Identities of sequestered proteins in aggregates from cells with induced polyglutamine expression

J Cell Biol. 2001 Apr 16;153(2):283-94. doi: 10.1083/jcb.153.2.283.

Abstract

Proteins with expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) tracts have been linked to neurodegenerative diseases. One common characteristic of expanded-polyQ expression is the formation of intracellular aggregates (IAs). IAs purified from polyQ-expressing cells were dissociated and studied by protein blot assay and mass spectrometry to determine the identity, condition, and relative level of several proteins sequestered within aggregates. Most of the sequestered proteins comigrated with bands from control extracts, indicating that the sequestered proteins were intact and not irreversibly bound to the polyQ polymer. Among the proteins found sequestered at relatively high levels in purified IAs were ubiquitin, the cell cycle-regulating proteins p53 and mdm-2, HSP70, the global transcriptional regulator Tata-binding protein/TFIID, cytoskeleton proteins actin and 68-kD neurofilament, and proteins of the nuclear pore complex. These data reveal that IAs are highly complex structures with a multiplicity of contributing proteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Actins / metabolism
  • Aged
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Size
  • Corpus Striatum / cytology
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Genes, Reporter
  • HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Huntingtin Protein
  • In Situ Nick-End Labeling
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Middle Aged
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics*
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • Peptides / genetics
  • Peptides / metabolism*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
  • TATA-Box Binding Protein
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Transfection
  • Ubiquitins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Actins
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • HTT protein, human
  • Huntingtin Protein
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Peptides
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • TATA-Box Binding Protein
  • Transcription Factors
  • Ubiquitins
  • polyglutamine