusion body myopathy with Paget's disease of the bone and frontotemporal dementia (IBMPFD) or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). To date, due to embryonic lethality, no constitutive VCP knockout animal model exists. Here, we generated a constitutive CRISPR/Cas9-induced vcp knockout zebrafish model. Similar to the phenotype of vcp morphant knockdown zebrafish embryos, we found that vcp -null embryos displayed significantly impaired cardiac and skeletal muscle function. By ultrastructural analysis of skeletal muscle cells and cardiomyocytes, we observed severely disrupted myofibrillar organization and accumulation of inclusion bodies as well as mitochondrial degeneration. vcp knockout was associated with a significant accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins, suggesting impaired proteasomal function. Additionally, markers of unfolded protein response (UPR)/ER-stress and autophagy-related mTOR signaling were elevated in vcp -deficient embryos, demonstrating impaired proteostasis in VCP-null zebrafish. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate the successful generation of a stable constitutive vcp knockout zebrafish line that will enable characterization of the detailed mechanistic underpinnings of vcp loss, particularly the impact of disturbed protein homeostasis on organ development and function in vivo.

Photoinhibitory high light stress in Arabidopsis leads to increases in markers of protein degradation and transcriptional up-regulation of proteases and proteolytic machinery, but proteostasis is largely maintained. We find significant increases in the in vivo degradation rate for specific molecular chaperones, nitrate reductase, glyceraldehyde-3 phosphate dehydrogenase, and phosphoglycerate kinase and other plastid, mitochondrial, peroxisomal, and cytosolic enzymes involved in redox shuttles. Coupled analysis of protein degradation rates, mRNA levels, and protein abundance reveal that 57% of the nuclear-encoded enzymes with higher degradation rates also had high light–induced transcriptional responses to maintain proteostasis. In contrast, plastid-encoded proteins with enhanced degradation rates showed decreased transcript abundances and must maintain protein abundance by other processes. This analysis reveals a light-induced transcriptional program for nuclear-encoded genes, beyond the regulation of the photosystem II (PSII) D1 subunit and the function of PSII, to replace key protein degradation targets in plants and ensure proteostasis under high light stress.

Tripeptidyl peptidase II (TPPII or TPP2) degrades N-terminal tripeptides from proteins and peptides. Studies in both humans and mice have shown that TPPII deficiency is linked to cellular immune-senescence, lifespan regulation and the aging process. However, the mechanism of how TPPII participates in these processes is less clear. In this study, we established a chemical probe-based assay and found that although the mRNA and protein levels of TPPII were not altered during senescence, its enzymatic activity was reduced in senescent human fibroblasts. We also showed that elevation of the levels of the serine protease inhibitor serpinB2 reduced TPPII activity in senescent cells. Moreover, suppression of TPPII led to elevation in the amount of lysosomal contents as in well as TPPI (TPP1) and β-galactosidase activities, suggesting that lysosome biogenesis is induced to compensate for the reduction of TPPII activity in senescent cells. Together, this study discloses a critical role of the serpinB2-TPPII signaling pathway in proteostasis during senescence. Since serpinB2 levels can be increased by a variety of cellular stresses, reduction of TPPII activity through activation of serpinB2 might represent a common pathway for cells to respond to different stress conditions. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper., Competing Interests: Competing interests The authors declare no competing or financial interests., (© 2022. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.)

Investigation of the molecular mechanisms of aging in the human heart is challenging because of confounding factors, such as diet and medications, as well as limited access to tissues from healthy aging individuals. The laboratory mouse provides an ideal model to study aging in healthy individuals in a controlled environment. However, previous mouse studies have examined only a narrow range of the genetic variation that shapes individual differences during aging. Here, we analyze transcriptome and proteome data from 185 genetically diverse male and female mice at ages 6, 12, and 18 mo to characterize molecular changes that occur in the aging heart. Transcripts and proteins reveal activation of pathways related to exocytosis and cellular transport with age, whereas processes involved in protein folding decrease with age. Additional changes are apparent only in the protein data including reduced fatty acid oxidation and increased autophagy. For proteins that form complexes, we see a decline in correlation between their component subunits with age, suggesting age-related loss of stoichiometry. The most affected complexes are themselves involved in protein homeostasis, which potentially contributes to a cycle of progressive breakdown in protein quality control with age. Our findings highlight the important role of post-transcriptional regulation in aging. In addition, we identify genetic loci that modulate age-related changes in protein homeostasis, suggesting that genetic variation can alter the molecular aging process., (© 2022 Gerdes Gyuricza et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.)

