Epac proteins (exchange proteins directly activated by cAMP) are guanine-nucleotide-exchange factors (GEFs) for the small GTP-binding proteins Rap1 and Rap2 that are directly regulated by the second messenger cyclic AMP and function in the control of diverse cellular processes, including cell adhesion and insulin secretion. Here we report the three-dimensional structure of full-length Epac2, a 110-kDa protein that contains an amino-terminal regulatory region with two cyclic-nucleotide-binding domains and a carboxy-terminal catalytic region. The structure was solved in the absence of cAMP and shows the auto-inhibited state of Epac. The regulatory region is positioned with respect to the catalytic region by a rigid, tripartite beta-sheet-like structure we refer to as the 'switchboard' and an ionic interaction we call the 'ionic latch'. As a consequence of this arrangement, the access of Rap to the catalytic site is sterically blocked. Mutational analysis suggests a model for cAMP-induced Epac activation with rigid body movement of the regulatory region, the features of which are universally conserved in cAMP-regulated proteins.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature04468 | DOI Listing |
FASEB J
January 2025
State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.
Triglyceride (TG) metabolism is a complex and highly coordinated biological process regulated by a series of genes, and its dysregulation can lead to the occurrence of disorders in lipid metabolism. However, the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms of crucial genes in TG metabolism mediated by enhancer-promoter interactions remain elusive. Here, we identified candidate enhancers regulating the Agpat2, Dgat1, Dgat2, Pnpla2, and Lipe genes in 3T3-L1 adipocytes by integrating epigenomic data (H3K27ac, H3K4me1, and DHS-seq) with chromatin three-dimensional interaction data.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCell Oncol (Dordr)
January 2025
Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China.
Background: Gastric cancer (GC) ranks as the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with most patients diagnosed at advanced stages due to the absence of reliable early detection biomarkers.
Methods: RNA-sequencing was conducted to identify the differentially expressed genes between GC tissues and adjacent normal tissues. CCK8, EdU, colony formation, transwell, flow cytometry and xenograft assays were adopted to explore the biological function of ZBTB10 and betulinic acid (BA) in GC progression.
Drug Saf
January 2025
Forum for Collaborative Research, University of California, Berkeley, Washington, DC, USA.
HIV-prevention efforts focusing on women of child-bearing potential are needed to end the HIV epidemic in the African region. The use of antiretroviral drugs as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a critical HIV prevention tool. However, safety data on new antiretrovirals during pregnancy are often limited because pregnant people are excluded from drug development studies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPlant Cell
December 2024
Shenzhen Research Institute, State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
A complex regulatory network governs fruit ripening, but natural variations and functional differentiation of fruit ripening genes remain largely unknown. Utilizing a genome-wide association study (GWAS), we identified the NAC family transcription factor MdNAC18.1, whose expression is closely associated with fruit ripening in apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Cell Mol Med
February 2025
Department of Chemotherapy, Jiangxi Cancer Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.
Tumour cells possess a multitude of chemoresistance mechanisms, which could plausibly contribute to the ineffectiveness of chemotherapy. O-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) is an important effector protein associated with Temozolomide (TMZ) resistance in various tumours. To some extent, the expression level of MGMT determines the sensitivity of cells to TMZ, but the mechanism of its expression regulation has not been fully elucidated.
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