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Cell Death & Disease Sep 2020Intrinsic apoptosis as a modality of regulated cell death is intimately linked to permeabilization of the outer mitochondrial membrane and subsequent release of the...
Intrinsic apoptosis as a modality of regulated cell death is intimately linked to permeabilization of the outer mitochondrial membrane and subsequent release of the protein cytochrome c into the cytosol, where it can participate in caspase activation via apoptosome formation. Interestingly, cytochrome c release is an ancient feature of regulated cell death even in unicellular eukaryotes that do not contain an apoptosome. Therefore, it was speculated that cytochrome c release might have an additional, more fundamental role for cell death signalling, because its absence from mitochondria disrupts oxidative phosphorylation. Here, we permanently anchored cytochrome c with a transmembrane segment to the inner mitochondrial membrane of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, thereby inhibiting its release from mitochondria during regulated cell death. This cytochrome c retains respiratory growth and correct assembly of mitochondrial respiratory chain supercomplexes. However, membrane anchoring leads to a sensitisation to acetic acid-induced cell death and increased oxidative stress, a compensatory elevation of cellular oxygen-consumption in aged cells and a decreased chronological lifespan. We therefore conclude that loss of cytochrome c from mitochondria during regulated cell death and the subsequent disruption of oxidative phosphorylation is not required for efficient execution of cell death in yeast, and that mobility of cytochrome c within the mitochondrial intermembrane space confers a fitness advantage that overcomes a potential role in regulated cell death signalling in the absence of an apoptosome.
Topics: Cell Death; Cytochromes c; Humans; Mitochondria; Yeasts
PubMed: 32892209
DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-02920-0 -
Communications Biology Aug 2020Early studies of the free-living nematode C. elegans informed us how BCL-2-regulated apoptosis in humans is regulated. However, subsequent studies showed C. elegans...
Early studies of the free-living nematode C. elegans informed us how BCL-2-regulated apoptosis in humans is regulated. However, subsequent studies showed C. elegans apoptosis has several unique features compared with human apoptosis. To date, there has been no detailed analysis of apoptosis regulators in nematodes other than C. elegans. Here, we discovered BCL-2 orthologues in 89 free-living and parasitic nematode taxa representing four evolutionary clades (I, III, IV and V). Unlike in C. elegans, 15 species possess multiple (two to five) BCL-2-like proteins, and some do not have any recognisable BCL-2 sequences. Functional studies provided no evidence that BAX/BAK proteins have evolved in nematodes, and structural studies of a BCL-2 protein from the basal clade I revealed it lacks a functionally important feature of the C. elegans orthologue. Clade I CED-4/APAF-1 proteins also possess WD40-repeat sequences associated with apoptosome assembly, not present in C. elegans, or other nematode taxa studied.
Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; Caenorhabditis elegans; Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; Genes, Helminth; Mice; Phylogeny; Protein Domains; Protein Structure, Secondary; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 32859965
DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01208-5 -
Apoptosis : An International Journal on... Oct 2020Apoptosis plays a major role in development, tissue renewal and the progression of degenerative diseases. Studies on various types of mammalian cells reported a...
Apoptosis plays a major role in development, tissue renewal and the progression of degenerative diseases. Studies on various types of mammalian cells reported a pro-apoptotic function of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), particularly in the formation of the apoptosome and the degradation of nuclear DNA. While three AChE splice variants are present in mammals, invertebrates typically express two ache genes that code for a synaptically located protein and a protein with non-synaptic functions respectively. In order to investigate a potential contribution of AChE to apoptosis in insects, we selected the migratory locust Locusta migratoria. We established primary neuronal cultures of locust brains and characterized apoptosis progression in vitro. Dying neurons displayed typical characteristics of apoptosis, including caspase-activation, nuclear condensation and DNA fragmentation visualized by TUNEL staining. Addition of the AChE inhibitors neostigmine and territrem B reduced apoptotic cell death under normal culture conditions. Moreover, both inhibitors completely suppressed hypoxia-induced neuronal cell death. Exposure of live animals to severe hypoxia moderately increased the expression of ace-1 in locust brains in vivo. Our results indicate a previously unreported role of AChE in insect apoptosis that parallels the pro-apoptotic role in mammalian cells. This similarity adds to the list of apoptotic mechanisms shared by mammals and insects, supporting the hypothesized existence of an ancient, complex apoptosis regulatory network present in common ancestors of vertebrates and insects.
