25 - Signaling to the Nucleus & Nuclear Hormone Receptor Signaling Flashcards
What is the difference between signaling through nuclear receptors (as opposed to cell surface receptors)?
Nuclear receptors do not go through cytoplasmic factors (no intermediates)
What are the different types of tyrosine kinases?
RTKs, and nRTKs
What does nRTK stand for?
Non-receptor tyrosine kinase
What is the structure of an RTK?
Membrane-spawning proteins with an extracellular binding site
What is the structure of an nRTK?
Cytosolic proteins, usually coupled to transmembrane proteins
What are the substrates of RTKs?
Growth factors and hormones
What are the substrates of nRTKs?
Other proteins (protein-protein interactions)
How does an nRTK get activated?
When an associated receptor binds to a cytokine
Where are nRTKs found?
Associated to other receptors at their intracellular domain
What happens to nRTKs when its associated receptor binds to a cytokine?
They phosphorylate each other and the receptor
What is the purpose of nRTK phosphorylation?
It recruits other cytoplasmic factors to send the signal to the nucleus
True or false: the cytokine receptor has kinase activity
False: the associated nRTKs have kinase activity, not the receptor
What type of protein is JAK?
An nRTK
What molecules does JAK recruit?
STAT molecules
What happens when STAT molecules are recruited by JAK?
They get phosphorylated and dimerize
What happens when STAT molecules are phosphorylated and dimerized?
They move to the nucleus to act as transcription factors
What does the cytokine do to the cytokine receptor?
It brings the beta subunits close together to allow for JAK phosphorylation
What does JAK stand for?
Janus kinase
What does STAT stand for?
Signal transducer and activator of transcription
What does JAK phosphorylate?
Other JAKs, the receptor, and STATs
When do STATs get phosphorylated?
After docking on the pTyr sytes
How do STATs dimerize?
Via their SH2 domains
What do STATs do in the nucleus?
They bind to DNA to activate gene transcription
What determines the specific cytokine response element generated by the cell?
The different JAK, STAT, and receptor specificity
Why does STAT dissociate from the receptor and dimerize?
The amino acid sequences surrounding the pTyr on the receptor are less favored than the amino acid sequences surrounding the pTyr on STAT
What is the structure of JAK?
It has a kinase domain and a pseudokinase domain
What is a kinase domain (on JAK)?
The domain that can phosphorylate tyrosines
What is a pseudokinase domain (on JAK)?
The domain that is catalytically inactive, but has regulatory function
What is the J1 domain in JAK?
The kinase domain
What is the J2 domain in JAK?
The pseudokinase domain
What is the function of J1 in JAK?
Phosphorylate tyrosines
What is the function of J2 in JAK?
Regulate the activity of JAK
What is the hallmark of JAK kinases?
The combination of a kinase and pseudokinase domain next to each other
What defines the cellular response to cytokines and other growth factors?
The different combinations of receptors, JAKs, and STATs present in the cell
True or false: STAT molecules can only form dimers
False: they can also form trimers
What processes (3) utilize JAK signaling?
Hematopoiesis, cell proliferation, and immune function
What do receptor serine/threonine kinases do?
Activate transcription factors directly at the receptor
What is an example of a serine/threonine kinase?
TGF-beta receptor
What type of molecule is the TGF-beta receptor?
A serine/threonine kinase
What does TGF-beta stand for?
Transforming growth factor beta
What types of activities do serine/threonine kinases mediate?
Pleotropic activities (varied)
What are some functions (4) of serine/threonine kinases?
- Inhibit proliferation
- Induce ECM synthesis
- Bone formation
- Embryonic development (dorsal-ventral specification)
What are growth factors?
Proteins that play important roles in regulating cell differentiation, division, and movement
What do activating mutations of growth factor receptors commonly lead to?
Cancers
What does TGF-beta do?
Exerts anti-proliferative effects on target cells
True or false: TGF-beta plays widespread roles in only vertebrate development
False: it is also important in invertebrate development
What happens if there is a loss of TGF-beta receptors?
The cell gets transformed into a cancerous state
How is TGF-beta secreted?
As an inactive precursor
What happens to TGF-beta once it is secreted from the cell?
It undergoes proteolytic processing and attaches to the ECM
When is TGF-beta released from the ECM?
When it receives the appropriate signal
What type of signaling does TGF-beta induce?
