Evolution of SUMO Function and Chain Formation in Insects

E2 Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzymes Regulates Dengue Virus-2 Replication in Aedes albopictus

Aedes albopictus, a major vector of dengue virus (DENV), has a global distribution. Identifying the key components of the ubiquitin system of A. albopictus essential for the replication of viruses could help identify targets for developing broad-spectrum antiviral strategies. This study explores the interaction between E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (Ubc9) and DENV-2 proteins (NS1, NS5, and E) using cell culture and mosquito models. The replication of DENV-2 and the knockdown efficiency of the Ubc9 gene were assessed through reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The DENV-2-related protein expression was evaluated via Western blot analysis. The interaction between Ubc9 and DENV E and NS5 proteins was investigated through confocal immunofluorescence and co-immunoprecipitation. RNA interference technology was employed to silence Ubc9 expression in C6/36 cells and in A. albopictus mosquitoes. The expression level of Ubc9 in the DENV-2-infected group was 3.5-fold higher than that in the control group. The Ubc9 gene expression in the midgut tissue of the mosquito was significantly upregulated. Transfection of C6/36 and BHK-21 cells with the pAc5.1b-EGFP-Ubc9-HA vector led to the overexpression of Ubc9, which decreased the transcription levels of DENV E and NS1, NS5 proteins. The difference was statistically significant (F = 24.27, p < 0.01). The expression levels of DENV NS5 and E proteins significantly decreased after infection with DENV-2, suggesting that the depletion of Ubc9 may limit the replication of DENV-2. Ubc9 regulates DENV-2 replication through SUMOylation in the cells and A. albopictus, potentially affecting vector competence and DENV transmission. This is the first study to demonstrate that the Ubc9 of A. albopictus plays a significant role in regulating the replication of DENV in both mosquito cells and the mosquito itself. The study results may prove useful in designing appropriate therapeutic approaches for dengue and associated complications.

Chigno/CG11180 and SUMO are Chinmo-interacting proteins with a role in Drosophila testes somatic support cells

Stem cells are critical for replenishment of cells lost to death, damage or differentiation. Drosophila testes are a key model system for elucidating mechanisms regulating stem cell maintenance and differentiation. An intriguing gene identified through such studies is the transcription factor, chronologically inappropriate morphogenesis (Chinmo). Chinmo is a downstream effector of the Jak-STAT signaling pathway that acts in testis somatic stem cells to ensure maintenance of male stem cell fate and sexual identity. Defects in these processes can lead to infertility and the formation of germ cell tumors. While Chinmo's effect on testis stem cell behavior has been investigated in detail, there is still much to be learned about its structure, function, and interactions with other proteins. Using a two-hybrid screen, we find that Chinmo interacts with itself, the small ubiquitin-like modifier SUMO, the novel protein CG11180, and four other proteins (CG4318, Ova (ovaries absent), Taf3 (TBP-associated factor 3), and CG18269). Since both Chinmo and CG11180 contain sumoylation sites and SUMO-interacting motifs (SIMs), we analyzed their interaction in more detail. Using site-directed mutagenesis of a unique SIM in CG11180, we demonstrate that Chinmo's interaction with CG11180 is SUMO-dependent. Furthermore, to assess the functional relevance of both SUMO and CG11180, we performed RNAi-mediated knockdown of both proteins in somatic cells of the Drosophila testis. Using this approach, we find that CG11180 and SUMO are required in somatic cells of adult testes, and that reduction of either protein causes formation of germ cell tumors. Overall, our work suggests that SUMO may be involved in the interaction of Chinmo and CG11180 and that these genes are required in somatic cells of the adult Drosophila testis. Consistent with the CG11180 knockdown phenotype in male testes, and to underscore its connection to Chinmo, we propose the name Chigno (Childless Gambino) for CG11180.

