Identification of a 60-kilodalton stress-related protein, p60, which interacts with hsp90 and hsp70

The cochaperone murine stress-inducible protein 1: overexpression, purification, and characterization

Murine stress-inducible protein 1 (mSTI1) is a cochaperone that is homologous with the human heat shock cognate protein 70 (Hsc70)/heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90)-organizing protein (Hop). To analyze the biochemical properties of mSTI1 and the stoichiometry of the Hsc70.mSTI1.Hsp90 association, recombinant mSTI1 was produced in untagged, histidine (His)-tagged, and glutathione S-transferase (GST)-tagged forms. His-mSTI1 was detected either as a dimer during size-exclusion-high-performance liquid chromatography (SE-HPLC) or as a monomer during Superdex 200 gel filtration chromatography. SE-HPLC on GST-mSTI1 and untagged mSTI1 suggested that mSTI1 existed as a monomer. Cross-linking of His-mSTI1 detected a compact monomeric species and a dimeric species. Gel filtration on the association of bovine STI1 or His-mSTI1 with Hsc70 detected species of molecular mass consistent with a dimeric STI1 species or a 1:1 complex of STI1 and Hsc70. Our data and that of others suggest that mSTI1 and its homologues exist as either a monomer or a dimer and that this facilitates its proposed function as an Hsc70/Hsp90 organizing protein.

Bag1-Hsp70 mediates a physiological stress signalling pathway that regulates Raf-1/ERK and cell growth

Survival after stress requires the precise orchestration of cell-signalling events to ensure that biosynthetic processes are alerted and cell survival pathways are initiated. Here we show that Bag1, a co-chaperone for heat-shock protein 70 (Hsp70), coordinates signals for cell growth in response to cell stress, by downregulating the activity of Raf-1 kinase. Raf-1 and Hsp70 compete for binding to Bag1, such that Bag1 binds to and activates Raf-1, subsequently activating the downstream extracellular signal-related kinases (ERKs). When levels of Hsp70 are elevated after heat shock, or in cells conditionally overexpressing Hsp70, Bag1-Raf-1 is displaced by Bag1-Hsp70, and DNA synthesis is arrested. Mutants Bag1C204A and Bag1E208A, which cannot bind Hsp70, constitutively activate Raf-1/ERK kinases but are unaffected by Hsp70; consequently neither Bag1-Raf-1 nor DNA synthesis is negatively affected during heat shock. Likewise, mutants Hsp70F245S, Hsp70R262W and Hsp70L282R, which retain chaperone activity but do not bind to Bag1, fail to repress Bag1 activation of Raf-1/ERK kinase. We propose that Bag1 functions in the heat-shock response to coordinate cell growth signals and mitogenesis, and that Hsp70 functions as a sensor in stress signalling.

Hsp90 chaperone activity requires the full-length protein and interaction among its multiple domains

Hsp90 is an abundant and ubiquitous protein involved in a diverse array of cellular processes. Mechanistically we understand little of the apparently complex interactions of this molecular chaperone. Recently, progress has been made in assigning some of the known functions of hsp90, such as nucleotide binding and peptide binding, to particular domains within the protein. We used fragments of hsp90 and chimeric proteins containing functional domains from hsp90 or its mitochondrial homolog, TRAP1, to study the requirements for this protein in the folding of firefly luciferase as well as in the prevention of citrate synthase aggregation. In agreement with others who have found peptide binding and limited chaperone ability in fragments of hsp90, we see that multiple fragments from hsp90 can prevent the aggregation of thermally denatured citrate synthase, a measure of passive chaperoning activity. However, in contrast to these results, the luciferase folding assay was found to be much more demanding. Here, folding is mediated by hsp70 and hsp40, requires ATP, and thus is a measure of active chaperoning. Hsp90 and the co-chaperone, Hop, enhance this process. This hsp90 activity was only observed using full-length hsp90 indicating that the cooperation of multiple functional domains is essential for active, chaperone-mediated folding.

Induced hsp70 is in small, cytoplasmic complexes in a cell culture model of renal ischemia: a comparative study with heat shock

A number of clinical conditions are known to result in the induction of heat shock proteins, but detailed studies on stress response have focused mostly on heat shock as a model. We have analyzed the induction and intracellular distribution of heat shock proteins in a reversible adenosine triphosphate (ATP) depletion model of renal ischemia. Two Hsp70 homologues, Hsp70 in the cytoplasm and BiP in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen, were found significantly induced during the recovery phase of ATP depletion. Other members of the heat shock protein family, such as Hsp90, constitutive Hsc70, and a related protein Hop60, were not induced. The induction of stress proteins on ATP depletion differed from that after heat shock in the kinds of proteins elaborated, their induction kinetics, and their intracellular distributions. Biochemical fractionation and indirect immunofluorescence experiments indicated that Hsp70 was predominantly cytoplasmic in the recovery phase of ischemia-like stress. Velocity sedimentation on sucrose gradients showed that induced Hsp70 sedimented as small, soluble complexes, ranging in size from 4S20,w to 8S20,w. The results suggest a role for induced Hsp70 that may be different from one of protecting aggregated proteins as under heat shock and emphasize the need for their characterization in other clinical conditions that result in stress response.

Modulation of estrogen receptor-alpha transcriptional activity by the coactivator PGC-1

A transcriptional coactivator of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma), PPARgamma-coactivator-1(PGC-1) interacts in a constitutive manner with the hinge domain of PPARgamma and enhances its transcriptional activity. In this study we demonstrate that PGC-1 is a coactivator of estrogen receptor-alpha (ERalpha)-dependent transcriptional activity. However the mechanism by which PGC-1 interacts with ERalpha is different from that of PPARgamma. Specifically, it was determined that the carboxyl terminus of PGC-1 interacts in a ligand-independent manner with the ERalpha hinge domain. In addition, an LXXLL motif within the amino terminus of PGC-1 was shown to interact in an agonist-dependent manner with the AF2 domain within the carboxyl terminus of ERalpha. The ability of PGC-1 to associate with and potentiate the transcriptional activity of an ERalpha-AF2 mutant that is unable to interact with the p160 class of coactivators suggests that this coactivator may have a unique role in estrogen signaling. It is concluded from these studies that PGC-1 is a bona fide ERalpha coactivator, which may serve as a convergence point between PPARgamma and ERalpha signaling.

Structure of TPR domain-peptide complexes: critical elements in the assembly of the Hsp70-Hsp90 multichaperone machine

The adaptor protein Hop mediates the association of the molecular chaperones Hsp70 and Hsp90. The TPR1 domain of Hop specifically recognizes the C-terminal heptapeptide of Hsp70 while the TPR2A domain binds the C-terminal pentapeptide of Hsp90. Both sequences end with the motif EEVD. The crystal structures of the TPR-peptide complexes show the peptides in an extended conformation, spanning a groove in the TPR domains. Peptide binding is mediated by electrostatic interactions with the EEVD motif, with the C-terminal aspartate acting as a two-carboxylate anchor, and by hydrophobic interactions with residues upstream of EEVD. The hydrophobic contacts with the peptide are critical for specificity. These results explain how TPR domains participate in the ordered assembly of Hsp70-Hsp90 multichaperone complexes.

Maturation of steroid receptors: an example of functional cooperation among molecular chaperones and their associated proteins

The selective modulation of transcription exerted by steroids depends upon recognition of signalling molecules by properly folded cytoplasmic receptors and their subsequent translocation into the nucleus. These events require a sequential and dynamic series of protein-protein interactions in order to fashion receptors that bind stably to steroids. Central to receptor maturation, therefore, are several molecular chaperones and their accessory proteins; Hsp70, Hsp40, and hip modulate the 3-dimensional conformation of steroid receptors, permitting reaction via hop with Hsp90, arguably the central protein in the process. Binding to Hsp90 leads to dissociation of some proteins from the receptor complex while others are recruited. Notably, p23 stabilizes receptors in a steroid binding state, and the immunophilins, principally CyP40 and Hsp56, arrive late in receptor complex assembly. In this review, the functions of molecular chaperones during steroid receptor maturation are explored, leading to a general mechanistic model indicative of chaperone cooperation in protein folding.

