Specification of SUMO1- and SUMO2-interacting motifs

Senataxin: Genome Guardian at the Interface of Transcription and Neurodegeneration

R-loops comprise an RNA/DNA hybrid and a displaced single-stranded DNA. They play crucial biological functions and are implicated in neurological diseases, including ataxias, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, nucleotide expansion disorders (Friedreich ataxia and fragile X syndrome), and cancer. Currently, it is unclear which mechanisms cause R-loop structures to become pathogenic. The RNA/DNA helicase senataxin (SETX) is one of the best characterised R-loop-binding factors in vivo. Mutations in SETX are linked to two neurodegenerative disorders: ataxia with oculomotor apraxia type 2 (AOA2) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis type 4 (ALS4). SETX is known to play a role in transcription, neurogenesis, and antiviral response. Here, we review the causes of R-loop dysregulation in neurodegenerative diseases and how these structures contribute to pathomechanisms. We will discuss the importance of SETX as a genome guardian in suppressing aberrant R-loop formation and analyse how SETX mutations can lead to neurodegeneration in AOA2/ALS4. Finally, we will discuss the implications for other R-loop-associated neurodegenerative diseases and point to future therapeutic approaches to treat these disorders.

Allosteric Activation of Ubiquitin-Specific Proteases by β-Propeller Proteins UAF1 and WDR20

Ubiquitin-specific proteases (USPs) constitute the largest family of deubiquitinating enzymes, whose catalytic competency is often modulated by their binding partners through unknown mechanisms. Here we report on a series of crystallographic and biochemical analyses of an evolutionarily conserved deubiquitinase, USP12, which is activated by two β-propeller proteins, UAF1 and WDR20. Our structures reveal that UAF1 and WDR20 interact with USP12 at two distinct sites far from its catalytic center. Without increasing the substrate affinity of USP12, the two β-propeller proteins potentiate the enzyme through different allosteric mechanisms. UAF1 docks at the distal end of the USP12 Fingers domain and induces a cascade of structural changes that reach a critical ubiquitin-contacting loop adjacent to the catalytic cleft. By contrast, WDR20 anchors at the base of this loop and remotely modulates the catalytic center of the enzyme. Our results provide a mechanistic example for allosteric activation of USPs by their regulatory partners.

A comprehensive compilation of SUMO proteomics

Small ubiquitin-like modifiers (SUMOs) are essential for the regulation of several cellular processes and are potential therapeutic targets owing to their involvement in diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer disease. In the past decade, we have witnessed a rapid expansion of proteomic approaches for identifying sumoylated proteins, with recent advances in detecting site-specific sumoylation. In this Analysis, we combined all human SUMO proteomics data currently available into one cohesive database. We provide proteomic evidence for sumoylation of 3,617 proteins at 7,327 sumoylation sites, and insight into SUMO group modification by clustering the sumoylated proteins into functional networks. The data support sumoylation being a frequent protein modification (on par with other major protein modifications) with multiple nuclear functions, including in transcription, mRNA processing, DNA replication and the DNA-damage response.

Whole-genome duplications followed by tandem duplications drive diversification of the protein modifier SUMO in Angiosperms

The ubiquitin-like modifier (UBL) SUMO (Small Ubiquitin-Like Modifier) regulates protein function. Structural rather than sequence homology typifies UBL families. However, individual UBL types, such as SUMO, show remarkable sequence conservation. Selection pressure also operates at the SUMO gene copy number, as increased SUMO levels activate immunity and alter flowering time in Arabidopsis. We show how, despite this selection pressure, the SUMO family has diversified into eight paralogues in Arabidopsis. Relationships between the paralogues were investigated using genome collinearity and gene tree analysis. We show that palaeopolyploidy followed by tandem duplications allowed expansion and then diversification of the SUMO genes. For example, Arabidopsis SUMO5 evolved from the pan-eudicot palaeohexaploidy event (gamma), which yielded three SUMO copies. Two gamma copies were preserved as archetype SUMOs, suggesting subfunctionalization, whereas the third copy served as a hotspot for SUMO diversification. The Brassicaceae-specific alpha duplication then caused the duplication of one archetype gamma copy, which, by subfunctionalization, allowed the retention of both SUMO1 and SUMO2. The other archetype gamma copy was simultaneously pseudogenized (SUMO4/6). A tandem duplication of SUMO2 subsequently yielded SUMO3 in the Brassicaceae crown group. SUMO3 potentially neofunctionalized in Arabidopsis, but it is lost in many Brassicaceae. Our advanced methodology allows the study of the birth and fixation of other paralogues in plants.

Smc5/6 Mediated Sumoylation of the Sgs1-Top3-Rmi1 Complex Promotes Removal of Recombination Intermediates

Timely removal of DNA recombination intermediates is critical for genome stability. The DNA helicase-topoisomerase complex, Sgs1-Top3-Rmi1 (STR), is the major pathway for processing these intermediates to generate conservative products. However, the mechanisms that promote STR-mediated functions remain to be defined. Here we show that Sgs1 binds to poly-SUMO chains and associates with the Smc5/6 SUMO E3 complex in yeast. Moreover, these interactions contribute to the sumoylation of Sgs1, Top3, and Rmi1 upon the generation of recombination structures. We show that reduced STR sumoylation leads to accumulation of recombination structures, and impaired growth in conditions when these structures arise frequently, highlighting the importance of STR sumoylation. Mechanistically, sumoylation promotes STR inter-subunit interactions and accumulation at DNA repair centers. These findings expand the roles of sumoylation and Smc5/6 in genome maintenance by demonstrating that they foster STR functions in the removal of recombination intermediates.

SUMOylation of DNA topoisomerase IIα regulates histone H3 kinase Haspin and H3 phosphorylation in mitosis

DNA topoisomerase II (TOP2) plays a pivotal role in faithful chromosome separation through its strand-passaging activity that resolves tangled genomic DNA during mitosis. Additionally, TOP2 controls progression of mitosis by activating cell cycle checkpoints. Recent work showed that the enzymatically inert C-terminal domain (CTD) of TOP2 and its posttranslational modification are critical to this checkpoint regulation. However, the molecular mechanism has not yet been determined. By using Xenopus laevis egg extract, we found that SUMOylation of DNA topoisomerase IIα (TOP2A) CTD regulates the localization of the histone H3 kinase Haspin and phosphorylation of histone H3 at threonine 3 at the centromere, two steps known to be involved in the recruitment of the chromosomal passenger complex (CPC) to kinetochores in mitosis. Robust centromeric Haspin localization requires SUMOylated TOP2A CTD binding activity through SUMO-interaction motifs and the phosphorylation of Haspin. We propose a novel mechanism through which the TOP2 CTD regulates the CPC via direct interaction with Haspin at mitotic centromeres.

