Identification of PGAM5 as a Mammalian Protein Histidine Phosphatase that Plays a Central Role to Negatively Regulate CD4(+) T Cells

Functional role of PGAM5 multimeric assemblies and their polymerization into filaments

PGAM5 is a mitochondrial protein phosphatase whose genetic ablation in mice results in mitochondria-related disorders, including neurodegeneration. Functions of PGAM5 include regulation of mitophagy, cell death, metabolism and aging. However, mechanisms regulating PGAM5 activation and signaling are poorly understood. Using electron cryo-microscopy, we show that PGAM5 forms dodecamers in solution. We also present a crystal structure of PGAM5 that reveals the determinants of dodecamer formation. Furthermore, we observe PGAM5 dodecamer assembly into filaments both in vitro and in cells. We find that PGAM5 oligomerization into a dodecamer is not only essential for catalytic activation, but this form also plays a structural role on mitochondrial membranes, which is independent of phosphatase activity. Together, these findings suggest that modulation of the oligomerization of PGAM5 may be a regulatory switch of potential therapeutic interest.

PGAM5 is a mitochondrial protein phosphatase whose functions include regulation of mitophagy and cell death. Here, the authors use x-ray crystallography and EM to show that PGAM5 forms dodecameric rings and filaments in solution, and find that PGAM5 rings are essential for catalysis and for a structural effect PGAM5 has on mitochondrial membranes, independently of catalytic activity.

Ca2+-Activated K+ Channel KCa3.1 as a Therapeutic Target for Immune Disorders

In lymphoid and myeloid cells, membrane hyperpolarization by the opening of K⁺ channels increases the activity of Ca²⁺ release-activated Ca²⁺ (CRAC) channels and transient receptor potential (TRP) Ca²⁺ channels. The intermediate-conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channel K_Ca3.1 plays an important role in cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and cytokine production in innate and adaptive immune systems. K_Ca3.1 is therefore an attractive therapeutic target for allergic, inflammatory, and autoimmune disorders. In the past several years, studies have provided new insights into 1) K_Ca3.1 pharmacology and its auxiliary regulators; 2) post-transcriptional and proteasomal regulation of K_Ca3.1; 3) K_Ca3.1 as a regulator of immune cell migration, cytokine production, and phenotypic polarization; 4) the role of K_Ca3.1 in the phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of Smad2/3; and 5) K_Ca3.1 as a therapeutic target for cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we have assembled a comprehensive overview of current research on the physiological and pathophysiological significance of K_Ca3.1 in the immune system.

Histone Deacetylases Enhance Ca2+-Activated K⁺ Channel KCa3.1 Expression in Murine Inflammatory CD4⁺ T Cells

The up-regulated expression of the Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channel K_Ca3.1 in inflammatory CD4⁺ T cells has been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) through the enhanced production of inflammatory cytokines, such as interferon-γ (IFN-γ). However, the underlying mechanisms have not yet been elucidated. The objective of the present study is to clarify the involvement of histone deacetylases (HDACs) in the up-regulation of K_Ca3.1 in the CD4⁺ T cells of IBD model mice. The expression levels of K_Ca3.1 and its regulators, such as function-modifying molecules and transcription factors, were quantitated using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, Western blotting, and depolarization responses, which were induced by the selective K_Ca3.1 blocker TRAM-34 (1 μM) and were measured using a voltage-sensitive fluorescent dye imaging system. The treatment with 1 μM vorinostat, a pan-HDAC inhibitor, for 24 h repressed the transcriptional expression of K_Ca3.1 in the splenic CD4⁺ T cells of IBD model mice. Accordingly, TRAM-34-induced depolarization responses were significantly reduced. HDAC2 and HDAC3 were significantly up-regulated in the CD4⁺ T cells of IBD model mice. The down-regulated expression of K_Ca3.1 was observed following treatments with the selective inhibitors of HDAC2 and HDAC3. The K_Ca3.1 K⁺ channel regulates inflammatory cytokine production in CD4⁺ T cells, mediating epigenetic modifications by HDAC2 and HDAC3.

