Lysine 63-linked ubiquitination promotes the formation and autophagic clearance of protein inclusions associated with neurodegenerative diseases.

Although ubiquitin-enriched protein inclusions represent an almost invariant feature of neurodegenerative diseases, the mechanism underlying their biogenesis remains unclear. In particular, whether the topology of ubiquitin linkages influences the dynamics of inclusions is not well explored. Here, we report that lysine 48 (K48)- and lysine 63 (K63)-linked polyubiquitination, as well as monoubiquitin modification contribute to the biogenesis of inclusions. K63-linked polyubiquitin is the most consistent enhancer of inclusions formation. Under basal conditions, ectopic expression of K63 mutant ubiquitin in cultured cells promotes the accumulation of proteins and the formation of intracellular inclusions in the apparent absence of proteasome impairment. When co-expressed with disease-associated tau and SOD1 mutants, K63 ubiquitin mutant facilitates the formation of tau- and SOD-1-positive inclusions. Moreover, K63-linked ubiquitination was found to selectively facilitate the clearance of inclusions via autophagy. These data indicate that K63-linked ubiquitin chains may represent a common denominator underlying inclusions biogenesis, as well as a general cellular strategy for defining cargo destined for the autophagic system. Collectively, our results provide a novel mechanistic route that underlies the life cycle of an inclusion body. Harnessing this pathway may offer innovative approaches in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.

Drosophila overexpressing parkin R275W mutant exhibits dopaminergic neuron degeneration and mitochondrial abnormalities.

Mutations in the parkin gene are a predominant cause of familial parkinsonism. Although initially described as a recessive disorder, emerging evidence suggest that single parkin mutations alone may confer increased susceptibility to Parkinson's disease. To better understand the effects of parkin mutations in vivo, we generated transgenic Drosophila overexpressing two human parkin missense mutants, R275W and G328E. Transgenic flies that overexpress R275W, but not wild-type or G328E, human parkin display an age-dependent degeneration of specific dopaminergic neuronal clusters and concomitant locomotor deficits that accelerate with age or in response to rotenone treatment. Furthermore, R275W mutant flies also exhibit prominent mitochondrial abnormalities in their flight muscles. Interestingly, these defects caused by the expression of human R275W parkin are highly similar to those triggered by the loss of endogenous parkin in parkin null flies. Together, our results provide the first in vivo evidence demonstrating that parkin R275W mutant expression mediates pathogenic outcomes and suggest the interesting possibility that select parkin mutations may directly exert neurotoxicity in vivo.

Stress-induced alterations in parkin solubility promote parkin aggregation and compromise parkin's protective function.

Mutations in parkin are currently recognized as the most common cause of familial Parkinsonism. Emerging evidence also suggests that parkin expression variability may confer a risk for the development of the more common, sporadic form of Parkinson's disease (PD). Supporting this, we have recently demonstrated that parkin solubility in the human brain becomes altered with age. As parkin apparently functions as a broad-spectrum neuroprotectant, the resulting decrease in the availability of soluble parkin with age may underlie the progressive susceptibility of the brain to stress. Interestingly, we also observed that many familial-PD mutations of parkin alter its solubility in a manner that is highly reminiscent of our observations with the aged brain. The converging effects on parkin brought about by aging and PD-causing mutations are probably not trivial and suggest that environmental modulators affecting parkin solubility would increase an individual's risk of developing PD. Using both cell culture and in vivo models, we demonstrate here that several PD-linked stressors, including neurotoxins (MPP+, rotenone, 6-hydroxydopamine), paraquat, NO, dopamine and iron, induce alterations in parkin solubility and result in its intracellular aggregation. Furthermore, the depletion of soluble, functional forms of parkin is associated with reduced proteasomal activities and increased cell death. Our results suggest that exogenously introduced stress as well as endogenous dopamine could affect the native structure of parkin, promote its misfolding, and concomitantly compromise its protective functions. Mechanistically, our results provide a link between the influence of environmental and intrinsic factors and genetic susceptibilities in PD pathogenesis.

Alterations in the solubility and intracellular localization of parkin by several familial Parkinson's disease-linked point mutations.

Mutations in the parkin gene, which encodes a ubiquitin ligase, are currently recognized as the main contributor to familial forms of Parkinson's disease (PD). A simple assumption about the effects of PD-linked mutations in parkin is that they impair or ablate the enzyme activity. However, a number of recent studies, including ours, have indicated that many disease-linked point mutants of parkin retain substantial catalytic activity. To understand how the plethora of mutations on parkin contribute to its dysfunction, we have conducted a systematic analysis of a significant number of parkin point mutants (22 in total), which represent the majority of parkin missense/nonsense mutations reported to date. We found that more than half of these mutations, including many located outside of the parkin RING fingers, produce alteration in the solubility of parkin which influences its detergent extraction property. This mutation-mediated alteration in parkin solubility is also associated with its propensity to form intracellular, aggresome-like, protein aggregates. However, they do not represent sites where parkin substrates become sequestered. As protein aggregation sequesters the functional forms away from their normal sites of action, our results suggest that alterations in parkin solubility and intracellular localization may underlie the molecular basis of the loss of function caused by several of its mutations.