Structural Analysis of a Complex between Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier 1 (SUMO1) and the ZZ Domain of CREB-binding Protein (CBP/p300) Reveals a New Interaction Surface on SUMO

We have recently discovered that the ZZ zinc finger domain represents a novel small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) binding motif. In this study we identify the binding epitopes in the ZZ domain of CBP (CREB-binding protein) and SUMO1 using NMR spectroscopy. The binding site on SUMO1 represents a unique epitope for SUMO interaction spatially opposite to that observed for canonical SUMO interaction motifs (SIMs). HADDOCK docking simulations using chemical shift perturbations and residual dipolar couplings was employed to obtain a structural model for the ZZ domain-SUMO1 complex. Isothermal titration calorimetry experiments support this model by showing that the mutation of key residues in the binding site abolishes binding and that SUMO1 can simultaneously and non-cooperatively bind both the ZZ domain and a canonical SIM motif. The binding dynamics of SUMO1 was further characterized using (15)N Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) relaxation dispersions, which define the off rates for the ZZ domain and SIM motif and show that the dynamic binding process has different characteristics for the two cases. Furthermore, in the absence of bound ligands SUMO1 transiently samples a high energy conformation, which might be involved in ligand binding.

Promotion of RAD51-Mediated Homologous DNA Pairing by the RAD51AP1-UAF1 Complex

The UAF1-USP1 complex deubiquitinates FANCD2 during execution of the Fanconi anemia DNA damage response pathway. As such, UAF1 depletion results in persistent FANCD2 ubiquitination and DNA damage hypersensitivity. UAF1-deficient cells are also impaired for DNA repair by homologous recombination. Herein, we show that UAF1 binds DNA and forms a dimeric complex with RAD51AP1, an accessory factor of the RAD51 recombinase, and a trimeric complex with RAD51 through RAD51AP1. Two small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO)-like domains in UAF1 and a SUMO-interacting motif in RAD51AP1 mediate complex formation. Importantly, UAF1 enhances RAD51-mediated homologous DNA pairing in a manner that is dependent on complex formation with RAD51AP1 but independent of USP1. Mechanistically, RAD51AP1-UAF1 co-operates with RAD51 to assemble the synaptic complex, a critical nucleoprotein intermediate in homologous recombination, and cellular studies reveal the biological significance of the RAD51AP1-UAF1 protein complex. Our findings provide insights into an apparently USP1-independent role of UAF1 in genome maintenance.

SUMO5, a Novel Poly-SUMO Isoform, Regulates PML Nuclear Bodies

Promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies (PML-NBs) are PML-based nuclear structures that regulate various cellular processes. SUMOylation, the process of covalently conjugating small ubiquitin-like modifiers (SUMOs), is required for both the formation and the disruption of PML-NBs. However, detailed mechanisms of how SUMOylation regulates these processes remain unknown. Here we report that SUMO5, a novel SUMO variant, mediates the growth and disruption of PML-NBs. PolySUMO5 conjugation of PML at lysine 160 facilitates recruitment of PML-NB components, which enlarges PML-NBs. SUMO5 also increases polySUMO2/3 conjugation of PML, resulting in RNF4-mediated disruption of PML-NBs. The acute promyelocytic leukemia oncoprotein PML-RARα blocks SUMO5 conjugation of PML, causing cytoplasmic displacement of PML and disruption of PML-NBs. Our work not only identifies a new member of the SUMO family but also reveals the mechanistic basis of the PML-NB life cycle in human cells.

SUMOylation Regulates Growth Factor Independence 1 in Transcriptional Control and Hematopoiesis

Cell fate specification requires precise coordination of transcription factors and their regulators to achieve fidelity and flexibility in lineage allocation. The transcriptional repressor growth factor independence 1 (GFI1) is comprised of conserved Snail/Slug/Gfi1 (SNAG) and zinc finger motifs separated by a linker region poorly conserved with GFI1B, its closest homolog. Moreover, GFI1 and GFI1B coordinate distinct developmental fates in hematopoiesis, suggesting that their functional differences may derive from structures within their linkers. We show a binding interface between the GFI1 linker and the SP-RING domain of PIAS3, an E3-SUMO (small ubiquitin-related modifier) ligase. The PIAS3 binding region in GFI1 contains a conserved type I SUMOylation consensus element, centered on lysine-239 (K239). In silico prediction algorithms identify K239 as the only high-probability site for SUMO modification. We show that GFI1 is modified by SUMO at K239. SUMOylation-resistant derivatives of GFI1 fail to complement Gfi1 depletion phenotypes in zebrafish primitive erythropoiesis and granulocytic differentiation in cultured human cells. LSD1/CoREST recruitment and MYC repression by GFI1 are profoundly impaired for SUMOylation-resistant GFI1 derivatives, while enforced expression of MYC blocks granulocytic differentiation. These findings suggest that SUMOylation within the GFI1 linker favors LSD1/CoREST recruitment and MYC repression to govern hematopoietic differentiation.

SUMO Modification Stabilizes Dengue Virus Nonstructural Protein 5 To Support Virus Replication

Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) participates in a reversible posttranslational modification process (SUMOylation) that regulates a wide variety of cellular processes and plays important roles for numerous viruses during infection. However, the roles of viral protein SUMOylation in dengue virus (DENV) infection have not been elucidated. In this study, we found that the SUMOylation pathway was involved in the DENV life cycle, since DENV replication was reduced by silencing the cellular gene Ubc9, which encodes the sole E2-conjugating enzyme required for SUMOylation. By in vivo and in vitro SUMOylation assays, the DENV NS5 protein was identified as an authentic SUMO-targeted protein. By expressing various NS5 mutants, we found that the SUMO acceptor sites are located in the N-terminal domain of NS5 and that a putative SUMO-interacting motif (SIM) of this domain is crucial for its SUMOylation. A DENV replicon harboring the SUMOylation-defective SIM mutant showed a severe defect in viral RNA replication, supporting the notion that NS5 SUMOylation is required for DENV replication. SUMOylation-defective mutants also failed to suppress the induction of STAT2-mediated host antiviral interferon signaling. Furthermore, the SUMOylation of NS5 significantly increased the stability of NS5 protein, which could account for most of the biological functions of SUMOylated NS5. Collectively, these findings suggest that the SUMOylation of DENV NS5 is one of the mechanisms regulating DENV replication.

IMPORTANCE SUMOylation is a common posttranslational modification that regulates cellular protein functions but has not been reported in the proteins of dengue virus. Here, we found that the replicase of DENV, nonstructural protein 5 (NS5), can be SUMOylated. It is well known that providing RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity and antagonizing host antiviral IFN signaling are a “double indemnity” of NS5 to support DENV replication. Without SUMOylation, NS5 fails to maintain its protein stability, which consequently disrupts its function in viral RNA replication and innate immunity antagonism. DENV threatens billions of people worldwide, but no licensed vaccine or specific therapeutics are currently available. Thus, our findings suggest that rather than specifically targeting NS5 enzyme activity, NS5 protein stability is a novel drug target on the growing list of anti-DENV strategies.

