Previous Article | Next Article ![]()
Eukaryotic Cell, April 2004, p. 318-330, Vol. 3, No. 2
1535-9778/04/$08.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/EC.3.2.318-330.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52246
Received 11 December 2003/ Accepted 22 January 2004
|
|
|---|
strain. Together, these data argue that these two homologous proteins act as parallel positive regulators of H2O2 tolerance. |
|
|---|
The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been extensively used to analyze the molecular basis of the response of a eukaryotic organism to ROS-based environmental challenges. A central feature of the response to oxidative stress in S. cerevisiae is transcriptional induction of a variety of antioxidant genes that act to lower the toxic levels of ROS and ROS-damaged macromolecules (reviewed in references 10 and 21). One of the key regulators of the transcriptional response to oxidative stress is the basic region leucine zipper-containing transcription factor Yap1p (see references 30 and 35 for reviews).
Yap1p is primarily located in the cytoplasm but is rapidly recruited to the nucleus upon imposition of oxidative stress elicited by either H2O2 or diamide exposure (26). Evidence has been provided that two different cysteine-rich domains (CRD) located in the amino-terminal (n-CRD) and carboxy-terminal (c-CRD) regions of the protein are required for the normal response to oxidative challenge (4, 37). Diamide is believed to form disulfide bonds between closely linked cysteine residues present either in the n-CRD or c-CRD while H2O2 has been shown to induce a disulfide bond between a cysteine residue located in the n-CRD and one in the c-CRD (7, 24). While either oxidant will cause nuclear localization of Yap1p, mutant forms of Yap1p exhibit oxidant-specific behaviors to these two stress agents. For example, a mutant lacking a key cysteine residue in the c-CRD is constitutively located in the nucleus and confers hyperresistance to diamide yet fails to provide normal tolerance to H2O2 (4).
Recent studies have provided evidence for H2O2-specific factors that are required for normal regulation of Yap1p during H2O2-induced oxidative stress. The glutathione peroxidase homologue Gpx3p/Hyr1p (1, 17) has been demonstrated to form a covalent intermediate with Yap1p upon H2O2-induced but not diamide-induced stress (8). This covalent intermediate is first formed between a cysteine residue in the Yap1p c-CRD and one in Gpx3p. Gpx3p is then thought to act essentially as a leaving group to allow formation of an intramolecular disulfide bond between the n- and c-CRDs. This form of Yap1p is referred to as the oxidized form and exhibits a higher mobility on nonreducing sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) than a Yap1p form lacking this intramolecular disulfide (reduced form) (7).
A second H2O2-specific regulator of Yap1p has been designated Ybp1p (Yap1p-binding protein) (36). The function of this protein is unknown, but in response to H2O2 stress, ybp1
mutant strains cannot form the oxidized form of Yap1p, recruit Yap1p to the nucleus, or support normal gene activation and oxidant resistance. Loss of YBP1 has no effect on Yap1p function in response to diamide stress. Two groups have demonstrated that Yap1p interacts with Ybp1p by using global protein-protein interaction strategies (12, 18), and this interaction has been mapped to the C terminus of Yap1p (36). No information is available for the region of Ybp1p involved in Yap1p binding. A homologue of Ybp1p designated Ybp2p is also present in the S. cerevisiae genome (36).
In this work, we evaluate the participation of Ybp2p in Yap1p-mediated processes by comparison to Ybp1p. While Ybp1p and Ybp2p both influence tolerance to H2O2, Ybp1p has a much greater role in this resistance phenotype. Additionally, by several different criteria, Ybp2p does not appear to directly interact with Yap1p, unlike Ybp1p. Our findings are most consistent with Ybp2p acting in a pathway parallel to that of Ybp1p. We propose that Ybp2p be renamed Ybh1p (Ybp1p homologue) to indicate that, while these two factors share strong sequence identity, their actions in the cell are nonidentical.
