Preliminary characterization of a structural defect in homozygous sickled cell alpha spectrin demonstrated by a rabbit autoantibody

The Spectrinome: The Interactome of a Scaffold Protein Creating Nuclear and Cytoplasmic Connectivity and Function

We provide a review of Spectrin isoform function in the cytoplasm, the nucleus, the cell surface, and in intracellular signaling. We then discuss the importance of Spectrin’s E2/E3 chimeric ubiquitin conjugating and ligating activity in maintaining cellular homeostasis. Finally we present spectrin isoform subunit specific human diseases. We have created the Spectrinome, from the Human Proteome, Human Reactome and Human Atlas data and demonstrated how it can be a useful tool in visualizing and understanding spectrins myriad of cellular functions.

Impact statement

Spectrin was for the first 12 years after its discovery thought to be found only in erythrocytes. In 1981, Goodman and colleagues1found that spectrin-like molecules were ubiquitously found in non-erythroid cells leading to a great multitude of publications over the next thirty eight years. The discovery of multiple spectrin isoforms found associated with every cellular compartment, and representing 2-3% of cellular protein, has brought us to today’s understanding that spectrin is a scaffolding protein, with its own E2/E3 chimeric ubiquitin conjugating ligating activity that is involved in virtually every cellular function. We cover the history, localized functions of spectrin isoforms, human diseases caused by mutations, and provide the spectrinome: a useful tool for understanding the myriad of functions for one of the most important proteins in all eukaryotic cells.

Spectrin's chimeric E2/E3 enzymatic activity

In this minireview, we cover the discovery of the human erythrocyte α spectrin E2/E3 ubiquitin conjugating/ligating enzymatic activity and the specific cysteines involved. We then discuss the consequences when this activity is partially inhibited in sickle cell disease and the possibility that the same attenuation is occurring in multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. We finish by discussing the reasons for believing that nonerythroid α spectrin isoforms (I and II) also have this activity and the importance of testing this hypothesis. If correct, this would suggest that the nonerythroid spectrin isoforms play a major role in protein ubiquitination in all cell types. This would open new fields in experimental biology focused on uncovering the impact that this enzymatic activity has upon protein-protein interactions, protein turnover, cellular signaling, and many other functions impacted by spectrin, including DNA repair.

The proteomics and interactomics of human erythrocytes

In this minireview, we focus on advances in our knowledge of the human erythrocyte proteome and interactome that have occurred since our seminal review on the topic published in 2007. As will be explained, the number of unique proteins has grown from 751 in 2007 to 2289 as of today. We describe how proteomics and interactomics tools have been used to probe critical protein changes in disorders impacting the blood. The primary example used is the work done on sickle cell disease where biomarkers of severity have been identified, protein changes in the erythrocyte membranes identified, pharmacoproteomic impact of hydroxyurea studied and interactomics used to identify erythrocyte protein changes that are predicted to have the greatest impact on protein interaction networks.

Spectrin's E2/E3 ubiquitin conjugating/ligating activity is diminished in sickle cells

Erythrocyte spectrin contains E2/E3 ubiquitin conjugating/ligating activity in its alpha subunit. Ankyrin is a target of spectrin's E2/E3 ubiquitin conjugating/ligating activity in vitro and in vivo. We compare the ubiquitination levels of ankyrin mediated by control and sickle cell spectrin using a biotinylated ubiquitin cell-free assay. Sickle cell spectrin has diminished ability to transfer ubiquitin from an intermediate spectrin-ubiquitin thioester adduct (alpha' spectrin) to ankyrin, which may be due to glutathiolation of spectrin's E2 and/or E3 active site cysteines. There is also a diminished ability of the sickle cell ankyrin to serve as target of spectrin's E2/E3 activity, probably due to oxidative damage to ankyrin. A direct correlation exists between the alpha'/alpha spectrin ratio and spectrin's ability to ubiquitinate ankyrin. There is also an inverse correlation between severity of the disease and the alpha'/alpha spectrin ratio in SS erythrocytes. These results suggest that reduced spectrin E2/E3 activity is an important determinant of sickle cell severity.

Ubiquitination of red blood cell alpha-spectrin does not affect heterodimer formation

Erythrocyte alpha-spectrin is ubiquitinated in repeats alpha20/alpha21, which also represents the nucleation site for contact with the beta subunit which leads to heterodimer formation by a zippering mechanism. In this study we have determined the second-order rate constant for association of ubiquitinated alpha'-spectrin, nonubiquitinated alpha-spectrin, and beta-spectrin into the alpha'beta or alphabeta heterodimer. The rate constant for incorporation of monomers into heterodimers at 37 degrees C were (5.181 +/- 0.001) x 10(5) M(-1) sec(-1) for total alpha-spectrin (alpha + alpha'), (5.121 +/- 0.001) x 10(5) M(-1) sec(-1) for alpha'-spectrin, and (5.178 +/- 0.003) x 10(5) M(-1) sec(-1) for beta-spectrin. We conclude that ubiquitination of alpha-spectrin does not regulate heterodimer formation.

Erythrocyte spectrin is an E2 ubiquitin conjugating enzyme

The involvement of red blood cell spectrin in the ubiquitination process was studied. Spectrin was found to form two ubiquitin-associated derivatives, a DTT-sensitive ubiquitin adduct and a DTT-insensitive conjugate, characteristic intermediate and final products of the ubiquitination reaction cascade. In addition to spectrin and ubiquitin, ubiquitin-activating enzyme (E1) and ATP were necessary and sufficient to form both the spectrin-ubiquitin adduct and conjugate. No exogenous ubiquitin-conjugating (E2) or ligase (E3) activities were required, suggesting that erythrocyte spectrin is an E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme able to target itself. Both ubiquitin adduct and conjugate were linked to the alpha subunit of spectrin, suggesting that the ubiquitin-conjugating (UBC) domain and its target regions reside on the same subunit.