SUMO proteases: uncovering the roles of deSUMOylation in plants

Plants have evolved to cope with changing environmental conditions. One way plants achieve this is through post-translational modification of target proteins by ubiquitination and SUMOylation. These post-translational modifiers (PMs) can alter stability, protein-protein interactions, and the overall fate of the protein. Both of these systems have remarkable similarities in terms of the process leading to attachment of the PM to its substrate : having to undertake activation, conjugation, and finally ligation to the target. In the ubiquitin system, there are a vast number of ubiquitin ligase enzymes (E3s) that provide specificity for the attachment of ubiquitin. With the SUMO system, only a small number of SUMO E3 ligases have so far been identified in the fully sequenced plant genomes. In Arabidopsis thaliana, there are only two SUMO E3s, compared to over 1400 ubiquitin E3s, a trend also observed in crop species such as Oryza sativa and Zea mays Recent research indicates that removing SUMO from its substrate by the enzymatically active SUMO proteases is a vital part of this system. A class of SUMO proteases called ubiquitin-like proteases (ULPs) are widespread in all eukaryotes; within plants, both monocot and dicot kingdoms have conserved and divergent ULPs and ULP-like proteases. This paper examines the roles ULPs have in stress responses and highlights the 'fine-tuning' of SUMO attachment/removal in balancing growth versus stress.

Structural and Functional Analysis of a Novel Interaction Motif within UFM1-activating Enzyme 5 (UBA5) Required for Binding to Ubiquitin-like Proteins and Ufmylation

The covalent conjugation of ubiquitin-fold modifier 1 (UFM1) to proteins generates a signal that regulates transcription, response to cell stress, and differentiation. Ufmylation is initiated by ubiquitin-like modifier activating enzyme 5 (UBA5), which activates and transfers UFM1 to ubiquitin-fold modifier-conjugating enzyme 1 (UFC1). The details of the interaction between UFM1 and UBA5 required for UFM1 activation and its downstream transfer are however unclear. In this study, we described and characterized a combined linear LC3-interacting region/UFM1-interacting motif (LIR/UFIM) within the C terminus of UBA5. This single motif ensures that UBA5 binds both UFM1 and light chain 3/γ-aminobutyric acid receptor-associated proteins (LC3/GABARAP), two ubiquitin (Ub)-like proteins. We demonstrated that LIR/UFIM is required for the full biological activity of UBA5 and for the effective transfer of UFM1 onto UFC1 and a downstream protein substrate both in vitro and in cells. Taken together, our study provides important structural and functional insights into the interaction between UBA5 and Ub-like modifiers, improving the understanding of the biology of the ufmylation pathway.

Infected cell protein 0 functional domains and their coordination in herpes simplex virus replication

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is a ubiquitous human pathogen that establishes latent infection in ganglia neurons. Its unique life cycle requires a balanced “conquer and compromise” strategy to deal with the host anti-viral defenses. One of HSV-1 α (immediate early) gene products, infected cell protein 0 (ICP0), is a multifunctional protein that interacts with and modulates a wide range of cellular defensive pathways. These pathways may locate in different cell compartments, which then migrate or exchange factors upon stimulation, for the purpose of a concerted and effective defense. ICP0 is able to simultaneously attack multiple host pathways by either degrading key restrictive factors or modifying repressive complexes. This is a viral protein that contains an E3 ubiquitin ligase, translocates among different cell compartments and interacts with major defensive complexes. The multiple functional domains of ICP0 can work independently and at the same time coordinate with each other. Dissecting the functional domains of ICP0 and delineating the coordination of these domains will help us understand HSV-1 pathogenicity as well as host defense mechanisms. This article focuses on describing individual ICP0 domains, their biochemical properties and their implication in HSV-1 infection. By putting individual domain functions back into the picture of host anti-viral defense network, this review seeks to elaborate the complex interactions between HSV-1 and its host.

Shp2 SUMOylation promotes ERK activation and hepatocellular carcinoma development

Shp2, an ubiquitously expressed protein tyrosine phosphatase, is essential for regulation of Ras/ERK signaling pathway and tumorigenesis. Here we report that Shp2 is modified by SUMO1 at lysine residue 590 (K590) in its C-terminus, which is reduced by SUMO1-specific protease SENP1. Analysis of wild-type Shp2 and SUMOylation-defective Shp2(K590R) mutant reveals that SUMOylation of Shp2 promotes EGF-stimulated ERK signaling pathway and increases anchorage-independent cell growth and xenografted tumor growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines. Furthermore, we find that mutant Shp2(K590R) reduces its binding with the scaffolding protein Gab1, and consistent with this, knockdown of SENP1 increased the interaction between Shp2 and Gab1. More surprisingly, we show that human Shp2 (hShp2) and mouse Shp2 (mShp2) have differential effects on ERK activation as a result of different SUMOylation level, which is due to the event of K590 at hShp2 substituted by R594 at mShp2. In summary, our data demonstrate that SUMOylation of Shp2 promotes ERK activation via facilitating the formation of Shp2-Gab1 complex and thereby accelerates HCC cell and tumor growth, which presents a novel regulatory mechanism underlying Shp2 in regulation of HCC development.

Identification and Characterization of SUMO-SIM Interactions

The covalent attachment of SUMO to lysine residues of cellular proteins serves as an important mechanism for the dynamic control of protein networks. SUMO conjugates typically mediate selected protein-protein interactions by binding to specific recognition modules. Identification of SUMO-binding proteins and the characterization of the binding motifs are key to understanding SUMO signaling. Here we describe two complementary approaches that are used to tackle these questions.

Using Biotinylated SUMO-Traps to Analyze SUMOylated Proteins

SUMO-interacting motifs (SIMs) recognize SUMOylated proteins with high specificity allowing to connect SUMO-modified proteins. Multiple SIMs fused to distinct tags have been used to increase their affinity and generate more efficient purification tools. Enrichment of SUMOylated proteins using SIMs arranged in tandem (SUMO-traps) facilitates the identification and characterization of protein targets in vitro and in vivo. Here a protocol to produce biotinylated SUMO-traps (bioSUBEs) to capture SUMO chains and typical SUMOylated proteins such as p53 or IkBα is presented. Biotinylated SUMO-traps represent an alternative to reduce the background associated to bigger tags, e.g., during mass spectrometry analysis. Consequently, bioSUBEs are alternative tools to characterize endogenous SUMO targets.

The Use of Multimeric Protein Scaffolds for Identifying Multi-SUMO Binding Proteins

The use of in vitro assays, such as glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-downs, enables the study of complex cellular processes in a simplified form. Pull-down assays facilitate the discovery and detailed study of protein-protein interactions, which can then be extrapolated to the cellular environment. Here, we describe the expression, purification and use of a multi-SUMO platform to identify SUMO-interacting proteins. This SUMO-platform can be easily expressed and purified from bacterial cells for use as baits in pull-down assays. This methodology facilitates the discovery of novel SUMO-binding proteins or further characterization of SUMO with known binding partners.