|
|
|---|
::KanMX2). Primer sequences are available on request. The YBH1 (YBP2/YGL060w) ORF was also disrupted in SEY6210 and KGS1, with primers Ygl060wDEL1 and Ygl060wDEL2, to yield KGS2 (ybh1
::natR) and KGS3 (ybp1
::KanMX2 ybh1
::natR), respectively. The single and double deletion mutants of YBP1 and YBH1 were also made in BY4742, yielding KGS4 (ybp1
::KanMX2), KGS5 (ybh1
::natR), and KGS6 (ybp1
::KanMX2 ybh1
::natR). All of the disruptions were confirmed by PCR. The YBP1 disruptions were confirmed by primers 216cF-confirm and 216cR-confirm while disruptions of YBH1 were confirmed by using the primers Ygl060w-FOR and Ygl060w-REV. Strains containing green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusions to YBP1 and YBH1 were generated in BY4742 (YSAR49 and YSAR52) by amplification of pFA6a-GFP (S65T)-TRP1 (28) with primers P28F and P23R for YBP1 tagging and primers P29F and P37R for YBH1 tagging. Strains containing hemagglutinin (HA) tag fusions in BY4742 (YSAR48 and YSAR51) were constructed with the same primers, with pFA6a-3X HA-TRP1 (28) as a template. The resulting 2,001-bp (GFP) or 1,395-bp (3x HA) fragments were gel purified and transformed into SEY6210 or BY4742
trp1 and plated on SC media lacking tryptophan (SC-W). Transformants were screened by PCR to verify insertions. |
View this table: [in a new window] |
TABLE 1. Yeast strains used
|
|
View this table: [in a new window] |
TABLE 2. Plasmids used in this study
|
Plate growth assays.
To examine the growth on plates, overnight grown cells were subcultured in the same medium and were grown to an OD600 of
1.0. An equal number of cells were then plated as spots on gradient plates of hydrogen peroxide (up to 6 mM) and diamide (up to 2 mM). For complementation assays with plasmids, transformants were grown overnight in selective medium, then diluted in the same medium, and grown to an OD600 of
1.0. Transformants were then plated on selective medium plates containing a gradient of hydrogen peroxide.
Fluorescence microscopy. Log-phase cells expressing GFP-tagged Yap1p were examined for localization of Yap1p in different deletion backgrounds, with and without induction with H2O2 at different time intervals. Cells were grown to an OD600 between 0.7 and 1.0 in SC-Ura and induced for 0, 5, 20, and 45 min with 1 mM H2O2. The strains carrying Ybp1p-GFP or Ybh1p-GFP were grown in a similar manner, but only the fluorescence profiles seen in nonstressed cells are shown here, as the presence of H2O2 did not change the localization of either fusion protein (data not shown). Five microliters of concentrated culture was placed on a glass slide, overlaid with a coverslip, and examined under the 100x oil objective of an Olympus BX60 microscope. Nuclei were visualized by staining with 4',6'-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). Pictures were captured on a Hamamatsu digital camera.
Two-hybrid assays. Two-hybrid assays were performed to test for interactions between Ybp1p, Ybh1p, Gpx3p, and Yap1p. Full-length and different deletion constructs of Ybp1p, as well as full-length Ybh1p and Gpx3p, were tested for their interaction with Yap1p in the presence and absence of hydrogen peroxide. The two-hybrid studies were done in strain PJ69-4A (20), and interactions were determined on the basis of the ability of cells to grow in the absence of histidine and adenine. The strain PJ69-4A was transformed with pYAP1-GAD along with different constructs in pGBD-C1. The transformants were selected first on SC-Leu-Ura medium to ensure that both the GAD and GBD plasmids were present. These transformants were then streaked on SC-Leu-Ura-His plus 10 mM 3-aminotriazole and on SC-Leu-Ura-Ade medium with or without hydrogen peroxide.
Western analysis.
For Western analysis, cells were grown in 100 ml of YPD or selective medium. Cells were harvested at an OD600 of
1.0, washed, and lysed by glass bead lysis in a buffer containing 300 mM sorbitol, 100 mM NaCl, 5 mM MgCl2, 10 mM Tris (pH 7.4), and complete protease inhibitors (Boehringer Mannheim). Cell extracts were then clarified by centrifugation, and the Bradford assay was used to determine the protein concentration. Equal amounts of proteins were resolved by SDS-10% PAGE. The proteins were transferred to a nitrocellulose membrane, blocked with 5% nonfat dry milk in phosphate-buffered saline, and then probed with anti-HA antibodies. Horseradish peroxidase-conjugated secondary antibody and the ECL kit (Pierce) were used to visualize immunoreactive proteins.
