No abstract

The function of the transcription regulator ArgRIII in the expression of several genes involved in the metabolism of arginine in yeast has been well studied. It was previously reported that it is also an inositol phosphate multikinase and an important factor of the mRNA export pathway [reviewed by Shears (2000) Bioessays 22, 786-789]. In the present study we report the cloning of a full-length 1248-bp cDNA encoding a human inositol phosphate multikinase (IPMK). This protein has a calculated molecular mass of 47.219 kDa. Functionally important motifs [inositol phosphate-binding site, ATP-binding site, catalytically important SSLL (Ser-Ser-Leu-Leu) domain] are conserved between the human IPMK and yeast ArgRIII. Bacterially expressed protein demonstrated an inositol phosphate multikinase activity similar to that of yeast ArgRIII. Ins(1,4,5)P3 is phosphorylated at positions 3 and 6 up to Ins(1,3,4,5,6)P5. The human IPMK fused with a fluorescent protein tag is localized predominantly in the nucleus when transiently expressed in mammalian cells. A basic cluster in the protein's C-terminus is positively involved in nuclear targeting. These findings are consistent with the concept of a nuclear inositol phosphate signalling and phosphorylation pathway in mammalian cells.

The calcium-liberating second messenger inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins(1,4,5)P 3 ) is converted to inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate (Ins(1,3,4,5)P 4 ) by Ins(1,4,5)P 3 3-kinases (IP3Ks) that add a fourth phosphate group to the 3-position of the inositol ring. Two isoforms of IP3Ks (named A and B) from different vertebrate species have been well studied. Recently the cloning and examination of a human full-length cDNA encoding a novel isoform, termed human IP3K-C (HsIP3K-C), has been reported. In the present study we report the cloning of a full-length cDNA encoding a rat homologue of HsIP3K-C with a unique mRNA expression pattern, which differs remarkably from the tissue distribution of HsIP3K-C. Of the rat tissues examined, rat IP3K-C (RnIP3K-C) is mainly present in heart, brain, and testis and shows the strongest expression in an epidermal tissue, namely tongue epithelium. RnIP3K-C has a calculated molecular mass of ϳ74.5 kDa and shows an overall identity of ϳ75% with HsIP3K-C. A bacterially expressed, enzymatically active and Ca 2؉ -calmodulin-regulated fragment of this isoform displays remarkable enzymatic properties like a very low K m for Ins(1,4,5)P 3 (ϳ0.2 M), substrate inhibition by high concentrations of Ins(1,4,5)P 3 , allosteric product activation by Ins(1,3,4,5)P 4 in absence of Ca 2؉ -calmodulin (K a(app) 0.52 M), and the ability to efficiently phosphorylate a second InsP 3 substrate, inositol 2,4,5-trisphosphate, to inositol 2,4,5,6-tetrakisphosphate in the presence of Ins(1,3,4,5)P 4 . Furthermore, the RnIP3K-C fused with a fluorescent protein tag is actively transported into and out of the nucleus when transiently expressed in mammalian cells. A leucinerich nuclear export signal and an uncharacterized nuclear import activity are localized in the N-terminal domain of the protein and determine its nucleocytoplasmic shuttling. These findings point to a particular role of RnIP3K-C in nuclear inositol trisphosphate phosphorylation and cellular growth.For the conversion of the calcium-liberating second messenger inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins(1,4,5)P 3 )

DNA methyltransferase 1 (Dnmt1) reestablishes methylation of hemimethylated CpG sites generated during DNA replication in mammalian cells. Two subdomains, the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-binding domain (PBD) and the targeting sequence (TS) domain, target Dnmt1 to the replication sites in S phase. We aimed to dissect the details of the cell cycle–dependent coordinated activity of both domains. To that end, we combined super-resolution 3D-structured illumination microscopy and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) experiments of GFP-Dnmt1 wild type and mutant constructs in somatic mouse cells. To interpret the differences in FRAP kinetics, we refined existing data analysis and modeling approaches to (i) account for the heterogeneous and variable distribution of Dnmt1-binding sites in different cell cycle stages; (ii) allow diffusion-coupled dynamics; (iii) accommodate multiple binding classes. We find that transient PBD-dependent interaction directly at replication sites is the predominant specific interaction in early S phase (residence time Tres ≤10 s). In late S phase, this binding class is taken over by a substantially stronger (Tres ∼22 s) TS domain-dependent interaction at PCNA-enriched replication sites and at nearby pericentromeric heterochromatin subregions. We propose a two-loading-platform-model of additional PCNA-independent loading at postreplicative, heterochromatic Dnmt1 target sites to ensure faithful maintenance of densely methylated genomic regions.