Endogenous TRIM5α Function Is Regulated by SUMOylation and Nuclear Sequestration for Efficient Innate Sensing in Dendritic Cells

During retroviral infection, viral capsids are subject to restriction by the cellular factor TRIM5α. Here, we show that dendritic cells (DCs) derived from human and non-human primate species lack efficient TRIM5α-mediated retroviral restriction. In DCs, endogenous TRIM5α accumulates in nuclear bodies (NB) that partly co-localize with Cajal bodies in a SUMOylation-dependent manner. Nuclear sequestration of TRIM5α allowed potent induction of type I interferon (IFN) responses during infection, mediated by sensing of reverse transcribed DNA by cGAS. Overexpression of TRIM5α or treatment with the SUMOylation inhibitor ginkgolic acid (GA) resulted in enforced cytoplasmic TRIM5α expression and restored efficient viral restriction but abrogated type I IFN production following infection. Our results suggest that there is an evolutionary trade-off specific to DCs in which restriction is minimized to maximize sensing. TRIM5α regulation via SUMOylation-dependent nuclear sequestration adds to our understanding of how restriction factors are regulated.

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Primate dendritic cells (DCs) lack efficient TRIM5α-mediated retroviral restriction

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In DCs TRIM5α is sequestered in the nucleus in a SUMOylation-dependent manner

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TRIM5α nuclear sequestration allows DC sensing of retroviral DNA by cGAS

Molecular Basis for Phosphorylation-dependent SUMO Recognition by the DNA Repair Protein RAP80

Recognition and repair of double-stranded DNA breaks (DSB) involves the targeted recruitment of BRCA tumor suppressors to damage foci through binding of both ubiquitin (Ub) and the Ub-like modifier SUMO. RAP80 is a component of the BRCA1 A complex, and plays a key role in the recruitment process through the binding of Lys(63)-linked poly-Ub chains by tandem Ub interacting motifs (UIM). RAP80 also contains a SUMO interacting motif (SIM) just upstream of the tandem UIMs that has been shown to specifically bind the SUMO-2 isoform. The RAP80 tandem UIMs and SIM function collectively for optimal recruitment of BRCA1 to DSBs, although the molecular basis of this process is not well understood. Using NMR spectroscopy, we demonstrate that the RAP80 SIM binds SUMO-2, and that both specificity and affinity are enhanced through phosphorylation of the canonical CK2 site within the SIM. The affinity increase results from an enhancement of electrostatic interactions between the phosphoserines of RAP80 and the SIM recognition module within SUMO-2. The NMR structure of the SUMO-2·phospho-RAP80 complex reveals that the molecular basis for SUMO-2 specificity is due to isoform-specific sequence differences in electrostatic SIM recognition modules.

SUMOylation of TARBP2 regulates miRNA/siRNA efficiency

Small RNA-induced gene silencing is essential for post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression; however, it remains unclear how miRNA/siRNA efficiency is regulated. Here we show that TARBP2 is SUMOylated at K52, which can be enhanced by its phosphorylation. This modification can stabilize TARBP2 via repressing its K⁴⁸-linked ubiquitination. We find that TARBP2 SUMOylation does not influence the overall production of mature miRNAs, but it regulates miRNA/siRNA efficiency. SUMOylated TARBP2 recruits Ago2 to constitute the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC)-loading complex (RLC), and simultaneously promotes more pre-miRNAs to load into the RLC. Consequently, Ago2 is stabilized and miRNAs/siRNAs bound by TARBP2/Dicer is effectively transferred to Ago2. Thus, these processes lead to the formation of the effective RISC for RNA interference (RNAi). Collectively, our data suggest that SUMOylation of TARBP2 is required for regulating miRNA/siRNA efficiency, which is a general mechanism of miRNA/siRNA regulation.

As part of the miRNA-generating machinery, TARBP2 stabilizes the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) loading complex (RLC). Here, Chen et al. show that sumoylation of TARBP2 regulates RNAi efficiency by increasing precursor miRNAs loaded on RLC.

Structural basis for catalytic activation by the human ZNF451 SUMO E3 ligase

E3 protein ligases enhance transfer of ubiquitin-like (Ubl) proteins from E2 conjugating enzymes to substrates by stabilizing the thioester-charged E2~Ubl in a closed configuration optimally aligned for nucleophilic attack. Here, we report biochemical and structural data that define the N-terminal domain of the Homo sapiens ZNF451 as the catalytic module for SUMO E3 ligase activity. ZNF451 catalytic module contains tandem SUMO interaction motifs (SIMs) bridged by a Proline-Leucine-Arginine-Proline (PLRP) motif. The first SIM and PLRP motif engage thioester charged E2~SUMO while the next SIM binds a second molecule of SUMO bound to the backside of E2. We show that ZNF451 is SUMO2 specific and that SUMO-modification of ZNF451 may contribute to activity by providing a second molecule of SUMO that interacts with E2. Our results are consistent with ZNF451 functioning as a bona fide SUMO E3 ligase.

Evaluation of the activity and substrate specificity of the human SENP family of SUMO proteases

Protein modification with the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) is a reversible process regulating many central biological pathways. The reversibility of SUMOylation is ensured by SUMO proteases many of which belong to the sentrin/SUMO-specific protease (SENP) family. In recent years, many advances have been made in allocating SENPs to specific biological pathways. However, due to difficulties in obtaining recombinant full-length active SENPs for thorough enzymatic characterization, our knowledge on these proteases is still limited. In this work, we used in vitro synthesized full-length human SENPs to perform a side-by-side comparison of their activities and substrate specificities. ProSUMO1/2/3, RanGAP1-SUMO1/2/3 and polySUMO2/3 chains were used as substrates in these analyses. We found that SENP1 is by far the most versatile and active SENP whereas SENP3 stands out as the least active of these enzymes. Finally, a comparison between the activities of full-length SENPs and their catalytic domains suggests that in some cases their non-catalytic regions influence their activity.

Senataxin controls meiotic silencing through ATR activation and chromatin remodeling

Senataxin, defective in ataxia oculomotor apraxia type 2, protects the genome by facilitating the resolution of RNA–DNA hybrids (R-loops) and other aspects of RNA processing. Disruption of this gene in mice causes failure of meiotic recombination and defective meiotic sex chromosome inactivation, leading to male infertility. Here we provide evidence that the disruption of Setx leads to reduced SUMOylation and disruption of protein localization across the XY body during meiosis. We demonstrate that senataxin and other DNA damage repair proteins, including ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein-interacting partner, are SUMOylated, and a marked downregulation of both ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein-interacting partner and TopBP1 leading to defective activation and signaling through ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein occurs in the absence of senataxin. Furthermore, chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 4, a component of the nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase chromatin remodeler that interacts with both ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein and senataxin was not recruited efficiently to the XY body, triggering altered histone acetylation and chromatin conformation in Setx^−/− pachytene-staged spermatocytes. These results demonstrate that senataxin has a critical role in ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein- and chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 4-mediated transcriptional silencing and chromatin remodeling during meiosis providing greater insight into its critical role in gene regulation to protect against neurodegeneration.

