Identification of an Arabidopsis thaliana cDNA encoding a HSP70-related protein belonging to the HSP110/SSE1 subfamily

Sorghum bicolor SbHSP110 has an elongated shape and is able of protecting against aggregation and replacing human HSPH1/HSP110 in refolding and disaggregation assays

Perturbations in the native structure, often caused by stressing cellular conditions, not only impair protein function but also lead to the formation of aggregates, which can accumulate in the cell leading to harmful effects. Some organisms, such as plants, express the molecular chaperone HSP100 (homologous to HSP104 from yeast), which has the remarkable capacity to disaggregate and reactivate proteins. Recently, studies with animal cells, which lack a canonical HSP100, have identified the involvement of a distinct system composed of HSP70/HSP40 that needs the assistance of HSP110 to efficiently perform protein breakdown. As sessile plants experience stressful conditions more severe than those experienced by animals, we asked whether a plant HSP110 could also play a role in collaborating with HSP70/HSP40 in a system that increases the efficiency of disaggregation. Thus, the gene for a putative HSP110 from the cereal Sorghum bicolor was cloned and the protein, named SbHSP110, purified. For comparison purposes, human HsHSP110 (HSPH1/HSP105) was also purified and investigated in parallel. First, a combination of spectroscopic and hydrodynamic techniques was used for the characterization of the conformation and stability of recombinant SbHSP110, which was produced folded. Second, small-angle X-ray scattering and combined predictors of protein structure indicated that SbHSP110 and HsHSP110 have similar conformations. Then, the chaperone activities, which included protection against aggregation, refolding, and reactivation, were investigated, showing that SbHSP110 and HsHSP110 have similar functional activities. Altogether, the results add to the structure/function relationship study of HSP110s and support the hypothesis that plants have multiple strategies to act upon the reactivation of protein aggregates.

Nucleotide Exchange Factors for Hsp70 Molecular Chaperones: GrpE, Hsp110/Grp170, HspBP1/Sil1, and BAG Domain Proteins

Molecular chaperones of the Hsp70 family are key components of the cellular protein-folding machinery. Substrate folding is accomplished by iterative cycles of ATP binding, hydrolysis, and release. The ATPase activity of Hsp70 is regulated by two main classes of cochaperones: J-domain proteins stimulate ATPase hydrolysis by Hsp70, while nucleotide exchange factors (NEFs) facilitate the conversion from the ADP-bound to the ATP-bound state, thus closing the chaperone folding cycle. NEF function can additionally be antagonized by ADP dissociation inhibitors. Beginning with the discovery of the prototypical bacterial NEF, GrpE, a large diversity of nucleotide exchange factors for Hsp70 have been identified, connecting it to a multitude of cellular processes in the eukaryotic cell. Here we review recent advances toward structure and function of nucleotide exchange factors from the Hsp110/Grp170, HspBP1/Sil1, and BAG domain protein families and discuss how these cochaperones connect protein folding with cellular quality control and degradation pathways.

Unfolding the Role of Large Heat Shock Proteins: New Insights and Therapeutic Implications

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) of eukaryotes are evolutionarily conserved molecules present in all the major intracellular organelles. They mainly function as molecular chaperones and participate in maintenance of protein homeostasis in physiological state and under stressful conditions. Despite their relative abundance, the large HSPs, i.e., Hsp110 and glucose-regulated protein 170 (Grp170), have received less attention compared to other conventional HSPs. These proteins are distantly related to the Hsp70 and belong to Hsp70 superfamily. Increased sizes of Hsp110 and Grp170, due to the presence of a loop structure, result in their exceptional capability in binding to polypeptide substrates or non-protein ligands, such as pathogen-associated molecules. These interactions that occur in the extracellular environment during tissue injury or microbial infection may lead to amplification of an immune response engaging both innate and adaptive immune components. Here, we review the current advances in understanding these large HSPs as molecular chaperones in proteostasis control and immune modulation as well as their therapeutic implications in treatment of cancer and neurodegeneration. Given their unique immunoregulatory activities, we also discuss the emerging evidence of their potential involvement in inflammatory and immune-related diseases.

