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Deng Q, Jiang H, Hu J, Pan R. Identification of Auxiliary Organellar Targeting Signals for Plant Peroxisomes Using Bioinformatic Analysis of Large Protein Sequence Datasets Followed by Experimental Validation. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2792:265-275. [PMID: 38861094 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3802-6_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Eukaryotic cells are compartmentalized by membrane-bounded organelles to ensure that specific biochemical reactions and cellular functions occur in a spatially restricted manner. The subcellular localization of proteins is largely determined by their intrinsic targeting signals, which are mainly constituted by short peptides. A complete organelle targeting signal may contain a core signal (CoreS) as well as auxiliary signals (AuxiS). However, the AuxiS is often not as well characterized as the CoreS. Peroxisomes house many key steps in photorespiration, besides other crucial functions in plants. Peroxisome targeting signal type 1 (PTS1), which is carried by most peroxisome matrix proteins, was initially recognized as a C-terminal tripeptide with a "canonical" consensus of [S/A]-[K/R]-[L/M]. Many studies have shown the existence of auxiliary targeting signals upstream of PTS1, but systematic characterizations are lacking. Here, we designed an analytical strategy to characterize the auxiliary targeting signals for plant peroxisomes using large datasets and statistics followed by experimental validations. This method may also be applied to deciphering the auxiliary targeting signals for other organelles, whose organellar targeting depends on a core peptide with assistance from a nearby auxiliary signal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianwen Deng
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology & ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhijiang Lab, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hangjin Jiang
- Center for Data Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianping Hu
- Michigan State University-Department of Energy Plant Research Laboratory and Plant Biology Department, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Ronghui Pan
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology & ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
- Zhijiang Lab, Hangzhou, China.
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Deng Q, Li H, Feng Y, Xu R, Li W, Zhu R, Akhter D, Shen X, Hu J, Jiang H, Pan R. Defining upstream enhancing and inhibiting sequence patterns for plant peroxisome targeting signal type 1 using large-scale in silico and in vivo analyses. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 111:567-582. [PMID: 35603488 PMCID: PMC9542071 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Peroxisomes are universal eukaryotic organelles essential to plants and animals. Most peroxisomal matrix proteins carry peroxisome targeting signal type 1 (PTS1), a C-terminal tripeptide. Studies from various kingdoms have revealed influences from sequence upstream of the tripeptide on peroxisome targeting, supporting the view that positive charges in the upstream region are the major enhancing elements. However, a systematic approach to better define the upstream elements influencing PTS1 targeting capability is needed. Here, we used protein sequences from 177 plant genomes to perform large-scale and in-depth analysis of the PTS1 domain, which includes the PTS1 tripeptide and upstream sequence elements. We identified and verified 12 low-frequency PTS1 tripeptides and revealed upstream enhancing and inhibiting sequence patterns for peroxisome targeting, which were subsequently validated in vivo. Follow-up analysis revealed that nonpolar and acidic residues have relatively strong enhancing and inhibiting effects, respectively, on peroxisome targeting. However, in contrast to the previous understanding, positive charges alone do not show the anticipated enhancing effect and that both the position and property of the residues within these patterns are important for peroxisome targeting. We further demonstrated that the three residues immediately upstream of the tripeptide are the core influencers, with a 'basic-nonpolar-basic' pattern serving as a strong and universal enhancing pattern for peroxisome targeting. These findings have significantly advanced our knowledge of the PTS1 domain in plants and likely other eukaryotic species as well. The principles and strategies employed in the present study may also be applied to deciphering auxiliary targeting signals for other organelles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianwen Deng
- College of Agriculture and BiotechnologyZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310058China
- ZJU‐Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation CenterZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310027China
| | - He Li
- Center for Data ScienceZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310058China
| | - Yanlei Feng
- ZJU‐Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation CenterZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310027China
| | - Ruonan Xu
- College of Agriculture and BiotechnologyZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310058China
| | - Weiran Li
- College of Agriculture and BiotechnologyZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310058China
| | - Rui Zhu
- College of Agriculture and BiotechnologyZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310058China
| | - Delara Akhter
- College of Agriculture and BiotechnologyZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310058China
- Department of Genetics and Plant BreedingSylhet Agricultural UniversitySylhet3100Bangladesh
| | - Xingxing Shen
- College of Agriculture and BiotechnologyZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310058China
| | - Jianping Hu
- Department of Energy Plant Research Laboratory and Plant Biology DepartmentMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichigan48824USA
| | - Hangjin Jiang
- Center for Data ScienceZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310058China
| | - Ronghui Pan
- College of Agriculture and BiotechnologyZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310058China
- ZJU‐Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation CenterZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310027China
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Abstract
This article focuses on drug targeting to specific cellular organelles for therapeutic purposes. Drugs can be delivered to all major organelles of the cell (cytosol, endosome/lysosome, nucleus, nucleolus, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, peroxisomes and proteasomes) where they exert specific effects in those particular subcellular compartments. Delivery can be achieved by chemical (e.g., polymeric) or biological (e.g., signal sequences) means. Unidirectional targeting to individual organelles has proven to be immensely successful for drug therapy. Newer technologies that accommodate multiple signals (e.g., protein switch and virus-like delivery systems) mimic nature and allow for a more sophisticated approach to drug delivery. Harnessing different methods of targeting multiple organelles in a cell will lead to better drug delivery and improvements in disease therapy.