PML nuclear bodies: assembly and oxidative stress-sensitive sumoylation

PML Nuclear Bodies (NBs) have fascinated cell biologists due to their exquisitely dynamic nature and their involvement in human diseases, notably acute promyelocytic leukemia. NBs, as well as their master organizer--the PML protein--exhibit multiple connections with stress responses. Initially viewed as a tumor suppressor, PML recently re-emerged as a multifaceted protein, capable of controlling numerous aspects of cellular homeostasis. NBs recruit many functionally diverse proteins and function as stress-regulated sumoylation factories. SUMO-initiated partner retention can subsequently facilitate a variety of other post-translational modifications, as well as partner degradation. With this newly elucidated central role of stress-enhanced sumoylation, it should now be possible to build a working model for the different NB-regulated cellular activities. Moreover, pharmacological manipulation of NB formation by interferons or oxidants holds the promise of clearing many undesirable proteins for clinical management of malignant, viral or neurodegenerative diseases.

High-throughput methods for identification of protein-protein interactions involving short linear motifs

Interactions between modular domains and short linear motifs (3–10 amino acids peptide stretches) are crucial for cell signaling. The motifs typically reside in the disordered regions of the proteome and the interactions are often transient, allowing for rapid changes in response to changing stimuli. The properties that make domain-motif interactions suitable for cell signaling also make them difficult to capture experimentally and they are therefore largely underrepresented in the known protein-protein interaction networks. Most of the knowledge on domain-motif interactions is derived from low-throughput studies, although there exist dedicated high-throughput methods for the identification of domain-motif interactions. The methods include arrays of peptides or proteins, display of peptides on phage or yeast, and yeast-two-hybrid experiments. We here provide a survey of scalable methods for domain-motif interaction profiling. These methods have frequently been applied to a limited number of ubiquitous domain families. It is now time to apply them to a broader set of peptide binding proteins, to provide a comprehensive picture of the linear motifs in the human proteome and to link them to their potential binding partners. Despite the plethora of methods, it is still a challenge for most approaches to identify interactions that rely on post-translational modification or context dependent or conditional interactions, suggesting directions for further method development.

Screen for multi-SUMO-binding proteins reveals a multi-SIM-binding mechanism for recruitment of the transcriptional regulator ZMYM2 to chromatin

Protein SUMOylation has emerged as an important regulatory event, particularly in nuclear processes such as transcriptional control and DNA repair. In this context, small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) often provides a binding platform for the recruitment of proteins via their SUMO-interacting motifs (SIMs). Recent discoveries point to an important role for multivalent SUMO binding through multiple SIMs in the binding partner as exemplified by poly-SUMOylation acting as a binding platform for ubiquitin E3 ligases such as ring finger protein 4. Here, we have investigated whether other types of protein are recruited through multivalent SUMO interactions. We have identified dozens of proteins that bind to multi-SUMO platforms, thereby uncovering a complex potential regulatory network. Multi-SUMO binding is mediated through multi-SIM modules, and the functional importance of these interactions is demonstrated for the transcriptional corepressor ZMYM2/ZNF198 where its multi-SUMO-binding activity is required for its recruitment to chromatin.

A Critical SUMO1 Modification of LKB1 Regulates AMPK Activity during Energy Stress

SUMOylation has been implicated in cellular stress adaptation, but its role in regulating liver kinase B1 (LKB1), a major upstream kinase of the energy sensor AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), is unknown. Here, we show that energy stress triggers an increase in SUMO1 modification of LKB1, despite a global reduction in both SUMO1 and SUMO2/3 conjugates. During metabolic stress, SUMO1 modification of LKB1 lysine 178 is essential in promoting its interaction with AMPK via a SUMO-interacting motif (SIM) essential for AMPK activation. The LKB1 K178R SUMO mutant had defective AMPK signaling and mitochondrial function, inducing death in energy-deprived cells. These results provide additional insight into how LKB1-AMPK signaling is regulated during energy stress, and they highlight the critical role of SUMOylation in maintaining the cell's energy equilibrium.

JASSA: a comprehensive tool for prediction of SUMOylation sites and SIMs

MOTIVATION

Post-translational modification by the Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier (SUMO) proteins, a process termed SUMOylation, is involved in many fundamental cellular processes. SUMO proteins are conjugated to a protein substrate, creating an interface for the recruitment of cofactors harboring SUMO-interacting motifs (SIMs). Mapping both SUMO-conjugation sites and SIMs is required to study the functional consequence of SUMOylation. To define the best candidate sites for experimental validation we designed JASSA, a Joint Analyzer of SUMOylation site and SIMs.

RESULTS

JASSA is a predictor that uses a scoring system based on a Position Frequency Matrix derived from the alignment of experimental SUMOylation sites or SIMs. Compared with existing web-tools, JASSA displays on par or better performances. Novel features were implemented towards a better evaluation of the prediction, including identification of database hits matching the query sequence and representation of candidate sites within the secondary structural elements and/or the 3D fold of the protein of interest, retrievable from deposited PDB files.

AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION

JASSA is freely accessible at http://www.jassa.fr/. Website is implemented in PHP and MySQL, with all major browsers supported.

CONTACT

guillaume.beauclair@inserm.fr

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Emerging roles of sumoylation in the regulation of actin, microtubules, intermediate filaments, and septins

Sumoylation is a powerful regulatory system that controls many of the critical processes in the cell, including DNA repair, transcriptional regulation, nuclear transport, and DNA replication. Recently, new functions for SUMO have begun to emerge. SUMO is covalently attached to components of each of the four major cytoskeletal networks, including microtubule-associated proteins, septins, and intermediate filaments, in addition to nuclear actin and actin-regulatory proteins. However, knowledge of the mechanisms by which this signal transduction system controls the cytoskeleton is still in its infancy. One story that is beginning to unfold is that SUMO may regulate the microtubule motor protein dynein by modification of its adaptor Lis1. In other instances, cytoskeletal elements can both bind to SUMO non-covalently and also be conjugated by it. The molecular mechanisms for many of these new functions are not yet clear, but are under active investigation. One emerging model links the function of MAP sumoylation to protein degradation through SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligases, also known as STUbL enzymes. Other possible functions for cytoskeletal sumoylation are also discussed.