Coimmunoprecipitation assay. Immunoprecipitation assays were completed with lysed spheroplasts. In brief, 100 ml of cells was harvested at an OD600 of 1.0 and resuspended in 10 mM Tris-HCl (pH 8) plus 10 mM dithiothreitol. Cells were incubated at room temperature for 5 min, centrifuged, suspended in spheroplast buffer (1 M sorbitol in 0.5x YPD, 50 mM KPO4) with oxalyticase, and incubated at 30°C for 30 min on a shaker. After chilling on ice, cell suspensions were overlaid on a sucrose cushion (20 mM HEPES, 1.2 M sucrose, 0.02% sodium azide) and pelleted by centrifuging at 4,000 x g for 20 min at 4°C. The resulting spheroplasts (treated and untreated with 1 mM hydrogen peroxide) were suspended in ICB (lysis) buffer (100 mM potassium acetate, 50 mM KCl, 20 mM PIPES, 200 mM sorbitol [pH 6.8]). These lysates were then incubated with anti-Yap1p polyclonal antiserum for 2 h on ice. IgGSorb beads (fixed Staphylococcus aureus cells from the Enzyme Center, Malden, Mass.) were added, and lysates were incubated for an additional 1 h on ice with occasional mixing. The immunoprecipitated proteins were recovered by adding Twirl buffer (8 M urea, 5% SDS, 10% glycerol, and 50 mM Tris [pH 6.8]). These precipitates were then loaded on 10% polyacrylamide gel and probed with anti-HA antibodies (see Fig. 6) or anti-Yap1p antibody to confirm equal precipitation (data not shown). A final control experiment was carried out by probing aliquots of the supernatant fractions from these anti-Yap1p immunoprecipitations to ensure that the 3x HA-tagged proteins were present. Both Ybp1p-3X HA and Ybh1p-3X HA could be seen in these supernatant fractions (data not shown).
![]() View larger version (23K): [in a new window] |
FIG. 6. Coimmunoprecipitation analysis of Yap1p with Ybp1p and Ybh1p. Whole-cell protein extracts were produced from three different strains: wild-type (wt) cells and wild-type cells expressing 3x HA-tagged forms of Ybp1p (Ybp1p-3X HA) or Ybh1p (Ybh1p-3X HA). Extracts were prepared from cells grown in the presence (+) or absence () of H2O2 and then subjected to immunoprecipitation with a rabbit polyclonal antiserum against Yap1p. The resulting immunoprecipitates were then resolved by SDS-PAGE and analyzed by Western blotting with anti-HA antibody.
|
|
|
|---|
mutant strain that has previously been shown to be sensitive to H2O2 (17).
As can be seen in Fig. 1, loss of YBP1 produced an H2O2 hypersensitive phenotype that was more severe than that of the gpx3
strain. A strain lacking YBH1 alone did not show any increase in H2O2 sensitivity, but loss of YBH1 from the
ybp1 background further reduced H2O2 tolerance. None of these mutant backgrounds had detectable effects on either diamide resistance or growth in the absence of oxidant.
![]() View larger version (69K): [in a new window] |
FIG. 1. YBH1 is required for normal H2O2 tolerance. An isogenic series of yeast strains were grown to mid-log phase, and a 5-µl spot corresponding to 1,000 cells was placed on rich media (YPD) or rich media containing a gradient of H2O2 or diamide. The increasing concentration of oxidant is denoted by the bar of increasing width. The relevant genetic background of each strain is indicated on the left. The wild-type (wt) strain used is SEY6210.
|
-glutamylcysteine synthetase-encoding GSH1 gene (32) and the thioredoxin-encoding TRX2 gene (31) has previously been demonstrated to be important in normal oxidative-stress tolerance (13, 25, 34). To examine the influence of Ybp1p and Ybh1p on expression of these two antioxidant loci, lacZ gene fusions to GSH1 and TRX2 were utilized. These fusion genes have previously been shown to accurately reflect transcriptional control of the native genes (4, 38). Low-copy-number plasmids carrying either GSH1- or TRX2-lacZ fusion genes were introduced into the isogenic series of strains containing different dosages of YBP1 and YBH1. Transformants were then grown to mid-log phase and left untreated or subjected to H2O2- or diamide-induced oxidative stress, and expression of ß-galactosidase was determined (Fig. 2).
