The DNA damage sensor ATM kinase interacts with the p53 mRNA and guides the DNA damage response pathway.

Background: The ATM kinase constitutes a master regulatory hub of DNA damage and activates the p53 response pathway by phosphorylating the MDM2 protein, which develops an affinity for the p53 mRNA secondary structure. Disruption of this interaction prevents the activation of the nascent p53. The link of the MDM2 protein-p53 mRNA interaction with the upstream DNA damage sensor ATM kinase and the role of the p53 mRNA in the DNA damage sensing mechanism, are still highly anticipated.

The nascent polypeptide-associated complex (NAC) controls translation initiation in cis by recruiting nucleolin to the encoding mRNA.

Protein aggregates and abnormal proteins are toxic and associated with neurodegenerative diseases. There are several mechanisms to help cells get rid of aggregates but little is known on how cells prevent aggregate-prone proteins from being synthesised. The EBNA1 of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) evades the immune system by suppressing its own mRNA translation initiation in order to minimize the production of antigenic peptides for the major histocompatibility (MHC) class I pathway.

The different activities of RNA G-quadruplex structures are controlled by flanking sequences.

The role of G-quadruplex (G4) RNA structures is multifaceted and controversial. Here, we have used as a model the EBV-encoded EBNA1 and the Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV)-encoded LANA1 mRNAs. We have compared the G4s in these two messages in terms of nucleolin binding, nuclear mRNA retention, and mRNA translation inhibition and their effects on immune evasion.

MDM2's dual mRNA binding domains co-ordinate its oncogenic and tumour suppressor activities.

Cell growth requires a high level of protein synthesis and oncogenic pathways stimulate cell proliferation and ribosome biogenesis. Less is known about how cells respond to dysfunctional mRNA translation and how this feeds back into growth regulatory pathways. The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded EBNA1 causes mRNA translation stress in cis that activates PI3Kδ.

Nuclear processing of nascent transcripts determines synthesis of full-length proteins and antigenic peptides.

Peptides presented on major histocompatibility (MHC) class I molecules form an essential part of the immune system's capacity to detect virus-infected or transformed cells. Earlier works have shown that pioneer translation peptides (PTPs) for the MHC class I pathway are as efficiently produced from introns as from exons, or from mRNAs targeted for the nonsense-mediated decay pathway. The production of PTPs is a target for viral immune evasion but the underlying molecular mechanisms that govern this non-canonical translation are unknown.

p53-mediated suppression of BiP triggers BIK-induced apoptosis during prolonged endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Physiological and pathological conditions that affect the folding capacity of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) provoke ER stress and trigger the unfolded protein response (UPR). The UPR aims to either restore the balance between newly synthesized and misfolded proteins or if the damage is severe, to trigger cell death. However, the molecular events underlying the switch between repair and cell death are not well understood.

The alternative translated MDMX(p60) isoform regulates MDM2 activity.

Isoforms derived from alternative splicing, mRNA translation initiation or promoter usage extend the functional repertoire of the p53, p63 and p73 genes family and of their regulators MDM2 and MDMX. Here we show cap-independent translation of an N-terminal truncated isoform of hMDMX, hMDMX(p60), which is initiated at the 7th AUG codon downstream of the initiation site for full length hMDMX(FL) at position +384. hMDMX(p60) lacks the p53 binding motif but retains the RING domain and interacts with hMDM2 and hMDMX(FL).

HDMX folds the nascent p53 mRNA following activation by the ATM kinase.

Regulated protein synthesis via changes in mRNA structures forms an important part of how prokaryotic cells adapt protein expression in response to changes in the environment. Little is known regarding how this concept has adapted to regulate mRNA translation via signaling pathways in mammalian cells. Here, we show that following phosphorylation by the ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase at serine 403, the C-terminal RING domain of HDMX binds the nascent p53 mRNA to promote a conformation that supports the p53 mRNA-HDM2 interaction and the induction of p53 synthesis.