Heat shock proteins in human cancer

The heat shock proteins (hsp) are ubiquitous molecules induced in cells exposed to sublethal heat shock, present in all living cells, and highly conserved during evolution. Their function is to protect cells from environmental stress damage by binding to partially denatured proteins, dissociating protein aggregates, to regulate the correct folding, and to cooperate in transporting newly synthesized polypeptides to the target organelles. The molecular chaperones are involved in numerous diseases, including cancer, revealing changes of expression. In this review, we mainly describe the relationship of hsp expression with human cancer, and discuss what is known about their post-translational modifications according to malignancies.

The Hsp organizer protein hop enhances the rate of but is not essential for glucocorticoid receptor folding by the multiprotein Hsp90-based chaperone system

A system consisting of five purified proteins: Hsp90, Hsp70, Hop, Hsp40, and p23, acts as a machinery for assembly of glucocorticoid receptor (GR).Hsp90 heterocomplexes. Hop binds independently to Hsp90 and to Hsp70 to form a Hsp90.Hop.Hsp70.Hsp40 complex that is sufficient to convert the GR to its steroid binding form, and this four-protein complex will form stable GR.Hsp90 heterocomplexes if p23 is added to the system (Dittmar, K. D., Banach, M., Galigniana, M. D., and Pratt, W. B. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 7358-7366). Hop has been considered essential for the formation of receptor.Hsp90 heterocomplexes and GR folding. Here we use Hsp90 and Hsp70 purified free of all traces of Hop and Hsp40 to show that Hop is not required for GR.Hsp90 heterocomplex assembly and activation of steroid binding activity. Rather, Hop enhances the rate of the process. We also show that Hsp40 is not essential for GR folding by the five-protein system but enhances a process that occurs less effectively when it is not present. By carrying out assembly in the presence of radiolabeled steroid to bind to the GR as soon as it is converted to the steroid binding state, we show that the folding change is brought about by only two essential components, Hsp90 and Hsp70, and that Hop, Hsp40, and p23 act as nonessential co-chaperones.

The p23 molecular chaperones act at a late step in intracellular receptor action to differentially affect ligand efficacies

Multiple molecular chaperones, including Hsp90 and p23, interact with members of the intracellular receptor (IR) family. To investigate p23 function, we compared the effects of three p23 proteins on IR activities, yeast p23 (sba1p) and the two human p23 homologs, p23 and tsp23. We found that Sba1p was indistinguishable from human p23 in assays of seven IR activities in both animal cells and in yeast; in contrast, certain effects of tsp23 were specific to that homolog. Transcriptional activation by two IRs was increased by expression of any of the p23 species, whereas activation by five other IRs was decreased by Sba1p or p23, and unaffected by tsp23. p23 was expressed in all tissues examined except striated and cardiac muscle, whereas tsp23 accumulated in a complementary pattern; hence, p23 proteins might contribute to tissue-specific differences in IR activities. Unlike Hsp90, which acts on IR aporeceptors to stimulate ligand potency (i.e., hormone-binding affinity), p23 proteins acted on IR holoreceptors to alter ligand efficiencies (i.e., transcriptional activation activity). Moreover, the p23 effects developed slowly, requiring prolonged exposure to hormone. In vitro, p23 interacted preferentially with hormone-receptor-response element ternary complexes, and stimulated receptor-DNA dissociation. The dissociation was reversed by addition of a fragment of the GRIP1 coactivator, suggesting that the two reactions may be in competition in vivo. Our findings suggest that p23 functions at one or more late steps in IR-mediated signal transduction, perhaps including receptor recycling and/or reversal of the response.

The hsp90-related protein TRAP1 is a mitochondrial protein with distinct functional properties

The hsp90 family of molecular chaperones was expanded recently due to the cloning of TRAP1 and hsp75 by yeast two-hybrid screens. Careful analysis of the human TRAP1 and hsp75 sequences revealed that they are identical, and we have cloned a similar protein from Drosophila. Immunofluorescence data show that human TRAP1 is localized to mitochondria. This mitochondrial localization is supported by the existence of mitochondrial localization sequences in the amino termini of both the human and Drosophila proteins. Due to the striking homology of TRAP1 to hsp90, we tested the ability of TRAP1 to function as an hsp90-like chaperone. TRAP1 did not form stable complexes with the classic hsp90 co-chaperones p23 and Hop (p60). Consistent with these observations, TRAP1 had no effect on the hsp90-dependent reconstitution of hormone binding to the progesterone receptor in vitro, nor could it substitute for hsp90 to promote maturation of the receptor to its hormone-binding state. However, TRAP1 is sufficiently conserved with hsp90 such that it bound ATP, and this binding was sensitive to the hsp90 inhibitor geldanamycin. In addition, TRAP1 exhibited ATPase activity that was inhibited by both geldanamycin and radicicol. Thus, TRAP1 has functions that are distinct from those of hsp90.

Chaperones in progesterone receptor complexes

Studying the components, pathways, and dynamics of progesterone receptor (PR) assembly with chaperones has provided a highly valuable model system for understanding the coordinate actions of chaperones. Chaperones are primarily adapted to facilitate protein folding processes, and the actions of chaperones toward PR and other steroid receptors probably remain within this general functional boundary. Unlike a typical misfolded protein substrate, PR's folding is effectively arrested prior to hormone binding, thus extending indefinitely the chaperone-interaction phase that normally would be transitory during progressive protein folding. While one could consider this a limitation in PR's ability to fold properly, perhaps a more accurate view is that PR is specially adapted to remain 'misfolded', and thus extend chaperone interactions that function efficiently in repressing PR's transcriptional activity while the receptor awaits an activating signal.

Different regions of the immunophilin FKBP52 determine its association with the glucocorticoid receptor, hsp90, and cytoplasmic dynein

FKBP52 is a high molecular mass immunophilin possessing peptidylprolyl isomerase (PPIase) activity that is inhibited by the immunosuppressant drug FK506. FKBP52 is a component of steroid receptor.hsp90 heterocomplexes, and it binds to hsp90 via a region containing three tetratricopeptide repeats (TPRs). Here we demonstrate by cross-linking of the purified proteins that there is one binding site for FKBP52/dimer of hsp90. This accounts for the common heterotetrameric structure of native receptor heterocomplexes being 1 molecule of receptor, 2 molecules of hsp90, and 1 molecule of a TPR domain protein. Immunoadsorption of FKBP52 from reticulocyte lysate also yields co-immunoadsorption of cytoplasmic dynein, and we show that co-immunoadsorption of dynein is competed by a fragment of FKBP52 containing its PPIase domain, but not by a TPR domain fragment that blocks FKBP52 binding to hsp90. Using purified proteins, we also show that FKBP52 binds directly to the hsp90-free glucocorticoid receptor. Because neither the PPIase fragment nor the TPR fragment affects the binding of FKBP52 to the glucocorticoid receptor under conditions in which they block FKBP52 binding to dynein or hsp90, respectively, different regions of FKBP52 must determine its association with these three proteins.

The identification of Wos2, a p23 homologue that interacts with Wee1 and Cdc2 in the mitotic control of fission yeasts

The Wee1 kinase inhibits entry into mitosis by phosphorylation of the Cdc2 kinase. Searching for multicopy suppressors that abolish this inhibition in the fission yeast, we have identified a novel gene, here named wos2, encoding a protein with significant homology to human p23, an Hsp90-associated cochaperone. The deletion mutant has a modest phenotype, being heat-shock sensitive. Using antibodies raised against bacterially produced protein, we determined that Wos2 is very abundant, ubiquitously distributed in the yeast cell, and its expression dropped drastically as cells entered into early stationary phase, indicating that its function is associated with cell proliferation. In proliferating cells, the amount of Wos2 protein was not subjected to cell cycle regulation. However, in vitro assays demonstrated that this Hsp90 cochaperone is potentially regulated by phosphorylation. In addition to suppressing Wee1 activity, overproduction of Wos2 displayed synthetic lethality with Cdc2 mutant proteins, indicating that this Hsp90 cochaperone functionally interacts with Cdc2. The level of Cdc2 protein and its associated H1 kinase activity under synthetic lethal conditions suggested a regulatory role for this Wos2-Cdc2 interaction. Hsp90 complexes are required for CDK regulation; the synergy found between the excess of Wos2 and a deficiency in Hsp90 activity suggests that Wos2 could specifically interfere with the Hsp90-dependent regulation of Cdc2. In vitro analysis indicated that the above genetic interactions could take place by physical association of Wos2 with the single CDK complex of the fission yeast. Expression of the budding yeast p23 protein (encoded by the SBA1 gene) in the fission yeast indicated that Wos2 and Sba1 are functionally exchangeable and therefore that properties described here for Wos2 could be of wide significance in understanding the biological function of cochaperone p23 in eukaryotic cells.