Pervasive SUMOylation of heterochromatin and piRNA pathway proteins

Genome regulation involves complex protein interactions that are often mediated through post-translational modifications (PTMs). SUMOylation-modification by the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO)-has been implicated in numerous essential processes in eukaryotes. In Drosophila, SUMO is required for viability and fertility, with its depletion from ovaries leading to heterochromatin loss and ectopic transposon and gene activation. Here, we developed a proteomics-based strategy to uncover the Drosophila ovarian "SUMOylome," which revealed that SUMOylation is widespread among proteins involved in heterochromatin regulation and different aspects of the Piwi-interacting small RNA (piRNA) pathway that represses transposons. Furthermore, we show that SUMOylation of several piRNA pathway proteins occurs in a Piwi-dependent manner. Together, these data highlight broad implications of protein SUMOylation in epigenetic regulation and indicate novel roles of this modification in the cellular defense against genomic parasites. Finally, this work provides a resource for the study of SUMOylation in other biological contexts in the Drosophila model.

SUMO and PIAS repress NF-κB activation in a basal chordate

Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) regulates various biological processes, including the MyD88/TICAMs-IRAKs-TRAF6-NF-κB pathway, one of the core immune pathways. However, its functions are inconsistent between invertebrates and vertebrates and have rarely been investigated in lower chordates, including amphioxus and fishes. Here, we investigated the SUMOylation gene system in the amphioxus, a living basal chordate. We found that amphioxus has a SUMOylation system that has a complete set of genes and preserves several ancestral traits. We proceeded to study their molecular functions using the mammal cell lines. Both amphioxus SUMO1 and SUMO2 were shown to be able to attach to NF-κB Rel and to inhibit NF-κB activation by 50-75% in a dose-dependent fashion. The inhibition by SUMO2 could be further enhanced by the addition of the SUMO E2 ligase UBC9. In comparison, while human SUMO2 inhibited RelA, human SUMO1 slightly activated RelA. We also showed that, similar to human PIAS1-4, amphioxus PIAS could serve as a SUMO E3 ligase and promote its self-SUMOylation. This suggests that amphioxus PIAS is functionally compatible in human cells. Moreover, we showed that amphioxus PIAS is not only able to inhibit NF-κB activation induced by MyD88, TICAM-like, TRAF6 and IRAK4 but also able to suppress NF-κB Rel completely in the presence of SUMO1/2 in a dose-insensitive manner. This suggests that PIAS could effectively block Rel by promoting Rel SUMOylation. In comparison, in humans, only PIAS3, but not PIAS1/2/4, has been reported to promote NF-κB SUMOylation. Taken together, the findings from amphioxus, together with those from mammals and other species, not only offer insights into the functional volatility of the animal SUMO system, but also shed light on its evolutionary transitions from amphioxus to fish, and ultimately to humans.

SUMO Proteomics Analyses Identify Protein Inhibitor of Activated STAT-Mediated Regulatory Networks Involved in Cell Cycle and Cell Proliferation

Protein inhibitor of activated STAT (PIAS) proteins are E3 SUMO ligases playing important roles in protein stability and signaling transduction pathways. PIAS proteins are overexpressed in the triple-negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231, and PIAS knockout (KO) results in a reduction in cell proliferation and cell arrest in the S phase. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying PIAS functions in cell proliferation and cell cycle remain largely unknown. Here, we used quantitative SUMO proteomics to explore the regulatory role of PIAS SUMO E3 ligases upon CRISPR/Cas9 KO of individual PIAS. A total of 1422 sites were identified, and around 10% of SUMO sites were regulated following KO of one or more PIAS genes. We identified protein substrates that were either specific to individual PIAS ligase or regulated by several PIAS ligases. Ki-67 and TOP2A, which are involved in cell proliferation and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, are SUMOylated at several lysine residues by all PIAS ligases, suggesting a level of redundancy between these proteins. Confocal microscopy and biochemical experiments revealed that SUMOylation regulated TOP2A protein stability, while this modification is involved in the recruitment of Ki-67 nucleolar proteins containing the SUMO interacting motif. These results provide novel insights into both the redundant and specific regulatory mechanisms of cell proliferation and cell cycle mediated by PIAS SUMO E3 ligases.