Syntaxin 17 regulates the localization and function of PGAM5 in mitochondrial division and mitophagy

PGAM5, a mitochondrial protein phosphatase that is genetically and biochemically linked to PINK1, facilitates mitochondrial division by dephosphorylating the mitochondrial fission factor Drp1. At the onset of mitophagy, PGAM5 is cleaved by PARL, a rhomboid protease that degrades PINK1 in healthy cells, and the cleaved form facilitates the engulfment of damaged mitochondria by autophagosomes by dephosphorylating the mitophagy receptor FUNDC1. Here, we show that the function and localization of PGAM5 are regulated by syntaxin 17 (Stx17), a mitochondria-associated membrane/mitochondria protein implicated in mitochondrial dynamics in fed cells and autophagy in starved cells. In healthy cells, loss of Stx17 causes PGAM5 aggregation within mitochondria and thereby failure of the dephosphorylation of Drp1, leading to mitochondrial elongation. In Parkin-mediated mitophagy, Stx17 is prerequisite for PGAM5 to interact with FUNDC1. Our results reveal that the Stx17-PGAM5 axis plays pivotal roles in mitochondrial division and PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy.

Assembly of PGAM5 into Multimeric Complexes Provides a Mechanism for Allosteric Regulation of Phosphatase Activity

Phosphoglycerate mutase family member 5 (PGAM5) is a serine/threonine phosphatase that has been localized to both inner and outer mitochondrial membranes. PGAM5 has been suggested to regulate multiple aspects of mitochondrial dynamics, including fission/fusion and mitophagy, through phosphatase-dependent and phosphatase-independent mechanisms. Understanding how the phosphatase activity of PGAM5 is regulated will provide new insight into signaling mechanisms that link changes in cell physiology with mitochondrial function. In this chapter, we describe methods for obtaining both multimeric and dimeric complexes of PGAM5 and for characterizing their kinetic properties. The ability to purify different PGAM5 complexes and to characterize their kinetic properties will enable detailed biophysical studies of the quaternary structures of the various PGAM5-containing complexes. The phosphatase activity of different PGAM5 complexes varies over three orders of magnitude. We suggest that the ability to generate PGAM5 complexes that have a wide range of phosphatase activities will facilitate screens to identify small molecules that modulate the phosphatase activity of PGAM5.

Regulation of KATP Channel Trafficking in Pancreatic β-Cells by Protein Histidine Phosphorylation

Protein histidine phosphatase 1 (PHPT-1) is an evolutionarily conserved 14-kDa protein that dephosphorylates phosphohistidine. PHPT-1^-/- mice were generated to gain insight into the role of PHPT-1 and histidine phosphorylation/dephosphorylation in mammalian biology. PHPT-1^-/- mice exhibited neonatal hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia due to impaired trafficking of K_ATP channels to the plasma membrane in pancreatic β-cells in response to low glucose and leptin and resembled patients with congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI). The defect in K_ATP channel trafficking in PHPT-1^-/- β-cells was due to the failure of PHPT-1 to directly activate transient receptor potential channel 4 (TRPC4), resulting in decreased Ca²⁺ influx and impaired downstream activation of AMPK. Thus, these studies demonstrate a critical role for PHPT-1 in normal pancreatic β-cell function and raise the possibility that mutations in PHPT-1 and/or TRPC4 may account for yet to be defined cases of CHI.

Metabolic Kinases Moonlighting as Protein Kinases

Protein kinases regulate every aspect of cellular activity, whereas metabolic enzymes are responsible for energy production and catabolic and anabolic processes. Emerging evidence demonstrates that some metabolic enzymes, such as pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1), ketohexokinase (KHK) isoform A (KHK-A), hexokinase (HK), and nucleoside diphosphate kinase 1 and 2 (NME1/2), that phosphorylate soluble metabolites can also function as protein kinases and phosphorylate a variety of protein substrates to regulate the Warburg effect, gene expression, cell cycle progression and proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy, exosome secretion, T cell activation, iron transport, ion channel opening, and many other fundamental cellular functions. The elevated protein kinase functions of these moonlighting metabolic enzymes in tumor development make them promising therapeutic targets for cancer.