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Gnanasambandam A, Anderson DJ, Mills E, Brumbley SM. Heterologous C-terminal signals effectively target fluorescent fusion proteins to leaf peroxisomes in diverse plant species. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2012; 169:830-833. [PMID: 22386008 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2012.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2011] [Revised: 12/06/2011] [Accepted: 01/11/2012] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Peroxisomes are functionally diverse organelles that are wholly dependent on import of nuclear-encoded proteins. The signals that direct proteins into these organelles are either found at the C-terminus (type 1 peroxisomal targeting signal; PTS1) or N-terminus (type 2 peroxisomal targeting signal; PTS2) of the protein. Based on a limited number of tests in heterologous systems, PTS1 signals appear to be conserved across species. To further test the generality of this conclusion and to establish the extent to which the PTS1 signals can be relied on for biotechnological purposes across species, we tested two PTS1 signals for their ability to target fluorescent proteins in diverse plant species. Transient assays following microprojectile bombardment showed that the six amino acid PTS1 sequence (RAVARL) from spinach glycolate oxidase effectively targets green fluorescent fusion protein to the leaf peroxisomes in all 20 crops tested, including four monocots (sugarcane, wheat, corn and onion) and 16 dicots (carrot, cucumber, broccoli, tomato, lettuce, turnip, radish, cauliflower, cabbage, capsicum, celery, tobacco, petunia, beetroot, eggplant and coriander). Similarly, results indicated that the 10 amino acid PTS1 sequence (IHHPRELSRL) from pumpkin malate synthase effectively targets red fluorescent fusion protein to the leaf peroxisomes in all four crops tested including monocot (sugarcane) and dicot (cabbage, celery and pumpkin) species. These signal sequences should be useful metabolic engineering tools to direct recombinant proteins to the leaf peroxisomes in diverse plant species of biotechnological interest.
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Lingner T, Kataya AR, Antonicelli GE, Benichou A, Nilssen K, Chen XY, Siemsen T, Morgenstern B, Meinicke P, Reumann S. Identification of novel plant peroxisomal targeting signals by a combination of machine learning methods and in vivo subcellular targeting analyses. THE PLANT CELL 2011; 23:1556-72. [PMID: 21487095 PMCID: PMC3101550 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.111.084095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2011] [Revised: 02/04/2011] [Accepted: 03/24/2011] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
In the postgenomic era, accurate prediction tools are essential for identification of the proteomes of cell organelles. Prediction methods have been developed for peroxisome-targeted proteins in animals and fungi but are missing specifically for plants. For development of a predictor for plant proteins carrying peroxisome targeting signals type 1 (PTS1), we assembled more than 2500 homologous plant sequences, mainly from EST databases. We applied a discriminative machine learning approach to derive two different prediction methods, both of which showed high prediction accuracy and recognized specific targeting-enhancing patterns in the regions upstream of the PTS1 tripeptides. Upon application of these methods to the Arabidopsis thaliana genome, 392 gene models were predicted to be peroxisome targeted. These predictions were extensively tested in vivo, resulting in a high experimental verification rate of Arabidopsis proteins previously not known to be peroxisomal. The prediction methods were able to correctly infer novel PTS1 tripeptides, which even included novel residues. Twenty-three newly predicted PTS1 tripeptides were experimentally confirmed, and a high variability of the plant PTS1 motif was discovered. These prediction methods will be instrumental in identifying low-abundance and stress-inducible peroxisomal proteins and defining the entire peroxisomal proteome of Arabidopsis and agronomically important crop plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Lingner
- Georg-August University of Goettingen, Institute for Microbiology, Department of Bioinformatics, D-37077 Goettingen, Germany
- Centre for Organelle Research, University of Stavanger, N-4021 Stavanger, Norway
| | - Amr R. Kataya
- Centre for Organelle Research, University of Stavanger, N-4021 Stavanger, Norway
| | - Gerardo E. Antonicelli
- Centre for Organelle Research, University of Stavanger, N-4021 Stavanger, Norway
- Georg-August-University of Goettingen, Department of Plant Biochemistry, D-37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Aline Benichou