SUMOylation Is Essential for Dengue Virus Replication and Transmission in the Mosquito Aedes aegypti

Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) is a reversible post-translational protein modifier. Protein SUMOylation regulates a wide variety of cellular processes and is important for controlling virus replication. Earlier studies suggest that dengue virus envelope protein interacts with Ubc9, the sole E2-conjugating enzyme required for protein SUMOylation in mammalian cells. However, little is known about the effect of protein SUMOylation on dengue virus replication in the major dengue vector, Aedes aegypti. Thus, in this study, we investigated the impact of protein SUMOylation on dengue virus replication in A. aegypti. The transcription of A. aegypti Ubc9 was significantly increased in the midgut after a normal blood meal. Silencing AaUbc9 resulted in significant inhibition of dengue virus NS1 protein production, viral genome transcription, and reduced viral titer in the mosquito saliva. In addition, we showed that dengue virus E proteins and prM proteins were SUMOylated post-infection. The amino acid residues K51 and K241 of dengue virus E protein were essential for protein SUMOylation. Taken together, our results reveal that protein SUMOylation contributes to dengue virus replication and transmission in the mosquito A. aegypti. This study introduces the possibility that protein SUMOylation is beneficial for virus replication and facilitates virus transmission from the mosquito.

SUMOylation of Jun fine-tunes the Drosophila gut immune response

Post-translational modification by the small ubiquitin-like modifier, SUMO can modulate the activity of its conjugated proteins in a plethora of cellular contexts. The effect of SUMO conjugation of proteins during an immune response is poorly understood in Drosophila. We have previously identified that the transcription factor Jra, the Drosophila Jun ortholog and a member of the AP-1 complex is one such SUMO target. Here, we find that Jra is a regulator of the Pseudomonas entomophila induced gut immune gene regulatory network, modulating the expression of a few thousand genes, as measured by quantitative RNA sequencing. Decrease in Jra in gut enterocytes is protective, suggesting that reduction of Jra signaling favors the host over the pathogen. In Jra, lysines 29 and 190 are SUMO conjugation targets, with the Jra^K29R+K190R double mutant being SUMO conjugation resistant (SCR). Interestingly, a Jra^SCR fly line, generated by CRISPR/Cas9 based genome editing, is more sensitive to infection, with adults showing a weakened host response and increased proliferation of Pseudomonas. Transcriptome analysis of the guts of Jra^SCR and Jra^WT flies suggests that lack of SUMOylation of Jra significantly changes core elements of the immune gene regulatory network, which include antimicrobial agents, secreted ligands, feedback regulators, and transcription factors. Mechanistically, SUMOylation attenuates Jra activity, with the TFs, forkhead, anterior open, activating transcription factor 3 and the master immune regulator Relish being important transcriptional targets. Our study implicates Jra as a major immune regulator, with dynamic SUMO conjugation/deconjugation of Jra modulating the kinetics of the gut immune response.

The intestine has a resident population of commensal microorganisms against which the immune machinery is tuned to show low or no reactivity. In contrast, when pathogenic microorganisms are ingested, the gut responds by activating signaling cascades that lead to the killing and clearance of the pathogen. In this study, we examine the role played by the well-known transcription factor Jun in regulating the immune response in the Drosophila gut. We find that loss of Jun leads to the change in intensity and kinetics of the gut immune transcriptome. The transcriptional profile indicates a stronger response when Jun activity is reduced. Also, animals infected with Pseudomonas entomophila live longer when Jun signaling is reduced. Further, we find that Jun is post-translationally modified on Lys29 and Lys190 by SUMO. To understand the effect of SUMO-conjugation of Jun, we create by state-of-the-art CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing a Drosophila line where Jun is resistant to SUMOylation. This line is more sensitive to infection, with a weaker host-defense response. Our data suggest that Jun Signaling favors the pathogen by dampening the immune response. SUMO conjugation of Jun reverses the dampening and strengthens the immune response in favor of the host. Dynamic SUMOylation of Jun thus fine-tunes the gut immune response to pathogens.