A model for the cytoplasmic trafficking of signalling proteins involving the hsp90-binding immunophilins and p50cdc37

A number of transcription factors and protein kinases involved in signal transduction exist in heterocomplexes with the ubiquitous and essential protein chaperone hsp90. These signalling protein x hsp90 heterocomplexes are assembled by a multiprotein chaperone system comprising hsp90, hsp70, Hop, hsp40, and p23. In the case of transcription factors, the heterocomplexes with hsp90 also contain a high molecular weight immunophilin with tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) motifs, such as FKBP52 or CyP-40. In the case of the protein kinases, the heterocomplexes contain p50cdc37. The immunophilins bind to a single TPR acceptor site on hsp90, and p50cdc37 binds to an adjacent site so that binding is exclusive for p50cdc37 or an immunophilin. Direct interaction of immunophilins with the transcription factors or p50cdc37 with the protein kinases leads to selection of different heterocomplexes after their assembly by a common mechanism. Studies with the glucocorticoid receptor, for which translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus is under hormonal control, suggest that dynamic assembly of the heterocomplexes is required for rapid movement of the receptor through the cytoplasm along cytoskeletal tracts. As for the similar short-range trafficking of vesicles along microtubules, there must be a mechanism for linking the signalling protein solutes to the molecular motors involved in movement. We present here a model in which the immunophilins and p50cdc37 target, respectively, the retrograde or anterograde direction of signalling protein movement by functioning as connectors that link the signalling proteins to the movement machinery.

Specific interaction of the 70-kDa heat shock cognate protein with the tetratricopeptide repeats

Using a yeast two-hybrid system with the 70-kDa heat shock cognate protein (hsc70) or its C-terminal 30-kDa domain as baits, we isolated several proteins interacting with hsc70, including Hip/p48 and p60/Hop. Both are known to interact with hsc70. Except for Hip/p48, all of the proteins that we isolated interact with the 30-kDa domain. Moreover, the EEVD motif at the C terminus of the 30-kDa domain appears essential for this interaction. Sequence analysis of these hsc70-interacting proteins reveals that they all contain tetratricopeptide repeats. Using deletion mutants of these proteins, we demonstrated either by two-hybrid or in vitro binding assays that the tetratricopeptide repeat domains in these proteins are necessary and sufficient for mediating the interaction with hsc70.

Differential effects of the hsp70-binding protein BAG-1 on glucocorticoid receptor folding by the hsp90-based chaperone machinery

The heat shock protein hsp70/hsc70 is a required component of a five-protein (hsp90, hsp70, Hop, hsp40, and p23) minimal chaperone system reconstituted from reticulocyte lysate that forms glucocorticoid receptor (GR).hsp90 heterocomplexes. BAG-1 is a cofactor that binds to the ATPase domain of hsp70/hsc70 and that modulates its chaperone activity. Inasmuch as BAG-1 has been found in association with several members of the steroid receptor family, we have examined the effect of BAG-1 on GR folding and GR.hsp90 heterocomplex assembly. BAG-1 was present in reticulocyte lysate at a BAG-1:hsp70/hsc70 molar ratio of approximately 0.03, and its elimination by immunoadsorption did not affect GR folding and GR. hsp90 heterocomplex assembly. At low BAG-1:hsp70/hsc70 ratios, BAG-1 promoted the release of Hop from the hsp90-based chaperone system without inhibiting GR.hsp90 heterocomplex assembly. However, at molar ratios approaching stoichiometry with hsp70, BAG-1 produced a concentration-dependent inhibition of GR folding to the steroid-binding form with corresponding inhibition of GR.hsp90 heterocomplex assembly by the minimal five-protein chaperone system. Also, there was decreased steroid-binding activity in cells that were transiently or stably transfected with BAG-1. These observations suggest that, at physiological concentrations, BAG-1 modulates assembly by promoting Hop release from the assembly complex; but, at concentrations closer to those in transfected cells and some transformed cell lines, hsp70 is continuously bound by BAG-1, and heterocomplex assembly is blocked.

The tetratricopeptide repeat: a structural motif mediating protein-protein interactions

The tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) motif is a protein-protein interaction module found in multiple copies in a number of functionally different proteins that facilitates specific interactions with a partner protein(s). Three-dimensional structural data have shown that a TPR motif contains two antiparallel alpha-helices such that tandem arrays of TPR motifs generate a right-handed helical structure with an amphipathic channel that might accommodate the complementary region of a target protein. Most TPR-containing proteins are associated with multiprotein complexes, and there is extensive evidence indicating that TPR motifs are important to the functioning of chaperone, cell-cycle, transcription, and protein transport complexes. The TPR motif may represent an ancient protein-protein interaction module that has been recruited by different proteins and adapted for specific functions. BioEssays 1999;21:932-939.

The tetratricopeptide repeat: a structural motif mediating protein-protein interactions

The tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) motif is a protein-protein interaction module found in multiple copies in a number of functionally different proteins that facilitates specific interactions with a partner protein(s). Three-dimensional structural data have shown that a TPR motif contains two antiparallel alpha-helices such that tandem arrays of TPR motifs generate a right-handed helical structure with an amphipathic channel that might accommodate the complementary region of a target protein. Most TPR-containing proteins are associated with multiprotein complexes, and there is extensive evidence indicating that TPR motifs are important to the functioning of chaperone, cell-cycle, transcription, and protein transport complexes. The TPR motif may represent an ancient protein-protein interaction module that has been recruited by different proteins and adapted for specific functions. BioEssays 1999;21:932-939.

Contribution of N- and C-terminal domains to the function of Hsp90 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The molecular chaperone Hsp90 is a regulatory component of some key signalling proteins in the cytosol of eukaryotic cells. For some of these functions, its interaction with co-chaperones is required. Limited proteolysis defined stable folded units of Hsp90. Both an N-terminal (N210) and a C-terminal (262C) fragment interact with non-native substrate proteins in vitro, but with different specificity and ATP dependence. Here, we analysed the functional properties of these Hsp90 fragments in vivo and in vitro. We determined their influence on the general viability and cell growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Expression of N210 or 262C resulted in a dominant-negative phenotype in several yeast strains tested. Their expression was not toxic, but inhibited cell growth. Further, both were unable to restore viability to Hsp90-depleted cells. In addition, N210 and 262C influence the maturation of Hsp90 substrates, such as the glucocorticoid receptor and pp60v-Src kinase. Specifically, 262C forms partially active chaperone complexes, leading to an arrest of the chaperoned substrate at a certain stage of its maturation cycle. This demonstrates the requirement of a sophisticated and cofactor-regulated interplay between N- and C-terminal activities for Hsp90 function in vivo.