![]() View larger version (23K): [in a new window] |
FIG. 2. Ybp1p and Ybh1p contribute to H2O2-induced expression of TRX2 but not GSH1. The isogenic series of strains described in the legend to Fig. 1 were transformed with low-copy-number vectors carrying either a TRX2-lacZ (top panel) or a GSH1-lacZ (bottom panel) fusion gene. Transformants were grown to mid-log phase, induced by H2O2 or diamide addition or left untreated (no stress), and allowed to grow for 1 h. The level of ß-galactosidase produced in each transformant was then determined. Relevant genetic backgrounds are indicated as for Fig. 1. wt, wild type.
|
cells compared to either wild-type or ybh1
cells. The decrease in TRX2-lacZ expression was further diminished in the double mutant strain ybp1
ybh1
. Importantly, diamide-induced TRX2 expression remained constant in these backgrounds. These data indicate that Ybp1p is required for H2O2 but not diamide induction of TRX2 transcription. Ybh1p can also support H2O2-induced expression, but this contribution is masked by the presence of Ybp1p. Analysis of GSH1-lacZ expression in these same strains produced a surprising result. No significant difference could be detected in either H2O2- or diamide-induced oxidative stress in response to loss of Ybp1p and/or Ybh1p. Although both TRX2 and GSH1 are Yap1p-regulated target genes that are induced by oxidative stress, their dependences on Ybp1p are not equivalent. We believe that the differential requirement of TRX2 and GSH1 for Ybp1p is due to different mechanisms for Yap1p-mediated activation of these genes and consider a possible rationale below (see discussion).
Finally, we examined the ability of these strains to support oxidant-regulated nuclear translocation of Yap1p. Each strain was transformed with a plasmid expressing a GFP-Yap1p fusion protein that was previously shown to faithfully reflect Yap1p subcellular trafficking (4). Transformants were then challenged with H2O2 for various times, and the distribution of GFP-Yap1p was assessed (Fig. 3).
![]() View larger version (58K): [in a new window] |
FIG. 3. Differential effect of ybp1 and ybh1 on H2O2-induced nuclear recruitment of Yap1p. An isogenic series of strains containing the indicated alleles of YBH1 and YBP1 were transformed with a low-copy-number plasmid expressing a GFP-Yap1p fusion protein under the control of the wild-type (wt) YAP1 promoter (4). Transformants were grown to mid-log phase and challenged with H2O2 for the indicated lengths of time. Cells were then visualized by fluorescence microscopy and filters appropriate for detection of GFP or DAPI fluorescence.
|
ybh1
mutant also showed no ability to deliver Yap1p to the nucleus upon H2O2 exposure. None of these mutant strains exhibited any defect in nuclear localization of Yap1p in response to diamide challenge (data not shown). These data suggest that the in vivo actions of Ybp1p and Ybh1p are similar, with Ybp1p contributing the major influence to Yap1p function. We next compared the properties of Ybp1 and Ybh1p to directly test whether these proteins worked in similar ways to regulate Yap1p.
Localization and expression of Ybp1p and Ybh1p. To examine both the subcellular distribution and level of expression of Ybp1p and Ybh1p, we prepared two different epitope-tagged versions of these proteins. Both GFP and 3x HA-tagged forms were generated by integrating appropriate PCR fragments into the genome of an otherwise wild-type strain. We then employed these strains to assess the localization of these proteins as well as to compare their steady-state expression levels (Fig. 4).