- Centre for Organelle Research, University of Stavanger, N-4021 Stavanger, Norway
| | - Kjersti Nilssen
- Centre for Organelle Research, University of Stavanger, N-4021 Stavanger, Norway
| | - Xiong-Yan Chen
- Centre for Organelle Research, University of Stavanger, N-4021 Stavanger, Norway
| | - Tanja Siemsen
- Georg-August-University of Goettingen, Department of Plant Biochemistry, D-37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Burkhard Morgenstern
- Georg-August University of Goettingen, Institute for Microbiology, Department of Bioinformatics, D-37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Peter Meinicke
- Georg-August University of Goettingen, Institute for Microbiology, Department of Bioinformatics, D-37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Sigrun Reumann
- Centre for Organelle Research, University of Stavanger, N-4021 Stavanger, Norway
- Georg-August-University of Goettingen, Department of Plant Biochemistry, D-37077 Goettingen, Germany
- Address correspondence to
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Tilbrook K, Gnanasambandam A, Schenk PM, Brumbley SM. Efficient targeting of polyhydroxybutyrate biosynthetic enzymes to plant peroxisomes requires more than three amino acids in the carboxyl-terminal signal. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2010; 167:329-332. [PMID: 19879015 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2009.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2009] [Revised: 10/02/2009] [Accepted: 10/02/2009] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic engineering of plant peroxisomes for biotechnological purposes typically requires efficient peroxisomal targeting of heterologous proteins. Type I peroxisomal targeting signals (PTS1) consist of three uncleaved amino acids (SKL or a conserved variant) at the carboxyl terminus and direct nuclear-encoded proteins into the peroxisomes of eukaryotic cells. PTS1 fusion with a heterologous protein results in peroxisomal targeting of that protein, but the minimal length of PTS1 required for efficient targeting in plants is vague. Here, we determine short effective PTS1 sequences derived from plant peroxisomal proteins to target four heterologous proteins, namely the green fluorescent protein (GFP) and the three enzymes required for polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) production, PhaA, PhaB and PhaC, each fused to the C-terminus of GFP. Transient expression analysis in leaf cells of Saccharum sp. (sugarcane interspecific hybrids) indicated that a three amino acid (ARL) PTS1 effectively targeted only GFP and PhaB to peroxisomes. The same signal was not sufficient to target PhaA and only inefficiently targeted PhaC. An alternative, prototypic three amino acid (SKL) PTS1 was also insufficient to target PhaA and inefficient in targeting PhaC, whilst a six amino acid (RAVARL) PTS1 efficiently targeted both of these enzymes. This study highlights the need for more than a three amino acid PTS1 to target some heterologous proteins to plant peroxisomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberley Tilbrook
- The University of Queensland, School of Integrative biology, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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Ma C, Reumann S. Improved prediction of peroxisomal PTS1 proteins from genome sequences based on experimental subcellular targeting analyses as exemplified for protein kinases from Arabidopsis. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2008; 59:3767-79. [PMID: 18836189 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/ern221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Due to current experimental limitations in peroxisome proteome research, the identification of low-abundance regulatory proteins such as protein kinases largely relies on computational protein prediction. To test and improve the identification of regulatory proteins by such a prediction-based approach, the Arabidopsis genome was screened for genes that encode protein kinases with predicted type 1 or type 2 peroxisome targeting signals (PTS1 or PTS2). Upon transient expression in onion epidermal cells, the predicted PTS1 domains of four of the seven protein kinases re-directed the reporter protein, enhanced yellow green fluorescent (EYFP), to peroxisomes and were thus verified as functional PTS1 domains. The full-length fusions, however, remained cytosolic, suggesting that PTS1 exposure is induced by specific signals. To investigate why peroxisome targeting of three other kinases was incorrectly predicted and ultimately to improve the prediction algorithms, selected amino acid residues located upstream of PTS1 tripeptides were mutated and the effect on subcellular targeting of the reporter protein was analysed. Acidic residues in close proximity to major PTS1 tripeptides were demonstrated to inhibit protein targeting to plant peroxisomes even in the case of the prototypical PTS1 tripeptide SKL>, whereas basic residues function as essential auxiliary targeting elements in front of weak PTS1 tripeptides such as SHL>. The functional characterization of these inhibitory and essential enhancer-targeting elements allows their consideration in predictive algorithms to improve the prediction accuracy of PTS1 proteins from genome sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changle Ma
