Signal-dependent degradation of IkappaBalpha is mediated by an inducible destruction box that can be transferred to NF-kappaB, bcl-3 or p53

Activation of the transcription factor NF-kappaB in response to a variety of stimuli is governed by the signal-induced proteolytic degradation of NF-kappaB inhibitor proteins, the IkappaBs. We have investigated the sequence requirements for signal-induced IkappaBalpha phosphorylation and proteolysis by generating chimeric proteins containing discrete sub-regions of IkappaBalpha fused to the IkappaBalpha homologue Bcl-3, the transcription factor NF-kappaB1/p50 and the tumour suppressor protein p53. Using this approach we show that the N-terminal signal response domain (SRD) of IkappaBalpha directs their signal-dependent phosphorylation and degradation when transferred to heterologous proteins. The C-terminal PEST sequence from IkappaBalpha was not essential for induced proteolysis of the chimeric proteins. A deletion analysis conducted on the SRD identified a 25 amino acid sub-domain of IkappaBalpha that is necessary and sufficient for the degradative response in vivo and for recognition by TNFalpha-dependent IkappaBalpha kinase in vitro . The results obtained should prove instrumental in the further characterization of IkappaB-specific kinases, as well as the E2 and E3 enzymes responsible for IkappaBalpha ubiquitination. Furthermore, they suggest a novel strategy for generating conditional mutants, by targetting heterologous proteins for transient elimination by the IkappaBalpha pathway

NF-kappaB p105 is a target of I kappaB kinases and controls signal induction of Bcl-3-p50 complexes

The NF-kappaB precursor p105 has dual functions: cytoplasmic retention of attached NF-kappaB proteins and generation of p50 by processing. It is poorly understood whether these activities of p105 are responsive to signalling processes that are known to activate NF-kappaB p50-p65. We propose a model that p105 is inducibly degraded, and that its degradation liberates sequestered NF-kappaB subunits, including its processing product p50. p50 homodimers are specifically bound by the transcription activator Bcl-3. We show that TNFalpha, IL-1beta or phorbolester (PMA) trigger rapid formation of Bcl-3-p50 complexes with the same kinetics as activation of p50-p65 complexes. TNF-alpha-induced Bcl-3-p50 formation requires proteasome activity, but is independent of p50-p65 released from IkappaBalpha, indicating a pathway that involves p105 proteolysis. The IkappaB kinases IKKalpha and IKKbeta physically interact with p105 and inducibly phosphorylate three C-terminal serines. p105 is degraded upon TNF-alpha stimulation, but only when the IKK phospho-acceptor sites are intact. Furthermore, a p105 mutant, lacking the IKK phosphorylation sites, acts as a super-repressor of IKK-induced NF-kappaB transcriptional activity. Thus, the known NF-kappaB stimuli not only cause nuclear accumulation of p50-p65 heterodimers but also of Bcl-3-p50 and perhaps further transcription activator complexes which are formed upon IKK-mediated p105 degradation

The let-7 target gene mouse lin-41 is a stem cell specific E3 ubiquitin ligase for the miRNA pathway protein Ago2.

The let-7 miRNA and its target gene Lin-28 interact in a regulatory circuit controlling pluripotency. We investigated an additional let-7 target, mLin41 (mouse homologue of lin-41), as a potential contributor to this circuit. We demonstrate the presence of mLin41 protein in several stem cell niches, including the embryonic ectoderm, epidermis and male germ line. mLin41 colocalized to cytoplasmic foci with P-body markers and the miRNA pathway proteins Ago2, Mov10 and Tnrc6b. In co-precipitation assays, mLin41 interacted with Dicer and the Argonaute proteins Ago1, Ago2 and Ago4. Moreover, we show that mLin41 acts as an E3 ubiquitin ligase in an auto-ubiquitylation assay and that mLin41 mediates ubiquitylation of Ago2 in vitro and in vivo. Overexpression and depletion of mLin41 led to inverse changes in the level of Ago2 protein, implicating mLin41 in the regulation of Ago2 turnover. mLin41 interfered with silencing of target mRNAs for let-7 and miR-124, at least in part by antagonizing Ago2. Furthermore, mLin41 cooperated with the pluripotency factor Lin-28 in suppressing let-7 activity, revealing a dual control mechanism regulating let-7 in stem cells

