The DenA/DEN1 Interacting Phosphatase DipA Controls Septa Positioning and Phosphorylation-Dependent Stability of Cytoplasmatic DenA/DEN1 during Fungal Development

PLoS Genet. 2016 Mar 24;12(3):e1005949. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005949. eCollection 2016 Mar.

Abstract

DenA/DEN1 and the COP9 signalosome (CSN) represent two deneddylases which remove the ubiquitin-like Nedd8 from modified target proteins and are required for distinct fungal developmental programmes. The cellular DenA/DEN1 population is divided into a nuclear and a cytoplasmatic subpopulation which is especially enriched at septa. DenA/DEN1 stability control mechanisms are different for the two cellular subpopulations and depend on different physical interacting proteins and the C-terminal DenA/DEN1 phosphorylation pattern. Nuclear DenA/DEN1 is destabilized during fungal development by five of the eight CSN subunits which target nuclear DenA/DEN1 for degradation. DenA/DEN1 becomes stabilized as a phosphoprotein at S243/S245 during vegetative growth, which is necessary to support further asexual development. After the initial phase of development, the newly identified cytoplasmatic DenA/DEN1 interacting phosphatase DipA and an additional developmental specific C-terminal phosphorylation site at serine S253 destabilize DenA/DEN1. Outside of the nucleus, DipA is co-transported with DenA/DEN1 in the cytoplasm between septa and nuclei. Deletion of dipA resulted in increased DenA/DEN1 stability in a strain which is unresponsive to illumination. The mutant strain is dysregulated in cytokinesis and impaired in asexual development. Our results suggest a dual phosphorylation-dependent DenA/DEN1 stability control with stabilizing and destabilizing modifications and physical interaction partner proteins which function as control points in the nucleus and the cytoplasm.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aspergillus nidulans / genetics*
  • Aspergillus nidulans / growth & development
  • Cell Nucleus / genetics
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Cytokinesis / genetics
  • Cytoplasm / enzymology
  • Endopeptidases / genetics*
  • Endopeptidases / metabolism
  • Escherichia coli
  • Fungal Proteins / genetics*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal
  • Multiprotein Complexes
  • Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / genetics*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational*
  • Protein Subunits / genetics
  • Protein Subunits / metabolism
  • Ubiquitin
  • Ubiquitins / genetics
  • Ubiquitins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Fungal Proteins
  • Multiprotein Complexes
  • Protein Subunits
  • Ubiquitin
  • Ubiquitins
  • DipA protein, Aspergillus nidulans
  • Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases
  • Endopeptidases
  • DEN1 protein, Aspergillus nidulans

Grants and funding

Funding of this work was received from the “Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)” (http://www.dfg.de), the SFB860 (http://msb.bio.uni-goettingen.de/SFB860/) and the DFG Priority Program SPP1365 (http://ubfnet.charite.de). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.