Influence of Sox protein SUMOylation on neural development and regeneration

SRY-related HMG-box (Sox) transcription factors are known to regulate central nervous system development and are involved in several neurological diseases. Post-translational modification of Sox proteins is known to alter their functions in the central nervous system. Among the different types of post-translational modification, small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) modification of Sox proteins has been shown to modify their transcriptional activity. Here, we review the mechanisms of three Sox proteins in neuronal development and disease, along with their transcriptional changes under SUMOylation. Across three species, lysine is the conserved residue for SUMOylation. In Drosophila, SUMOylation of SoxN plays a repressive role in transcriptional activity, which impairs central nervous system development. However, deSUMOylation of SoxE and Sox11 plays neuroprotective roles, which promote neural crest precursor formation in Xenopus and retinal ganglion cell differentiation as well as axon regeneration in the rodent. We further discuss a potential translational therapy by SUMO site modification using AAV gene transduction and Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-Cas9 technology. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of Sox SUMOylation, especially in the rodent system, may provide a therapeutic strategy to address issues associated with neuronal development and neurodegeneration.

SUMO paralogue-specific functions revealed through systematic analysis of human knockout cell lines and gene expression data

The small ubiquitin-related modifiers (SUMOs) regulate nearly every aspect of cellular function, from gene expression in the nucleus to ion transport at the plasma membrane. In humans, the SUMO pathway has five SUMO paralogues with sequence homologies that range from 45% to 97%. SUMO1 and SUMO2 are the most distantly related paralogues and also the best studied. To what extent SUMO1, SUMO2, and the other paralogues impart unique and nonredundant effects on cellular functions, however, has not been systematically examined and is therefore not fully understood. For instance, knockout studies in mice have revealed conflicting requirements for the paralogues during development and studies in cell culture have relied largely on transient paralogue overexpression or knockdown. To address the existing gap in understanding, we first analyzed SUMO paralogue gene expression levels in normal human tissues and found unique patterns of SUMO1–3 expression across 30 tissue types, suggesting paralogue-specific functions in adult human tissues. To systematically identify and characterize unique and nonredundant functions of the SUMO paralogues in human cells, we next used CRISPR-Cas9 to knock out SUMO1 and SUMO2 expression in osteosarcoma (U2OS) cells. Analysis of these knockout cell lines revealed essential functions for SUMO1 and SUMO2 in regulating cellular morphology, promyelocytic leukemia (PML) nuclear body structure, responses to proteotoxic and genotoxic stress, and control of gene expression. Collectively, our findings reveal nonredundant regulatory roles for SUMO1 and SUMO2 in controlling essential cellular processes and provide a basis for more precise SUMO-targeting therapies.

SUMO and Transcriptional Regulation: The Lessons of Large-Scale Proteomic, Modifomic and Genomic Studies

One major role of the eukaryotic peptidic post-translational modifier SUMO in the cell is transcriptional control. This occurs via modification of virtually all classes of transcriptional actors, which include transcription factors, transcriptional coregulators, diverse chromatin components, as well as Pol I-, Pol II- and Pol III transcriptional machineries and their regulators. For many years, the role of SUMOylation has essentially been studied on individual proteins, or small groups of proteins, principally dealing with Pol II-mediated transcription. This provided only a fragmentary view of how SUMOylation controls transcription. The recent advent of large-scale proteomic, modifomic and genomic studies has however considerably refined our perception of the part played by SUMO in gene expression control. We review here these developments and the new concepts they are at the origin of, together with the limitations of our knowledge. How they illuminate the SUMO-dependent transcriptional mechanisms that have been characterized thus far and how they impact our view of SUMO-dependent chromatin organization are also considered.