Paracrine signaling
What receptor does TGF-beta first bind to?
A type II TGF-beta receptor
What happens when TGF-beta binds to a type II TGF-beta receptor?
It then phosphorylates and binds to a type I TGF-beta receptor
What happens when the type I TGF-beta receptor is phosphorylated?
It recruits and phosphorylates Smad proteins
When is the type I TGF-beta receptor phosphorylated?
When TGF-beta binds to a type II TGF-beta receptor
What do Smads do after being activated by type I TGF-beta receptors?
They oligomerize and move to the nucleus to activate gene transcription
What is the structure of the TGF-beta receptors in the cell membrane?
Dimers
When a TGF-beta is fully bound, how many individual receptors is it bound to?
4 (2 type I dimers, and 2 type II dimers)
What are Smurfs?
Smad inhibiting proteins
True or false: there are many kinds of Smads
True: they are a diverse family of proteins
True or false: Smads are always activating
False: there can also be inhibiting Smads to stop the signal
What defines the signaling response to TGF-beta?
Different combinatorics of type II and type I receptors, leading to different Smads
How do Smads regulate gene transcription?
By physical interaction with DNA binding transcription factors, such as CBP and p300
What types of molecules are Smads?
Transcription factors
What happens when Smads are phosphorylated?
Their nuclear localization signal is exposed, allowing them to be moved to the nucleus
What is Imp-beta?
A transport molecule
What does Imp-beta stand for?
Importin-beta
What does Imp-beta do?
Move activated Smads to the nucleus
When does Imp-beta bind to Smad?
When its nuclear localization signal is exposed through phosphorylation
What determines the activity of repressors to shut down Smad signaling?
TGF-beta
What feedback loop is controlled by TGF-beta?
A negative feedback of repressors to stop Smad signaling
How do repressors stop Smad from activating gene transcription?
They recruit histone deacetylases to condense the chromatin
What happens if TGF-beta receptors are overexpressed?
The cells transform into a cancerous state
What is the structure of the TGF-beta prepropeptide?
A signal peptide, a prodomain, and a mature peptide domain
What is another name for the prodomain of TGF-beta?
The latency-associated polypeptide for TGF-beta
What is the structure of the TGF-beta propeptide?
A prodomain, and a mature peptide domain
What happens to the prepropeptide of TGF-beta to turn it into the propeptide?
The signal peptide is cleaved?
What happens to process the propeptide of TGF-beta?
The prodomain is cleaved, and is noncovalently attached to the mature peptide domain
True or false: the TGF-beta complex with the prodomain can only be a heterodimer
False: it can also be a heterodimer
What holds two dimers of TGF-beta complex together?
Disulfide bonds
What is the structure of the latent TGF-beta complex?
Two mature peptides noncovalently linked to two prodomains, and held together with disulfide bonds
What can the latent TGF-beta complex associate with?
The ECM, or the plasma membrane
How does latent TGF-beta complex associate with the ECM?
Through LTBPs
What does LTBP stand for?
Latent TGF-beta binding protein
What does LTBP do?
Associate the latent TGF-beta complex to the ECM
How does latent TGF-beta complex associate with the plasma membrane?
Through GARPs
What is the term for a latent TGF-beta complex associated with an LTBP?
An LLC
What does LLC stand for?
Large latent complex
What is an LLC?
A latent TGF-beta complex associated with an LTBP
What does GARP stand for?
Glycoprotein-A repetitions predominant
What does GARPs do?
Associate the latent TGF-beta complex to the plasma membrane
What are cytonemes?
Extensions of the cell body
What is the purpose of cytonemes?
They present TGF-beta receptors to the TGF-beta ligand complexes
What bonds hold the prodomain to the mature peptide in the latent TGF-beta complex?
Noncovalent interactions
How does the latent TGF-beta complex bind to TGF-beta receptors?
It releases the mature peptide from the noncovalently attached prodomains
True or false: Smads have many roles in transcriptional regulation
True: they can be activators or repressors
What is a self enabling mechanism?
Smads can promote gene expression, which can lead to translation of other Smads, which can then lead to other gene responses
True or false: Smads cannot interact with other Smads
False: they can participate in self enabling mechanisms to lead to complex gene interactions
What other signaling can be done through the TGF-beta receptor (besides Smad dependent pathways)?