The protein histidine phosphatase LHPP is a tumour suppressor

Histidine phosphorylation, the so-called hidden phosphoproteome, is a poorly characterized post-translational modification of proteins. Here we describe a role of histidine phosphorylation in tumorigenesis. Proteomic analysis of 12 tumours from an mTOR-driven hepatocellular carcinoma mouse model revealed that NME1 and NME2, the only known mammalian histidine kinases, were upregulated. Conversely, expression of the putative histidine phosphatase LHPP was downregulated specifically in the tumours. We demonstrate that LHPP is indeed a protein histidine phosphatase. Consistent with these observations, global histidine phosphorylation was significantly upregulated in the liver tumours. Sustained, hepatic expression of LHPP in the hepatocellular carcinoma mouse model reduced tumour burden and prevented the loss of liver function. Finally, in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, low expression of LHPP correlated with increased tumour severity and reduced overall survival. Thus, LHPP is a protein histidine phosphatase and tumour suppressor, suggesting that deregulated histidine phosphorylation is oncogenic.

The actions of NME1/NDPK-A and NME2/NDPK-B as protein kinases

Nucleoside diphosphate kinases (NDPKs) are multifunctional proteins encoded by the nme (non-metastatic cells) genes, also called NM23. NDPKs catalyze the transfer of γ-phosphate from nucleoside triphosphates to nucleoside diphosphates by a ping-pong mechanism involving the formation of a high-energy phosphohistidine intermediate. Growing evidence shows that NDPKs, particularly NDPK-B, can additionally act as a protein histidine kinase. Protein kinases and phosphatases that regulate reversible O-phosphorylation of serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues have been studied extensively in many organisms. Interestingly, other phosphoamino acids histidine, lysine, arginine, aspartate, glutamate, and cysteine exist in abundance but remain understudied due to the paucity of suitable methods and antibodies. The N-phosphorylation of histidine by histidine kinases via the two- or multi-component signaling systems is an important mediator in cellular responses in prokaryotes and lower eukaryotes, like yeast, fungi, and plants. However, in vertebrates knowledge of phosphohistidine signaling has lagged far behind and the identity of the protein kinases and protein phosphatases involved is not well established. This article will therefore provide an overview of our current knowledge on protein histidine phosphorylation particularly the role of nm 23 gene products as protein histidine kinases.

Advances in development of new tools for the study of phosphohistidine

Protein phosphorylation is an important post-translational modification that is an integral part of cellular function. The O-phosphorylated amino-acid residues, such as phosphoserine (pSer), phosphothreonine (pThr) and phosphotyrosine (pTyr), have dominated the literature while the acid labile N-linked phosphorylated amino acids, such as phosphohistidine (pHis), have largely been historically overlooked because of the acidic conditions routinely used in amino-acid detection and analysis. This review highlights some misinterpretations that have arisen in the existing literature, pinpoints outstanding questions and potential future directions to clarify the role of pHis in mammalian signalling systems. Particular emphasis is placed on pHis isomerization and the hybrid functionality for both pHis and pTyr of the proposed τ-pHis analogue bearing the triazole residue.