SUMOylation of the C-terminal domain of DNA topoisomerase IIα regulates the centromeric localization of Claspin

DNA topoisomerase II (TopoII) regulates DNA topology by its strand passaging reaction, which is required for genome maintenance by resolving tangled genomic DNA. In addition, TopoII contributes to the structural integrity of mitotic chromosomes and to the activation of cell cycle checkpoints in mitosis. Post-translational modification of TopoII is one of the key mechanisms by which its broad functions are regulated during mitosis. SUMOylation of TopoII is conserved in eukaryotes and plays a critical role in chromosome segregation. Using Xenopus laevis egg extract, we demonstrated previously that TopoIIα is modified by SUMO on mitotic chromosomes and that its activity is modulated via SUMOylation of its lysine at 660. However, both biochemical and genetic analyses indicated that TopoII has multiple SUMOylation sites in addition to Lys660, and the functions of the other SUMOylation sites were not clearly determined. In this study, we identified the SUMOylation sites on the C-terminal domain (CTD) of TopoIIα. CTD SUMOylation did not affect TopoIIα activity, indicating that its function is distinct from that of Lys660 SUMOylation. We found that CTD SUMOylation promotes protein binding and that Claspin, a well-established cell cycle checkpoint mediator, is one of the SUMOylation-dependent binding proteins. Claspin harbors 2 SUMO-interacting motifs (SIMs), and its robust association to mitotic chromosomes requires both the SIMs and TopoIIα-CTD SUMOylation. Claspin localizes to the mitotic centromeres depending on mitotic SUMOylation, suggesting that TopoIIα-CTD SUMOylation regulates the centromeric localization of Claspin. Our findings provide a novel mechanistic insight regarding how TopoIIα-CTD SUMOylation contributes to mitotic centromere activity.

Sumo and the cellular stress response

The ubiquitin family member Sumo has important functions in many cellular processes including DNA repair, transcription and cell division. Numerous studies have shown that Sumo is essential for maintaining cell homeostasis when the cell encounters endogenous or environmental stress, such as osmotic stress, hypoxia, heat shock, genotoxic stress, and nutrient stress. Regulation of transcription is a key component of the Sumo stress response, and multiple mechanisms have been described by which Sumo can regulate transcription. Although many individual substrates have been described that are sumoylated during the Sumo stress response, an emerging concept is modification of entire complexes or pathways by Sumo. This review focuses on the function and regulation of Sumo during the stress response.

Nucleus accumbens associated 1 is recruited within the promyelocytic leukemia nuclear body through SUMO modification

Nucleus accumbens associated 1 (NACC1) is a cancer-associated BTB/POZ (pox virus and zinc finger/bric-a-brac tramtrack broad complex) gene, and is involved in several cellular functions in neurons, cancer and stem cells. Some of the BTB/POZ proteins associated with cancer biology are SUMOylated, which appears to play an important role in transcription regulation. We show that NACC1 is SUMOylated on a phylogenetically conserved lysine (K167) out of three consensus SUMOylation motif sites. Amino acid substitution in the SIM sequence (SIM/M) within the BTB/POZ domain partially reduced K167 SUMOylation activity of NACC1. Overexpression of GFP-NACC1 fusion protein leads to formation of discrete nuclear foci similar to promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies (PML-NB), which colocalized with SUMO paralogues (SUMO1/2/3). Both NACC1 nuclear body formation and colocalization with SUMO paralogues were completely suppressed in the GFP-NACC1-SIM/M mutant, whereas they were partially maintained in the NACC1 K167R mutant. Confocal immunofluorescence analysis showed that endogenous and exogenous NACC1 proteins colocalized with endogenous PML protein. A pull-down assay revealed that the consensus motifs of the SUMO acceptor site at K167 and the SIM within the BTB/POZ domain were both necessary for efficient binding to PML protein. Our study demonstrates that NACC1 can be modified by SUMO paralogues, and cooperates with PML protein.

Coordinated Regulation of Vasopressin Inactivation and Glucose Uptake by Action of TUG Protein in Muscle

In adipose and muscle cells, insulin stimulates the exocytic translocation of vesicles containing GLUT4, a glucose transporter, and insulin-regulated aminopeptidase (IRAP), a transmembrane aminopeptidase. A substrate of IRAP is vasopressin, which controls water homeostasis. The physiological importance of IRAP translocation to inactivate vasopressin remains uncertain. We previously showed that in skeletal muscle, insulin stimulates proteolytic processing of the GLUT4 retention protein, TUG, to promote GLUT4 translocation and glucose uptake. Here we show that TUG proteolysis also controls IRAP targeting and regulates vasopressin action in vivo. Transgenic mice with constitutive TUG proteolysis in muscle consumed much more water than wild-type control mice. The transgenic mice lost more body weight during water restriction, and the abundance of renal AQP2 water channels was reduced, implying that vasopressin activity is decreased. To compensate for accelerated vasopressin degradation, vasopressin secretion was increased, as assessed by the cosecreted protein copeptin. IRAP abundance was increased in T-tubule fractions of fasting transgenic mice, when compared with controls. Recombinant IRAP bound to TUG, and this interaction was mapped to a short peptide in IRAP that was previously shown to be critical for GLUT4 intracellular retention. In cultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes, IRAP was present in TUG-bound membranes and was released by insulin stimulation. Together with previous results, these data support a model in which TUG controls vesicle translocation by interacting with IRAP as well as GLUT4. Furthermore, the effect of IRAP to reduce vasopressin activity is a physiologically important consequence of vesicle translocation, which is coordinated with the stimulation of glucose uptake.

Extracellular vesicle sorting of α-Synuclein is regulated by sumoylation

Extracellular α-Synuclein has been implicated in interneuronal propagation of disease pathology in Parkinson's Disease. How α-Synuclein is released into the extracellular space is still unclear. Here, we show that α-Synuclein is present in extracellular vesicles in the central nervous system. We find that sorting of α-Synuclein in extracellular vesicles is regulated by sumoylation and that sumoylation acts as a sorting factor for targeting of both, cytosolic and transmembrane proteins, to extracellular vesicles. We provide evidence that the SUMO-dependent sorting utilizes the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) by interaction with phosphoinositols. Ubiquitination of cargo proteins is so far the only known determinant for ESCRT-dependent sorting into the extracellular vesicle pathway. Our study reveals a function of SUMO protein modification as a Ubiquitin-independent ESCRT sorting signal, regulating the extracellular vesicle release of α-Synuclein. We deciphered in detail the molecular mechanism which directs α-Synuclein into extracellular vesicles which is of highest relevance for the understanding of Parkinson's disease pathogenesis and progression at the molecular level. We furthermore propose that sumo-dependent sorting constitutes a mechanism with more general implications for cell biology.