Bacterial lipopolysaccharide induces expression of the stress response genes hop and H411

CD14-transfected Chinese hamster ovary K1 fibroblasts (CHO/CD14) respond to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) by metabolizing arachidonic acid and with translocation of NF-kappaB to the nucleus. Although previous experiments failed to identify the production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin (IL)-1beta by CHO/CD14 cells, LPS did induce the expression of IL-6 mRNA and the subsequent release of the IL-6 protein. To identify additional LPS-inducible genes, a cDNA library derived from LPS-stimulated CHO/CD14 cells was screened by subtractive hybridization. Fourteen genes were found to be expressed differentially, and two were analyzed in detail: hop (Hsp70/Hsp90-organizing protein), which is the hamster homologue of the stress-inducible yeast gene, STI1, and clone H411, which encodes a novel LPS-inducible growth factor. In response to LPS, the expression of Hop mRNA was also increased in both the murine macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7, as well as in primary hamster macrophages. This suggested that the up-regulation of Hop expression is part of the macrophage stress response to LPS. Clone H411 encodes a protein in the epidermal growth factor-like repeat protein family. Overexpression of H411 cDNA in the RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line promoted an increased growth rate, suggesting that expression of H411 is part of the proliferative cell response to LPS. Both Hop and H411 represent novel gene products not previously recognized as part of the complex biological response to endotoxin.

The importance of ATP binding and hydrolysis by hsp90 in formation and function of protein heterocomplexes

The chaperone hsp90 is capable of binding and hydrolyzing ATP. Using information on a related ATPase, DNA gyrase B, we selected three conserved residues in hsp90's ATP-binding domain for mutation. Two of these mutations eliminate nucleotide binding, while the third retains nucleotide binding but is apparently deficient in ATP hydrolysis. We first analyzed how these mutations affect hsp90's binding to the co-chaperones p23 and Hop, and to the hydrophobic resin, phenyl-Sepharose. These experiments showed that ATP's effects, specifically, increased affinity for p23 and decreased affinity for Hop and phenyl-Sepharose, are brought on by ATP binding alone. We also tested the ability of hsp90 mutants to assist hsp70, hsp40, and Hop in the refolding of denatured firefly luciferase. While hsp90 is capable of participating in this process in a nucleotide-independent manner, the ability to hydrolyze ATP markedly potentiates hsp90's effect. Finally, we assembled progesterone receptor heterocomplexes with hsp70, hsp40, Hop, p23, and wild type or mutant hsp90. While neither ATP binding nor hydrolysis was necessary to bind hsp90 to the receptor, mature complexes containing p23 and capable of hormone binding were only obtained with wild type hsp90.

Immunoaffinity isolation of native membrane glucocorticoid receptor from S-49++ lymphoma cells: biochemical characterization and interaction with Hsp 70 and Hsp 90

The membrane glucocorticoid receptor (mGR), previously correlated with glucocorticoid-induced lymphocytolytic competency, was purified under nondenaturing conditions from mGR-enriched mouse S-49 T lymphoma cells. Proteins were immunoaffinity batch adsorbed to BUGR-2 monoclonal antibody-coupled protein A Sepharose 4B beads, and elution by epitope competition was compared with standard denaturation procedures. Elution with BUGR-2 epitope peptides released multiple mGRs (42-150 kDa) and heat shock proteins 70 and 90, suggesting that mGR interacts with these protein chaperones under physiological conditions. The mGR-heat shock protein 90 interaction was inhibited by 1 microM geldanamycin. Several other mGR binding partners were captured and most were dissociated from mGR by 0.6 M salt. Peptide maps of purified mGR displayed immunoreactive bands unique to mGR. Scatchard analysis estimated a k(d) value of 239 nM and a Bmax of 384 fmol/mg protein for mGR, compared to a k(d) of 19.5 nM and a Bmax of 90.3 fmol/mg protein for the intracellular GR (iGR). The rank order of affinities for mGR were RU-486 > dexamethasone > triamcinolone acetonide = aldosterone. Other steroids had no significant binding affinity. These results show that epitope-purified mGR on the plasma membrane of mouse lymphoma cells is similar but not identical to iGR.

Evidence that the co-chaperone p23 regulates ligand responsiveness of the dioxin (Aryl hydrocarbon) receptor

The dioxin (aryl hydrocarbon) receptor is a ligand-dependent transcription factor that induces expression of a number of genes encoding drug metabolizing enzymes. In the absence of ligand the dioxin receptor is present in the cytoplasmic compartment of the cell associated with the molecular chaperone hsp90, which has been implicated in regulating the correct folding of the ligand binding domain of the receptor. In this study we have examined a potential role of the hsp90-associated p23 protein in the activation process of the dioxin receptor to a DNA binding form. In an in vitro model we show that addition of ligand alone to the dioxin receptor fails to induce release of hsp90 from the dioxin receptor. In the presence of ligand, this release was, however, induced upon addition of purified preparations of Arnt. Interestingly, p23 was also found to be associated with the nonactivated form of the dioxin receptor. Following fractionation on sucrose gradients p23 was dissociated from the receptor-hsp90 complex generating a receptor form, which showed ligand-independent release of hsp90 by Arnt and, consequently, ligand-independent activation of the DNA binding activity of the dioxin receptor. Ligand dependence was reconstituted in the presence of molybdate, a transition metal ion known to stabilize the interaction between the molecular chaperone hsp90 and p23. Taken together these experiments suggest a role of p23 in modulating ligand responsiveness in the activation process of the dioxin receptor.

Purification of a 38-kDa protein from rabbit reticulocyte lysate which promotes protein renaturation by heat shock protein 70 and its identification as delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase and as a putative DnaJ protein

We reported recently that a rabbit reticulocyte 66-kDa protein (termed RF-hsp 70 by our laboratory and p60 and hop by others) functions as a hsp 70 recycling protein and markedly enhances the renaturation of luciferase by hsp 70 (Gross, M., and Hessefort, S. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 16833-16841). In this report, we confirm that the ability of RF-hsp 70 to promote the conversion of hsp 70. ADP to hsp 70.ATP, thus enhancing the protein folding activity of hsp 70, is caused by the purified 66-kDa protein and not by a trace DnaJ/hsp 40 protein contaminant. To determine the relationship between RF-hsp 70 and the DnaJ/hsp 40 heat shock protein family, which also enhances protein renaturation by hsp 70, we purified a 38-kDa protein from rabbit reticulocyte lysate based upon its ability to stimulate renaturation of luciferase by hsp 70. Partial amino acid sequencing of this 38-kDa protein has indicated, unexpectedly, that it is the enzyme delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALA-D) and that it does not contain detectable sequences corresponding to the DnaJ/hsp 40 protein family. In addition, immunoblot analysis with a polyclonal antibody made to HeLa cell hsp 40 (from StressGen) confirms that our purified ALA-D contains no hsp 40, although hsp 40 is present in relatively crude rabbit reticulocyte protein fractions. Rabbit reticulocyte ALA-D is about as active in converting delta-aminolevulinic acid to porphobilinogen and as Zn2+-dependent as ALA-D purified from other sources. Rabbit reticulocyte ALA-D stimulates the renaturation of luciferase by hsp 70 up to 10-fold at concentrations that are the same as or less than that of hsp 70, and it has no renaturation activity in the absence of hsp 70. The renaturation effect of ALA-D is additive with that of RF-hsp 70 at limiting or saturating concentrations of each, and, unlike RF-hsp 70, ALA-D does not promote the dissociation of hsp 70.ADP in the presence of ATP. The renaturation-enhancing effect of ALA-D may be caused by a region near its carboxyl terminus which has sequence homology to the highly conserved domain of the DnaJ protein family, which is similar to the sequence homology between this domain and a carboxyl-terminal region in auxilin, a DnaJ-like protein that requires this region for its hsp 70-dependent function (Ungewickell, E., Ungewickell, H., Holstein, S. E. H., Lindner, R., Prasad, K., Barouch, W., Martin, B., Greene, L. E., and Eisenberg, E. (1995) Nature 378, 632-635).