The actions of NME1/NDPK-A and NME2/NDPK-B as protein kinases

Nucleoside diphosphate kinases (NDPKs) are multifunctional proteins encoded by the nme (non-metastatic cells) genes, also called NM23. NDPKs catalyze the transfer of γ-phosphate from nucleoside triphosphates to nucleoside diphosphates by a ping-pong mechanism involving the formation of a high-energy phosphohistidine intermediate. Growing evidence shows that NDPKs, particularly NDPK-B, can additionally act as a protein histidine kinase. Protein kinases and phosphatases that regulate reversible O-phosphorylation of serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues have been studied extensively in many organisms. Interestingly, other phosphoamino acids histidine, lysine, arginine, aspartate, glutamate, and cysteine exist in abundance but remain understudied due to the paucity of suitable methods and antibodies. The N-phosphorylation of histidine by histidine kinases via the two- or multi-component signaling systems is an important mediator in cellular responses in prokaryotes and lower eukaryotes, like yeast, fungi, and plants. However, in vertebrates knowledge of phosphohistidine signaling has lagged far behind and the identity of the protein kinases and protein phosphatases involved is not well established. This article will therefore provide an overview of our current knowledge on protein histidine phosphorylation particularly the role of nm 23 gene products as protein histidine kinases.

Pgam5 released from damaged mitochondria induces mitochondrial biogenesis via Wnt signaling

Mitochondrial stress induces PARL-mediated cleavage and cytosolic release of the mitochondrial phosphatase Pgam5. In the cytosol, Pgam5 interacts with the Wnt pathway component axin and dephosphorylates axin-bound β-catenin, thereby cell-intrinsically activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling to induce mitochondrial biogenesis.

Mitochondrial abundance is dynamically regulated and was previously shown to be increased by Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Pgam5 is a mitochondrial phosphatase which is cleaved by the rhomboid protease presenilin-associated rhomboid-like protein (PARL) and released from membranes after mitochondrial stress. In this study, we show that Pgam5 interacts with the Wnt pathway component axin in the cytosol, blocks axin-mediated β-catenin degradation, and increases β-catenin levels and β-catenin–dependent transcription. Pgam5 stabilized β-catenin by inducing its dephosphorylation in an axin-dependent manner. Mitochondrial stress triggered by carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone (CCCP) treatment led to cytosolic release of endogenous Pgam5 and subsequent dephosphorylation of β-catenin, which was strongly diminished in Pgam5 and PARL knockout cells. Similarly, hypoxic stress generated cytosolic Pgam5 and led to stabilization of β-catenin, which was abolished by Pgam5 knockout. Cells stably expressing cytosolic Pgam5 exhibit elevated β-catenin levels and increased mitochondrial numbers. Our study reveals a novel mechanism by which damaged mitochondria might induce replenishment of the mitochondrial pool by cell-intrinsic activation of Wnt signaling via the Pgam5–β-catenin axis.

Histidine kinases and the missing phosphoproteome from prokaryotes to eukaryotes

Protein phosphorylation is the most common type of post-translational modification in eukaryotes. The phosphoproteome is defined as the complete set of experimentally detectable phosphorylation sites present in a cell's proteome under various conditions. However, we are still far from identifying all the phosphorylation sites in a cell mainly due to the lack of information about phosphorylation events involving residues other than Ser, Thr and Tyr. Four types of phosphate-protein linkage exist and these generate nine different phosphoresidues-pSer, pThr, pTyr, pHis, pLys, pArg, pAsp, pGlu and pCys. Most of the effort in studying protein phosphorylation has been focused on Ser, Thr and Tyr phosphorylation. The recent development of 1- and 3-pHis monoclonal antibodies promises to increase our understanding of His phosphorylation and the kinases and phosphatases involved. Several His kinases are well defined in prokaryotes, especially those involved in two-component system (TCS) signaling. However, in higher eukaryotes, NM23, a protein originally characterized as a nucleoside diphosphate kinase, is the only characterized protein-histidine kinase. This ubiquitous and conserved His kinase autophosphorylates its active site His, and transfers this phosphate either onto a nucleoside diphosphate or onto a protein His residue. Studies of NM23 protein targets using newly developed anti-pHis antibodies will surely help illuminate the elusive His phosphorylation-based signaling pathways. This review discusses the role that the NM23/NME/NDPK phosphotransferase has, how the addition of the pHis phosphoproteome will expand the phosphoproteome and make His phosphorylation part of the global phosphorylation world. It also summarizes why our understanding of phosphorylation is still largely restricted to the acid stable phosphoproteome, and highlights the study of NM23 histidine kinase as an entrée into the world of histidine phosphorylation.

The NDPK/NME superfamily: state of the art

Nucleoside diphosphate kinases (NDPK) are nucleotide metabolism enzymes encoded by NME genes (also called NM23). Given the fact that not all NME-encoded proteins are catalytically active NDPKs and that NM23 generally refers to clinical studies on metastasis, we use here NME/NDPK to denote the proteins. Since their discovery in the 1950's, NMEs/NDPKs have been shown to be involved in multiple physiological and pathological cellular processes, but the molecular mechanisms have not been fully determined. Recent progress in elucidating these underlying mechanisms has been presented by experts in the field at the 10th International Congress on the NDPK/NME/AWD protein family in October 2016 in Dubrovnik, Croatia, and is summarized in review articles or original research in this and an upcoming issue of Laboratory Investigation. Within this editorial, we discuss three major cellular processes that involve members of the multi-functional NME/NDPK family: (i) cancer and metastasis dissemination, (ii) membrane remodeling and nucleotide channeling, and iii) protein histidine phosphorylation.

Regulation of heterotrimeric G-protein signaling by NDPK/NME proteins and caveolins: an update

Heterotrimeric G proteins are pivotal mediators of cellular signal transduction in eukaryotic cells and abnormal G-protein signaling plays an important role in numerous diseases. During the last two decades it has become evident that the activation status of heterotrimeric G proteins is both highly localized and strongly regulated by a number of factors, including a receptor-independent activation pathway of heterotrimeric G proteins that does not involve the classical GDP/GTP exchange and relies on nucleoside diphosphate kinases (NDPKs). NDPKs are NTP/NDP transphosphorylases encoded by the nme/nm23 genes that are involved in a variety of cellular events such as proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. They therefore contribute, for example, to tumor metastasis, angiogenesis, retinopathy, and heart failure. Interestingly, NDPKs are translocated and/or upregulated in human heart failure. Here we describe recent advances in the current understanding of NDPK functions and how they have an impact on local regulation of G-protein signaling.

Regulation of heterotrimeric G-protein signaling by NDPK/NME proteins and caveolins: an update

Heterotrimeric G proteins are pivotal mediators of cellular signal transduction in eukaryotic cells and abnormal G-protein signaling plays an important role in numerous diseases. During the last two decades it has become evident that the activation status of heterotrimeric G proteins is both highly localized and strongly regulated by a number of factors, including a receptor-independent activation pathway of heterotrimeric G proteins that does not involve the classical GDP/GTP exchange and relies on nucleoside diphosphate kinases (NDPKs). NDPKs are NTP/NDP transphosphorylases encoded by the nme/nm23 genes that are involved in a variety of cellular events such as proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. They therefore contribute, for example, to tumor metastasis, angiogenesis, retinopathy, and heart failure. Interestingly, NDPKs are translocated and/or upregulated in human heart failure. Here we describe recent advances in the current understanding of NDPK functions and how they have an impact on local regulation of G-protein signaling.

PARL partitions the lipid transfer protein STARD7 between the cytosol and mitochondria

Intramembrane-cleaving peptidases of the rhomboid family regulate diverse cellular processes that are critical for development and cell survival. The function of the rhomboid protease PARL in the mitochondrial inner membrane has been linked to mitophagy and apoptosis, but other regulatory functions are likely to exist. Here, we identify the START domain-containing protein STARD7 as an intramitochondrial lipid transfer protein for phosphatidylcholine. We demonstrate that PARL-mediated cleavage during mitochondrial import partitions STARD7 to the cytosol and the mitochondrial intermembrane space. Negatively charged amino acids in STARD7 serve as a sorting signal allowing mitochondrial release of mature STARD7 upon cleavage by PARL On the other hand, membrane insertion of STARD7 mediated by the TIM23 complex promotes mitochondrial localization of mature STARD7. Mitochondrial STARD7 is necessary and sufficient for the accumulation of phosphatidylcholine in the inner membrane and for the maintenance of respiration and cristae morphogenesis. Thus, PARL preserves mitochondrial membrane homeostasis via STARD7 processing and is emerging as a critical regulator of protein localization between mitochondria and the cytosol.

