ABSTRACT
Mutations in the gene coding for DJ-1 protein lead to early-onset recessive forms of Parkinson's disease. It is believed that loss of DJ-1 function is causative for disease, although the function of DJ-1 still remains a matter of controversy. We show that DJ-1 is localized in the cytosol and is associated with membranes and organelles in the form of homodimers. The disease-related mutation L166P shifts its subcellular distribution to the nucleus and decreases its ability to dimerize, impairing cell survival. Using an intracellular foldase biosensor, we found that wild-type DJ-1 possesses chaperone activity, which is abolished by the L166P mutation. We observed that this aberrant phenotype can be reversed by the expression of the cochaperone BAG1 (Bcl-2-associated athanogene 1), restoring DJ-1 subcellular distribution, dimer formation, and chaperone activity and ameliorating cell survival.
Subject(s)
Amino Acid Substitution/genetics , DNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism , Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/metabolism , Molecular Chaperones/metabolism , Mutant Proteins/metabolism , Oncogene Proteins/metabolism , Protein Multimerization , Transcription Factors/metabolism , Cell Death , Cell Line , Humans , Immunoprecipitation , Protein Binding , Protein Deglycase DJ-1 , Protein Transport , Recombinant Proteins/metabolism , Subcellular Fractions/metabolismABSTRACT
Aggregated and highly phosphorylated tau protein is a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies. We identified motifs of alternating polar and apolar amino acids within the microtubule-binding repeats of tau which were interrupted by small breaking stretches. Minimal mutation of these breaking sequences yielded a unique instantly aggregating tau mutant containing longer stretches of polar/apolar amino acids without losing its microtubule-binding capacity. These modifications produced rapid aggregation and cytotoxicity with accompanying occurrence of pathologic tau phosphoepitopes (AT8, AT180, AT270, AT100, Ser(422), and PHF-1) and conformational epitopes (MC-1 and Alz50) in cells. Similar to pathological tau in the pretangle state, toxicity appeared to occur early without the requirement for extensive fibril formation. Thus, our mutant protein provides a novel platform for the investigation of the molecular mechanisms for toxicity and cellular behavior of pathologically aggregated tau proteins and the identification of its interaction partners.