GrpE, Hsp110/Grp170, HspBP1/Sil1 and BAG domain proteins: nucleotide exchange factors for Hsp70 molecular chaperones

Molecular chaperones of the Hsp70 family are key components of the cellular protein folding machinery. Substrate folding is accomplished by iterative cycles of ATP binding, hydrolysis and release. The ATPase activity of Hsp70 is regulated by two main classes of cochaperones: J-domain proteins stimulate ATPase hydrolysis by Hsp70, while nucleotide exchange factors (NEF) facilitate its conversion from the ADP-bound to the ATP-bound state, thus closing the chaperone folding cycle. Beginning with the discovery of the prototypical bacterial NEF GrpE, a large diversity of Hsp70 nucleotide exchange factors has been identified, connecting Hsp70 to a multitude of cellular processes in the eukaryotic cell. Here we review recent advances towards structure and function of nucleotide exchange factors from the Hsp110/Grp170, HspBP1/Sil1 and BAG domain protein families and discuss how these cochaperones connect protein folding with quality control and degradation pathways.

AtHsp70-15-deficient Arabidopsis plants are characterized by reduced growth, a constitutive cytosolic protein response and enhanced resistance to TuMV

Arabidopsis thaliana contains 18 genes encoding Hsp70s. This heat shock protein superfamily is divided into two sub-families: DnaK and Hsp110/SSE. In order to functionally characterize members of the Hsp70 superfamily, loss-of-function mutants with reduced cytosolic Hsp70 expression were studied. AtHsp70-1 and AtHsp70-2 are constitutively expressed and represent the major cytosolic Hsp70 isoforms under ambient conditions. Analysis of single and double mutants did not reveal any difference compared to wild-type controls. In yeast, SSE protein has been shown to act as a nucleotide exchange factor, essential for Hsp70 function. To test whether members of the Hsp110/SSE sub-family serve essential functions in plants, two members of the sub-family, AtHsp70-14 and AtHsp70-15, were analysed. Both genes are highly homologous and constitutively expressed. Deficiency of AtHsp70-15 but not of AtHsp70-14 led to severe growth retardation. AtHsp70-15-deficient plants were smaller than wild-type and exhibited a slightly different leaf shape. Stomatal closure under ambient conditions and in response to ABA was impaired in the AtHsp70-15 transgenic plants, but ABA-dependent inhibition of germination was not affected. Heat treatment of AtHsp70-15-deficient plants resulted in drastically increased mortality, indicating that AtHsp70-15 plays an essential role during normal growth and in the heat response of Arabidopsis plants. AtHsp70-15-deficient plants are more tolerant to infection by turnip mosaic virus. Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed that AtHsp70-15-deficient plants display a constitutive stress response similar to the cytosolic protein response. Based on these results, AtHsp70-15 is likely to be a key factor in proper folding of cytosolic proteins, and may function as nucleotide exchange factor as proposed for yeast.

Hsp105alpha suppresses the aggregation of truncated androgen receptor with expanded CAG repeats and cell toxicity

Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by the expansion of a polyglutamine tract in the androgen receptor (AR). The N-terminal fragment of AR containing the expanded polyglutamine tract aggregates in cytoplasm and/or in nucleus and induces cell death. Some chaperones such as Hsp40 and Hsp70 have been identified as important regulators of polyglutamine aggregation and/or cell death in neuronal cells. Recently, Hsp105alpha, expressed at especially high levels in mammalian brain, has been shown to suppress apoptosis in neuronal cells and prevent the aggregation of protein caused by heat shock in vitro. However, its role in polyglutamine-mediated cell death and toxicity has not been studied. In the present study, we examined the effects of Hsp105alpha on the aggregation and cell toxicity caused by expansion of the polyglutamine tract using a cellular model of SBMA. The transient expression of truncated ARs (tARs) containing an expanded polyglutamine tract caused aggregates to form in COS-7 and SK-N-SH cells and concomitantly apoptosis in the cells with the nuclear aggregates. When Hsp105alpha was overexpressed with tAR97 in the cells, Hsp105alpha was colocalized to aggregates of tAR97, and the aggregation and cell toxicity caused by expansion of the polyglutamine tract were markedly reduced. Both beta-sheet and alpha-helix domains, but not the ATPase domain, of Hsp105alpha were necessary to suppress the formation of aggregates in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, Hsp105alpha was found to localize in nuclear inclusions formed by ARs containing an expanded polyglutamine tract in tissues of patients and transgenic mice with SBMA. These findings suggest that overexpression of Hsp105alpha suppresses cell death caused by expansion of the polyglutamine tract without chaperone activity, and the enhanced expression of the essential domains of Hsp105alpha in brain may provide an effective therapeutic approach for CAG repeat diseases.

