Characterization of the role of eIF4G in stimulating cap- and IRES-dependent translation in aplysia neurons

5'-UTR recruitment of the translation initiation factor eIF4GI or DAP5 drives cap-independent translation of a subset of human mRNAs

During unfavorable conditions (e.g. tumor hypoxia or viral infection), canonical, cap-dependent mRNA translation is suppressed in human cells. Nonetheless, a subset of physiologically important mRNAs (e.g. hypoxia-inducible factor 1α [HIF-1α], fibroblast growth factor 9 [FGF-9], and p53) is still translated by an unknown, cap-independent mechanism. Additionally, expression levels of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4GI (eIF4GI) and of its homolog, death-associated protein 5 (DAP5), are elevated. By examining the 5' UTRs of HIF-1α, FGF-9, and p53 mRNAs and using fluorescence anisotropy binding studies, luciferase reporter-based in vitro translation assays, and mutational analyses, we demonstrate here that eIF4GI and DAP5 specifically bind to the 5' UTRs of these cap-independently translated mRNAs. Surprisingly, we found that the eIF4E-binding domain of eIF4GI increases not only the binding affinity but also the selectivity among these mRNAs. We further demonstrate that the affinities of eIF4GI and DAP5 binding to these 5' UTRs correlate with the efficiency with which these factors drive cap-independent translation of these mRNAs. Integrating the results of our binding and translation assays, we conclude that eIF4GI or DAP5 is critical for recruitment of a specific subset of mRNAs to the ribosome, providing mechanistic insight into their cap-independent translation.

Transcriptional correlates of memory maintenance following long-term sensitization of Aplysia californica

We characterized the transcriptional response accompanying maintenance of long-term sensitization (LTS) memory in the pleural ganglia of Aplysia californica using microarray (N = 8) and qPCR (N = 11 additional samples). We found that 24 h after memory induction there is strong regulation of 1198 transcripts (748 up and 450 down) in a pattern that is almost completely distinct from what is observed during memory encoding (1 h after training). There is widespread up-regulation of transcripts related to all levels of protein production, from transcription (e.g., subunits of transcription initiation factors) to translation (e.g., subunits of eIF1, eIF2, eIF3, eIF4, eIF5, and eIF2B) to activation of components of the unfolded protein response (e.g., CREB3/Luman, BiP, AATF). In addition, there are widespread changes in transcripts related to cytoskeleton function, synaptic targeting, synaptic function, neurotransmitter regulation, and neuronal signaling. Many of the transcripts identified have previously been linked to memory and plasticity (e.g., Egr, menin, TOB1, IGF2 mRNA binding protein 1/ZBP-1), though the majority are novel and/or uncharacterized. Interestingly, there is regulation that could contribute to metaplasticity potentially opposing or even eroding LTS memory (down-regulation of adenylate cyclase and a putative serotonin receptor, up-regulation of FMRFa and a FMRFa receptor). This study reveals that maintenance of a "simple" nonassociative memory is accompanied by an astonishingly complex transcriptional response.

The Extracellular-Regulated Kinase Effector Lk6 is Required for Glutamate Receptor Localization at the Drosophila Neuromuscular Junction

The proper localization and synthesis of postsynaptic glutamate receptors are essential for synaptic plasticity. Synaptic translation initiation is thought to occur via the target of rapamycin (TOR) and mitogen-activated protein kinase signal-integrating kinase (Mnk) signaling pathways, which is downstream of extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK). We used the model glutamatergic synapse, the Drosophila neuromuscular junction, to better understand the roles of the Mnk and TOR signaling pathways in synapse development. These synapses contain non-NMDA receptors that are most similar to AMPA receptors. Our data show that Lk6, the Drosophila homolog of Mnk1 and Mnk2, is required in either presynaptic neurons or postsynaptic muscle for the proper localization of the GluRIIA glutamate receptor subunit. Lk6 may signal through eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF) 4E to regulate the synaptic levels of GluRIIA as either interfering with eIF4E binding to eIF4G or expression of a nonphosphorylatable isoform of eIF4E resulted in a significant reduction in GluRIIA at the synapse. We also find that Lk6 and TOR may independently regulate synaptic levels of GluRIIA.

Inhibition of Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase (MAPK)-interacting Kinase (MNK) Preferentially Affects Translation of mRNAs Containing Both a 5'-Terminal Cap and Hairpin

The MAPK-interacting kinases 1 and 2 (MNK1 and MNK2) are activated by extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) or p38 in response to cellular stress and extracellular stimuli that include growth factors, cytokines, and hormones. Modulation of MNK activity affects translation of mRNAs involved in the cell cycle, cancer progression, and cell survival. However, the mechanism by which MNK selectively affects translation of these mRNAs is not understood. MNK binds eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4G (eIF4G) and phosphorylates the cap-binding protein eIF4E. Using a cell-free translation system from rabbit reticulocytes programmed with mRNAs containing different 5'-ends, we show that an MNK inhibitor, CGP57380, affects translation of only those mRNAs that contain both a cap and a hairpin in the 5'-UTR. Similarly, a C-terminal fragment of human eIF4G-1, eIF4G(1357-1600), which prevents binding of MNK to intact eIF4G, reduces eIF4E phosphorylation and inhibits translation of only capped and hairpin-containing mRNAs. Analysis of proteins bound to m(7)GTP-Sepharose reveals that both CGP and eIF4G(1357-1600) decrease binding of eIF4E to eIF4G. These data suggest that MNK stimulates translation only of mRNAs containing both a cap and 5'-terminal RNA duplex via eIF4E phosphorylation, thereby enhancing the coupled cap-binding and RNA-unwinding activities of eIF4F.

Bidirectional regulation of eEF2 phosphorylation controls synaptic plasticity by decoding neuronal activity patterns

At the sensory-motor neuron synapse of Aplysia, either spaced or continuous (massed) exposure to serotonin (5-HT) induces a form of intermediate-term facilitation (ITF) that requires new protein synthesis but not gene transcription. However, spaced and massed ITF use distinct molecular mechanisms to maintain increased synaptic strength. Synapses activated by spaced applications of 5-HT generate an ITF that depends on persistent protein kinase A (PKA) activity, whereas an ITF produced by massed 5-HT depends on persistent protein kinase C (PKC) activity. In this study, we demonstrate that eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2), which catalyzes the GTP-dependent translocation of the ribosome during protein synthesis, acts as a biochemical sensor that is tuned to the pattern of neuronal stimulation. Specifically, we find that massed training leads to a PKC-dependent increase in phosphorylation of eEF2, whereas spaced training results in a PKA-dependent decrease in phosphorylation of eEF2. Importantly, by using either pharmacological or dominant-negative strategies to inhibit eEF2 kinase (eEF2K), we were able to block massed 5-HT-dependent increases in eEF2 phosphorylation and subsequent PKC-dependent ITF. In contrast, pharmacological inhibition of eEF2K during the longer period of time required for spaced training was sufficient to reduce eEF2 phosphorylation and induce ITF. Finally, we find that the massed 5-HT-dependent increase in synaptic strength requires translation elongation, but not translation initiation, whereas the spaced 5-HT-dependent increase in synaptic strength is partially dependent on translation initiation. Thus, bidirectional regulation of eEF2 is critical for decoding distinct activity patterns at synapses by activating distinct modes of translation regulation.