A PGAM5-KEAP1-Nrf2 complex is required for stress-induced mitochondrial retrograde trafficking

The Nrf2 transcription factor is a master regulator of the cellular anti-stress response. A population of the transcription factor associates with the mitochondria through a complex with KEAP1 and the mitochondrial outer membrane histidine phosphatase, PGAM5. To determine the function of this mitochondrial complex, we knocked down each component and assessed mitochondrial morphology and distribution. We discovered that depletion of Nrf2 or PGAM5, but not KEAP1, inhibits mitochondrial retrograde trafficking induced by proteasome inhibition. Mechanistically, this disrupted motility results from aberrant degradation of Miro2, a mitochondrial GTPase that links mitochondria to microtubules. Rescue experiments demonstrate that this Miro2 degradation involves the KEAP1-cullin-3 E3 ubiquitin ligase and the proteasome. These data are consistent with a model in which an intact complex of PGAM5-KEAP1-Nrf2 preserves mitochondrial motility by suppressing dominant-negative KEAP1 activity. These data further provide a mechanistic explanation for how age-dependent declines in Nrf2 expression impact mitochondrial motility and induce functional deficits commonly linked to neurodegeneration.

Chemical Approaches to Investigate Labile Peptide and Protein Phosphorylation

Protein phosphorylation is by far the most abundant and most studied post-translational modification (PTM). For a long time, phosphate monoesters of serine (pSer), threonine (pThr), and tyrosine (pTyr) have been considered as the only relevant forms of phosphorylation in organisms. Recently, several research groups have dedicated their efforts to the investigation of other, less characterized phosphoamino acids as naturally occurring PTMs. Such apparent peculiar phosphorylations include the phosphoramidates of histidine (pHis), arginine (pArg), and lysine (pLys), the phosphorothioate of cysteine (pCys), and the anhydrides of pyrophosphorylated serine (ppSer) and threonine (ppThr). Almost all of these phosphorylated amino acids show higher lability under physiological conditions than those of phosphate monoesters. Furthermore, they are prone to hydrolysis under acidic and sometimes basic conditions as well as at elevated temperatures, which renders their synthetic accessibility and proteomic analysis particularly challenging. In this Account, we illustrate recent chemical approaches to probe the occurrence and function of these labile phosphorylation events. Within these endeavors, the synthesis of site-selectively phosphorylated peptides, in particular in combination with chemoselective phosphorylation strategies, was crucial. With these well-defined standards in hand, the appropriate proteomic mass spectrometry-based analysis protocols for the characterization of labile phosphosites in biological samples could be developed. Another successful approach in this research field includes the design and synthesis of stable analogues of these labile PTMs, which were used for the generation of pHis- and pArg-specific antibodies for the detection and enrichment of endogenous phosphorylated samples. Finally, other selective enrichment techniques are described, which rely for instance on the unique chemical environment of a pyrophosphate or the selective interaction between a phosphoamino acid and its phosphatase. It is worth noting that many of those studies are still in their early stages, which is also reflected in the small number of identified phosphosites compared to that of phosphate monoesters. Thus, many challenges need to be mastered to fully understand the biological role of these poorly characterized and rather uncommon phosphorylations. Taken together, this overview exemplifies recent efforts in a flourishing field of functional proteomic analysis and furthermore manifests the power of modern peptide synthesis to address unmet questions in the life sciences.