![]() View larger version (23K): [in a new window] |
FIG. 4. Expression and localization of Ybp1p and Ybh1p. (A) Whole-cell protein extracts were prepared from strains expressing 3x HA-tagged forms of Ybp1p or Ybh1p. Equal amounts of protein were electrophoresed by SDS-PAGE and subjected to Western blot analysis with anti-HA antibody to detect the epitope-tagged proteins. The blot was also probed with antibody directed against the vacuolar ATPase subunit Vph1p to ensure equal protein loading. (B) Strains containing integrated Ybp1p- or Ybh1p-GFP fusion genes were grown to mid-log phase, stained with DAPI, and visualized by fluorescence microscopy.
|
Both Ybp1p- and Ybh1p-GFP fusion proteins were found primarily in the cytoplasm of cells, and this distribution was not detectably influenced by oxidative stress (data not shown). As described by Veal and colleagues (36), the fluorescence produced by the Ybp1p-GFP fusion protein was difficult to detect, a problem not experienced with the Ybh1p-GFP protein. Ybh1p-GFP was easily seen in the cytoplasm of cells and produced readily detectable fluorescence. Our results agree with those recently obtained in a large-scale analysis of GFP fusions to nearly all S. cerevisiae ORFs (15).
These findings provide evidence that the phenotypic differences between ybp1
and ybh1
strains are not due to differences in expression level of the relevant gene products or detectably different subcellular localization. To explore the basis of the different degree of involvement of Ybp1p and Ybh1p in Yap1p-dependent H2O2 tolerance, we examined the ability of these two proteins to interact with Yap1p.
Carboxy terminus of Ybp1p interacts with Yap1p. Work from three different groups has provided evidence that Ybp1p binds to Yap1p in several different assays: yeast two hybrid (18), affinity purification (12), and polyhistidine fusion protein precipitation (36). We used the yeast two-hybrid approach to compare the ability of Ybp1p and Ybh1p to bind Yap1p. Full-length clones of the ORFs of YBP1 and YBH1 were fused in-frame with DNA encoding the Gal4p DNA binding domain (GBD) present in the plasmid pGBD-C1 (20). A second plasmid containing the Gal4p transcriptional activation domain (GAD) was used to construct a fusion gene between GAD and full-length YAP1. To localize the region of Ybp1p that interacted with Yap1p, three different subfragments of YBP1 were fused to GBD and tested in this two hybrid assay. We also constructed a GBD-GPX3 fusion gene to determine whether the resulting fusion protein could interact with Yap1p.
These different clones were introduced in pairwise fashion into the Gal4p-dependent reporter strain PJ69-4A (20). This strain contains a Gal4p-responsive HIS3 gene, and we assessed interactions by comparing the ability of different combinations of GBD and GAD fusion plasmids to confer the His+ phenotype on these cells. PJ69-4A also contains Gal4p-regulated ADE2 and lacZ genes that can be used for screening two hybrid interactions. Each interaction was tested on plates with selection for histidine prototrophy in the presence or absence of 1 mM H2O2. We found no difference in the behavior of HIS3 and ADE2 reporters and only report the HIS3 data here (Fig. 5).
![]() View larger version (46K): [in a new window] |
FIG. 5. Two-hybrid interaction of Ybp1p and Ybh1p with Yap1p. Plasmids expressing fusion proteins with the GBD or GAD of Gal4p were cotransformed into a strain containing a Gal4p-responsive HIS3 gene (20). Full-length fusion proteins were used in every case except for constructs expressing subfragments of the YBP1 coding sequence. The region of Ybp1p expressed is indicated by amino acid residue number. Appropriate transformants were streaked on plates containing histidine (+H) or lacking histidine but containing the His3p inhibitor 3-aminotriazole (+3-AT) in the presence or absence of H2O2.
|
To further localize the region of Ybp1p involved in binding to Yap1p, GBD-Ybp1p fusion constructs were prepared that expressed amino acids 1 to 181, 187 to 413, and 416 to 674. A positive interaction was seen only for the construct expressing the amino acid 416 to 674 region of Ybp1p and GAD-Yap1p. These data suggest that while either full-length Ybp1p or the C-terminal region of Ybp1p can bind to Yap1p, Ybh1p cannot. However, the two-hybrid assay system requires the use of chimeric protein fusions to the relatively large GBD and GAD that might interfere with the function of the normal gene products. To compare the association of Yap1p with Ybp1p and Ybh1p, we used functional epitope-tagged alleles of these proteins and tested their ability to complex with Yap1p by a coimmunoprecipitation strategy.
Immunological detection of Ybp1p but not Ybh1p in a complex with Yap1p. To compare the abilities of normally functional Ybp1p and Ybh1p to bind Yap1p, we carried out coimmunoprecipitation analyses with yeast cells. The 3x HA-tagged proteins conferred the same level of H2O2 tolerance as their respective wild-type forms (data not shown). Cells containing these 3x HA-tagged forms of either Ybp1p or Ybh1p were grown to mid-log phase and either left untreated or stressed with H2O2, and protein extracts were prepared. Protein complexes containing Yap1p were recovered by immunoprecipitation with an antibody directed against this transcription factor (37). Immunoprecipitates were then electrophoresed through SDS-PAGE and analyzed by Western blotting with an anti-HA antibody (Fig. 6).
Ybp1p-3X HA was found in immunoprecipitates from both stressed and nonstressed cells. However, we were unable to detect association of Ybh1p-3X HA with Yap1p under either condition. Yap1p was present at equivalent levels in all immunoprecipitates, and the HA-tagged proteins could be detected in supernatants from cells expressing these fusion proteins (data not shown). This is consistent with the failure to observe a Ybh1p-Yap1p interaction in the two-hybrid assay and supports the view that Ybh1p does not associate with Yap1p. We next compared the functional properties of Ybp1p and Ybh1p to assess their ability to act in Yap1p-dependent processes in vivo.
Ybh1p but not Ybp1p can bypass a gpx3
mutation.
Proper nuclear localization of Yap1p in response to H2O2 stress requires the transient covalent linkage of Gpx3p to this transcription factor (8). Mutant strains lacking Gpx3p are H2O2 hypersensitive and fail to recruit Yap1p to the nucleus in the presence of this oxidant. To determine whether Ybp1p and Ybh1p function in the same H2O2 resistance pathway, we compared the ability of these two proteins to suppress the H2O2 hypersensitivity of a gpx3
mutant strain. Plasmids expressing Ybp1p or Ybh1p from the strong, constitutive PGK promoter were introduced into cells lacking both the GPX3 gene and transformants evaluated for their degree of H2O2 tolerance. A PGK-GPX3 fusion and a 2µm plasmid carrying the wild-type YAP1 gene were also tested for their behavior in this genetic background along with a control vector plasmid (Fig. 7).
![]() View larger version (76K): [in a new window] |
FIG. 7. Overexpression of Ybh1p but not Ybp1p can suppress the H2O2 sensitivity of a gpx3 strain. A strain lacking the GPX3 gene (gpx3 ) was transformed with plasmids expressing different antioxidant genes. A vector plasmid corresponding to pRS315 containing the PGK promoter (vector) was used to drive the expression of full-length GPX3 (PGK-GPX3), YBP1 (PGK-YBP1), or YBH1 (PGK-YBH1). A high-copy-number plasmid containing the YAP1 gene (2µm YAP1, YEp351-YAP1) (39) was also used to produce high levels of Yap1p. Transformants were analyzed by spot test analysis on H2O2 gradient plates as described previously (4).
|
strain while an analogous clone expressing Ybp1p did not. Expression levels of these proteins were comparable under all conditions as assessed by Western blotting (data not shown). Overproduction of Yap1p was able to elevate H2O2 resistance even in the absence of Gpx3p. As expected, the PGK-GPX3 fusion plasmid restored H2O2 tolerance to the gpx3
background. These data argue that, while Ybh1p can influence H2O2 tolerance, it does so in a manner distinct from that of Ybp1p.
Finally, we examined the ability of PGK-driven forms of YBP1 and YBH1 to restore Yap1p nuclear localization to ybp1
ybh1
cells. As seen in Fig. 3 above, this mutant strain fails to exhibit detectable Yap1p nuclear accumulation after a 10-min challenge with H2O2. PGK-YBP1 and PGK-YBH1 plasmids were introduced into this strain, along with the GFP-Yap1p reporter plasmid and transformants treated with H2O2 for 10 min. Yap1p localization was followed by GFP fluorescence and compared to DAPI-stained DNA (Fig. 8).