Hop as an adaptor in the heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) and hsp90 chaperone machinery

Hop, an abundant and conserved protein of unresolved function, binds concomitantly with heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) and Hsp90, participates with heat shock proteins at an intermediate stage of progesterone receptor assembly, and is required for efficient assembly of mature receptor complexes in vitro. A largely untested hypothesis is that Hop functions as an adaptor that targets Hsp90- to Hsp70-substrate complexes; if true, then loss of either Hsp70 binding or Hsp90 binding by Hop should equally disrupt its ability to promote assembly of mature receptor complexes. To generate Hop mutants that selectively disrupt heat shock protein interactions, highly conserved amino acids in the previously mapped Hsp70 and Hsp90 binding domains of Hop and in a conserved C-terminal domain were targeted for small substitutions and deletions. In co-precipitation assays, these mutants displayed selective loss of association with heat shock proteins. In assays using Hop-depleted rabbit reticulocyte lysate for the cell-free assembly of receptor complexes, none of the Hop mutants inhibited Hsp70 binding to receptor, but all mutants were defective in supporting Hsp90-receptor interactions. Thus, Hop has a novel role in the chaperone machinery as an adaptor that can integrate Hsp70 and Hsp90 interactions.

Characterization of the Ah receptor-associated protein, ARA9

The unliganded aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is found in a complex with other proteins including the 90-kDa heat shock protein (Hsp90) and a 37-kDa protein we refer to as ARA9. We found that the three tetratricopeptide repeats found in the COOH terminus of ARA9 are necessary and sufficient for interaction with the AHR complex. Conversely, the AHR's "repressor"/Hsp90 binding domain is required for interaction with ARA9. Because ARA9 closely resembles the 52-kDa FK506-binding protein (FKBP52), found in the unliganded glucocorticoid receptor (GR) complex, we compared the binding specificities of ARA9 and FKBP52 for AHR and GR. In co-immunoprecipitation experiments, ARA9 specifically associated with AHR-Hsp90 complex but not with GR-Hsp90 complexes. In addition, ARA9 showed a greater capacity than FKBP52 to associate with AHR-Hsp90 complexes. The biological importance of this interaction was suggested by the observation that in a yeast expression system ARA9 expression enhanced the response of AHR to the agonist beta-napthoflavone, decreasing the EC50 by greater than 5-fold and increasing the maximal response 2.5-fold. In contrast, co-expression of FKBP52 had no effect on AHR signaling. In addition, although ARA9 contains a domain similar to that found in other FK506-binding proteins, ARA9 binding to 3H-FK506 could not be detected. Finally, we have characterized the developmental and expression pattern of ARA9 in the developing mouse embryo and mapped the ARA9 locus to human chromosome 11q13.3.

The assembly of progesterone receptor-hsp90 complexes using purified proteins

The progesterone receptor can be reconstituted into hsp90-containing complexes in vitro, and the resulting complexes are needed to maintain hormone binding activity. This process requires ATP/Mg2+, K+, and several axillary proteins. We have developed a defined system for the assembly of progesterone receptor complexes using purified proteins. Five proteins are needed to form complexes that are capable of maintaining hormone binding activity. These include hsp70 and its co-chaperone, hsp40, the hsp70/hsp90-binding protein, Hop, hsp90, and the hsp90-binding protein, p23. The proteins Hip and FKBP52 were not required for this in vitro process even though they have been observed in receptor complexes. Each of the five proteins showed a characteristic concentration dependence. Similar concentrations of hsp70, hsp90, and p23 were needed for optimal assembly, but hsp40 and Hop were effective at about 1/10 the concentration of the other proteins, suggesting that these two proteins act catalytically or are needed at levels similar to the receptor concentration. ATP was required for the functioning of both hsp70 and hsp90. The binding of hsp70 to the receptor requires hsp40 and about 10 microM ATP; however, hsp90 binding appears to occur subsequent to hsp70 binding and is optimal with 1 mM ATP. A three-step model is presented to describe the assembly process.

Perturbation of Hsp90 interaction with nascent CFTR prevents its maturation and accelerates its degradation by the proteasome

Maturation of wild-type CFTR nascent chains at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) occurs inefficiently; many disease-associated mutant forms do not mature but instead are eliminated by proteolysis involving the cytosolic proteasome. Although calnexin binds nascent CFTR via its oligosaccharide chains in the ER lumen and Hsp70 binds CFTR cytoplasmic domains, perturbation of these interactions alone is without major influence on maturation or degradation. We show that the ansamysin drugs, geldanamycin and herbimycin A, which inhibit the assembly of some signaling molecules by binding to specific sites on Hsp90 in the cytosol or Grp94 in the ER lumen, block the maturation of nascent CFTR and accelerate its degradation. The immature CFTR molecule was detected in association with Hsp90 but not with Grp94, and geldanamycin prevented the Hsp90 association. The drug-enhanced degradation was decreased by lactacystin and other proteasome inhibitors. Therefore, consistent with other examples of countervailing effects of Hsp90 and the proteasome, it would seem that this chaperone may normally contribute to CFTR folding and, when this function is interfered with by an ansamycin, there is a further shift to proteolytic degradation. This is the first direct evidence of a role for Hsp90 in the maturation of a newly synthesized integral membrane protein by interaction with its cytoplasmic domains on the ER surface.

BAG-1, a negative regulator of Hsp70 chaperone activity, uncouples nucleotide hydrolysis from substrate release

Molecular chaperones influence the process of protein folding and, under conditions of stress, recognize non-native proteins to ensure that misfolded proteins neither appear nor accumulate. BAG-1, identified as an Hsp70 associated protein, was shown to have the unique properties of a negative regulator of Hsp70. Here, we demonstrate that BAG-1 inhibits the in vitro protein refolding activity of Hsp70 by forming stable ternary complexes with non-native substrates that do not release even in the presence of nucleotide and the co-chaperone, Hdj-1. However, the substrate in the BAG-1-containing ternary complex does not aggregate and remains in a soluble intermediate folded state, indistinguishable from the refolding-competent substrate-Hsp70 complex. BAG-1 neither inhibits the Hsp70 ATPase, nor has the properties of a nucleotide exchange factor; instead, it stimulates ATPase activity, similar to that observed for Hdj-1, but with opposite consequences. In the presence of BAG-1, the conformation of Hsp70 is altered such that the substrate binding domain becomes less accessible to protease digestion, even in the presence of nucleotide and Hdj-1. These results suggest a mechanistic basis for BAG-1 as a negative regulator of the Hsp70-Hdj-1 chaperone cycle.

The Hsp90 complex--a super-chaperone machine as a novel drug target

Cells respond to sudden changes in the environmental temperature with increased synthesis of a distinct number of heat shock proteins (Hsps). Analysis of the function of these proteins in recent years has shown that all the major classes of conserved Hsps are molecular chaperones involved in assisting cellular protein folding and preventing irreversible side-reactions, such as unspecific aggregation. In addition to their function under stress conditions, molecular chaperones also play a critical role under physiological conditions. Hsp90 is one of the most abundant chaperones in the cytosol of eukaryotic cells. It is part of the cell's powerful network of chaperones to fight the deleterious consequences of protein unfolding caused by nonphysiological conditions. In the absence of stress, however, Hsp90 is an obligate component of fundamental cellular processes such as hormone signaling and cell cycle control. In this context, several key regulatory proteins, such as steroid receptors, cell cycle kinases, and p53, have been identified as substrates of Hsp90. Recently, Hsp90 was shown to be the unique target for geldanamycin, a potent new anti-tumor drug that blocks cell proliferation. Interestingly, under physiological conditions, Hsp90 seems to perform its chaperone function in a complex with a set of partner proteins, suggesting that the Hsp90 complex is a multi-chaperone machine specialized in guiding the maturation of conformationally labile proteins. The regulation of key signaling molecules of the cell by the Hsp90 machinery is a stimulating new concept emerging from these studies, and Hsp90 has become a promising new drug target.