Protein kinase CK2 phosphorylates Hsp105 alpha at Ser509 and modulates its function

The 105 kDa heat-shock protein (Hsp) Hsp105 alpha is a mammalian stress protein that belongs to the HSP105/HSP110 family. We have shown previously that Hsp105 alpha exists as non-phosphorylated and phosphorylated forms in vivo, and is phosphorylated by protein kinase CK2 (CK2) in vitro. In this study, to elucidate the role of phosphorylation of Hsp105 alpha, we first analysed the site of phosphorylation of Hsp105 alpha by CK2. Peptide mapping analysis of Hsp105 alpha phosphorylated by CK2 and in vitro phosphorylation experiments using various deletion and substitution mutants of Hsp105 alpha revealed that Hsp105 alpha is phosphorylated at Ser(509) in the beta-sheet domain. Furthermore, Ser(509) in Hsp105 alpha was also phosphorylated in mammalian COS-7 cells, although other sites were phosphorylated as well. Next, we examined the effects of phosphorylation of Hsp105 alpha on its functions using CK2-phosphorylated Hsp105 alpha. Interestingly, Hsp105 alpha suppressed 70 kDa heat-shock cognate protein (Hsc70)-mediated protein folding, whereas the phosphorylation of Hsp105 alpha at Ser(509) abolished the inhibitory activity of Hsp105 alpha in vitro. In accordance with these findings, wild-type Hsp105 alpha, which was thought to be phosphorylated in vivo, had no effect on Hsp70-mediated refolding of heat-denatured luciferase, whereas a non-phosphorylatable mutant of Hsp105 alpha suppressed the Hsp70-mediated refolding of heat-denatured luciferase in mammalian cells. Thus it was suggested that CK2 phosphorylates Hsp105 alpha at Ser(509) and modulates the function of Hsp105 alpha. The regulation of Hsp105 alpha function by phosphorylation may play an important role in a variety of cellular events.

The AtRbx1 protein is part of plant SCF complexes, and its down-regulation causes severe growth and developmental defects

Recently in yeast and animal cells, one particular class of ubiquitin ligase (E3), called the SCF, was demonstrated to regulate diverse processes including cell cycle and development. In plants SCF-dependent proteolysis is also involved in different developmental and hormonal regulations. To further investigate the function of SCF, we characterized at the molecular level the Arabidopsis RING-H2 finger protein AtRbx1. We demonstrated that the plant gene is able to functionally complement a yeast knockout mutant strain and showed that AtRbx1 protein interacts physically with at least two members of the Arabidopsis cullin family (AtCul1 and AtCul4). AtRbx1 also associates with AtCul1 and the Arabidopsis SKP1-related proteins in planta, indicating that it is part of plant SCF complexes. AtRbx1 mRNAs accumulate in various tissues of the plant, but at higher levels in tissues containing actively dividing cells. Finally to study the function of the gene in planta, we either overexpressed AtRbx1 or reduced its expression by a dsRNA strategy. Down-regulation of AtRbx1 impaired seedling growth and development, indicating that the gene is essential in plants. Furthermore, the AtRbx1-silenced plants showed a reduced level of AtCul1 protein, but accumulated higher level of cyclin D3.

