A protein geranylgeranyltransferase (PGT) that catalyzes the transfer of a 20-carbon prenyl group from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate to a cysteine residue in protein and peptide acceptors was detected in bovine brain cytosol and partially purified. The enzyme was shown to be distinct from a previously characterized protein farnesyltransferase (PFT). The PGT selectively geranylgeranylated a synthetic peptide corresponding to the C terminus of the y6 subunit of bovine brain G proteins, which have previously been shown to contain a 20-carbon prenyl modification. Likewise, a peptide corresponding to the C terminus of human lamin B, a known farnesylated protein, selectively served as a substrate for farnesylation by the PFT. However, with high concentrations of peptide acceptors, both prenyl transferases were able to use either peptide as substrates and the PGT was able to catalyze farnesyl transfer. Among the prenyl acceptors tested, peptides and proteins with leucine or phenylalanine at their C termini served as geranylgeranyl acceptors, whereas those with C-terminal serine were preferentially farnesylated. These results suggest that the C-terminal amino acid is an important structural determinant in controlling the specificity of protein prenylation.

New therapeutics to combat malaria are desperately needed. Here we show that the enzyme protein farnesyltransferase (PFT) from the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) is an ideal drug target. PFT inhibitors (PFTIs) are well tolerated in man, but are highly cytotoxic to P. falciparum. Because of their anticancer properties, PFTIs comprise a highly developed class of compounds. PFTIs are ideal for the rapid development of antimalarials, allowing "piggy-backing" on previously garnered information. Low nanomolar concentrations of tetrahydroquinoline (THQ)-based PFTIs inhibit P. falciparum PFT and are cytotoxic to cultured parasites. Biochemical studies suggest inhibition of parasite PFT as the mode of THQ cytotoxicity. Studies with malaria-infected mice show that THQ PFTIs dramatically reduce parasitemia and lead to parasite eradication in the majority of animals. These studies validate P. falciparum PFT as a target for the development of antimalarials and describe a potent new class of THQ PFTIs with antimalaria activity.

Ipomoea is the largest genus in the family Convolvulaceae. Ipomoea nil (Japanese morning glory) has been utilized as a model plant to study the genetic basis of floricultural traits, with over 1,500 mutant lines. In the present study, we have utilized second- and third-generation-sequencing platforms, and have reported a draft genome of I. nil with a scaffold N50 of 2.88 Mb (contig N50 of 1.87 Mb), covering 98% of the 750 Mb genome. Scaffolds covering 91.42% of the assembly are anchored to 15 pseudo-chromosomes. The draft genome has enabled the identification and cataloguing of the Tpn1 family transposons, known as the major mutagen of I. nil, and analysing the dwarf gene, CONTRACTED, located on the genetic map published in 1956. Comparative genomics has suggested that a whole genome duplication in Convolvulaceae, distinct from the recent Solanaceae event, has occurred after the divergence of the two sister families.

Protein geranylgeranyltransferase-I (PGGT-I) catalyzes the transfer of the 20-carbon prenyl group from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate to the cysteine residue near the C-termini of a variety of eukaryotic proteins. Kinetic analysis of homogenous PGGT-I from bovine brain reveals that the reaction follows a sequential pathway in which either prenyl donor or acceptor can bind first to the enzyme and that the reaction operates at steady-state rather than at rapid equilibrium. Substrate inhibition by prenyl acceptor but not by prenyl donor suggests that geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate binding first to free enzyme is the kinetically preferred pathway. This is supported by isotope trapping experiments which show that the ternary complex goes on to products faster than the release of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate from the complex. The KM for the interaction of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate with PGGT-I is markedly affected by the structure of the prenyl acceptor bound to the enzyme. A detailed analysis of the substrate specificity of PGGT-I reveals that peptides which contain a C-terminal leucine are preferred (kcat/KM = 1-5 x 10(5) M-1 s-1) to those that end in serine (kcat/KM = 2-4 x 10(3) M-1 s-1) or phenylalanine (kcat/KM = 0.5 x 10(3) M-1 s-1). PGGT-I also catalyzes the farnesylation of peptides that have a C-terminal leucine; kcat for farnesylation and KM for farnesyl pyrophosphate are similar to those for geranylgeranylation, but the KM for the peptide is 30-fold higher. Geranyl pyrophosphate is utilized by PGGT-I but is a poor substrate. Optimal activity of PGGT-I is obtained in the presence of micromolar amounts of Zn2+ and mM amounts of Mg2+. Mn2+ or Cd2+ but not Co2+ can substitute for Zn2+ and for Mg2+. Metals are not required for tight-binding of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate to PGGT-I, and the measured dissociation equilibrium constant for this binary complex is 16 nM. Photoaffinity analogues of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate and farnesyl pyrophosphate were prepared and shown to exclusively label the beta-subunit. The implication of the results for the substrate specificity of protein prenylation in cells is briefly discussed.