- Department of Plant Biochemistry, Georg-August-University of Goettingen, Albrecht-von-Haller-Institute for Plant Sciences, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, D-37077 Goettingen, Germany
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Lisenbee CS, Lingard MJ, Trelease RN. Arabidopsis peroxisomes possess functionally redundant membrane and matrix isoforms of monodehydroascorbate reductase. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2005; 43:900-14. [PMID: 16146528 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-313x.2005.02503.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The H2O2 byproduct of fatty acid catabolism in plant peroxisomes is removed in part by a membrane-associated antioxidant system that involves both an ascorbate peroxidase and a monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDAR). Despite descriptions of 32-kDa MDAR polypeptides in pea and castor peroxisomal membranes and cDNA sequences for several 'cytosolic' MDARs, the genetic and protein factors responsible for peroxisomal MDAR function have yet to be elucidated. Of the six MDAR polypeptides in the Arabidopsis proteome, named AtMDAR1 to AtMDAR6 in this study, 47-kDa AtMDAR1 and 54-kDa AtMDAR4 possess amino acid sequences that resemble matrix (PTS1) and membrane peroxisomal targeting signals, respectively. Epitope-tagged versions of these two MDARs and a pea 47-kDa MDAR (PsMDAR) sorted in vivo directly from the cytosol to peroxisomes in Arabidopsis and BY-2 suspension cells, whereas AtMDAR2 and AtMDAR3 accumulated in the cytosol. The PTS1-dependent sorting of AtMDAR1 and PsMDAR to peroxisomes was incomplete (inefficient?), but was improved for PsMDAR after changing its PTS1 sequence from -SKI to the canonical tripeptide -SKL. A C-terminal transmembrane domain and basic cluster of AtMDAR4 were necessary and sufficient for targeting directly to peroxisomes. MDAR activity in isolated Arabidopsis peroxisomes was distributed among both water-soluble matrix and KCl-insoluble membrane subfractions that contained respectively 47- and 54-kDa MDAR polypeptides. Notably, a 32-kDa MDAR was not identified. Combined with membrane association and topological orientation findings, these results indicate that ascorbate recycling in Arabidopsis (and probably other plant) peroxisomes is coordinated through functionally redundant MDARs that reside in the membrane and the matrix of the organelle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cayle S Lisenbee
- School of Life Sciences and Graduate Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology, PO Box 874501, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
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Lu Y, Wu YR, Han B. Anaerobic induction of isocitrate lyase and malate synthase in submerged rice seedlings indicates the important metabolic role of the glyoxylate cycle. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2005; 37:406-14. [PMID: 15944756 DOI: 10.1111/j.1745-7270.2005.00060.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The glyoxylate cycle is a modified form of the tricarboxylic acid cycle that converts C2 compounds into C4 dicarboxylic acids at plant developmental stages. By studying submerged rice seedlings, we revealed the activation of the glyoxylate cycle by identifying the increased transcripts of mRNAs of the genes of isocitrate lyase (ICL) and malate synthase (MS), two characteristic enzymes of the glyoxylate cycle. Northern blot analysis showed that ICL and MS were activated in the prolonged anaerobic environment. The activity assay of pyruvate decarboxylase and ICL in the submerged seedlings indicated an 8.8-fold and 3.5-fold increase over that in the unsubmerged seedlings, respectively. The activity assay of acetyl-coenzyme A synthetase in the submerged seedlings indicated a 3-fold increase over that in the unsubmerged seedlings, which is important for initiating acetate metabolism. Consequently, we concluded that the glyoxylate cycle was involved in acetate metabolism under anaerobic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Lu
- National Center for Gene Research, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200233, China
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