Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

HRD1-mediated ERAD tuning of ER-bound E2 is conserved between plants and mammals

Abstract

When membrane proteins and secretory proteins are misfolded or incompletely folded, they are retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) for further folding or degradation. The HMG-COA reductase degradation 1 (HRD1) and degradation of alpha2 10 (DOA10) complexes are two major components involved in the ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD) system in eukaryotic organisms14. However, the relationship between these two complexes is largely unknown, especially in higher eukaryotes. Here, we report that the plant ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme 32 (UBC32), an ER-bound E2 working in the DOA10 complex, is maintained at low levels under standard conditions by proteasome-dependent degradation mediated by the HRD1 complex, the other E3 complex involved in ERAD. Loss of this negative regulation under ER stress increases capacity for degradation of misfolded proteins retained in the ER. Consistently, UBE2J1, the homologue of UBC32 in mammals, was also identified to be targeted by HRD1 for degradation. Taken together, these results suggest that the regulation of UBC32 (or UBE2J1) by the HRD1 complex is conserved between plants and mammals.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: UBC32 is stabilized by knockout of key components of the HRD1 complex.
Figure 2: HRD1A and HRD1B interact with UBC32 and modulate the ubiquitylation and stability of UBC32.
Figure 3: UBC32 acts genetically downstream of the HRD1 complex and UBC32 is a versatile protein in facing different levels of stress.
Figure 4: UBE2J1 is targeted by HRD1 for proteasome system degradation.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. McCracken, A. A. & Brodsky, J. L. Assembly of ER-associated protein degradation in vitro: dependence on cytosol, calnexin, and ATP. J. Cell Biol. 132, 291–298 (1996).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Gardner, R. G. et al. Endoplasmic reticulum degradation requires lumen to cytosol signaling. Transmembrane control of Hrd1p by Hrd3p. J. Cell Biol. 151, 69–82 (2000).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Deak, P. M. & Wolf, D. H. Membrane topology and function of Der3/Hrd1p as a ubiquitin-protein ligase (E3) involved in endoplasmic reticulum degradation. J. Biol. Chem. 276, 10663–10669 (2001).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Swanson, R., Locher, M. & Hochstrasser, M. A conserved ubiquitin ligase of the nuclear envelope/endoplasmic reticulum that functions in both ER-associated and Matalpha2 repressor degradation. Genes Dev. 15, 2660–2674 (2001).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Su, W., Liu, Y., Xia, Y., Hong, Z. & Li, J. Conserved endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation system to eliminate mutated receptor-like kinases in Arabidopsis. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 108, 870–875 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Huttner, S., Veit, C., Schoberer, J., Grass, J. & Strasser, R. Unraveling the function of Arabidopsis thaliana OS9 in the endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation of glycoproteins. Plant Mol. Biol. 79, 21–33 (2012).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Su, W., Liu, Y. D., Xia, Y., Hong, Z. & Li, J. M. The Arabidopsis homolog of the mammalian OS-9 protein plays a key role in the endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation of misfolded receptor-like kinases degradation. Mol. Plant 5, 929–940 (2012).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Liu, Y. D. et al. EBS7 is a plant-specific component of a highly conserved endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation system in Arabidopsis. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 112, 12205–12210 (2015).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Liu, L. J. et al. The endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation is necessary for plant salt tolerance. Cell Res. 21, 957–969 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Cui, F. et al. Arabidopsis ubiquitin conjugase UBC32 is an ERAD component that functions in brassinosteroid-mediated salt stress tolerance. Plant Cell 24, 233–244 (2012).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Gauss, R., Jarosch, E., Sommer, T. & Hirsch, C. A complex of Yos9p and the HRD ligase integrates endoplasmic reticulum quality control into the degradation machinery. Nature Cell Biol. 8, 849–854 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Zhang, Y. Y. et al. SDIR1 is a RING finger E3 ligase that positively regulates stress-responsive abscisic acid signaling in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 19, 1912–1929 (2007).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Murata, S., Chiba, T. & Tanaka, K. CHIP: a quality-control E3 ligase collaborating with molecular chaperones. Int. J. Biochem. Cell B. 35, 572–578 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Sommer, T. & Jentsch, S. A protein translocation defect linked to ubiquitin conjugation at the endoplasmic-reticulum. Nature 365, 176–179 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Walter, J., Urban, J., Volkwein, C. & Sommer, T. Sec61p-independent degradation of the tail-anchored ER membrane protein Ubc6p. EMBO J. 20, 3124–3131 (2001).