Proteostasis reflects the well-balanced synthesis, trafficking and degradation of cellular proteins. This is a fundamental aspect of the dynamic cellular proteome, which integrates multiple signaling pathways, but it becomes increasingly error-prone during aging. Phosphatidylethanolamine-binding proteins (PEBPs) are highly conserved regulators of signaling networks and could therefore affect aging-related processes. To test this hypothesis, we expressed PEPBs in a heterologous context to determine their ectopic activity. We found that heterologous expression of the tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum ) PEBP NtFT4 in Drosophila melanogaster significantly increased the lifespan of adult flies and reduced age-related locomotor decline. Similarly, overexpression of the Drosophila ortholog CG7054 increased longevity, whereas its suppression by RNA interference had the opposite effect. In tobacco, NtFT4 acts as a floral regulator by integrating environmental and intrinsic stimuli to promote the transition to reproductive growth. In Drosophila, NtFT4 engaged distinct targets related to proteostasis, such as HSP26. In older flies, it also prolonged Hsp26 gene expression, which promotes longevity by maintaining protein integrity. In NtFT4-transgenic flies, we identified deregulated genes encoding proteases that may contribute to proteome stability at equilibrium. Our results demonstrate that the expression of NtFT4 influences multiple aspects of the proteome maintenance system via both physical interactions and transcriptional regulation, potentially explaining the aging-related phenotypes we observed.

Competing Interests: K.L.G. is a cofounder of and has equity interest in Vivace Therapeutics.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) alters astrocytes, but the effect of Aß and Tau pathology is poorly understood. TRAP-seq translatome analysis of astrocytes in APP/PS1 ß-amyloidopathy and MAPT P301S tauopathy mice revealed that only Aß influenced expression of AD risk genes, but both pathologies precociously induced age-dependent changes, and had distinct but overlapping signatures found in human post-mortem AD astrocytes. Both Aß and Tau pathology induced an astrocyte signature involving repression of bioenergetic and translation machinery, and induction of inflammation pathways plus protein degradation/proteostasis genes, the latter enriched in targets of inflammatory mediator Spi1 and stress-activated cytoprotective Nrf2. Astrocyte-specific Nrf2 expression induced a reactive phenotype which recapitulated elements of this proteostasis signature, reduced Aß deposition and phospho-tau accumulation in their respective models, and rescued brain-wide transcriptional deregulation, cellular pathology, neurodegeneration and behavioural/cognitive deficits. Thus, Aß and Tau induce overlapping astrocyte profiles associated with both deleterious and adaptive-protective signals, the latter of which can slow patho-progression., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

In vitro reconstitution of whole cellular events is one of the important goals in synthetic biology. Using a cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) system reconstituted with human translation factors and chaperones, we reproduced the biogenesis of β-actin, synthesis, folding, and polymerization in a test tube. This system enabled us to define which step of the β-actin biogenesis was defective in genetic mutations related to diseases. Hence, the CFPS system reconstituted with human factors may be a useful tool for analyzing proteostasis in eukaryotes.

Ribosome biogenesis is a highly energy-demanding process in eukaryotes which requires the concerted action of all three RNA polymerases. In RNA polymerase II transcription, the general transcription factor TFIIH is recruited by TFIIE to the initiation site of protein-coding genes. Distinct mutations in TFIIH and TFIIE give rise to the degenerative disorder trichothiodystrophy (TTD). Here, we uncovered an unexpected role of TFIIE in ribosomal RNA synthesis by RNA polymerase I. With high resolution microscopy we detected TFIIE in the nucleolus where TFIIE binds to actively transcribed rDNA. Mutations in TFIIE affects gene-occupancy of RNA polymerase I, rRNA maturation, ribosomal assembly and performance. In consequence, the elevated translational error rate with imbalanced protein synthesis and turnover results in an increase in heat-sensitive proteins. Collectively, mutations in TFIIE-due to impaired ribosomal biogenesis and translational accuracy-lead to a loss of protein homeostasis (proteostasis) which can partly explain the clinical phenotype in TTD., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.)

Loss of proteostasis is a fundamental process driving aging. Proteostasis is affected by the accuracy of translation, yet the physiological consequence of having fewer protein synthesis errors during multi-cellular organismal aging is poorly understood. Our phylogenetic analysis of RPS23, a key protein in the ribosomal decoding center, uncovered a lysine residue almost universally conserved across all domains of life, which is replaced by an arginine in a small number of hyperthermophilic archaea. When introduced into eukaryotic RPS23 homologs, this mutation leads to accurate translation, as well as heat shock resistance and longer life, in yeast, worms, and flies. Furthermore, we show that anti-aging drugs such as rapamycin, Torin1, and trametinib reduce translation errors, and that rapamycin extends further organismal longevity in RPS23 hyperaccuracy mutants. This implies a unified mode of action for diverse pharmacological anti-aging therapies. These findings pave the way for identifying novel translation accuracy interventions to improve aging., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Idiopathic Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease and is estimated to be approximately 30% heritable. Genome wide association studies have revealed numerous loci associated with risk of development of Parkinson's disease. The majority of genes identified in these studies are expressed in glia at either similar or greater levels than their expression in neurons, suggesting that glia may play a role in Parkinson's disease pathogenesis. The role of individual glial risk genes in Parkinson's disease development or progression is unknown, however. We hypothesized that some Parkinson's disease risk genes exert their effects through glia. We developed a Drosophila model of α-synucleinopathy in which we can independently manipulate gene expression in neurons and glia. Human wild type α-synuclein is expressed in all neurons, and these flies develop the hallmarks of Parkinson's disease, including motor impairment, death of dopaminergic and other neurons, and α-synuclein aggregation. In these flies, we performed a candidate genetic screen, using RNAi to knockdown 14 well-validated Parkinson's disease risk genes in glia and measuring the effect on locomotion in order to identify glial modifiers of the α-synuclein phenotype. We identified 4 modifiers: aux, Lrrk, Ric, and Vps13, orthologs of the human genes GAK, LRRK2, RIT2, and VPS13C, respectively. Knockdown of each gene exacerbated neurodegeneration as measured by total and dopaminergic neuron loss. Knockdown of each modifier also increased α-synuclein oligomerization. These results suggest that some Parkinson's disease risk genes exert their effects in glia and that glia can influence neuronal α-synuclein proteostasis in a non-cell-autonomous fashion. Further, this study provides proof of concept that our novel Drosophila α-synucleinopathy model can be used to study glial modifier genes, paving the way for future large unbiased screens to identify novel glial risk factors that contribute to PD risk and progression., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

As organisms age, they often accumulate protein aggregates that are thought to be toxic, potentially leading to age-related diseases. This accumulation of protein aggregates is partially attributed to a failure to maintain protein homeostasis. A variety of genetic factors have been linked to longevity, but how these factors also contribute to protein homeostasis is not completely understood. In order to understand the relationship between aging and protein aggregation, we tested how a gene that regulates lifespan and age-dependent locomotor behaviors, p38 MAPK (p38Kb), influences protein homeostasis as an organism ages. We find that p38Kb regulates age-dependent protein aggregation through an interaction with starvin, a regulator of muscle protein homeostasis. Furthermore, we have identified Lamin as an age-dependent target of p38Kb and starvin., (© 2021 The Authors. Aging Cell published by the Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are two clinically distinct classes of neurodegenerative disorders. Yet, they share a range of genetic, cellular, and molecular features. Hexanucleotide repeat expansions (HREs) in the C9orf72 gene and the accumulation of toxic protein aggregates in the nervous systems of the affected individuals are among such common features. Though the mechanisms by which HREs cause toxicity is not clear, the toxic gain of function due to transcribed HRE RNA or dipeptide repeat proteins (DPRs) produced by repeat-associated non-AUG translation together with a reduction in C9orf72 expression are proposed as the contributing factors for disease pathogenesis in ALS and FTD. In addition, several recent studies point toward alterations in protein homeostasis as one of the root causes of the disease pathogenesis. In this review, we discuss the effects of the C9orf72 HRE in the autophagy-lysosome pathway based on various recent findings. We suggest that dysfunction of the autophagy-lysosome pathway synergizes with toxicity from C9orf72 repeat RNA and DPRs to drive disease pathogenesis. Abbreviation: ALP: autophagy-lysosome pathway; ALS: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; AMPK: AMP-activated protein kinase; ATG: autophagy-related; ASO: antisense oligonucleotide; C9orf72: C9orf72-SMCR8 complex subunit; DENN: differentially expressed in normal and neoplastic cells; DPR: dipeptide repeat protein; EIF2A/eIF2α: eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2A; ER: endoplasmic reticulum; FTD: frontotemporal dementia; GAP: GTPase-activating protein; GEF: guanine nucleotide exchange factor; HRE: hexanucleotide repeat expansion; iPSC: induced pluripotent stem cell; ISR: integrated stress response; M6PR: mannose-6-phosphate receptor, cation dependent; MAP1LC3/LC3: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3; MN: motor neuron; MTORC1: mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase complex 1; ND: neurodegenerative disorder; RAN: repeat-associated non-ATG; RB1CC1/FIP200: RB1 inducible coiled-coil 1; SLC66A1/PQLC2: solute carrier family 66 member 1; SMCR8: SMCR8-C9orf72 complex subunit; SQSTM1/p62: sequestosome 1; STX17: syntaxin 17; TARDBP/TDP-43: TAR DNA binding protein; TBK1: TANK binding kinase 1; TFEB: transcription factor EB; ULK1: unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1; UPS: ubiquitin-proteasome system; WDR41: WD repeat domain 41.

Predicting disease progression remains a particularly challenging endeavor in chronic degenerative disorders and cancer, thus limiting early detection, risk stratification, and preventive interventions. Here, profiling the three chronic subtypes of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), we identify the blood platelet transcriptome as a proxy strategy for highly sensitive progression biomarkers that also enables prediction of advanced disease via machine-learning algorithms. The MPN platelet transcriptome reveals an incremental molecular reprogramming that is independent of patient driver mutation status or therapy. Subtype-specific markers offer mechanistic and therapeutic insights, and highlight impaired proteostasis and a persistent integrated stress response. Using a LASSO model with validation in two independent cohorts, we identify the advanced subtype MF at high accuracy and offer a robust progression signature toward clinical translation. Our platelet transcriptome snapshot of chronic MPNs demonstrates a proof-of-principle for disease risk stratification and progression beyond genetic data alone, with potential utility in other progressive disorders., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2021 The Author(s).)

R-loops are by-products of transcription that must be tightly regulated to maintain genomic stability and gene expression. Here, we describe a mechanism for the regulation of the R-loop-specific helicase, senataxin (SETX), and identify the ubiquitin specific peptidase 11 (USP11) as an R-loop regulator. USP11 de-ubiquitinates SETX and its depletion increases SETX K48-ubiquitination and protein turnover. Loss of USP11 decreases SETX steady-state levels and reduces R-loop dissolution. Ageing of USP11 knockout cells restores SETX levels via compensatory transcriptional downregulation of the E3 ubiquitin ligase, KEAP1. Loss of USP11 reduces SETX enrichment at KEAP1 promoter, leading to R-loop accumulation, enrichment of the endonuclease XPF and formation of double-strand breaks. Overexpression of KEAP1 increases SETX K48-ubiquitination, promotes its degradation and R-loop accumulation. These data define a ubiquitination-dependent mechanism for SETX regulation, which is controlled by the opposing activities of USP11 and KEAP1 with broad applications for cancer and neurological disease., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Epithelial cells lining mucosal surfaces distinctively express the inflammatory bowel disease risk gene INAVA. We previously found that INAVA has dual and competing functions: one at lateral membranes where it affects mucosal barrier function and the other in the cytosol where INAVA enhances IL-1β signal transduction and protein ubiquitination and forms puncta. We now find that IL-1β-induced INAVA puncta are biomolecular condensates that rapidly assemble and physiologically resolve. The condensates contain ubiquitin and the E3 ligase βTrCP2, and their formation correlates with amplified ubiquitination, suggesting function in regulation of cellular proteostasis. Accordingly, a small-molecule screen identified ROS inducers, proteasome inhibitors, and inhibitors of the protein folding chaperone HSP90 as potent agonists for INAVA condensate formation. Notably, inhibitors of the p38α and mTOR pathways enhanced resolution of the condensates, and inhibitors of the Rho-ROCK pathway induced INAVA's competing function by recruiting INAVA to newly assembled intercellular junctions in cells where none existed before., (© 2021 Chang et al.)

Heat shock factor 1 (Hsf1) activation is responsible for increasing the abundance of protein-folding chaperones and degradation machinery in response to proteotoxic conditions that give rise to misfolded or aggregated proteins. Here we systematically explored the link between concurrent protein synthesis and proteotoxic stress in the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Consistent with prior work, inhibiting protein synthesis before inducing proteotoxic stress prevents Hsf1 activation, which we demonstrated across a broad array of stresses and validate using orthogonal means of blocking protein synthesis. However, other stress-dependent transcription pathways remained activatable under conditions of translation inhibition. Titrating the protein denaturant ethanol to a higher concentration results in Hsf1 activation in the absence of translation, suggesting extreme protein-folding stress can induce proteotoxicity independent of protein synthesis. Furthermore, we demonstrate this connection under physiological conditions where protein synthesis occurs naturally at reduced rates. We find that disrupting the assembly or subcellular localization of newly synthesized proteins is sufficient to activate Hsf1. Thus, new proteins appear to be especially sensitive to proteotoxic conditions, and we propose that their aggregation may represent the bulk of the signal that activates Hsf1 in the wake of these insults.

Eukaryotic cells maintain proteostasis through mechanisms that require cytoplasmic and mitochondrial translation. Genetic defects affecting cytoplasmic translation perturb synapse development, neurotransmission, and are causative of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Fragile X syndrome. In contrast, there is little indication that mitochondrial proteostasis, either in the form of mitochondrial protein translation and/or degradation, is required for synapse development and function. Here we focus on two genes deleted in a recurrent copy number variation causing neurodevelopmental disorders, the 22q11.2 microdeletion syndrome. We demonstrate that SLC25A1 and MRPL40, two genes present in the microdeleted segment and whose products localize to mitochondria, interact and are necessary for mitochondrial ribosomal integrity and proteostasis. Our Drosophila studies show that mitochondrial ribosome function is necessary for synapse neurodevelopment, function, and behavior. We propose that mitochondrial proteostasis perturbations, either by genetic or environmental factors, are a pathogenic mechanism for neurodevelopmental disorders. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The balance between cytoplasmic protein synthesis and degradation, or cytoplasmic proteostasis, is required for normal synapse function and neurodevelopment. Cytoplasmic and mitochondrial ribosomes are necessary for two compartmentalized, yet interdependent, forms of proteostasis. Proteostasis dependent on cytoplasmic ribosomes is a well-established target of genetic defects that cause neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism. Here we show that the mitochondrial ribosome is a neurodevelopmentally regulated organelle whose function is required for synapse development and function. We propose that defective mitochondrial proteostasis is a mechanism with the potential to contribute to neurodevelopmental disease., (Copyright © 2021 the authors.)

The biological purpose of plant stem cells is to maintain themselves while providing new pools of differentiated cells that form organs and rejuvenate or replace damaged tissues. Protein homeostasis or proteostasis is required for cell function and viability. However, the link between proteostasis and plant stem cell identity remains unknown. In contrast to their differentiated counterparts, we find that root stem cells can prevent the accumulation of aggregated proteins even under proteotoxic stress conditions such as heat stress or proteasome inhibition. Notably, root stem cells exhibit enhanced expression of distinct chaperones that maintain proteome integrity. Particularly, intrinsic high levels of the T-complex protein-1 ring complex/chaperonin containing TCP1 (TRiC/CCT) complex determine stem cell maintenance and their remarkable ability to suppress protein aggregation. Overexpression of CCT8, a key activator of TRiC/CCT assembly, is sufficient to ameliorate protein aggregation in differentiated cells and confer resistance to proteotoxic stress in plants. Taken together, our results indicate that enhanced proteostasis mechanisms in stem cells could be an important requirement for plants to persist under extreme environmental conditions and reach extreme long ages. Thus, proteostasis of stem cells can provide insights to design and breed plants tolerant to environmental challenges caused by the climate change., (© 2021 The Authors. Aging Cell published by Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Activated and promoter-bound heat-shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) induces RNA polymerase II recruitment upon heat shock, and this is facilitated by the core Mediator in Drosophila and yeast. Another Mediator module, CDK8 kinase module (CKM), consisting of four subunits including MED12 and CDK8, plays a negative or positive role in the regulation of transcription; however, its involvement in HSF1-mediated transcription remains unclear. We herein demonstrated that HSF1 interacted with MED12 and recruited MED12 and CDK8 to the HSP70 promoter during heat shock in mammalian cells. The kinase activity of CDK8 (and its paralog CDK19) promoted HSP70 expression partly by phosphorylating HSF1-S326 and maintained proteostasis capacity. These results indicate an important role for CKM in the protection of cells against proteotoxic stress., (© 2021 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.)

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is characterized by chromosomal instability, DNA damage, oxidative stress, and high metabolic demand that exacerbate misfolded, unfolded, and damaged protein burden resulting in increased proteotoxicity. However, the underlying mechanisms that maintain protein homeostasis to promote HGSOC growth remain poorly understood. This study reports that the neuronal deubiquitinating enzyme, ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCHL1), is overexpressed in HGSOC and maintains protein homeostasis. UCHL1 expression was markedly increased in HGSOC patient tumors and serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (HGSOC precursor lesions). High UCHL1 levels correlated with higher tumor grade and poor patient survival. UCHL1 inhibition reduced HGSOC cell proliferation and invasion, as well as significantly decreased the in vivo metastatic growth of ovarian cancer xenografts. Transcriptional profiling of UCHL1-silenced HGSOC cells revealed downregulation of genes implicated with proteasome activity along with upregulation of endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced genes. Reduced expression of proteasome subunit alpha 7 (PSMA7) and acylaminoacyl peptide hydrolase (APEH), upon silencing of UCHL1, resulted in a significant decrease in proteasome activity, impaired protein degradation, and abrogated HGSOC growth. Furthermore, the accumulation of polyubiquitinated proteins in the UCHL1-silenced cells led to attenuation of mTORC1 activity and protein synthesis, and induction of terminal unfolded protein response. Collectively, these results indicate that UCHL1 promotes HGSOC growth by mediating protein homeostasis through the PSMA7-APEH-proteasome axis. IMPLICATIONS: This study identifies the novel links in the proteostasis network to target protein homeostasis in HGSOC and recognizes the potential of inhibiting UCHL1 and APEH to sensitize cancer cells to proteotoxic stress in solid tumors., (©2021 American Association for Cancer Research.)

A healthy and functional proteome is essential to cell physiology. However, this is constantly being challenged as most steps of protein metabolism are error-prone and changes in the physico-chemical environment can affect protein structure and function, thereby disrupting proteome homeostasis. Among a variety of potential mistakes, proteins can be targeted to incorrect compartments or subunits of protein complexes may fail to assemble properly with their partners, resulting in the formation of mislocalized and orphan proteins, respectively. Quality control systems are in place to handle these aberrant proteins, and to minimize their detrimental impact on cellular functions. Here, we discuss recent findings on quality control mechanisms handling mislocalized and orphan proteins. We highlight common principles involved in their recognition and summarize how accumulation of these aberrant molecules is associated with aging and disease., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

T cells rely for their development and function on the correct folding and turnover of proteins generated in response to a broad range of molecular cues. In the absence of the eukaryotic type II chaperonin complex, CCT, T cell activation induced changes in the proteome are compromised including the formation of nuclear actin filaments and the formation of a normal cell stress response. Consequently, thymocyte maturation and selection, and T cell homeostatic maintenance and receptor-mediated activation are severely impaired. In the absence of CCT-controlled protein folding, Th2 polarization diverges from normal differentiation with paradoxical continued IFN-γ expression. As a result, CCT-deficient T cells fail to generate an efficient immune protection against helminths as they are unable to sustain a coordinated recruitment of the innate and adaptive immune systems. These findings thus demonstrate that normal T cell biology is critically dependent on CCT-controlled proteostasis and that its absence is incompatible with protective immunity.

Research on ageing-associated genes is important for investigating ageing and anti-ageing strategies. Here, we firstly reported that the human positive cofactor 4 (PC4), a multifunctional and highly conserved nucleoprotein, is accumulated and activated during ageing and causes global accelerated ageing process by disrupting proteostasis. Mechanistically, PC4 interacts with Sin3-HDAC complex and inhibits its deacetylated activity, leads to hyper-acetylation of the histones at the promoters of mTOR-related genes and causes mTOR signalling activation. Accordingly, mTOR activation causes excessive protein synthesis, resulting in impaired proteostasis and accelerated senescence. These results reveal a new biological function of PC4 in vivo, recognizes PC4 as a new ageing-associated gene and provides a genetically engineered mouse model to simulate natural ageing. More importantly, our findings also indicate that PC4 is involved in histone acetylation and serves as a potential target to improve proteostasis and delay ageing., (© 2021 The Authors. Aging Cell published by the Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Increased levels of dysfunctional mitochondria within skeletal muscle are correlated with numerous age-related physiopathological conditions. Improving our understanding of the links between mitochondrial function and muscle proteostasis, and the role played by individual genes and regulatory networks, is essential to develop treatments for these conditions. One potential player is the mitochondrial outer membrane protein Fis1, a crucial fission factor heavily involved in mitochondrial dynamics in yeast but with an unknown role in higher-order organisms. By using Drosophila melanogaster as a model, we explored the effect of Fis1 mutations generated by transposon Minos-mediated integration. Mutants exhibited a higher ratio of damaged mitochondria with age as well as elevated reactive oxygen species levels compared with controls. This caused an increase in oxidative stress, resulting in large accumulations of ubiquitinated proteins, accelerated muscle function decline, and mitochondrial myopathies in young mutant flies. Ectopic expression of Fis1 isoforms was sufficient to suppress this phenotype. Loss of Fis1 led to unbalanced mitochondrial proteostasis within fly muscle, decreasing both flight capabilities and lifespan. Fis1 thus clearly plays a role in fly mitochondrial dynamics. Further investigations into the detailed function of Fis1 are necessary for exploring how mitochondrial function correlates with muscle health during aging., (© 2021 The Authors. Aging Cell published by the Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The human genome expresses thousands of natural antisense transcripts (NAT) that can regulate epigenetic state, transcription, RNA stability or translation of their overlapping genes 1,2 . Here we describe MAPT-AS1, a brain-enriched NAT that is conserved in primates and contains an embedded mammalian-wide interspersed repeat (MIR), which represses tau translation by competing for ribosomal RNA pairing with the MAPT mRNA internal ribosome entry site 3 . MAPT encodes tau, a neuronal intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) that stabilizes axonal microtubules. Hyperphosphorylated, aggregation-prone tau forms the hallmark inclusions of tauopathies 4 . Mutations in MAPT cause familial frontotemporal dementia, and common variations forming the MAPT H1 haplotype are a significant risk factor in many tauopathies 5 and Parkinson's disease. Notably, expression of MAPT-AS1 or minimal essential sequences from MAPT-AS1 (including MIR) reduces-whereas silencing MAPT-AS1 expression increases-neuronal tau levels, and correlate with tau pathology in human brain. Moreover, we identified many additional NATs with embedded MIRs (MIR-NATs), which are overrepresented at coding genes linked to neurodegeneration and/or encoding IDPs, and confirmed MIR-NAT-mediated translational control of one such gene, PLCG1. These results demonstrate a key role for MAPT-AS1 in tauopathies and reveal a potentially broad contribution of MIR-NATs to the tightly controlled translation of IDPs 6 , with particular relevance for proteostasis in neurodegeneration.

The aged adaptive immune system is characterized by progressive dysfunction as well as increased autoimmunity. This decline is responsible for elevated susceptibility to infection and cancer, as well as decreased vaccination efficacy. Recent evidence indicates that CD4 + T cell-intrinsic alteratins contribute to chronic inflammation and are sufficient to accelerate an organism-wide aging phenotype, supporting the idea that T cell aging plays a major role in body-wide deterioration. In this Review, we propose ten molecular hallmarks to represent common denominators of T cell aging. These hallmarks are grouped into four primary hallmarks (thymic involution, mitochondrial dysfunction, genetic and epigenetic alterations, and loss of proteostasis) and four secondary hallmarks (reduction of the TCR repertoire, naive-memory imbalance, T cell senescence, and lack of effector plasticity), and together they explain the manifestation of the two integrative hallmarks (immunodeficiency and inflammaging). A major challenge now is weighing the relative impact of these hallmarks on T cell aging and understanding their interconnections, with the final goal of defining molecular targets for interventions in the aging process.

Cellular senescence, a stable cell division arrest caused by severe damage and stress, is a hallmark of aging in vertebrates including humans. With progressing age, senescent cells accumulate in a variety of mammalian tissues, where they contribute to tissue aging, identifying cellular senescence as a major target to delay or prevent aging. There is an increasing demand for the discovery of new classes of small molecules that would either avoid or postpone cellular senescence by selectively eliminating senescent cells from the body (i.e., 'senolytics') or inactivating/switching damage-inducing properties of senescent cells (i.e., 'senostatics/senomorphics'), such as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype. Whereas compounds with senolytic or senostatic activity have already been described, their efficacy and specificity has not been fully established for clinical use yet. Here, we review mechanisms of senescence that are related to mitochondria and their interorganelle communication, and the involvement of proteostasis networks and metabolic control in the senescent phenotype. These cellular functions are associated with cellular senescence in in vitro and in vivo models but have not been fully exploited for the search of new compounds to counteract senescence yet. Therefore, we explore possibilities to target these mechanisms as new opportunities to selectively eliminate and/or disable senescent cells with the aim of tissue rejuvenation. We assume that this research will provide new compounds from the chemical space which act as mimetics of caloric restriction, modulators of calcium signaling and mitochondrial physiology, or as proteostasis optimizers, bearing the potential to counteract cellular senescence, thereby allowing healthy aging., (© 2020 The Authors. The FEBS Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Federation of European Biochemical Societies.)

The ClC-2 channel plays a critical role in maintaining ion homeostasis in the brain and the testis. Loss-of-function mutations in the ClC-2-encoding human CLCN2 gene are linked to the white matter disease leukodystrophy. Clcn2 -deficient mice display neuronal myelin vacuolation and testicular degeneration. Leukodystrophy-causing ClC-2 mutant channels are associated with anomalous proteostasis manifesting enhanced endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated degradation. The molecular nature of the ER quality control system for ClC-2 protein remains elusive. In mouse testicular tissues and Leydig cells, we demonstrated that endogenous ClC-2 co-existed in the same protein complex with the molecular chaperones heat shock protein 90β (Hsp90β) and heat shock cognate protein (Hsc70), as well as the associated co-chaperones Hsp70/Hsp90 organizing protein (HOP), activator of Hsp90 ATPase homolog 1 (Aha1), and FK506-binding protein 8 (FKBP8). Further biochemical analyses revealed that the Hsp90β-Hsc70 chaperone/co-chaperone system promoted mouse and human ClC-2 protein biogenesis. FKBP8 additionally facilitated membrane trafficking of ClC-2 channels. Interestingly, treatment with the Hsp90-targeting small molecule 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG) substantially boosted ClC-2 protein expression. Also, 17-AAG effectively increased both total and cell surface protein levels of leukodystrophy-causing loss-of-function ClC-2 mutant channels. Our findings highlight the therapeutic potential of 17-AAG in correcting anomalous ClC-2 proteostasis associated with leukodystrophy.