Mutations in patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing 1 (PNPLA1) cause autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis, but the mechanism involved remains unclear. Here we show that PNPLA1, an enzyme expressed in differentiated keratinocytes, plays a crucial role in the biosynthesis of ω-O-acylceramide, a lipid component essential for skin barrier. Global or keratinocyte-specific Pnpla1-deficient neonates die due to epidermal permeability barrier defects with severe transepidermal water loss, decreased intercellular lipid lamellae in the stratum corneum, and aberrant keratinocyte differentiation. In Pnpla1−/− epidermis, unique linoleate-containing lipids including acylceramides, acylglucosylceramides and (O-acyl)-ω-hydroxy fatty acids are almost absent with reciprocal increases in their putative precursors, indicating that PNPLA1 catalyses the ω-O-esterification with linoleic acid to form acylceramides. Moreover, acylceramide supplementation partially rescues the altered differentiation of Pnpla1−/− keratinocytes. Our findings provide valuable insight into the skin barrier formation and ichthyosis development, and may contribute to novel therapeutic strategies for treatment of epidermal barrier defects.

No abstract

Protein geranylgeranyltransferase-I (PGGT-I) and protein farnesyltransferase (PFT) attach geranylgeranyl and farnesyl groups, respectively, to the C termini of eukaryotic cell proteins. In vitro, PGGT-I and PFT can transfer both geranylgeranyl and farnesyl groups from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) and farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) to their protein or peptide prenyl acceptor substrates. In the present study it is shown that PGGT-I binds GGPP 330-fold tighter than FPP and that PFT binds FPP 15-fold tighter than GGPP. Therefore, in vivo, where both GGPP and FPP compete for the binding to prenyltransferases, PGGT-I and PFT will likely be bound predominantly to GGPP and FPP, respectively. Previous studies have shown that K-Ras4B and the Ras-related GTPase TC21 are substrates for both PGGT-I and PFT in vitro. It is shown that TC21 can compete with the C-terminal peptide of the ␥ subunit of heterotrimeric G proteins and with the C-terminal peptide of lamin B for geranylgeranylation by PGGT-I and for farnesylation by PFT, respectively. K-Ras4B competes in both cases but is almost exclusively farnesylated by PFT in the presence of the lamin B peptide competitor. Rapid and single turnover kinetic studies indicate that the rate constant for the PGGT-I-catalyzed geranylgeranyl transfer step of the reaction cycle is 14-fold larger than the steady-state turnover number, which indicates that the rate of the overall reaction is limited by a step subsequent to prenyl transfer such as release of products from the enzyme. PGGT-I-catalyzed farnesylation is 37-fold slower than geranylgeranylation and is limited by the farnesyl transfer step. These results together with earlier studies provide a paradigm for the substrate specificity of PGGT-I and PFT and provide information that is critical for the design of prenyltransferase inhibitors as anti-cancer agents.Modification of the C termini of specific eukaryotic proteins by attachment of either 15-carbon farnesyl or 20-carbon geranylgeranyl groups is required for their proper membrane targeting and functional activation (1-9). Two closely related enzymes protein farnesyltransferase (PFT) 1 and PGGT-I transfer prenyl groups from prenyl pyrophosphates to proteins that contain a C-terminal CaaX motif (C is cysteine, a is usually an aliphatic amino acid, and X is a variety of amino acids) (10 -13). The X residue of this motif plays a major role in recognition by these two enzymes (14). PFT preferentially transfers a farnesyl group to the cysteine residue of the CaaX motif when X is serine, methionine, glutamine, or cysteine, and possibly other residues. PGGT-I preferentially geranylgeranylates proteins having a C-terminal leucine or phenylalanine. PFT and PGGT-I consist of a common ␣ subunit and distinct ␤ subunits (15-18). A third enzyme, protein geranylgeranyltransferase-II, also known as Rab geranylgeranyltransferase, transfers the 20-carbon prenyl group to both cysteines of Rab proteins that have C-terminal sequences CXC, CC, or possibly CCXX (19,20). Although the C-terminal CaaX...