Role of hsp105 in protection against stress-induced apoptosis in neuronal PC12 cells

hsp105alpha is a stress protein characteristically highly expressed in the brain compared with other tissues in mammals. Here, to examine whether hsp105alpha plays a pivotal role in the nervous system, we tested the capability of hsp105alpha to protect against apoptosis in rat neuronal PC12 cells. Various stress treatments such as serum deprivation, heat shock, hydrogen peroxide, etoposide, and actinomycin D induced apoptosis in PC12 cells with characteristic shrinking of nuclei and chromatin. However, PC12 cells that constitutively overexpressed mouse hsp105alpha exhibited a strong protective effect against apoptosis induced by these stress treatments. Cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase induced in PC12 cells by these treatments was inhibited in the constitutively overexpressed hsp105alpha cells. Furthermore, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) was activated in the cells treated with heat shock but not other treatments, and the heat-induced JNK activation was inhibited by the constitutive expression of hsp105alpha.Thus, hsp105alpha prevents not only heat-induced apoptosis by inhibiting JNK activation, but also prevents the apoptosis induced by other stressors through different pathways, and may play important roles in neuronal protection.

Genomic analysis of the Hsp70 superfamily in Arabidopsis thaliana

The Arabidopsis genome contains at least 18 genes encoding members of the 70-kilodalton heat shock protein (Hsp70) family, 14 in the DnaK subfamily and 4 in the Hsp110/SSE subfamily. While the Hsp70s are highly conserved, a phylogenetic analysis including all members of this family in Arabidopsis and in yeast indicates the homology of Hsp70s in the subgroups, such as those predicted to localize in the same subcellular compartment and those similar to the mammalian Hsp110 and Grp170. Gene structure and genome organization suggest duplication in the origin of some genes. The Arabidopsis hsp70s exhibit distinct expression profiles; representative genes of the subgroups are expressed at relatively high levels during specific developmental stages and under thermal stress.

Overexpression of DnaK from a halotolerant cyanobacterium Aphanothece halophytica enhances the high-temperatue tolerance of tobacco during germination and early growth

DnaK1 from a halotolerant cyanobacterium Aphanothece halophytica, was overexpressed in the cytosol of tobacco. When the control and transgenic tobacco seeds were incubated at 27 degrees C, more than 95% of the control and transgenic tobacco seeds germinated. However, at a high incubation temperature, 40 degrees C, only 27% of the control seeds germinated whereas 82% of the transgenic seeds germinated. High temperature treatment during the imbibition of seeds delayed germination more in the control plants than in the transformants although the maximum percentage of germination was similar in both plants. The quantum yields of electron transport and plant elongation were higher in the transformant during high temperature treatment in young seedlings, but similar in older leaves. DnaK1 was detected in small amounts in seeds and its levels increased during germination. These data indicate that the expression of DnaK1 from a halotolerant cyanobacterium A. halophytica improved the tolerance to high temperature during germination and early growth.