Characterization of the loss of SUMO pathway function on cancer cells and tumor proliferation

SUMOylation is a post-translational ubiquitin-like protein modification pathway that regulates important cellular processes including chromosome structure, kinetochore function, chromosome segregation, nuclear and sub-nuclear organization, transcription and DNA damage repair. There is increasing evidence that the SUMO pathway is dysregulated in cancer, raising the possibility that modulation of this pathway may have therapeutic potential. To investigate the importance of the SUMO pathway in the context of cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth, we applied lentivirus-based short hairpin RNAs (shRNA) to knockdown SUMO pathway genes in human cancer cells. shRNAs for SAE2 and UBC9 reduced SUMO conjugation activity and inhibited proliferation of human cancer cells. To expand upon these observations, we generated doxycycline inducible conditional shRNA cell lines for SAE2 to achieve acute and reversible SAE2 knockdown. Conditional SAE2 knockdown in U2OS and HCT116 cells slowed cell growth in vitro, and SAE2 knockdown induced multiple terminal outcomes including apoptosis, endoreduplication and senescence. Multinucleated cells became senescent and stained positive for the senescence marker, SA-β Gal, and displayed elevated levels of p53 and p21. In an attempt to explain these phenotypes, we confirmed that loss of SUMO pathway activity leads to a loss of SUMOylated Topoisomerase IIα and the appearance of chromatin bridges which can impair proper cytokinesis and lead to multinucleation. Furthermore, knockdown of SAE2 induces disruption of PML nuclear bodies which may further promote apoptosis or senescence. In an in vivo HCT116 xenograft tumor model, conditional SAE2 knockdown strongly impaired tumor growth. These data demonstrate that the SUMO pathway is required for cancer cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo, implicating the SUMO pathway as a potential cancer therapeutic target.

Mechanisms of Autophagy

The formation of the autophagosome, a landmark event in autophagy, is accomplished by the concerted actions of Atg proteins. The initial step of starvation-induced autophagy in yeast is the assembly of the Atg1 complex, which, with the help of other Atg groups, recruits Atg conjugation systems and initiates the formation of the autophagosome. In this review, we describe from a structural-biological point of view the structure, interaction, and molecular roles of Atg proteins, especially those in the Atg1 complex and in the Atg conjugation systems.

SUMOylation and PARylation cooperate to recruit and stabilize SLX4 at DNA damage sites

SUMOylation plays important roles in the DNA damage response. However, whether it is important for interstrand crosslink repair remains unknown. We report that the SLX4 nuclease scaffold protein is regulated by SUMOylation. We have identified three SUMO interaction motifs (SIMs) in SLX4, mutating all of which abrogated the binding of SLX4 to SUMO-2 and covalent SLX4 SUMOylation. An SLX4 mutant lacking functional SIMs is not recruited to PML nuclear bodies nor stabilized at laser-induced DNA damage sites. Additionally, we elucidated a novel role for PARylation in the recruitment of SLX4 to sites of DNA damage. Combined, our results uncover how SLX4 is regulated by post-translational modifications.

Binding properties of SUMO-interacting motifs (SIMs) in yeast

Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) conjugation and interaction play an essential role in many cellular processes. A large number of yeast proteins is known to interact non-covalently with SUMO via short SUMO-interacting motifs (SIMs), but the structural details of this interaction are yet poorly characterized. In the present work, sequence analysis of a large dataset of 148 yeast SIMs revealed the existence of a hydrophobic core binding motif and a preference for acidic residues either within or adjacent to the core motif. Thus the sequence properties of yeast SIMs are highly similar to those described for human. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to investigate the binding preferences for four representative SIM peptides differing in the number and distribution of acidic residues. Furthermore, the relative stability of two previously observed alternative binding orientations (parallel, antiparallel) was assessed. For all SIMs investigated, the antiparallel binding mode remained stable in the simulations and the SIMs were tightly bound via their hydrophobic core residues supplemented by polar interactions of the acidic residues. In contrary, the stability of the parallel binding mode is more dependent on the sequence features of the SIM motif like the number and position of acidic residues or the presence of additional adjacent interaction motifs. This information should be helpful to enhance the prediction of SIMs and their binding properties in different organisms to facilitate the reconstruction of the SUMO interactome.

The E3 ubiquitin ligase parkin is recruited to the 26 S proteasome via the proteasomal ubiquitin receptor Rpn13

Mutations in the Park2 gene, encoding the RING-HECT hybrid E3 ubiquitin ligase parkin, are responsible for a common familial form of Parkinson disease. By mono- and polyubiquitinating target proteins, parkin regulates various cellular processes, including degradation of proteins within the 26 S proteasome, a large multimeric degradation machine. In our attempt to further elucidate the function of parkin, we have identified the proteasomal ubiquitin receptor Rpn13/ADRM1 as a parkin-interacting protein. We show that the N-terminal ubiquitin-like (Ubl) domain of parkin binds directly to the pleckstrin-like receptor for ubiquitin (Pru) domain within Rpn13. Using mutational analysis and NMR, we find that Pru binding involves the hydrophobic patch surrounding Ile-44 in the parkin Ubl, a region that is highly conserved between ubiquitin and Ubl domains. However, compared with ubiquitin, the parkin Ubl exhibits greater than 10-fold higher affinity for the Pru domain. Moreover, knockdown of Rpn13 in cells increases parkin levels and abrogates parkin recruitment to the 26 S proteasome, establishing Rpn13 as the major proteasomal receptor for parkin. In contrast, silencing Rpn13 did not impair parkin recruitment to mitochondria or parkin-mediated mitophagy upon carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone-induced mitochondrial depolarization. However, it did delay the clearance of mitochondrial proteins (TIM23, TIM44, and TOM20) and enhance parkin autoubiquitination. Taken together, these findings implicate Rpn13 in linking parkin to the 26 S proteasome and regulating the clearance of mitochondrial proteins during mitophagy.

Posttranslational modifications of lysine and evolving role in heart pathologies-recent developments

The alteration in proteome composition induced by environmental changes and various pathologies is accompanied by the modifications of proteins by specific cotranslational and PTMs. The type and site stoichiometry of PTMs can affect protein functions, alter cell signaling, and can have acute and chronic effects. The particular interest is drawn to those amino acid residues that can undergo several different PTMs. We hypothesize that these selected amino acid residues are biologically rare and act within the cell as molecular switches. There are, at least, 12 various lysine modifications currently known, several of them have been shown to be competitive and they influence the ability of a particular lysine to be modified by a different PTM. In this review, we discuss the PTMs that occur on lysine, specifically neddylation and sumoylation, and the proteomic approaches that can be applied for the identification and quantification of these PTMs. Of interest are the emerging roles for these modifications in heart disease and what can be inferred from work in other cell types and organs.

Identification of Posttranslational Modification-Dependent Protein Interactions Using Yeast Surface Displayed Human Proteome Libraries

The identification of proteins that interact specifically with posttranslational modifications such as phosphorylation is often necessary to understand cellular signaling pathways. Numerous methods for identifying proteins that interact with posttranslational modifications have been utilized, including affinity-based purification and analysis, protein microarrays, phage display, and tethered catalysis. Although these techniques have been used successfully, each has limitations. Recently, yeast surface-displayed human proteome libraries have been utilized to identify protein fragments with affinity for various target molecules, including phosphorylated peptides. When coupled with fluorescently activated cell sorting and high throughput methods for the analysis of selection outputs, yeast surface-displayed human proteome libraries can rapidly and efficiently identify protein fragments with affinity for any soluble ligand that can be fluorescently detected, including posttranslational modifications. In this review we compare the use of yeast surface display libraries to other methods for the identification of interactions between proteins and posttranslational modifications and discuss future applications of the technology.