Structures of PGAM5 Provide Insight into Active Site Plasticity and Multimeric Assembly

PGAM5 is a mitochondrial membrane protein that functions as an atypical Ser/Thr phosphatase and is a regulator of oxidative stress response, necroptosis, and autophagy. Here we present several crystal structures of PGAM5 including the activating N-terminal regulatory sequences, providing a model for structural plasticity, dimerization of the catalytic domain, and the assembly into an enzymatically active dodecameric form. Oligomeric states observed in structures were supported by hydrogen exchange mass spectrometry, size-exclusion chromatography, and analytical ultracentrifugation experiments in solution. We report that the catalytically important N-terminal WDPNWD motif acts as a structural integrator assembling PGAM5 into a dodecamer, allosterically activating the phosphatase by promoting an ordering of the catalytic loop. Additionally the observed active site plasticity enabled visualization of essential conformational rearrangements of catalytic elements. The comprehensive biophysical characterization offers detailed structural models of this key mitochondrial phosphatase that has been associated with the development of diverse diseases.

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PGAM5 catalytic domain shares phosphoglycerate mutase fold and forms stable dimer

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WDPNWD motif allosterically activates the fully active dodecameric form

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Crystal structures reveal conformational plasticity of the PGAM5 active site

Mitochondria are the powerhouses of immunity

Recent evidence indicates that mitochondria lie at the heart of immunity. Mitochondrial DNA acts as a danger-associated molecular pattern (DAMP), and the mitochondrial outer membrane is a platform for signaling molecules such as MAVS in RIG-I signaling, and for the NLRP3 inflammasome. Mitochondrial biogenesis, fusion and fission have roles in aspects of immune-cell activation. Most important, Krebs cycle intermediates such as succinate, fumarate and citrate engage in processes related to immunity and inflammation, in both innate and adaptive immune cells. These discoveries are revealing mitochondrial targets that could potentially be exploited for therapeutic gain in inflammation and cancer.

pHisphorylation: the emergence of histidine phosphorylation as a reversible regulatory modification

Histidine phosphorylation is crucial for prokaryotic signal transduction and as an intermediate for several metabolic enzymes, yet its role in mammalian cells remains largely uncharted. This is primarily caused by difficulties in studying histidine phosphorylation because of the relative instability of phosphohistidine (pHis) and lack of specific antibodies and methods to preserve and detect it. The recent synthesis of stable pHis analogs has enabled development of pHis-specific antibodies and their use has started to shed light onto this important, yet enigmatic posttranslational modification. We are beginning to understand that pHis has broader roles in protein and cellular function including; cell cycle regulation, phagocytosis, regulation of ion channel activity and metal ion coordination. Two mammalian histidine kinases (NME1 and NME2), two pHis phosphatases (PHPT1 and LHPP), and a handful of substrates were previously identified. These new tools have already led to the discovery of an additional phosphatase (PGAM5) and hundreds of putative substrates. New methodologies are also being developed to probe the pHis phosphoproteome and determine functional consequences, including negative ion mode mass spectroscopy and unnatural amino acid incorporation. These new tools and strategies have the potential to overcome the unique challenges that have been holding back our understanding of pHis in cell biology.

Histidine phosphorylation relieves copper inhibition in the mammalian potassium channel KCa3.1

KCa2.1, KCa2.2, KCa2.3 and KCa3.1 constitute a family of mammalian small- to intermediate-conductance potassium channels that are activated by calcium-calmodulin. KCa3.1 is unique among these four channels in that activation requires, in addition to calcium, phosphorylation of a single histidine residue (His358) in the cytoplasmic region, by nucleoside diphosphate kinase-B (NDPK-B). The mechanism by which KCa3.1 is activated by histidine phosphorylation is unknown. Histidine phosphorylation is well characterized in prokaryotes but poorly understood in eukaryotes. Here, we demonstrate that phosphorylation of His358 activates KCa3.1 by antagonizing copper-mediated inhibition of the channel. Furthermore, we show that activated CD4⁺ T cells deficient in intracellular copper exhibit increased KCa3.1 histidine phosphorylation and channel activity, leading to increased calcium flux and cytokine production. These findings reveal a novel regulatory mechanism for a mammalian potassium channel and for T-cell activation, and highlight a unique feature of histidine versus serine/threonine and tyrosine as a regulatory phosphorylation site.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.16093.001