The post-translational farnesylation of proteins serves to anchor a subset of intracellular proteins to membranes in eukaryotic organisms and also promotes protein-protein interactions. Inhibition of protein farnesyltransferase (PFT) is lethal to the pathogenic protozoa Plasmodium falciparum. Parasites were isolated that were resistant to BMS-388891, a tetrahydroquinoline (THQ) PFT inhibitor. Resistance was associated with a 12-fold decrease in drug susceptibility. Genotypic analysis revealed a single point mutation in the ␤ subunit in resistant parasites. The resultant tyrosine 837 to cysteine alteration in the ␤ subunit corresponded to the binding site for the THQ and peptide substrate. Biochemical analysis of Y837C-PFT demonstrated a 13-fold increase in BMS-388891 concentration necessary for inhibiting 50% of the enzyme activity. These data are consistent with PFT as the target of BMS-388891 in P. falciparum and suggest that PFT inhibitors should be combined with other antimalarial agents for effective therapy.Malaria causes about 300 million infections annually.1 Approximately 90% of the deaths occur in Africa, with falciparum malaria a major contributor. For decades, malaria chemotherapy has relied on a limited number of drugs. Acquisition and spread of resistance to these drugs is largely responsible for a recent increase in malaria-related mortality (2, 3). This increasing burden caused by drug-resistant parasites has led investigators to seek out novel antimalarial drug targets. Among these are enzymes necessary for cellular division and differentiation. Previous work has demonstrated that the enzyme protein farnesyltransferase (PFT) 2 is a viable drug target for pathogenic protozoa, including the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum (4 -8).3 PFT inhibitors (PFTIs) have been developed by the pharmaceutical industry because of their anti-cancer properties (9 -11). Utilizing this existing resource, we have been able to demonstrate that low nanomolar concentrations of tetrahydroquinoline (THQ)-based PFTIs inhibit P. falciparum PFT (PfPFT) and are cytotoxic to parasites both in vitro and in vivo. 3PFT in eukaryotic cells catalyzes the transfer of a 15-carbon isoprenoid lipid unit, a farnesyl group, from farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) to the C terminus of a specific set of proteins, including the Ras superfamily G-proteins (12). In addition to the Ras superfamily proteins, which are involved in the cell cycle, another protein that has been shown to be farnesylated is CENP-E, a centromere-associating protein, which plays a critical role in cell cycle progression during the M-phase (13). However, the identification of farnesylated proteins in P. falciparum and their role in mediating PFTI toxicity are currently under investigation.Because of the enzymatic nature of the drug target, we have begun to investigate potential P. falciparum resistance to PFTIs. The THQ PFTI used in this work, BMS-388891 (Fig. 1), is a potent inhibitor of parasite proliferation and causes severe defects in maturation.3 In addition, w...