Noncovalent interactions with SUMO and ubiquitin orchestrate distinct functions of the SLX4 complex in genome maintenance

SLX4, a coordinator of multiple DNA structure-specific endonucleases, is important for several DNA repair pathways. Noncovalent interactions of SLX4 with ubiquitin are required for localizing SLX4 to DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs), yet how SLX4 is targeted to other functional contexts remains unclear. Here, we show that SLX4 binds SUMO-2/3 chains via SUMO-interacting motifs (SIMs). The SIMs of SLX4 are dispensable for ICL repair but important for processing CPT-induced replication intermediates, suppressing fragile site instability, and localizing SLX4 to ALT telomeres. The localization of SLX4 to laser-induced DNA damage also requires the SIMs, as well as DNA end resection, UBC9, and MDC1. Furthermore, the SUMO binding of SLX4 enhances its interaction with specific DNA-damage sensors or telomere-binding proteins, including RPA, MRE11-RAD50-NBS1, and TRF2. Thus, the interactions of SLX4 with SUMO and ubiquitin increase its affinity for factors recognizing different DNA lesions or telomeres, helping to direct the SLX4 complex in distinct functional contexts.

Structural and functional characterization of the phosphorylation-dependent interaction between PML and SUMO1

PML and several other proteins localizing in PML-nuclear bodies (PML-NB) contain phosphoSIMs (SUMO-interacting motifs), and phosphorylation of this motif plays a key role in their interaction with SUMO family proteins. We examined the role that phosphorylation plays in the binding of the phosphoSIMs of PML and Daxx to SUMO1 at the atomic level. The crystal structures of SUMO1 bound to unphosphorylated and tetraphosphorylated PML-SIM peptides indicate that three phosphoserines directly contact specific positively charged residues of SUMO1. Surprisingly, the crystal structure of SUMO1 bound to a diphosphorylated Daxx-SIM peptide indicate that the hydrophobic residues of the phosphoSIM bind in a manner similar to that seen with PML, but important differences are observed when comparing the phosphorylated residues. Together, the results provide an atomic level description of how specific acetylation patterns within different SUMO family proteins can work together with phosphorylation of phosphoSIM's regions of target proteins to regulate binding specificity.

Sumoylation of p35 modulates p35/cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) 5 complex activity

Cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) 5 is critical for central nervous system development and neuron-specific functions including neurite outgrowth as well as synaptic function and plasticity. Cdk5 activity requires association with one of the two regulatory subunits, called p35 and p39. p35 redistribution as well as misregulation of Cdk5 activity is followed by cell death in several models of neurodegeneration. Posttranslational protein modification by small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) proteins (sumoylation) has emerged as key regulator of protein targeting and protein/protein interaction. Under cell-free in vitro conditions, we found p35 covalently modified by SUMO1. Using both biochemical and FRET-/FLIM-based approaches, we demonstrated that SUMO2 is robustly conjugated to p35 in cells and identified the two major SUMO acceptor lysines in p35, K246 and K290. Furthermore, different degrees of oxidative stress resulted in differential p35 sumoylation, linking oxidative stress that is encountered in neurodegenerative diseases to the altered activity of Cdk5. Functionally, sumoylation of p35 increased the activity of the p35/Cdk5 complex. We thus identified a novel neuronal SUMO target and show that sumoylation is a likely candidate mechanism for the rapid modulation of p35/Cdk5 activity in physiological situations as well as in disease.

Arabidopsis PIAL1 and 2 promote SUMO chain formation as E4-type SUMO ligases and are involved in stress responses and sulfur metabolism

The Arabidopsis thaliana genes PROTEIN INHIBITOR OF ACTIVATED STAT LIKE1 (PIAL1) and PIAL2 encode proteins with SP-RING domains, which occur in many ligases of the small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) conjugation pathway. We show that PIAL1 and PIAL2 function as SUMO ligases capable of SUMO chain formation and require the SUMO-modified SUMO-conjugating enzyme SCE1 for optimal activity. Mutant analysis indicates a role for PIAL1 and 2 in salt stress and osmotic stress responses, whereas under standard conditions, the mutants show close to normal growth. Mutations in PIAL1 and 2 also lead to altered sulfur metabolism. We propose that, together with SUMO chain binding ubiquitin ligases, these enzymes establish a pathway for proteolytic removal of sumoylation substrates.

SUMO proteomics to decipher the SUMO-modified proteome regulated by various diseases

Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO1-3) conjugation is a posttranslational protein modification whereby SUMOs are conjugated to lysine residues of target proteins. SUMO conjugation can alter the activity, stability, and function of target proteins, and thereby modulate almost all major cellular pathways. Many diseases are associated with SUMO conjugation, including heart failure, arthritis, cancer, degenerative diseases, and brain ischemia/stroke. It is, therefore, of major interest to characterize the SUMO-modified proteome regulated by these disorders. SUMO proteomics analysis is hampered by low levels of SUMOylated proteins. Several strategies have, therefore, been developed to enrich SUMOylated proteins from cell/tissue extracts. These include proteomics analysis on cells expressing epitope-tagged SUMO isoforms, use of monoclonal SUMO antibodies for immunoprecipitation and epitope-specific peptides for elution, and affinity purification with peptides containing SUMO interaction motifs to specifically enrich polySUMOylated proteins. Recently, two mouse models were generated and characterized that express tagged SUMO isoforms, and allow purification of SUMOylated proteins from complex organ extracts. Ultimately, these new analytical tools will help to decipher the SUMO-modified proteome regulated by various human diseases, and thereby, identify new targets for preventive and therapeutic purposes.

Neuronal SUMOylation: mechanisms, physiology, and roles in neuronal dysfunction

Protein SUMOylation is a critically important posttranslational protein modification that participates in nearly all aspects of cellular physiology. In the nearly 20 years since its discovery, SUMOylation has emerged as a major regulator of nuclear function, and more recently, it has become clear that SUMOylation has key roles in the regulation of protein trafficking and function outside of the nucleus. In neurons, SUMOylation participates in cellular processes ranging from neuronal differentiation and control of synapse formation to regulation of synaptic transmission and cell survival. It is a highly dynamic and usually transient modification that enhances or hinders interactions between proteins, and its consequences are extremely diverse. Hundreds of different proteins are SUMO substrates, and dysfunction of protein SUMOylation is implicated in a many different diseases. Here we briefly outline core aspects of the SUMO system and provide a detailed overview of the current understanding of the roles of SUMOylation in healthy and diseased neurons.