Repression of heat shock transcription factor HSF1 activation by HSP90 (HSP90 complex) that forms a stress-sensitive complex with HSF1

Heat shock and other proteotoxic stresses cause accumulation of nonnative proteins that trigger activation of heat shock protein (Hsp) genes. A chaperone/Hsp functioning as repressor of heat shock transcription factor (HSF) could make activation of hsp genes dependent on protein unfolding. In a novel in vitro system, in which human HSF1 can be activated by nonnative protein, heat, and geldanamycin, addition of Hsp90 inhibits activation. Reduction of the level of Hsp90 but not of Hsp/c70, Hop, Hip, p23, CyP40, or Hsp40 dramatically activates HSF1. In vivo, geldanamycin activates HSF1 under conditions in which it is an Hsp90-specific reagent. Hsp90-containing HSF1 complex is present in the unstressed cell and dissociates during stress. We conclude that Hsp90, by itself and/or associated with multichaperone complexes, is a major repressor of HSF1.

p50(cdc37) binds directly to the catalytic domain of Raf as well as to a site on hsp90 that is topologically adjacent to the tetratricopeptide repeat binding site

Several protein kinases (e.g. pp60(src), v-Raf) exist in heterocomplexes with hsp90 and a 50-kDa protein that is the mammalian homolog of the yeast cell cycle control protein Cdc37. In contrast, unliganded steroid receptors exist in heterocomplexes with hsp90 and a tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domain protein, such as an immunophilin. Although p50(cdc37) and TPR domain proteins bind directly to hsp90, p50(cdc37) is not present in native steroid receptor.hsp90 heterocomplexes. To obtain some insight as to how v-Raf selects predominantly hsp90.p50(cdc37) heterocomplexes, rather than hsp90.TPR protein heterocomplexes, we have examined the binding of p50(cdc37) to hsp90 and to Raf. We show that p50(cdc37) exists in separate hsp90 heterocomplexes from the TPR domain proteins and that intact TPR proteins compete for p50(cdc37) binding to hsp90 but a protein fragment containing a TPR domain does not. This suggests that the binding site for p50(cdc37) lies topologically adjacent to the TPR acceptor site on the surface of hsp90. Also, we show that p50(cdc37) binds directly to v-Raf, with the catalytic domain of Raf being sufficient. We propose that the combination of exclusive binding of p50(cdc37) versus a TPR domain protein to hsp90 plus direct binding of p50(cdc37) to Raf allows the protein kinase to select for the dominant hsp90.p50(cdc37) composition that is observed with a variety of protein kinase heterocomplexes immunoadsorbed from cytosols.

Studies with Purified Chaperones Advance the Understanding of the Mechanism of Glucocorticoid Receptor-hsp90 Heterocomplex Assembly

The study of the 9S, untransformed state of steroid receptors has led to the discovery of a multiprotein chaperone system that assembles heterocomplexes between hsp90 and a variety of proteins involved in signal transduction. Using the formation of glucocorticoid receptor (GR)-hsp90 heterocomplexes as a model, we have reconstituted a fully functional heterocomplex assembly system from purified components. The basic assembly system requires four proteins-hsp90, hsp70, p60/Hop and hsp40-to assemble GR-hsp90 heterocomplexes, which are then stabilized by the hsp90-interacting protein p23. The four proteins can self-assemble into an hsp90-p60/Hop-hsp70-hsp40 complex that we call a foldosome. Foldosomes isolated from reticulocyte lysate or formed from purified proteins open up a steroid-binding pocket to create a high-affinity steroid-binding state of the GR. We describe here the systematic reconstitution of the hsp90-based chaperone machinery and develop a model of the receptor-hsp90 heterocomplex assembly mechanism.

The role of DnaJ-like proteins in glucocorticoid receptor.hsp90 heterocomplex assembly by the reconstituted hsp90.p60.hsp70 foldosome complex

The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is recovered from hormone-free cells in a heterocomplex with the molecular chaperone hsp90, which is required to produce the proper folding state for steroid binding. GR.hsp90 heterocomplexes are formed by a multiprotein system that appears to exist in all eukaryotic cells. Recently, we have reconstituted a receptor.hsp90 heterocomplex assembly system with purified rabbit hsp90 and hsp70 and bacterially expressed human p23 and p60. We have shown that hsp90, p60, and hsp70 form an hsp90.p60. hsp70 complex that converts the GR from a non-steroid binding to a steroid binding form (Dittmar, K. D., and Pratt, W. B. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 13047-13054). The resulting GR.hsp90 heterocomplex rapidly disassembles unless p23 is present to bind to the ATP-dependent conformation of hsp90 and stabilize its association with the receptor (Dittmar, K. D., Demady, D. R., Stancato, L. F., Krishna, P., and Pratt, W. B. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 21213-21220). In the current work, we show that the purified rabbit hsp70 utilized in prior studies is contaminated with a small amount of the rabbit DnaJ homolog hsp40. Elimination of the hsp40 from the purified GR.hsp90 assembly system reduces assembly activity, and the activity is restored by addition of the purified yeast DnaJ homolog YDJ-1. hsp40 is a component of the hsp90.p60.hsp70 foldosome complex isolated from reticulocyte lysate with antibody against p60. Under conditions that promote binding of p23 to hsp90 (elevated temperature, ATP, Nonidet P-40, molybdate), a five-membered (p23. hsp90.p60.hsp70.hsp40) complex of chaperone proteins is formed in reticulocyte lysate or from purified proteins. The hsp40-free, purified assembly system has a modest level of assembly activity that is maximally potentiated by YDJ-1 when it is present at about one-twentieth the concentration of hsp70. Although hsp40 is not in the final GR.hsp90 heterocomplex isolated from L cell cytosol, it is in the GR.hsp90 heterocomplex assembled in reticulocyte lysate. We conclude that hsp40 is a component of the multiprotein hsp90-based chaperone system where it potentiates GR.hsp90 heterocomplex assembly.

Hop modulates Hsp70/Hsp90 interactions in protein folding

Hop is a 60-kDa protein characterized by its ability to bind the two chaperones, hsp70 and hsp90. We have tested the function of Hop using an assay for the refolding of denatured firefly luciferase. We show that Hop is involved in the process of refolding thermally denatured firefly luciferase in rabbit reticulocyte lysate. Hop also stimulates refolding by hsp70 and Ydj-1 in a purified refolding system. Hsp90 can also stimulate refolding, and optimal refolding is observed in the presence of both Hop and hsp90. Similar stimulation was observed when Hop was replaced by its yeast homolog Sti1. In assays of the binding of Hop to hsp70 and hsp90, Hop preferentially forms a complex with ADP-bound hsp70, and this process is unaffected by the presence of hsp90. Hop does not alter the ATPase activity or the rate of ADP dissociation of hsp70. Hop also appears to bind to the ADP-bound form of hsp90, blocking the ATP-dependent conversion of hsp90 to a form capable of interacting with p23. Conversely, once p23 is bound to hsp90, Hop binding is diminished. These results confirm that Hop provides a physical link between hsp70 and hsp90 and also indicate that Hop modulates the activities of both of these chaperone proteins.

Changes in the expression of the heme-regulated eIF-2 alpha kinase and heat shock proteins in rabbit reticulocytes maturing during recovery from anemia

Changes in the expression of the heme-regulated eIF-2 alpha kinase (HRI), heat shock proteins (Hsps, Hsp90, and 70) and their associated cohorts (p60 and p23) were studied in maturing rabbit reticulocytes during recovery from anemia. Reticulocytosis was induced by injection of N-acetylphenylhydrazine or by phlebotomy from the ear vein, and circulating red blood cells were fractionated on histopaque density gradients. Northern and Western blot analyses indicated that HRI and hsps mRNA and protein content gradually decreased during maturation of reticulocytes into erythrocytes. Reduction in levels of hsps and HRI was also observed when cells of same age group (density) were compared as the animals recovered from the anemia. Low hematocrits correlated with high levels of hsps expression and with increasing hematocrits hsps expression decreased. Under the conditions used to quantify these protein levels, Hsc70 and p60 were detected in erythrocytes of fully recovered animals. Maintenance of Hsc70 and p60 suggests important ongoing roles for these hsps in protecting the structure and function of proteins in erythrocytes lacking transcriptional and translational machinery.