Topics: Acetylcholinesterase; Animals; Apoptosis; Brain; Cell Death; Cell Nucleus; DNA Fragmentation; Grasshoppers; Hypoxia; Insecta; Neurons; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A
PubMed: 32761307
DOI: 10.1007/s10495-020-01630-4 -
Development (Cambridge, England) Jul 2020Cell death is an important facet of animal development. In some developing tissues, death is the ultimate fate of over 80% of generated cells. Although recent studies... (Review)
Review
Cell death is an important facet of animal development. In some developing tissues, death is the ultimate fate of over 80% of generated cells. Although recent studies have delineated a bewildering number of cell death mechanisms, most have only been observed in pathological contexts, and only a small number drive normal development. This Primer outlines the important roles, different types and molecular players regulating developmental cell death, and discusses recent findings with which the field currently grapples. We also clarify terminology, to distinguish between developmental cell death mechanisms, for which there is evidence for evolutionary selection, and cell death that follows genetic, chemical or physical injury. Finally, we suggest how advances in understanding developmental cell death may provide insights into the molecular basis of developmental abnormalities and pathological cell death in disease.
Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; Apoptosomes; Autophagy; Caspases; Cell Death; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Invertebrates; Mammals; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 32709690
DOI: 10.1242/dev.191882 -
Autophagy Jun 2021Recently, we reported that increased expression of CASP9 pro-domain, at the endosomal membrane in response to HSP90 inhibition, mediates a cell-protective effect that...
Recently, we reported that increased expression of CASP9 pro-domain, at the endosomal membrane in response to HSP90 inhibition, mediates a cell-protective effect that does not involve CASP9 apoptotic activity. We report here that a non-apoptotic activity of endosomal membrane CASP9 facilitates the retrograde transport of IGF2R/CI-MPR from the endosomes to the trans-Golgi network, indicating the involvement of CASP9 in endosomal sorting and lysosomal biogenesis. CASP9-deficient cells demonstrate the missorting of CTSD (cathepsin D) and other acid hydrolases, accumulation of late endosomes, and reduced degradation of bafilomycin A-sensitive proteins. In the absence of CASP9, IGF2R undergoes significant degradation, and its rescue is achieved by the re-expression of a non-catalytic mutant. This endosomal activity of CASP9 is potentially mediated by herein newly identified interactions of CASP9 with the components of the endosomal membrane transport complexes. These endosomal complexes include the retromer VPS35 and the SNX dimers, SNX1-SNX5 and SNX2-SNX6, which are involved in the IGF2R retrieval mechanism. Additionally, CASP9 interacts with HGS/HRS/ESCRT-0 and the CLTC (clathrin heavy chain) that participate in the initiation of the endosomal ESCRT degradation pathway. We propose that endosomal CASP9 inhibits the endosomal membrane degradative subdomain(s) from initiating the ESCRT-mediated degradation of IGF2R, allowing its retrieval to transport-designated endosomal membrane subdomain(s). These findings are the first to identify a cell survival, non-apoptotic function for CASP9 at the endosomal membrane, a site distinctly removed from the cytoplasmic apoptosome. Via its non-apoptotic endosomal function, CASP9 impacts the retrograde transport of IGF2R and, consequently, lysosomal biogenesis.: ACTB: actin beta; ATG7: autophagy related 7; BafA1: bafilomycin A; CASP: caspase; CLTC/CHC: clathrin, heavy chain; CTSD: cathepsin D; ESCRT: endosomal sorting complexes required for transport; HEXB: hexosaminidase subunit beta; HGS/HRS/ESCRT-0: hepatocyte growth factor-regulated tyrosine kinase substrate; IGF2R/CI-MPR: insulin like growth factor 2 receptor; ILV: intraluminal vesicles; KD: knockdown; KO: knockout; M6PR/CD-MPR: mannose-6-phosphate receptor, cation dependent; MEF: murine embryonic fibroblasts; MWU: Mann-Whitney U test; PepA: pepstatin A; RAB7A: RAB7, member RAS oncogene family; SNX-BAR: sorting nexin dimers with a Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) domain each; TGN: trans-Golgi network; TUBB: tubulin beta; VPS26: VPS26 retromer complex component; VPS29: VPS29 retromer complex component; VPS35: VPS35 retromer complex component.