The hsp110 and Grp1 70 stress proteins: newly recognized relatives of the Hsp70s

Both the Grp170 and Hsp110 families represent relatively conserved and distinct sets of stress proteins, within a more diverse category that also includes the Hsp70s. All of these families are found in a wide variety of organisms from yeasts to humans. Although Hsp110s or Grp170s are not Hsp70s any more than Hsp70s are Hsp110s or Grp170s, it is still reasonable to refer to this combination of related families as the Hsp70 superfamily based on arguments discussed above and since no obvious prokaryotic Hsp110 or Grp170 has yet been identified. These proteins are related to their counterparts in the Hsp70/Grp78 family of eukaryotic stress proteins but are characterized by significantly larger molecular weights. The members of the Grp170 family are characterized by C-terminal ER retention sequences and are ER localized in yeasts and mammals. As a Grp, Grp170 is recognized to be coregulated with other major Grps by a well-known set of stress conditions, sometimes referred to as the unfolded protein response (Kozutsumi et al 1988; Nakaki et al 1989). The Hsp110 family members are localized in the nucleus and cytoplasm and, with other major Hsps, are also coregulated by a specific set of stress conditions, most notably including hyperthermic exposures. Hsp110 is sometimes called Hsp105, although it would be preferable to have a uniform term. The large Hsp70-like proteins are structurally similar to the Hsp70s but differ from them in important ways. In both the Grp170 and Hspl10 families, there is a long loop structure that is interposed between the peptide-binding ,-domain and the alpha-helical lid. In the Hsp110 family and Grp170, there are differing degrees of expansion in the alpha-helical domain and the addition of a C-terminal loop. This gives the appearance of much larger lid domains for Hsp110 and Grp170 compared with Hsp70. Both Hsp110 and Grp170 families have relatively conserved short sequences in the alpha-helical domain in the lid, which are conserved motifs in numerous proteins (we termed these motifs Magic and TedWylee as discussed earlier). The structural differences detailed in this review result in functional differences between the large (Grp170 and Hspl10) members of the Hsp70 superfamily, the most distinctive being an increased ability of these proteins to bind (hold) denatured polypeptides compared with Hsc70, perhaps related to the enlarged C-terminal helical domain. However, there is also a major difference between these large stress proteins; Hsp110 does not bind ATP in vitro, whereas Grp170 binds ATP avidly. The role of the Grp170 and Hsp110 stress proteins in cellular physiology is not well understood. Overexpression of Hsp110 in cultured mammalian cells increases thermal tolerance. Grp170 binds to secreted proteins in the ER and may be cooperatively involved in folding these proteins appropriately. These roles are similar to those of the Hsp70 family members, and, therefore, the question arises as to the differential roles played by the larger members of the superfamily. We have discussed evidence that the large members of the superfamily cooperate with members of the Hsp70 family, and these chaperones probably interact with a large number of chaperones and cochaperones in their functional activities. The fundamental point is that Hsp110 is found in conjunction with Hsp70 in the cytoplasm (and nucleus) and Grp170 is found in conjunction with78 in tha ER in every eucaryotic cell examined from yeast to humans. This would strongly argue that Hsp110 Grp170 exhibit functions in eucaryotes not effectively performed by Hsp70s or Grp78, respectively. Of interest in this respect is the observation that all Hsp110s loss of function or deletion mutants listed in the Drosophila deletion project database are lethal. The important task for the future is to determine the roles these conserved molecular chaperones play in normal and physiologically stressed cells.

Phosphorylation of the 105-kDa heat shock proteins, HSP105alpha and HSP105beta, by casein kinase II

The 105-kDa heat shock protein alpha (HSP105alpha) and HSP105beta are mammalian heat shock proteins that belong to the HSP105/HSP110 family. Both HSP105alpha and HSP105beta consist of acidic and basic isoforms. Here we report that the acidic isoforms are serine phosphorylated HSP105alpha or HSP105beta. Furthermore, using an in-gel kinase assay with HSP105alpha or HSP105beta as the substrate, the protein kinase that phosphorylates HSP105alpha and HSP105beta was identified as casein kinase II. Since phosphorylated HSP105alpha is especially prominent in the brain compared to other tissues of mice and rats, the phosphorylation of HSP105alpha by casein kinase II may be biologically significant.

Characterization of native interaction of hsp110 with hsp25 and hsc70

The 110 kDa heat shock protein (HSP) (hsp110) has been shown to be a diverged subgroup of the hsp70 family and is one of the major HSPs in mammalian cells [1,2]. In examining the native interactions of hsp110, we observed that it is found to reside in a large molecular complex. Immunoblot analysis and co-immunoprecipitation studies identified two other HSPs as components of this complex, hsc70 and hsp25. When examined in vitro, purified hsp25, hsp70 and hsp110 were observed to spontaneously form a large complex and to directly interact with one another. When luciferase was added to this in vitro system, it was observed to migrate into this chaperone complex following heat shock. Examination of two deletion mutants of hsp110 demonstrated that its peptide-binding domain is required for interaction with hsp25, but not with hsc70. The potential function of the hsp110-hsc70-hsp25 complex is discussed.