Proteins interacting with the molecular chaperone hsp70/hsc70: physical associations and effects on refolding activity

We investigated several hsp70/hsc70 interacting proteins and established by two independent techniques that hsp40 and Hop/p60 specifically interact with the 257 residue carboxy-terminal domain of hsp70 while Hap-46 and Hip/p48 bind the 383 residue amino-terminal ATP binding domain. Hap-46 and Hip/p48 competed for binding to hsc70, while Hap-46 had no effect on the binding of either Hop/p60 or hsp40 to hsc70. Hap-46 inhibited the refolding of thermally denatured firefly luciferase in an hsc70 and hsp40 dependent assay, and this effect was largely compensated by Hop/p60. These interacting proteins thus appear to cooperate in affecting the chaperoning activity of hsp70/hsc70.

Molecular characterization of the heat-inducible LmSTI1 protein of Leishmania major

We have recently isolated a cDNA encoding the Leishmania major homologue of the yeast stress-inducible protein STI1. Southern blot analyses indicate that this protein is encoded by a single copy gene in L. major and that this gene is highly conserved throughout the Leishmania genus. The STI1 gene is constitutively expressed in both L. major promastigotes and amastigotes however, STI1 transcript levels can be upregulated in promastigotes by a shift in culture temperature from 26 to 37 degrees C. Upregulation of transcript was detectable within 5' of heat shock and continued to increase for a further 8 h before returning to constitutive levels. In addition, biosynthetic incorporation of [35S]methionine followed by immunoprecipitation revealed an increase in the level of nascent STI1 protein synthesized when promastigote cultures were shifted from 26 to 37 degrees C. The L. major STI1 protein and the heat shock proteins Hsp83 and Hsp70 form a salt-sensitive complex in L. major promastigotes as evidenced by co-immunoprecipitation using an antiserum specific for L. major STI1. Furthermore, this complex can be reconstituted in vitro by adding recombinant STI1 containing an amino-terminal histidine tag to promastigote lysate and subsequent purification using metal chelate affinity chromatography.

Folding of the glucocorticoid receptor by the heat shock protein (hsp) 90-based chaperone machinery. The role of p23 is to stabilize receptor.hsp90 heterocomplexes formed by hsp90.p60.hsp70

In cytosols from animal and plant cells, the abundant heat shock protein hsp90 is associated with several proteins that act together to assemble steroid receptors into receptor.hsp90 heterocomplexes. We have reconstituted a minimal receptor.hsp90 assembly system containing four required components, hsp90, hsp70, p60, and p23 (Dittmar, K. D., Hutchison, K. A., Owens-Grillo, J. K., and Pratt, W. B. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 12833-12839). We have shown that hsp90, p60, and hsp70 are sufficient for carrying out the folding change that converts the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) hormone binding domain (HBD) from a non-steroid binding to a steroid binding conformation, but to form stable GR.hsp90 heterocomplexes, p23 must also be present in the incubation mix (Dittmar, K. D., and Pratt, W. B. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 13047-13054). In this work, we show that addition of p23 to native GR.hsp90 heterocomplexes immunoadsorbed from L cell cytosol or to GR.hsp90 heterocomplexes prepared with the minimal (hsp90.p60.hsp70) assembly system inhibits both receptor heterocomplex disassembly and loss of steroid binding activity. p23 stabilizes the GR.hsp90 heterocomplex in a dynamic and ATP-independent manner. In contrast to hsp90 that is bound to the GR, free hsp90 binds p23 in an ATP-dependent manner, and hsp90 in the hsp90.p60.hsp70 heterocomplex is in a conformation that does not bind p23 at all. The effect of p23 in the minimal GR heterocomplex assembly system is to stabilize GR.hsp90 heterocomplexes once they are formed and it does not appear to affect the rate of heterocomplex assembly. Molybdate has the same ability as p23 to stabilize GR heterocomplexes with mammalian hsp90, but GR heterocomplexes with plant hsp90 are stabilized by p23 and not by molybdate. We propose that incubation of the GR with hsp90.p60.hsp70 forms a GR.hsp90 heterocomplex in which hsp90 is in an ATP-dependent conformation. The ATP-dependent conformation of hsp90 is required for the hormone binding domain to have a steroid binding site, and binding of p23 to that state of hsp90 stabilizes the GR.hsp90 heterocomplex to inactivation and disassembly.

Isolation of a mouse cDNA encoding mSTI1, a stress-inducible protein containing the TPR motif

We report the isolation and sequencing of the complete 2079-bp cDNA fragment encoding mSTI1, a murine stress-inducible protein. The predicted ORF encodes a protein of 543 amino acids (aa) and Mr 62,582. The predicted protein has significant homology to stress-inducible proteins from humans (IEF SSP 3521), soybean (GMSTI), yeast (STI1) and a parasite, Leishmania donovani (LSIP). All of these proteins contain 34-aa repeat motifs, termed tetratricopeptide repeats (TPRs), that are proposed to be involved in intra- and intermolecular protein interactions. mSTI1 has ten potential TPR motifs, a putative nuclear localization signal (NLS), six potential phosphorylation sites for casein kinase II and a central proline-rich region. Western analysis detected a protein of approx. 63 kDa in all the major mouse organs and in mouse, monkey and human cell lines.

Identification and structural characterization of the ATP/ADP-binding site in the Hsp90 molecular chaperone

Hsp90 molecular chaperones in eukaryotic cells play essential roles in the folding and activation of a range of client proteins involved in cell cycle regulation, steroid hormone responsiveness, and signal transduction. The biochemical mechanism of Hsp90 is poorly understood, and the involvement of ATP in particular is controversial. Crystal structures of complexes between the N-terminal domain of the yeast Hsp90 chaperone and ADP/ATP unambiguously identify a specific adenine nucleotide binding site homologous to the ATP-binding site of DNA gyrase B. This site is the same as that identified for the antitumor agent geldanamycin, suggesting that geldanamycin acts by blocking the binding of nucleotides to Hsp90 and not the binding of incompletely folded client polypeptides as previously suggested. These results finally resolve the question of the direct involvement of ATP in Hsp90 function.

Protein phosphatase 5 is a major component of glucocorticoid receptor.hsp90 complexes with properties of an FK506-binding immunophilin

Steroid receptors are recovered from hormone-free cells in multiprotein complexes containing hsp90, p23, an immunophilin, and often some hsp70. The immunophilin, which can be of the FK506- or cyclosporin A-binding class, binds to hsp90 via its tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domain, and different receptor heterocomplexes exist depending upon which immunophilin occupies the TPR-binding region of hsp90. We have recently reported that a protein serine/threonine phosphatase that is designated PP5 and contains four TPRs binds to hsp90 and is co-purified with the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) (Chen, M.-S., Silverstein, A. M., Pratt, W. B., and Chinkers, M. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 32315-32320). In this work, we show that PP5 is recovered with both GR that is nuclear and GR that is cytoplasmic in hormone-free cells. Approximately one-half of the GR.hsp90 heterocomplexes in L cell cytosol contains an immunophilin with high affinity FK506 binding activity, such as FKBP51 or FKBP52, and approximately 35% contains PP5. Only a small (but undetermined) fraction of the native GR.hsp90 heterocomplexes contain the cyclosporin A-binding immunophilin CyP-40. PP5, FKBP52, and CyP-40 exist in separate heterocomplexes with hsp90, and competition binding experiments with the PP5 TPR domain suggest that the three proteins occupy a common binding site on hsp90. A 55-residue connecting region between the N-terminal TPR domain of human PP5 and its C-terminal phosphatase domain has 50% amino acid homology and 22% identity with the central portion of the peptidylprolyl isomerase domain of human FKBP52. Of the 9 residues in this portion of FKBP52 involved in high affinity interactions with FK506, 3 residues are retained and 4 have homologous substitutions in PP5. Although immunoadsorbed PP5 did not bind [3H]FK506, we found that both rabbit PP5 in reticulocyte lysate and purified rat PP5 were specifically retained by an FK506 affinity matrix. Thus, we propose that PP5 possesses properties of an immunophilin with low affinity FK506 binding activity and that it determines a major portion of the native GR heterocomplexes in L cell cytosol.