Topics: Autophagy; Caspase 9; Endosomes; HeLa Cells; Humans; Microtubule-Associated Proteins; Protein Transport; Receptor, IGF Type 2; Vesicular Transport Proteins; trans-Golgi Network
PubMed: 32397873
DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2020.1761742 -
Cell Death & Disease May 2020Caspase-2, -9, and -3 are reported to control myoblast differentiation into myotubes. This had been previously explained by phosphatidylserine exposure on apoptotic...
Caspase-2, -9, and -3 are reported to control myoblast differentiation into myotubes. This had been previously explained by phosphatidylserine exposure on apoptotic myoblasts inducing differentiation in neighboring cells. Here we show for the first time that caspase-3 is activated in the myoblasts undergoing differentiation. Using RNAi, we also demonstrate that differentiation requires both cytochrome c and Apaf-1, and by using a new pharmacological approach, we show that apoptosome formation is required. We also show that Bid, whose cleavage links caspase-2 to the mitochondrial death pathway, was required for differentiation, and that the caspase cleavage product, tBid, was generated during differentiation. Taken together, these data suggest that myoblast differentiation requires caspase-2 activation of the mitochondrial death pathway, and that this occurs in the cells that differentiate. Our data also reveal a hierarchy of caspases in differentiation with caspase-2 upstream of apoptosome activation, and exerting a more profound control of differentiation, while caspases downstream of the apoptosome primarily control cell fusion.
Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; Apoptosomes; Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1; BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein; Caspase 2; Caspase 3; Caspase Inhibitors; Cell Differentiation; Cell Fusion; Cell Line; Cyclohexanones; Cytochromes c; Enzyme Activation; Gene Knockdown Techniques; Humans; Mice; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal; Myoblasts; RNA, Small Interfering
PubMed: 32366831
DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-2502-4 -
Cell Death and Differentiation Oct 2020The execution phase of apoptosis is a critical process in programmed cell death in response to a multitude of cellular stresses. A crucial component of this pathway is...
The execution phase of apoptosis is a critical process in programmed cell death in response to a multitude of cellular stresses. A crucial component of this pathway is the apoptosome, a platform for the activation of pro-caspase 9 (PC9). Recent findings have shown that autocleavage of PC9 to Caspase 9 (C9) p35/p12 not only permits XIAP-mediated C9 inhibition but also temporally shuts down apoptosome activity, forming a molecular timer. In order to delineate the combined contributions of XIAP and the apoptosome molecular timer to apoptosis execution we utilised a systems modelling approach. We demonstrate that cooperative recruitment of PC9 to the apoptosome, based on existing PC9-apoptosome interaction data, is important for efficient formation of PC9 homodimers, autocatalytic cleavage and dual regulation by XIAP and the molecular timer across biologically relevant PC9 and APAF1 concentrations. Screening physiologically relevant concentration ranges of apoptotic proteins, we discovered that the molecular timer can prevent apoptosis execution in specific scenarios after complete or partial mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilisation (MOMP). Furthermore, its ability to prevent apoptosis is intricately tied to a synergistic combination with XIAP. Finally, we demonstrate that simulations of these processes are prognostic of survival in stage III colorectal cancer and that the molecular timer may promote apoptosis resistance in a subset of patients. Based on our findings, we postulate that the physiological function of the molecular timer is to aid XIAP in the shutdown of caspase-mediated apoptosis execution. This shutdown potentially facilitates switching to pro-inflammatory caspase-independent responses subsequent to Bax/Bak pore formation.