Other pathways, or type II receptor dependent pathways
What other effects can Smads have (besides transcriptional regulation)?
Chromatin remodeling, and miRNA processing regulation
What hypes of signals do nuclear hormone receptors respond to?
Hydrophobic nuclear signaling molecules
What are some examples of hydrophobic signaling molecules?
Cortisol, estradiol, testosterone, thyroxine, vitamin D, etc.
What are some functions of hydrophobic signaling molecules?
Stress, pregnancy, metabolism, growth, development, differentiation, etc.
How many nuclear receptors have been identified in humans?
48
What happens when a ligand binds to a nuclear receptor?
It translocates to the nucleus and regulates gene transcription
How do nuclear receptor ligands get into the cell?
They readily diffuse through the cell membrane
Where are nuclear receptors found?
In the cytosol or in the nucleus
What is the structure of a nuclear receptor?
A ligand binding domain, a hinge domain, a DNA binding domain, and a transcription activation domain
How does a nuclear receptor stay in the cytosol when no ligand is present?
An inhibitor complex stays bound to the receptor
How does a ligand get to a nuclear receptor in the nucleus?
It moves through the nuclear pore
What happens when a hormone binds to a nuclear receptor (in terms of the domains)?
The inhibitory complex is released, exposing the DNA binding domain
What domain is exposed in a nuclear receptor when a ligand binds?
The DNA binding domain, and nuclear localization signals
What are the two schemes of nuclear translocation?
Release and binding
What is the release scheme of nuclear translocation?
HSP bound to the nuclear receptor in the cytoplasm is released upon hormone binding, allowing the receptor to translocate to the nucleus
What is the binding scheme of nuclear translocation?
HSP binds to the nuclear receptor upon hormone binding, allowing the receptor to translocate to the nucleus
What does HSP stand for?
Heat shock protein
In what state do nuclear receptors usually bind to the DNA?
As a dimer
What did Chambon and Evans do?
Cloned multiple nuclear receptors
What did Chambon and Evans find?
That nuclear receptors all had common motifs (close evolutionary past)
What is an orphan receptor?
A receptor with an unknown ligand
How were the ligands of orphan receptors identified?
By using chimeric receptors and reporter genes
What was the chimeric gene used to identify ligands of orphan receptors?
The activation domain and DNA binding domain of GR, and the ligand binding domain of the orphan receptor
What does GR stand for?
Glucocorticoid receptor
What is the purpose of the GR activation and DNA binding domain in the chimeric receptor to study orphan receptors?
It can bind and activate a known gene (GR gene), which can be measured through a reporter like luciferase
What is the problem with using chimeric receptors to study orphan receptors?
Still need to test a variety of ligands to see what the chimeric receptor will actually respond to
What is often found in the ligand binding domain of nuclear receptors?
An NLS
What does NLS stand for?
Nuclear localization signal
What is meant by a “tiered effect” of steroid signaling?
Primary proteins are first synthesized, which then activate transcription of secondary proteins, and turn off transcription of their own proteins
What do primary proteins do in a tiered steroid signaling?
Turn off transcription of their own genes, and act as cofactors to turn on transcription of other secondary genes
What is a class I NR called?
A steroid hormone receptor
What are the ligands of class I NR?
Androgen, estrogen, progesterone, glucocorticoids, and mineralocorticoids
What does NR stand for?
Nuclear receptor
What is the response element of class I NR?
IR3
What does IR3 stand for?
Inverted repeat separated by 3 nucleotides
What type of dimer is a class I NR?
Homodimer
What is a class II NR called?
An RXR heterodimer
What are the ligands of class II NR?
Fatty acids, cholesterol, vitamin D, steroids, etc.
What is the response element of class II NR?
DRn, ERn, or IRn
What does DRn stand for?
Direct repeat
What does ERn stand for?
Everted repeat
What does IRn stand for?
Inverted repeat
What is an ERn?
What is an DRn?
–>n–>
What is an IRn?
–>n
What is an IR3?
—>nnn
What type of dimer is a class II NR?
Heterodimer
What is a class III NR called?
An RXR homodimer
What are the ligands of class III NR?
Retinoic acid, lipids
What is the response element of class III NR?
DRn
What type of dimer is a class III NR?
Homodimer
What is a class IV NR called?
A monomeric receptor
What are the ligands of class IV NR?
Melatonin, cholesterol
What is the response element of class IV NR?