The yeast Hsp110 family member, Sse1, is an Hsp90 cochaperone

In eukaryotes, production of the diverse repertoire of molecular chaperones during normal growth and in response to stress is governed by the heat shock transcription factor HSF. The HSC82 and HSP82 genes, encoding isoforms of the yeast Hsp90 molecular chaperone, were recently identified as targets of the HSF carboxyl-terminal activation domain (CTA), whose expression is required for cell cycle progression during prolonged heat stress conditions. In the present study, we have identified additional target genes of the HSF CTA, which include nearly all of the heat shock-inducible members of the Hsp90 chaperone complex, demonstrating coordinate regulation of these components by HSF. Heat shock induction of SSE1, encoding a member of the Hsp110 family of heat shock proteins, was also dependent on the HSF CTA. Disruption of SSE1 along with STI1, encoding an established subunit of the Hsp90 chaperone complex, resulted in a severe synthetic growth phenotype. Sse1 associated with partially purified Hsp90 complexes and deletion of the SSE1 gene rendered cells susceptible to the Hsp90 inhibitors macbecin and geldanamycin, suggesting functional interaction between Sse1 and Hsp90. Sse1 is required for function of the glucocorticoid receptor, a model substrate of the Hsp90 chaperone machinery, and Hsp90-based repression of HSF under nonstress conditions. Taken together, these data establish Sse1 as an integral new component of the Hsp90 chaperone complex in yeast.

Cloning of human cDNAs for Apg-1 and Apg-2, members of the Hsp110 family, and chromosomal assignment of their genes

In mice, the Hsp110/SSE family is composed of the heat shock protein (Hsp)110/105, Apg-1 and Apg-2. In humans, however, only the Hsp110/105 homolog has been identified as a member, and two cDNAs, Hsp70RY and HS24/p52, potentially encoding proteins structurally similar to, but smaller than, mouse Apg-2 have been reported. To clarify the membership of Hsp110 family in humans, we isolated Apg-1 and Apg-2 cDNAs from a human testis cDNA library. The human Apg-1 was 100% and 91.8% identical in length and amino acid (aa) sequence, respectively, to mouse Apg-1. Human Apg-2 was one aa shorter than and 95.5% identical in sequence to mouse Apg-2. In ECV304, human endothelial cells Apg-1 but not Apg-2 transcripts were induced in 2 h by a temperature shift from 32 degrees C to 39 degrees C. As found in mice, the response was stronger than that to a 37-42 degrees C shift. The human Apg-1 and Apg-2 genes were mapped to the chromosomal loci 4q28 and 5q23.3-q31.1, respectively, by fluorescence in-situ hybridization. We isolated cDNA and genomic clones encompassing the region critical for the difference between Apg-2 and HS24/p52. Although the primer sets used were derived from the sequences common to both cDNAs, all cDNA and genomic clones corresponded to Apg-2. Using a similar approach, the relationship between Apg-2 and Hsp70RY was assessed, and no clone corresponding to Hsp70RY was obtained. These results demonstrated that the Hsp110 family consists of at least three members, Apg-1, Apg-2 and Hsp110 in humans as well as in mice. The significance of HS24/p52 and Hsp70RY cDNAs previously reported remains to be determined.

The chaperoning activity of hsp110. Identification of functional domains by use of targeted deletions

hsp110 is one of major heat shock proteins of eukaryotic cells and is a diverged relative of the hsp70 family. It has been previously shown that hsp110 maintains heat-denatured luciferase in a soluble, folding competent state and also confers cellular heat resistance in vivo. In the present study the functional domains of hsp110 that are responsible for its chaperoning activity are identified by targeted deletion mutagenesis using the DnaK structure as the model. The chaperoning activity of mutants is assessed based on their ability to solubilize heat-denatured luciferase as well as to refold luciferase in the presence of rabbit reticulocyte lysate. It is shown that these functions require only an internal region of hsp110 that includes the predicted peptide binding domain and two immediately adjacent C-terminal domains. It is also shown that although hsp110 binds ATP, binding can be blocked by its C-terminal region.

Genomic cloning and promoter analysis of the mouse 105-kDa heat shock protein (HSP105) gene

The 105-kDa heat shock protein (HSP105) is a member of the high-molecular-mass heat shock protein family. We have isolated and characterized the mouse HSP105 gene including about 1.2 kb of the 5'-flanking region. The mouse HSP105 gene spans about 22 kb, consisting of 18 exons separated by 17 introns. Southern blotting analysis revealed the existence of a single copy of HSP105. Primer extension analysis revealed that the transcription initiation site was located 165 bp upstream of the ATG translation initiation codon. The 5'-promoter region of the HSP105 gene contained a TATA box, a CAAT box, an inverted CAAT box, and two GC boxes. Two heat shock element (HSE) sequences were found as four nGAAn repeats at nt -64 and nt -128. Promoter analysis using deletion derivatives revealed that a minimal region which contained the two consensus HSE sequences was active in response to heat shock and also for constitutive expression of the gene.

Molecular cloning, expression and localization of human 105 kDa heat shock protein, hsp105

We have shown that the 105 kDa heat shock protein (hsp105alpha) and hsp105beta (42 degreesC-specific heat shock protein) constitute high molecular mass (HMM) heat shock proteins (HSPs) in mouse cells. However, since HMM HSPs have not been identified in human cells, we screened a cDNA library constructed with poly(A)+ RNA derived from heat-shocked human HeLa cells using mouse hsp105alpha cDNA. Two full-length cDNA clones were obtained: the pBH105-1 insert encoded an 858-amino-acid protein, and the pBH105-2 insert encoded an 814-amino-acid protein which lacked 44 amino acids from pBH105-1. The deduced amino acid sequences of pBH105-1 and pBH105-2 inserts were highly homologous to mouse hsp105alpha (96%) and hamster hsp110 (92%), and to mouse hsp105beta (93%), respectively. The transcript of pBH105-1 was induced by various stresses in HeLa cells, but the transcript of pBH105-2 was only induced during heat shock at 42 degreesC. These results indicated that pBH105-1 and pBH105-2 encoded human hsp105alpha and hsp105beta, respectively. Furthermore, a rabbit antibody was raised against recombinant human hsp105alpha, and immunofluorescence study also confirmed that hsp105 was present in the cytoplasm but was not found in the nucleoli of mammalian cells under both nonstressed and stressed conditions.

Association of HSP105 with HSC70 in high molecular mass complexes in mouse FM3A cells

The 105-kDa stress proteins HSP105alpha and HSP105beta belong to a high molecular mass heat shock protein family which has been found in organisms from yeast to mammals. Here we demonstrated the interaction of HSP105 with HSP70 family proteins in mouse FM3A cells. The association of HSP105 with HSC70 was shown by immunoprecipitation using anti-HSP105 antibody. Furthermore, when cell extracts or partially purified HSP105 fractions from nonstressed or heat-shocked cells were analyzed by size exclusion chromatography, density gradient centrifugation or cross-linking, HSP105 was detected as HSP105/HSC70 complexes with molecular masses of approximately 300-500-kDa, 160-kDa or 200-kDa, respectively. Since the 160-200-kDa complexes must be HSP105/HSC70 heterodimers, the 300-500-kDa complexes seemed to consist of HSP105/HSC70 heterotetramers possibly with other proteins. Our finding that HSP105 is complexed with HSC70 suggests that HSP105 may function cooperatively with HSC70, that HSP105 regulates the function of HSC70 or that HSC70 reversibly regulates the function of HSP105 in cells under both nonstressed and stressed conditions.

Induction of Apg-1, a member of the heat shock protein 110 family, following transient forebrain ischemia in the rat brain

Apg-1 (Osp94) and apg-2 belong to the heat shock protein (hsp) 110 family. In mouse somatic cells the apg-1 and hsp105/110 transcripts are inducible by a 32 degrees C to 39 degrees C heat shock, while apg-2 is not heat-inducible. Since ischemia is known to induce expression of hsp70, its effect on expression of apg-1 was assessed by using the 20-min forebrain ischemia model of the rat. In the cerebral cortex, Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization histochemistry demonstrated an increased expression in neuronal cells of apg-1 transcripts 3 h after the onset of reperfusion, with a peak at 12 h, followed by a decline. In the hippocampus, the level was increased at 3 h, remained constant until 24 h, and then declined. Transcript levels of apg-2 as well as hsp 105 were also increased under the present conditions, indicating that the expression of apg-2 was differentially regulated in response to heat and ischemic stresses. The induction kinetics of hsp 105, but neither apg-2 nor hsp 70, were identical to those of apg-1. These results demonstrated that brain ischemia/reperfusion induced expression of each member of the hsp 110 family, although the regulatory mechanisms may not be the same. They also suggest a significant role of apg-1 in both the ischemic- and heat-stress responses and in the normal functioning of the non-stressed neuronal cells.

Characterization of an 88-kDa heat shock protein of Neurospora crassa that interacts with Hsp30

The small heat shock protein of Neurospora crassa, Hsp30, when employed in affinity chromatography, bound two cellular proteins that were identified as Hsp70 and Hsp88. Both Hsp70 and Hsp88 bound to Hsp30 in preference to other proteins, but binding of Hsp88 was more selective for Hsp30, and a direct interaction was observed. Transcripts for Hsp88, a newly characterized protein, are present at normal temperature, but they are strongly induced by heat shock. Its cDNA sequence predicts a protein with homology to mammalian Hsp110 family proteins, which are distantly related to Hsp70. Hsp88 and its homologues show greater similarity to Hsp70 in its N-terminal ATPase domain than in the C-terminal peptide-binding domain, and its ATP-binding motifs are conserved. Nevertheless, the N-terminal domain of Hsp88 (and related proteins) is consistently more hydrophobic and more basic than that of Hsp70 proteins. Within the C-terminal domain, the sequence corresponding to the DnaK alpha subdomain is conserved in the Hsp88/Hsp110 family proteins, whereas the DnaK beta subdomain sequence is not conserved. The interaction between Hsp70 and Hsp30 may reflect their cooperation as cochaperones for denatured proteins, whereas Hsp88 and Hsp30 may form a complex that interacts with potential substrates.

Isolation of a novel heat shock protein 70-like gene, pss1+ of Schizosaccharomyces pombe homologous to hsp110/SSE subfamily

A novel heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) gene, pss1+, of fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe (S. pombe), has been isolated as a multicopy suppressor of a synthetic lethal mutant of ras1+, which shows severe retardation of growth and aggregation phenotype when the ras1 gene function is absent. The pss1+ gene functionally complements the growth defect of the mutant. Sequence analysis revealed that pss1+ encodes an open reading frame (ORF) of 730amino acids that is homologous to the HSP70 family proteins. The Pss1 has high homology to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) heat shock protein Sse1p/Msi3p (43% identity) that belongs to the HSP110/SSE subfamily of HSP70. The consensus nucleotide sequence of the heat shock element (HSE) was found in the upstream region of pss1+ gene. The transcript level of pss1+ was moderately abundant during steady-state growth at 25 degrees C and increased a few-fold upon shifting to 42 degrees C. Furthermore, transcription of pss1+ increased in nitrogen-starved conditions. Disruption of the pss1+ gene confers a temperature-sensitive growth phenotype and unexpectedly causes the increase in thermotolerance in S. pombe.

Hsp110 protects heat-denatured proteins and confers cellular thermoresistance

The 110-kDa heat shock protein (hsp110) has long been recognized as one of the primary heat shock proteins in mammalian cells. It belongs to a recently described protein family that is a significantly diverged subgroup of the hsp70 family and has been found in organisms as diverse as yeast and mammals. We describe here the first analysis of the ability of hsp110 to protect cellular and molecular targets from heat damage. It was observed that the overexpression in vivo of hsp110 conferred substantial heat resistance to both Rat-1 and HeLa cells. In vitro heat denaturation and refolding assays demonstrate that hsp110 is highly efficient in selectively recognizing denatured proteins and maintaining them in a soluble, folding-competent state and is significantly more efficient in performing this function than is hsc70. hsp110-bound proteins can then be refolded by the addition of rabbit reticulocyte lysate or hsc70 and Hdj-1, whereas Hdj-1 does not itself function as a co-chaperone in folding with hsp110. hsp110 is one of the principal molecular chaperones of mammalian cells and represents a newly identified component of the primary protection/repair pathway for denatured proteins and thermotolerance expression in vivo.