The SUMOylation pathway suppresses arbovirus replication in Aedes aegypti cells

Mosquitoes are responsible for the transmission of many clinically important arboviruses that cause significant levels of annual mortality and socioeconomic health burden worldwide. Deciphering the mechanisms by which mosquitoes modulate arbovirus infection is crucial to understand how viral-host interactions promote vector transmission and human disease. SUMOylation is a post-translational modification that leads to the covalent attachment of the Small Ubiquitin-like MOdifier (SUMO) protein to host factors, which in turn can modulate their stability, interaction networks, sub-cellular localisation, and biochemical function. While the SUMOylation pathway is known to play a key role in the regulation of host immune defences to virus infection in humans, the importance of this pathway during arbovirus infection in mosquito vectors, such as Aedes aegypti (Ae. aegypti), remains unknown. Here we characterise the sequence, structure, biochemical properties, and tissue-specific expression profiles of component proteins of the Ae. aegypti SUMOylation pathway. We demonstrate significant biochemical differences between Ae. aegypti and Homo sapiens SUMOylation pathways and identify cell-type specific patterns of SUMO expression in Ae. aegypti tissues known to support arbovirus replication. Importantly, depletion of core SUMOylation effector proteins (SUMO, Ubc9 and PIAS) in Ae. aegypti cells led to enhanced levels of arbovirus replication from three different families; Zika (Flaviviridae), Semliki Forest (Togaviridae), and Bunyamwera (Bunyaviridae) viruses. Our findings identify an important role for mosquito SUMOylation in the cellular restriction of arboviruses that may directly influence vector competence and transmission of clinically important arboviruses.

Half the world’s population is at risk of infection from arboviruses transmitted by mosquitoes. Deciphering the viral-host interactions that influence the outcome of arbovirus infection in mosquitoes is beneficial to the development of future vector control strategies to limit arbovirus transmission and viral emergence within the human population. Similar to humans, mosquitoes possess different immune pathways to limit the replication of arboviruses. While the Small Ubiquitin-like MOdifier (SUMO) pathway is known to play an important role in the regulation of immune defences to viral infection in humans, the influence of this pathway during arbovirus infection in mosquito cells is currently unknown. Here we define the conservation, biochemical activity, and tissue distribution of the core effector proteins of the Aedes aegypti SUMOylation pathway. We show that the mosquito SUMOylation pathway plays a broadly antiviral role against a wide range of clinically important arboviruses, including Zika, Semliki Forest, and Bunyamwera viruses. Our findings identify SUMOylation as an important component of the antiviral response to arbovirus infection in mosquito cells.

Towards reconstructing the dipteran demise of an ancient essential gene: E3 ubiquitin ligase Murine double minute

Genome studies have uncovered many examples of essential gene loss, raising the question of how ancient genes transition from essentiality to dispensability. We explored this process for the deeply conserved E3 ubiquitin ligase Murine double minute (Mdm), which is lacking in Drosophila despite the conservation of its main regulatory target, the cellular stress response gene p53. Conducting gene expression and knockdown experiments in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, we found evidence that Mdm has remained essential in insects where it is present. Using bioinformatics approaches, we confirm the absence of the Mdm gene family in Drosophila, mapping its loss to the stem lineage of schizophoran Diptera and Pipunculidae (big-headed flies), about 95-85 million years ago. Intriguingly, this gene loss event was preceded by the de novo origin of the gene Companion of reaper (Corp), a novel p53 regulatory factor that is characterized by functional similarities to vertebrate Mdm2 despite lacking E3 ubiquitin ligase protein domains. Speaking against a 1:1 compensatory gene gain/loss scenario, however, we found that hoverflies (Syrphidae) and pointed-wing flies (Lonchopteridae) possess both Mdm and Corp. This implies that the two p53 regulators have been coexisting for ~ 150 million years in select dipteran clades and for at least 50 million years in the lineage to Schizophora and Pipunculidae. Given these extensive time spans of Mdm/Corp coexistence, we speculate that the loss of Mdm in the lineage to Drosophila involved further acquisitions of compensatory gene activities besides the emergence of Corp. Combined with the previously noted reduction of an ancestral P53 contact domain in the Mdm homologs of crustaceans and insects, we conclude that the loss of the ancient Mdm gene family in flies was the outcome of incremental functional regression over long macroevolutionary time scales.

SUMOylation in the control of cholesterol homeostasis

SUMOylation—protein modification by the small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO)—affects several cellular processes by modulating the activity, stability, interactions or subcellular localization of a variety of substrates. SUMO modification is involved in most cellular processes required for the maintenance of metabolic homeostasis. Cholesterol is one of the main lipids required to preserve the correct cellular function, contributing to the composition of the plasma membrane and participating in transmembrane receptor signalling. Besides these functions, cholesterol is required for the synthesis of steroid hormones, bile acids, oxysterols and vitamin D. Cholesterol levels need to be tightly regulated: in excess, it is toxic to the cell, and the disruption of its homeostasis is associated with various disorders like atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. This review focuses on the role of SUMO in the regulation of proteins involved in the metabolism of cholesterol.