Steroid receptor interactions with heat shock protein and immunophilin chaperones

We have provided a historical perspective on a body of steroid receptor research dealing with the structure and physiological significance of the untransformed 9S receptor that has often confused both novice and expert investigators. The frequent controversies and equivocations of earlier studies were due to the fact that the native, hormone-free state of these receptors is a large multiprotein complex that resisted description for many years because of its unstable and dynamic nature. The untransformed 9S state of the steroid and dioxin receptors has provided a unique system for studying the function of the ubiquitous, abundant, and conserved heat shock protein, hsp90. The hormonal control of receptor association with hsp90 provided a method of manipulating the receptor heterocomplex in a manner that was physiologically meaningful. For several steroid receptors, binding to hsp90 was required for the receptor to be in a native hormone-binding state, and for all of the receptors, hormone binding promoted dissociation of the receptor from hsp90 and conversion of the receptor to the DNA-binding state. Although the complexes between tyrosine kinases and hsp90 were discovered earlier, the hormonal regulation or steroid receptor association with hsp90 permitted much more rapid and facile study of hsp90 function. The observations that hsp90 binds to the receptors through their HBDs and that these domains can be fused to structurally different proteins bringing their function under hormonal control provided a powerful linkage between the hormonal regulation of receptor binding to hsp90 and the initial step in steroid hormone action. Because the 9S receptor hsp90 heterocomplexes could be physically stabilized by molybdate, their protein composition could be readily studied, and it became clear that these complexes are multiprotein structures containing a number of unique proteins, such as FKBP51, FKBP52, CyP-40, and p23, that were discovered because of their presence in these structures. Further analysis showed that hsp90 itself exists in a variety of native multiprotein heterocomplexes independent of steroid receptors and other 'substrate' proteins. Cell-free systems can now be used to study the formation of receptor heterocomplexes. As we outlined in the scheme of Fig. 1, the multicomponent receptor-hsp90 heterocomplex assembly system is being reconstituted, and the importance of individual proteins, such as hsp70, p60, and p23, in the assembly process is becoming recognized. It should be noted that our understanding of the mechanism and purpose of steroid receptor heterocomplex assembly is still at an early stage. We can now speculate on the roles of receptor-associated proteins in receptor action, both as individuals and as a group, but their actual functions are still vague or unknown. We can make realistic models about the chaperoning and trafficking of steroid receptors, but we don't yet know how these processes occur, we don't know where chaperoning occurs in the cell (e.g. Is it limited to the cytoplasm? Is it a diffuse process or does chaperoning occur in association with structural elements?), and, with the exception of the requirement for hormone binding, we don't know the extent to which the hsp90-based chaperone system impacts on steroid hormone action. It is not yet clear how far the discovery of this hsp90 heterocomplex assembly system will be extended to the development of a general understanding of protein processing in the cell. Because this assembly system is apparently present in all eukaryotic cells, it probably performs an essential function for many proteins. The bacterial homolog of hsp90 is not an essential protein, but hsp90 is essential in eukaryotes, and recent studies indicate that the development of the cell nucleus from prokaryotic progenitors was accompanied by the duplication of genes for hsp90 and hsp70 (698). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)

A molecular clamp in the crystal structure of the N-terminal domain of the yeast Hsp90 chaperone

Hsp90 is a highly specific chaperone for many signal transduction proteins, including steroid hormone receptors and a broad range of protein kinases. The crystal structure of the N-terminal domain of the yeast Hsp90 reveals a dimeric structure based on a highly twisted sixteen stranded beta-sheet, whose topology suggests a possible 30-domain-swapped structure for the intact Hsp90 dimer. The opposing faces of the beta-sheets in the dimer define a potential peptide-binding cleft, suggesting that the N-domain may serve as a molecular 'clamp' in the binding of ligand proteins to Hsp90.

The role of the 90-kDa heat-shock protein and its associated cohorts in stabilizing the heme-regulated eIF-2alpha kinase in reticulocyte lysates during heat stress

The heme-regulated eIF-2alpha kinase (HRI) is activated not only in heme-deficient rabbit reticulocyte lysates (RRL), but also in hemin-supplemented RRL treated with heat-shock, N-ethylmaleimide (MalNEt) or heavy metal ions. We have demonstrated previously that heat-shock proteins, Hsp90, Hsp70 and FKBP52, are associated with HRI in RRL; the association of HRI with Hsp90 and FKBP52, but not Hsp70, is enhanced by hemin. To study the role of Hsp90 and its associated cohorts in the regulation of HRI, we examined the interaction of these proteins with HRI in hemin-supplemented RRLs during heat or oxidative stress. The association of HRI with Hsp90, FKBP52 and p23 was maintained in heat-, MalNEt- or Hg2(+)-treated hemin-supplemented RRL. Glycerol gradient centrifugation and gel filtration on Sephacryl S-300 indicated that neither heat shock nor MalNEt-treatment affected the apparent molecular mass of HRI in hemin supplemented RRL. In addition, active HRI was coimmunoprecipitated with 8D3 anti-Hsp90 from both heme-deficient and MalNEt-treated hemin-supplemented RRL. These results demonstrate that activation of HRI in response to heat stress and oxidative stress does not require dissociation of Hsp90 from HRI. Furthermore, HRI activity was inhibited upon addition of hemin to Hsp90-depleted heme-deficient RRL, indicating that inhibition of HRI activity by hemin is not mediated by the reassociation of Hsp90 with HRI. We also examined the dynamics of the interaction of Hsp90 with HRI. Reconstitution of the interaction of Hsp90 with HRI was stimulated by elevated temperature and required both Mg2+ and ATP. Addition of purified Hsp90 to hemin-supplemented RRL which had been treated with MalNEt to inactivate its capacity to chaperone protein renaturation, protected HRI from irreversible denaturation and aggregation upon incubation at 41 degrees C. Our results suggest that Hsp90 interacts with HRI primarily in its capacity as a molecular chaperone, stabilizing HRI from denaturation under conditions of heat stress and oxidative stress.

Folding of the glucocorticoid receptor by the reconstituted Hsp90-based chaperone machinery. The initial hsp90.p60.hsp70-dependent step is sufficient for creating the steroid binding conformation

Rabbit reticulocyte lysate contains a multiprotein chaperone system that assembles steroid receptors into a complex with hsp90. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is bound to hsp90 via its hormone binding domain (HBD), which must be associated with hsp90 to have a steroid binding conformation. Recently, we have reconstituted a receptor.hsp90 heterocomplex assembly system with purified rabbit hsp90 and hsp70 and bacterially expressed human p23 and p60 (Dittmar, K. D., Hutchison, K. A., Owens-Grillo, J. K., and Pratt, W. B. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 12833-12839). In this work we show that when the GR is incubated with hsp90, hsp70, and p60, steroid binding sites are generated despite the absence of p23. In this minimal reconstituted system, the GR is incubated with the chaperones in the presence of [3H]triamcinolone acetonide ([3H]TA), which binds to the receptor as GR.hsp90 complexes are formed. When molybdate or p23 is also present during the incubation with chaperones at 30 degrees C, the formation of steroid binding sites can be assayed by incubating the washed GR with [3H]TA after heterocomplex assembly at 30 degrees C. However, in the absence of p23 or molybdate, rapid disassembly of GR.hsp90 complexes apparently occurs simultaneously with assembly, such that [3H]TA must be present during the assembly process to trap evidence of conversion of the GR HBD from a non-steroid binding to a steroid binding conformation. Mixture of purified rabbit hsp90 and hsp70 with bacterial lysate containing human p60 results in spontaneous formation of an hsp90.p60.hsp70 complex that can be adsorbed with anti-p60 antibody, and the resulting immune complex converts the GR HBD to a steroid binding state in an ATP-dependent and K+-dependent manner. When the GR is incubated with hsp90, hsp70, and p60 in the presence of the hsp90-binding antibiotic geldanamycin, GR.hsp90.p60. hsp70 complexes are formed, but they have no steroid binding activity. Our data suggest that hsp90, hsp70, and p60 work together as a chaperone complex that possesses all of the folding/unfolding activity necessary to generate the high affinity steroid binding conformation of the receptor.