The ankyrin repeat domains of the NF-kappa B precursor p105 and the protooncogene bcl-3 act as specific inhibitors of NF-kappaB DNA binding

The inducible pleiotropic transcription factor NF-kappa B is composed of two subunits, p50 and p65. The p50 subunit is encoded on the N-terminal half of a 105-kDa open reading frame and contains a rel-like domain. To date, no function has been described for the C-terminal portion. We show here that the C-terminal half of p105, when expressed as a separate molecule, binds to p50 and can rapidly disrupt protein-DNA complexes of p50 or native NF-kappa B. Deletion analysis of this precursor-derived inhibitor activity indicated a domain containing ankyrin-like repeats as necessary for inhibition. The protooncogene bcl-3, which contains seven ankyrin repeats, can equally inhibit p50 DNA binding. These observations identify bcl-3 as an inhibitor of NF-kappa B and strongly suggest that the ankyrin repeats in these factors are involved in protein-protein interactions with the rel-like domain of p50. Comparison with other ankyrin repeat-containing proteins suggests that a subclass of these proteins acts as regulators of rel-like transcription factors

Post-transcriptional regulation of the let-7 microRNA during neural cell specification

The let-7 miRNA regulates developmental timing in C. elegans and is an important paradigm for investigations of miRNA functions in mammalian development. We have examined the role of miRNA precursor processing in the temporal control and lineage specificity of the let-7 miRNA. In situ hybridization (ISH) in E9.5 mouse embryos revealed early induction of let-7 in the developing central nervous system. The expression pattern of three let-7 family members closely resembled that of the brain-enriched miRNAs mir-124, mir-125 and mir-128. Comparison of primary, precursor, and mature let-7 RNA levels during both embryonic brain development and neural differentiation of embryonic stem cells and embryocarcinoma (EC) cells suggest post-transcriptional regulation of let-7 accumulation. Reflecting these results, let-7 sensor constructs were strongly down-regulated during neural differentiation of EC cells and displayed lineage specificity in primary cells. Neural differentiation of EC cells was accompanied by an increase in let-7 precursor processing activity in vitro. Furthermore, undifferentiated and differentiated cells contained distinct precursor RNA binding complexes. A neuron-enhanced binding complex was shown by antibody challenge to contain the miRNA pathway proteins Argonaute1 and FMRP. Developmental regulation of the processing pathway correlates with differential localization of the proteins Argonaute, FMRP, MOV10, and TNRC6B in self-renewing stem cells and neurons

Extracellularly delivered single-stranded viral RNA causes neurodegeneration dependent on TLR7

Innate immune receptors represent an evolutionarily ancient system that allows organisms to detect and rapidly respond to pathogen- and host-derived factors. TLRs are predominantly expressed in immune cells and mediate such a response. Although this class of pattern recognition receptors is involved in CNS disorders, the knowledge of ligands leading to activation of TLRs and to subsequent CNS damage is limited. We report in this study that ssRNA causes neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation dependent on TLR7 in the CNS. TLR7 is not only expressed in microglia, the major immune cells of the brain, but also in neurons of the CNS. Extracellularly delivered ssRNA40, an oligoribonucleotide derived from HIV and an established ligand of TLR7, induces neuronal cell death dependent on TLR7 and the central adapter molecule MyD88 in vitro. Activation of caspase-3 is involved in neuronal damage mediated by TLR7. This cell-autonomous neuronal cell death induced by ssRNA40 is amplified in the presence of microglia that mount an inflammatory response to ssRNA40 through TLR7. Intrathecal administration of ssRNA40 causes widespread neurodegeneration in wild-type but not in TLR7(-/-) mice, confirming that neuronal cell death induced by ssRNA40 through TLR7 occurs in vivo. Our results point to a possible mechanism through which extracellularly delivered ssRNA contributes to CNS damage and determine an obligatory role for TLR7 in this pathway