Topics: Apoptosis; Caspase 9; Colorectal Neoplasms; Humans; Mitochondria; Mitochondrial Membranes; X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein
PubMed: 32341447
DOI: 10.1038/s41418-020-0545-9 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Mar 2020The apoptotic protease-activating factor 1 (Apaf-1) split luciferase biosensor has been used as a biological tool for the detection of early stage of apoptosis. The...
The apoptotic protease-activating factor 1 (Apaf-1) split luciferase biosensor has been used as a biological tool for the detection of early stage of apoptosis. The effect of doxorubicin in a cell-based assay and the addition of cytochrome and ATP in a cell-free system have been used to test the functionality of the reporter for the detection of apoptosome formation. Here, our data established a drug- and cytochrome /ATP-independent way of apoptosis induction relying on the expression of the biosensor itself to induce formation of apoptosome. Overexpression of Apaf-1 constructs led to increased split luciferase activity and caspase-3 activity in the absence of any drug treatment. Caspase-3 activity was significantly inhibited when caspase-9DN was co-overexpressed, while the activity of the Apaf1 biosensor was significantly increased. Our results show that the Apaf-1 biosensor does not detect etoposide-induced apoptosis.
Topics: Apoptosis; Apoptosomes; Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1; Biosensing Techniques; Caspase 3; Cell Survival; Enzyme Activation; Etoposide; HEK293 Cells; Humans; Luciferases
PubMed: 32210205
DOI: 10.3390/s20061782 -
Nature Catalysis Mar 2020Living cells regulate key cellular processes by spatial organisation of catalytically active proteins in higher-order signalling complexes. These act as organising...
Living cells regulate key cellular processes by spatial organisation of catalytically active proteins in higher-order signalling complexes. These act as organising centres to facilitate proximity-induced activation and inhibition of multiple intrinsically weakly associating signalling components, which makes elucidation of the underlying protein-protein interactions challenging. Here we show that DNA origami nanostructures provide a programmable molecular platform for the systematic analysis of signalling proteins by engineering a synthetic DNA origami-based version of the apoptosome, a multi-protein complex that regulates apoptosis by co-localizing multiple caspase-9 monomers. Tethering of both wildtype and inactive caspase-9 variants to a DNA origami platform demonstrates that enzymatic activity is induced by proximity-driven dimerization with half-of-sites reactivity, and additionally, reveals a multivalent activity enhancement in oligomers of three and four enzymes. Our results offer fundamental insights in caspase-9 activity regulation and demonstrate that DNA origami-based protein assembly platforms have the potential to inform the function of other multi-enzyme complexes involved in inflammation, innate immunity and cell death.
PubMed: 32190819
DOI: 10.1038/s41929-019-0403-7 -
Microbial Cell (Graz, Austria) Dec 2019Viruses and other genetic parasites are present in virtually all forms of life. This chronic condition has led to diverse host cell adaptations such as CRISPR and RNAi,...
Viruses and other genetic parasites are present in virtually all forms of life. This chronic condition has led to diverse host cell adaptations such as CRISPR and RNAi, whose functions attenuate these parasites. It is hypothesized that programmed cell death (PCD) is an additional adaptation whose origins reside in viral defense. A core event of apoptotic PCD is the regulated release of mitochondrial inter-membrane space proteins into the cytosol, following which these apoptogenic proteins bring about the demise of the cell. The most well studied example of this is found in animals, where the release of mitochondrial cytochrome C nucleates the formation of the apoptosome, which then activates caspase mediated cell death. The release of mitochondrial proteins contributes to PCD in diverse organisms lacking the apoptosome, indicating that regulated mitochondrial release predates the evolution of canonical apoptosis. Using the budding yeast , we recently confirmed an early study showing that Nuc1, a homolog of the mitochondrial apoptotic driver protein Endonuclease G, attenuates cytosolic double stranded RNA (dsRNA) viruses, which are endemic to yeast and many other organisms. Viral attenuation by Nuc1 occurs most prominently during meiosis and in association with its developmentally programmed relocation from the mitochondria to the cytosol. Intriguingly, meiotic viral attenuation by Nuc1 occurs within the context of meiotic PCD of the superfluous mother cell that we have also discovered. These findings are discussed here.
PubMed: 32025511
DOI: 10.15698/mic2020.02.705