Single response element
What type of dimer is a class IV NR?
Monomer
What does the DNA binding site on an NR have specificity towards?
The specific type of repeat element on the DNA
What is the variability rule?
The size of the spacer between the repeats (1-5 nt) determines which heterodimer can bind to the response element
What is a response element?
The segment of DNA that a DNA binding protein can bind to
True or false: the same sequence can lead to different heterodimer partners
True: the spacing between the repeats can dictate which heterodimer can bind to the DNA
What is the basic structure of chromatin
The nucleosome
What does the nucleosome look like?
Beads on a string
What is a nucleosome?
DNA wrapped around histones, plus 200 nt of linker DNA
How can a nucleosome be separated by other nucleosomes?
By using a nuclease to digest the linker DNA
How can the DNA be released from the nucleosome?
By using high salt
What is the structure of a histone?
An octomeric structure (dimers of H2A, H2B, H3, and H4)
How is chromatin organized?
Into fibers of increasing size
What is the 10 nm fiber?
DNA winds around histones to form beads
What is the 30 nm fiber?
Nucleosomes comes together to form a thicker fiber
What is the 300 nm fiber?
The 30 nm fiber forms loop domains that attach to proteins
What is the 700 nm fiber?
The metaphase chromosome
What is the purpose of organizing chromatin into fibers?
Have a high concentration of DNA in the nucleus
What is chromatin?
A complex of DNA and protein found in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells
What are histones?
Proteins responsible for the first level of DNA packing
What are some possible post-translational modifications of histones?
Acetylation, methylation, ubiquitination, sumoylation, and phosphorylation
What do the post-translational modifications of histone tails dictate?
How tight or loose the DNA wraps around the histones
What post-translational modification occurs at lysines of histone tails?
Acetylation
What enzyme acetylates histone tails?
HATs
What does HAT stand for?
Histone acetyltransferase
What enzyme deacetylates histone tails?
HDACs
What does HDAC stand for?
Histone deacetylatase
What does acetylation do to gene expression?
Increases gene expression
What does deacetylation do to gene expression?
Silences gene expression
What proteins does acetylation bring in?
Bromodomain proteins
What brings in bromodomain proteins?
Acetylation
What proteins does methylation bring in?
Chromodomain proteins
What brings in chromodomain proteins?
Methylation
What does methylation do to gene expression?
Silences gene expression
What does demethylation do to gene expression?
Increases gene expression
What is the ongoing research regarding the histone code?
How different combinations of post-translational modifications affects gene expression
What can be said about the proteins that modify histones (in terms of cell signaling)?
They are downstream of signaling pathways
What do barrier sequences do?
Separates the spread of heterochromatin from different genes in the DNA
What is heterochromatin?
Highly bound chromatin
What is euchromatin?
Loosely bound chromatin
What do insulator sequences do?
Prevent enhancers and silencers from influencing other genes and promoters
What type of protein is CBP?
A HAT
How does CBP alter the DNA?
It opens the DNA to allow for transcription of a CRE/CREB regulated gene
What are the theories of opening up DNA after histone modifications?
- The histone core disassembles and reassembles
2. The DNA slides along the histones
What do pioneer factors do?
Bind to regions between nucleosomes and recruit histone modification and chromatin remodeling complexes
What is needed to create an active enhancer (from the nucleosome)?
Pioneer factors need to recruit histone modification and chromatin remodeling complexes
How can NR without ligands lead to negative regulation?
They can act as repressors by methylating the DNA or by inhibiting other complexes
What does ligand binding to an NR do to the complexes recruited?
It can change the complex recruited, changing it from repression to activation
True or false: coactivators for histone modifications are specific to one particular pathway
False: they are common to multiple pathways
What is an example of coactivators for histone modifications?
CBP and p300
How can CBP and p300 act as integration points for signaling?
They can be recruited by a variety of transcription factors
How can CBP activity be modulated?
By various kinds of inputs (crosstalk)
What is meant by “modularity” for transcription factors?
They can have multiple partners and bind to multiple genes
What does ChIP stand for?
Chromatin immuno precipitation
What is the purpose of ChIP?
Method to identify gene targets of specific transcription factors
What are the steps (4) of ChIP?
- Bind transcription factor to DNA
- Digest DNA with restriction enzyme
- Bind antibody against transcription factor to isolate complex
- Analyze the gene sequences