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Ernst, R. et al. Enzymatic blockade of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. PLoS Biol. 8, e1000605 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Cali, T., Galli, C., Olivari, S. & Molinari, M. Segregation and rapid turnover of EDEM1 by an autophagy-like mechanism modulates standard ERAD and folding activities. Biochem. Bioph. Res. Commun. 371, 405–410 (2008).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Zuber, C. et al. EDEM1 reveals a quality control vesicular transport pathway out of the endoplasmic reticulum not involving the COPII exit sites. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 104, 4407–4412 (2007).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Reggiori, F. et al. Coronaviruses hijack the LC3-I-positive EDEMosomes, ER-derived vesicles exporting short-lived ERAD regulators, for replication. Cell Host Microbe 7, 500–508 (2010).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Mueller, B., Lilley, B. N. & Ploegh, H. L. SEL1L, the homologue of yeast Hrd3p, is involved in protein dislocation from the mammalian ER. J. Cell Biol. 175, 261–270 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Miura, H. et al. Deletion of Herp facilitates degradation of cytosolic proteins. Genes Cells 15, 843–853 (2010).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Shen, Y. X., Ballar, P., Apostolou, A., Doong, H. & Fang, S. Y. ER stress differentially regulates the stabilities of ERAD ubiquitin ligases and their substrates. Biochem. Bioph. Res. Commun. 352, 919–924 (2007).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Suntres, Z. E. Role of antioxidants in paraquat toxicity. Toxicology 180, 65–77 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Lenk, U. et al. A role for mammalian Ubc6 homologues in ER-associated protein degradation. J. Cell Sci. 115, 3007–3014 (2002).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Oh, R. S., Bai, X. & Rommens, J. M. Human homologs of Ubc6p ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme and phosphorylation of HsUbc6e in response to endoplasmic reticulum stress. J. Biol. Chem. 281, 21480–21490 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Menon, M. B. et al. Endoplasmic reticulum-associated ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme Ube2j1 is a novel substrate of MK2 (MAPKAP kinase-2) involved in MK2-mediated TNF alpha production. Biochem. J. 456, 163–172 (2013).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Mueller, B., Klemm, E. J., Spooner, E., Claessen, J. H. & Ploegh, H. L. SEL1L nucleates a protein complex required for dislocation of misfolded glycoproteins. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 105, 12325–12330 (2008).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Burr, M. L. et al. HRD1 and UBE2J1 target misfolded MHC class I heavy chains for endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 108, 2034–2039 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Johnsson, N. & Varshavsky, A. Split ubiquitin as a sensor of protein interactions in vivo. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 91, 10340–10344 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Zhang, Z. et al. BSCTV C2 attenuates the degradation of SAMDC1 to suppress DNA methylation-mediated gene silencing in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 23, 273–288 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Zhao, Q. et al. A plant-specific in vitro ubiquitination analysis system. Plant J. 74, 524–533 (2013).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Ballar, P., Shen, Y., Yang, H. & Fang, S. The role of a novel p97/valosin-containing protein-interacting motif of gp78 in endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation. J. Biol. Chem. 281, 35359–35368 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Chen, H. et al. Firefly luciferase complementation imaging assay for protein-protein interactions in plants. Plant Physiol. 146, 368–376 (2008).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by grant 973 Program 2011CB915402 from the National Basic Research Program of China and grant NSFC 31030047 from the National Science Foundation of China.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Contributions

Q.X. and Q.C. designed the research. Q.C., Y.W.Z., L.J.L., P.F.W., F.C. and Q.L.L. performed the research. Q.X., Q.C., Y.W.Z. and S.Y.F. analysed the data. Q.X. and Q.C. wrote the paper. S.Y.F., Y.R.W. and X.Y.Y. revised the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Qi Xie.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Supplementary information

Supplementary Information

Supplementary Methods, Supplementary Figs 1-8, Supplementary Table 1 (PDF 950 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chen, Q., Zhong, Y., Wu, Y. et al. HRD1-mediated ERAD tuning of ER-bound E2 is conserved between plants and mammals. Nature Plants 2, 16094 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nplants.2016.94

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nplants.2016.94

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing