Translocation of sickle cell erythrocyte microRNAs into plasmodium falciparum inhibits parasite translation and contributes to malaria resistance

Erythrocytes carrying a variant hemoglobin allele (HbS), which causes sickle cell disease and resists infection by the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. The molecular basis of this resistance, which has long been recognized as multifactorial, remains incompletely understood. Here we show that the dysregulated microRNA (miRNA) composition, of either heterozygous HbAS or homozygous HbSS erythrocytes, contributes to resistance against P. falciparum. During the intraerythrocytic life cycle of P. falciparum, a subset of erythrocyte miRNAs translocate into the parasite. Two miRNAs, miR-451 and let-7i, were highly enriched in HbAS and HbSS erythrocytes, and these miRNAs, along with miR-223, negatively regulated parasite growth. Surprisingly, we found that miR-451 and let-7i integrated into essential parasite messenger RNAs and, via impaired ribosomal loading, resulted in translational inhibition. Hence, sickle cell erythrocytes exhibit cell-intrinsic resistance to malaria in part through an atypical miRNA activity, which may represent a unique host defense strategy against complex eukaryotic pathogens

Recognition of a Single Transmembrane Degron by Sequential Quality Control Checkpoints

To understand the relationship between conformational maturation and quality control–mediated proteolysis in the secretory pathway, we engineered the well-characterized degron from the α-subunit of the T-cell antigen receptor (TCRα) into the α-helical transmembrane domain of homotrimeric type I integral membrane protein, influenza hemagglutinin (HA). Although the membrane degron does not appear to interfere with acquisition of native secondary structure, as assessed by the formation of native intrachain disulfide bonds, only ∼50% of nascent mutant HA chains (HA(++)) become membrane-integrated and acquire complex N-linked glycans indicative of transit to a post-ER compartment. The remaining ∼50% of nascent HA(++) chains fail to integrate into the lipid bilayer and are subject to proteasome-dependent degradation. Site-specific cleavage by extracellular trypsin and reactivity with conformation-specific monoclonal antibodies indicate that membrane-integrated HA(++) molecules are able to mature to the plasma membrane with a conformation indistinguishable from that of HA(wt). These apparently native HA(++) molecules are, nevertheless, rapidly degraded by a process that is insensitive to proteasome inhibitors but blocked by lysosomotropic amines. These data suggest the existence in the secretory pathway of at least two sequential quality control checkpoints that recognize the same transmembrane degron, thereby ensuring the fidelity of protein deployment to the plasma membrane

Different Transmembrane Domains Associate with Distinct Endoplasmic Reticulum Components during Membrane Integration of a Polytopic Protein

We have been studying the insertion of the seven transmembrane domain (TM) protein opsin to gain insights into how the multiple TMs of polytopic proteins are integrated at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). We find that the ER components associated with the first and second TMs of the nascent opsin polypeptide chain are clearly distinct. The first TM (TM1) is adjacent to the α and β subunits of the Sec61 complex, and a novel component, a protein associated with the ER translocon of 10 kDa (PAT-10). The most striking characteristic of PAT-10 is that it remains adjacent to TM1 throughout the biogenesis and membrane integration of the full-length opsin polypeptide. TM2 is also found to be adjacent to Sec61α and Sec61β during its membrane integration. However, TM2 does not form any adducts with PAT-10; rather, a transient association with the TRAM protein is observed. We show that the association of PAT-10 with opsin TM1 does not require the N-glycosylation of the nascent chain and occurs irrespective of the amino acid sequence and transmembrane topology of TM1. We conclude that the precise makeup of the ER membrane insertion site can be distinct for the different transmembrane domains of a polytopic protein. We find that the environment of a particular TM can be influenced by both the “stage” of nascent chain biosynthesis reached, and the TM's relative location within the polypeptide

Geldanamycin Treatment Ameliorates the Response to LPS in Murine Macrophages by Decreasing CD14 Surface Expression

Geldanamycin (GA) is an antibiotic produced by Actinomyces, which specifically inhibits the function of the heat shock protein 90 family. Treatment of a murine macrophage cell line (J774) with GA resulted in a reduced response to Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as visualized by a decrease of NF-κB translocation into the nucleus and secretion of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). To elucidate the mechanism of this effect, the expression of CD14, the formal LPS receptor, was analyzed. Cells treated with GA showed a reduced level of surface CD14 detected by immunostaining, whereas the expression of other surface receptors, such as FC-γ receptor and tumor necrosis factor receptors (TNF-R1 and TNF-R2), was unaffected. The reduced surface level of CD14 was not due to a reduction in its expression because CD14 steady state mRNA levels or the total cellular pool of CD14 was not altered by GA treatment. Surface CD14 was more rapidly internalized after GA treatment (2–3 h) than after incubation with cycloheximide. Immunostaining of permeabilized cells after GA treatment revealed a higher intracellular content of CD14 colocalizing with calnexin, an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) protein. These results suggest that the decrease in CD14 surface expression after GA treatment is due to rapid internalization without new replacement. These effects may be due to the inhibition of Hsp90 and Grp94 by GA in macrophages