![]() View larger version (38K): [in a new window] |
FIG. 8. Expression of Ybp1p but not Ybh1p can restore H2O2-induced nuclear accumulation of Yap1p. A mutant strain lacking both YBP1 and YBH1 was transformed with a low-copy-number vector containing the PGK promoter driving expression of Ybp1p, Ybh1p, or no additional yeast sequence along with a GFP-Yap1p-containing reporter construct. Transformants were grown to mid-log phase, treated with H2O2 for 20 min, and visualized by fluorescence microscopy.
|
Ybp1p is not required for constitutive nuclear localization of a mutant form of Yap1p.
The data presented here and previously (36) indicate that Ybp1p function is required for nuclear localization of Yap1p in the presence of H2O2. To probe the mechanism of action of Ybp1p, we tested the effect of a ybp1
mutation on the localization of a mutant form of Yap1p to the nucleus. The C629A allele of Yap1p replaces the cysteine residue at position 629 in the c-CRD with an alanine. In YBP1 cells, C629A Yap1p is localized to the nucleus under H2O2- or diamide-stressed conditions as well as in the absence of oxidative stress (4). Importantly, C629A Yap1p was found to produce hyperresistance to diamide but was hypersensitive to H2O2. We introduced a low-copy-number plasmid expressing Yap1p or C629A Yap1p into a yap1
ybp1
double mutant strain and tested the H2O2 and diamide tolerance of the resulting transformants. The nuclear localization of C629A Yap1p was also assessed with a GFP fusion to this mutant transcription factor (Fig. 9).
![]() View larger version (34K): [in a new window] |
FIG. 9. Constitutive nuclear localization of a mutant form of Yap1p is independent of Ybp1p function. (A) GFP-C629A Yap1p expressed from a centromeric plasmid was introduced into a yap1 ybp1 mutant strain. Transformants were grown to mid-log phase, stained with DAPI, and visualized by fluorescence microscopy. (B) Low-copy-number plasmids containing either the wild-type or C629A YAP1 alleles were introduced into a yap1 ybp1 mutant strain along with an empty vector plasmid (pRS315). Transformants were grown to mid-log phase and analyzed for H2O2 and diamide tolerance as described above by a gradient plate assay.
|
ybp1
cells under nonstressed conditions, as was seen previously in a yap1
strain (4). The constitutive nuclear localization of C629A Yap1p is independent of Ybp1p function and was not influenced by the presence of H2O2 (data not shown). Additionally, the oxidant sensitivity of a ybp1
strain could not be suppressed by the introduction of a constitutively nuclear C629A Yap1p. Together, these data argue that while regulation of Yap1p nuclear recruitment upon H2O2 stress is an important task of Ybp1p, this localization defect alone is inadequate to explain the H2O2 sensitivity of the ybp1
strain. |
|
|---|
These studies also provide the first functional assessment of the action of the Ybp1p homologue Ybh1p. Based on the strong sequence conservation between Ybp1p and Ybh1p, we anticipated that these factors might work in very similar manners. However, the data reported here present several lines of evidence that significant differences exist between the in vivo roles of these two related proteins. First, no evidence could be obtained that Ybh1p actually interacted with Yap1p in the cell. While both two-hybrid data and coimmunoprecipitation approaches were consistent with the presence of the Yap1p-Ybp1p interaction, neither could detect interaction between Yap1p and Ybh1p. Second, PGK-driven expression of Ybp1p but not Ybh1p was able to restore H2O2-induced nuclear accumulation of Yap1p in cells lacking both YBP1 and YBH1. Finally, the H2O2 hypersensitivity of a
gpx3 strain could be suppressed by overproduction of Ybh1p but not Ybp1p.
These data are most consistent with the idea that Ybh1p acts in a pathway parallel to that of Ybp1p. One attractive model is suggested by the presence of a number of Yap1p homologues in S. cerevisiae (11). At least 7 proteins sharing significant sequence similarity with Yap1p are encoded by the S. cerevisiae genome. Several of these have been demonstrated to have DNA binding and transcriptional regulatory properties similar to Yap1p (11). Ybh1p may exert its normal activity through control of the function of one of these other Yap1p homologues. It is interesting that Ybh1p has previously been implicated in resistance to osmotic stress (6), as have the Yap1p homologues Yap4p/Cin5p and Yap6p (29). An immediate experimental goal is to identify the protein(s) downstream from Ybh1p in its pathway of action.
