The Hsp110 proteins, exclusively found in the eukaryotic cytosol, have significant sequence homology to the Hsp70 molecular chaperone superfamily. Despite this homology and the cellular abundance of these proteins, the precise functional role has remained undefined. Here, we present the intriguing finding that the yeast homologue, Sse1p, acts as an efficient nucleotide exchange factor (NEF) for both yeast cytosolic Hsp70s, Ssa1p and Ssb1p. The mechanism involves formation of a stable nucleotidesensitive complex, but does not require ATP hydrolysis by Sse1p. The NEF activity of Sse1p stimulates in vitro Ssa1p-mediated refolding of thermally denatured luciferase, and appears to have an essential role in vivo. Overexpression of the only other described cytosolic NEF, Fes1p, can partially compensate for a lethal sse1,2D phenotype, however, the cells are sensitive to stress conditions. Furthermore, in the absence of Sse, the in vivo refolding of thermally denatured model proteins is affected. This is the first report of a nucleotide exchange activity for the Hsp110 class of proteins, and provides a key piece in the puzzle of the cellular chaperone network.

Due to evolutionary conservation of biology, experimental knowledge captured from genetic studies in eukaryotic model organisms provides insight into human cellular pathways and ultimately physiology. Yeast chemogenomic profiling is a powerful approach for annotating cellular responses to small molecules. Using an optimized platform, we provide the relative sensitivities of the heterozygous and homozygous deletion collections for nearly 1800 biologically active compounds. The data quality enables unique insights into pathways that are sensitive and resistant to a given perturbation, as demonstrated with both known and novel compounds. We present examples of novel compounds that inhibit the therapeutically relevant fatty acid synthase and desaturase (Fas1p and Ole1p), and demonstrate how the individual profiles facilitate hypothesis-driven experiments to delineate compound mechanism of action. Importantly, the scale and diversity of tested compounds yields a dataset where the number of modulated pathways approaches saturation. This resource can be used to map novel biological connections, and also identify functions for unannotated genes. We validated hypotheses generated by global two-way hierarchical clustering of profiles for (i) novel compounds with a similar mechanism of action acting upon microtubules or vacuolar ATPases, and (ii) an un-annotated ORF, YIL060w, that plays a role in respiration in the mitochondria. Finally, we identify and characterize background mutations in the widely used yeast deletion collection which should improve the interpretation of past and future screens throughout the community. This comprehensive resource of cellular responses enables the expansion of our understanding of eukaryotic pathway biology.

During polytopic protein biogenesis, the Sec61 translocon must rapidly orient and integrate multiple transmembrane segments (TMs) into the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. To understand this process, we examined interactions between Sec61alpha and all six TMs of the aquaporin-4 (AQP4) water channel at defined stages of synthesis using incorporated photo-cross-linking probes. Each TM interacted with and moved through the translocon in a highly ordered and sequential fashion. Strong asymmetric Sec61alpha cross-linking was observed for only one helix at a time, suggesting the presence of a single primary binding site. However, up to four TMs simultaneously contacted Sec61alpha from different molecular environments. Thus, AQP4 integration by Sec61alpha involves sequential triage of TMs from their initial portal of entry into multiple secondary sites within the translocon. This mechanism provides a means to facilitate early folding events before release into the lipid bilayer.

Highlights d A series of oxadiazoles were identified that ameliorate a-synuclein toxicity in yeast d Oxadiazoles directly inhibit yeast (Ole1) and human (SCD) stearoyl-CoA desaturases d Inhibiting Ole1 restored a-synuclein localization and reversed trafficking defects d Inhibiting SCD protected human neurons from a-synuclein toxicity Authors

Translation initiation is an emerging target in oncology and neurobiology indications. Naturally derived and synthetic rocaglamide scaffolds have been used to interrogate this pathway, however, there is uncertainty regarding their precise mechanism(s) of action. We exploited the genetic tractability of yeast to define the primary effect of both a natural and a synthetic rocaglamide in a cellular context, and characterized the molecular target using biochemical studies and in silico modeling. Chemogenomic profiling and mutagenesis in yeast identified the eIF (eukaryotic Initiation Factor) 4A helicase homologue as the primary molecular target of rocaglamides, and defined a discrete set of residues near the RNA binding motif which confer resistance to both compounds. Three of the eIF4A mutations were characterized regarding their functional consequences on activity and response to rocaglamide inhibition. These data support a model whereby rocaglamides stabilize an eIF4A-RNA interaction to either alter the level and/or impair the activity of the eIF4F complex. Furthermore, in silico modeling supports the annotation of a binding pocket delineated by the RNA substrate and the residues identified from our mutagenesis screen. As expected from the high degree of conservation of the eukaryotic translation pathway, these observations are consistent with previous observations in mammalian model systems. Importantly, we demonstrate that the chemically distinct silvestrol and synthetic rocaglamides share a common mechanism of action, which will be critical for optimization of physiologically stable derivatives. Finally, these data confirm the value of the rocaglamide scaffold for exploring the impact of translational modulation on disease.