SUMO conjugation regulates immune signalling

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are critical drivers and attenuators for proteins that regulate immune signalling cascades in host defence. In this review, we explore functional roles for one such PTM, the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO). Very few of the SUMO conjugation targets identified by proteomic studies have been validated in terms of their roles in host defence. Here, we compare and contrast potential SUMO substrate proteins in immune signalling for flies and mammals, with an emphasis on NFκB pathways. We discuss, using the few mechanistic studies that exist for validated targets, the effect of SUMO conjugation on signalling and also explore current molecular models that explain regulation by SUMO. We also discuss in detail roles of evolutionary conservation of mechanisms, SUMO interaction motifs, crosstalk of SUMO with other PTMs, emerging concepts such as group SUMOylation and finally, the potentially transforming roles for genome-editing technologies in studying the effect of PTMs.

Sex-specific changes in the aphid DNA methylation landscape

Aphids present an ideal system to study epigenetics as they can produce diverse, but genetically identical, morphs in response to environmental stimuli. Here, using whole genome bisulphite sequencing and transcriptome sequencing of the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae), we present the first detailed analysis of cytosine methylation in an aphid and investigate differences in the methylation and transcriptional landscapes of male and asexual female morphs. We found that methylation primarily occurs in a CG dinucleotide (CpG) context and that exons are highly enriched for methylated CpGs, particularly at the 3' end of genes. Methylation is positively associated with gene expression, and methylated genes are more stably expressed than unmethylated genes. Male and asexual female morphs have distinct methylation profiles. Strikingly, these profiles are divergent between the sex chromosome and the autosomes; autosomal genes are hypomethylated in males compared to asexual females, whereas genes belonging to the sex chromosome, which is haploid in males, are hypermethylated. Overall, we found correlated changes in methylation and gene expression between males and asexual females, and this correlation was particularly strong for genes located on the sex chromosome. Our results suggest that differential methylation of sex-biased genes plays a role in aphid sexual differentiation.

Targeting SUMO Modification of the Non-Structural Protein 5 of Zika Virus as a Host-Targeting Antiviral Strategy

Post-translational modifications of host or viral proteins are key strategies exploited by viruses to support virus replication and counteract host immune response. SUMOylation is a post-translational modification process mediated by a family of ubiquitin-like proteins called small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) proteins. Multiple sequence alignment of 78 representative flaviviruses showed that most (72/78, 92.3%) have a putative SUMO-interacting motif (SIM) at their non-structural 5 (NS5) protein’s N-terminal domain. The putative SIM was highly conserved among 414 pre-epidemic and epidemic Zika virus (ZIKV) strains, with all of them having a putative SIM core amino acid sequence of VIDL (327/414, 79.0%) or VVDL (87/414, 21.0%). Molecular docking predicted that the hydrophobic SIM core residues bind to the β2 strand of the SUMO-1 protein, and the acidic residues flanking the core strengthen the binding through interactions with the basic surface of the SUMO protein. The SUMO inhibitor 2-D08 significantly reduced replication of flaviviruses and protected cells against ZIKV-induced cytopathic effects in vitro. A SIM-mutated ZIKV NS5 failed to efficiently suppress type I interferon signaling. Overall, these findings may suggest SUMO modification of the viral NS5 protein to be an evolutionarily conserved post-translational modification process among flaviviruses to enhance virus replication and suppress host antiviral response.

Comparative genomic analysis of SET domain family reveals the origin, expansion, and putative function of the arthropod-specific SmydA genes as histone modifiers in insects

The SET domain is an evolutionarily conserved motif present in histone lysine methyltransferases, which are important in the regulation of chromatin and gene expression in animals. In this study, we searched for SET domain–containing genes (SET genes) in all of the 147 arthropod genomes sequenced at the time of carrying out this experiment to understand the evolutionary history by which SET domains have evolved in insects. Phylogenetic and ancestral state reconstruction analysis revealed an arthropod-specific SET gene family, named SmydA, that is ancestral to arthropod animals and specifically diversified during insect evolution. Considering that pseudogenization is the most probable fate of the new emerging gene copies, we provided experimental and evolutionary evidence to demonstrate their essential functions. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis and in vitro methyltransferase activity assays showed that the SmydA-2 gene was transcriptionally active and retained the original histone methylation activity. Expression knockdown by RNA interference significantly increased mortality, implying that the SmydA genes may be essential for insect survival. We further showed predominantly strong purifying selection on the SmydA gene family and a potential association between the regulation of gene expression and insect phenotypic plasticity by transcriptome analysis. Overall, these data suggest that the SmydA gene family retains essential functions that may possibly define novel regulatory pathways in insects. This work provides insights into the roles of lineage-specific domain duplication in insect evolution.

Concepts and Methodologies to Study Protein SUMOylation: An Overview

Protein modification by the small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) was simultaneously discovered by several groups at the middle of the 1990s. Although distinct names were proposed including Sentrin, GMP1, PIC1, or SMT3, SUMO became the most popular. Early studies on the functions of SUMOylation focused on activities in the nucleus, including transcription activation, chromatin structure, and DNA repair. However, it is now recognized that SUMOylation affects a large diversity of cellular processes both in the nucleus and the cytoplasm and functions of SUMOylation appear to have undefined limits. SUMO-conjugating enzymes and specific proteases actively regulate the modification status of target proteins. The recent discoveries of ubiquitin-SUMO hybrid chains, multiple SUMO-interacting motifs, and macromolecular complexes regulated by SUMOylation underscore the high complexity of this dynamic reversible system. New conceptual frameworks suggested by these findings have motivated the development of new methodologies to study pre- and post-SUMOylation events in vitro and in vivo, using distinct model organisms. Here we summarize some of the new developments and methodologies in the field, particularly those that will be further elaborated on in the chapters integrating this book.

A high throughput mutagenic analysis of yeast sumo structure and function

Sumoylation regulates a wide range of essential cellular functions through diverse mechanisms that remain to be fully understood. Using S. cerevisiae, a model organism with a single essential SUMO gene (SMT3), we developed a library of >250 mutant strains with single or multiple amino acid substitutions of surface or core residues in the Smt3 protein. By screening this library using plate-based assays, we have generated a comprehensive structure-function based map of Smt3, revealing essential amino acid residues and residues critical for function under a variety of genotoxic and proteotoxic stress conditions. Functionally important residues mapped to surfaces affecting Smt3 precursor processing and deconjugation from protein substrates, covalent conjugation to protein substrates, and non-covalent interactions with E3 ligases and downstream effector proteins containing SUMO-interacting motifs. Lysine residues potentially involved in formation of polymeric chains were also investigated, revealing critical roles for polymeric chains, but redundancy in specific chain linkages. Collectively, our findings provide important insights into the molecular basis of signaling through sumoylation. Moreover, the library of Smt3 mutants represents a valuable resource for further exploring the functions of sumoylation in cellular stress response and other SUMO-dependent pathways.

Ongoing resolution of duplicate gene functions shapes the diversification of a metabolic network

The evolutionary mechanisms leading to duplicate gene retention are well understood, but the long-term impacts of paralog differentiation on the regulation of metabolism remain underappreciated. Here we experimentally dissect the functions of two pairs of ancient paralogs of the GALactose sugar utilization network in two yeast species. We show that the Saccharomyces uvarum network is more active, even as over-induction is prevented by a second co-repressor that the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae lacks. Surprisingly, removal of this repression system leads to a strong growth arrest, likely due to overly rapid galactose catabolism and metabolic overload. Alternative sugars, such as fructose, circumvent metabolic control systems and exacerbate this phenotype. We further show that S. cerevisiae experiences homologous metabolic constraints that are subtler due to how the paralogs have diversified. These results show how the functional differentiation of paralogs continues to shape regulatory network architectures and metabolic strategies long after initial preservation.

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.