The p53 mRNA-Mdm2 interaction controls Mdm2 nuclear trafficking and is required for p53 activation following DNA damage.

The ATM kinase and p53 are key tumor suppressor factors that control the genotoxic stress response pathway. The ATM substrate Mdm2 controls p53 activity by either targeting p53 for degradation or promoting its synthesis by binding the p53 mRNA. The physiological role and regulation of Mdm2's dual function toward p53 is not known.

P53 mRNA controls p53 activity by managing Mdm2 functions.

The E3 ubiquitin ligase Mdm2 is a focal regulator of p53 tumour suppressor activity. It binds p53, promoting its polyubiquitination and degradation, and also controls p53 synthesis. However, it is not known how this dual function of Mdm2 on p53 synthesis and degradation is achieved.

The p53 mRNA-Mdm2 interaction.

The E3 ligase Mdm2 is a key regulator of p53 activity via a complex regulatory feedback system that involves all levels of expression control including transcription, mRNA translation and protein degradation. Best known is the effect of p53 on Mdm2 transcription and the capacity of Mdm2 to target p53 for degradation, but more recently the role of Mdm2 as a positive regulator of p53 activity has also started to emerge. Mdm2 stimulates p53 mRNA translation by binding the p53 mRNA and, interestingly, this interaction also suppresses Mdm2's capacity to promote p53 polyubiquitination and degradation.

mRNA translation regulation by the Gly-Ala repeat of Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 1.

The glycine-alanine repeat (GAr) sequence of the Epstein-Barr virus-encoded EBNA-1 prevents presentation of antigenic peptides to major histocompatibility complex class I molecules. This has been attributed to its capacity to suppress mRNA translation in cis. However, the underlying mechanism of this function remains largely unknown.

Hypoxia-induced cytoskeleton disruption in alveolar epithelial cells.

Alveolar hypoxia, a common feature of many respiratory disorders, has been previously reported to induce functional changes, particularly a decrease of transepithelial Na and fluid transport. In polarized epithelia, cytoskeleton plays a regulatory role in transcellular and paracellular transport of ions and fluid. We hypothesized that exposure to hypoxia could damage cytoskeleton organization, which in turn, may adversely affect ion and fluid transport.

A naturally occurring human Nedd4-2 variant displays impaired ENaC regulation in Xenopus laevis oocytes.

The epithelial Na(+) channel (ENaC) is regulated by the ubiquitin-protein ligase Nedd4-2 via interaction with ENaC PY-motifs. These PY-motifs are mutated/deleted in Liddle's syndrome, resulting in elevated Na(+) reabsorption and hypertension explained partly by impaired ENaC-Nedd4-2 interaction. We hypothesized that Nedd4-2 is a susceptibility gene for hypertension and screened 856 renal patients and healthy controls for mutations in a subset of exons of the human Nedd4-2 gene that are relevant for ENaC regulation by PCR/single-strand conformational polymorphism.

Identification of new partners of the epithelial sodium channel alpha subunit.

A fine regulation of the amiloride-sensitive Epithelial Sodium Channel (ENaC), made of alpha, beta and gamma subunits, is crucial for maintenance of Na+ balance and blood pressure. Both beta- and gamma-ENaC participate in negative regulation by interacting with Nedd4-2, an E3 ubiquitin-ligase. Disruption of this interaction results in increased ENaC activity (Liddle syndrome).

Tyrosine phosphorylation regulates alpha II spectrin cleavage by calpain.

Spectrins, components of the membrane skeleton, are implicated in various cellular functions. Understanding the diversity of these functions requires better characterization of the interacting domains of spectrins, such as the SH3 domain. Yeast two-hybrid screening of a kidney cDNA library revealed that the SH3 domain of alpha II-spectrin binds specifically isoform A of low-molecular-weight phosphotyrosine phosphatase (LMW-PTP).