While the data reported here are consistent with Ybh1p regulating a transcription factor that in turn can carry out some of the functions normally executed by Yap1p, we cannot eliminate the possibility that Ybh1p may act in a Yap1p regulatory pathway that does not involve Gpx3p. Perhaps Ybh1p acts with a Gpx3p-like protein to properly modify Yap1p in response to H2O2. We do not favor this explanation, since we were unable to detect any interaction between Yap1p and Ybh1p, but it remains a possibility.
The differential contribution of Ybp1p and Ybh1p to H2O2 stress induction of TRX2 and GSH1 was surprising. Since Yap1p does not concentrate in the nucleus in ybp1
cells, we anticipated that H2O2 induction of TRX2 and GSH1 would be inhibited. The lack of sensitivity of GSH1 expression to YBP1 was unexpected. This differential requirement for Ybp1p to enable H2O2-mediated activation of TRX2 versus GSH1 is reminiscent of the differential effect of constitutively nuclear forms of Yap1p that fail to increase TRX2 expression but dramatically elevate artificial Yap1p-responsive reporter genes (4). We have found that GSH1 expression is also constitutively high in these permanently nuclear mutant forms of Yap1p (unpublished data). Our interpretation of these data is that the mechanism of transcriptional activation by Yap1p is different at TRX2 and GSH1. Importantly, the difference in gene activation by these mutants cannot be explained in terms of nuclear localization.
The persistence of H2O2-inducible expression of GSH1 in ybp1
cells could be explained by at least two different possibilities. Since basically all Yap1p localization data come from the use of GFP reporter constructs (both here and elsewhere) (4, 7, 19, 26, 36, 40), resolution of the extent of Yap1p localization is limited by the use of fluorescence microscopy. A low level of nuclear GFP-Yap1p might be masked by the large cytoplasmic GFP signal. With this caveat in mind, it is possible that a low level of Yap1p does accumulate in the nucleus in response to H2O2 challenge. This low level is sufficient for GSH1 activation but inadequate to induce TRX2. Alternatively, it has been suggested by others (9) that H2O2 induction of GSH1 expression does not require Yap1p per se, but rather, Yap1p participates in an indirect role. Further experiments are required to discriminate between these and other models, but clearly, H2O2 regulation of Yap1p action is a complex process involving multiple proteins.
The response of Yap1p to H2O2 challenge is quite different from control of Yap1p by diamide or diethylmaleate, two oxidants that seem likely to influence Yap1p activity exclusively at the level of regulation of nuclear localization. Exposure of cells to diamide is thought to lead to localized oxidation of cysteine residues in Yap1p and prevent the factor from binding to the nuclear exportin Crm1p (27, 40). This causes the protein to accumulate in the nucleus and leads to increased Yap1p target gene expression. Consistent with the notion that the influence of diamide can be considered to be purely at the level of nuclear localization, mutants that are constitutively localized to the nucleus are also invariably hyperresistant to diamide (4, 26, 37).
Ybp1p has previously been demonstrated to be required for the appearance of a disulfide bond linking the n-CRD with the c-CRD (7). It is possible that the formation of this disulfide bond has two different roles in terms of Yap1p regulation. Formation of this bond may inhibit interaction with Crm1p and provide a conformation of Yap1p that is appropriate for the activation of genes like TRX2 that must be induced to support normal tolerance to H2O2. This dual contribution to H2O2 regulation of Yap1p function is entirely consistent with the observed phenotypes of mutants like C629A Yap1p. We speculate that a Ybp1p-requiring folding step is required for Yap1p to assume a particular conformation appropriate for activation of genes like TRX2 but is not necessary for induction of genes like ATR1 (5). ATR1 is a Yap1p-regulated gene but has no detectable role in H2O2 tolerance. The molecular basis of this oxidant- and gene-specific transcriptional activation by Yap1p is currently under investigation.
We thank Patricia Bilodeau and Rob Piper for help with immunological methods and valuable discussions.
|
|
|---|
-glutamylcysteine synthetase, is a target gene for yAP-1 transcriptional regulation. Mol. Cell. Biol. 14:5832-5839.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology. For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»