CoCl₂‐triggered pseudohypoxic stress induces proteasomal degradation of SIRT4 via polyubiquitination of lysines K78 and K299

Abstract

SIRT4, together with SIRT3 and SIRT5, comprises the mitochondrially localized subgroup of sirtuins. SIRT4 regulates mitochondrial bioenergetics, dynamics (mitochondrial fusion), and quality control (mitophagy) via its NAD+‐dependent enzymatic activities. Here, we address the regulation of SIRT4 itself by characterizing its protein stability and degradation upon CoCl2‐induced pseudohypoxic stress that typically triggers mitophagy. Interestingly, we observed that of the mitochondrial sirtuins, only the protein levels of SIRT4 or ectopically expressed SIRT4‐eGFP decrease upon CoCl2 treatment of HEK293 cells. Co‐treatment with BafA1, an inhibitor of autophagosome–lysosome fusion required for autophagy/mitophagy, or the use of the proteasome inhibitor MG132, prevented CoCl2‐induced SIRT4 downregulation. Consistent with the proteasomal degradation of SIRT4, the lysine mutants SIRT4(K78R) and SIRT4(K299R) showed significantly reduced polyubiquitination upon CoCl2 treatment and were more resistant to pseudohypoxia‐induced degradation as compared to SIRT4. Moreover, SIRT4(K78R) and SIRT4(K299R) displayed increased basal protein stability as compared to wild‐type SIRT4 when subjected to MG132 treatment or cycloheximide (CHX) chase assays. Thus, our data indicate that stress‐induced protein degradation of SIRT4 occurs through two mechanisms: (a) via mitochondrial autophagy/mitophagy, and (b) as a separate process via proteasomal degradation within the cytoplasm.

Identification of SIRT4 as a novel paralog-specific interactor and candidate suppressor of C-RAF kinase in MAPK signaling

“…Taken together, C-RAF CRD and the C-terminus of SIRT4, encompassing residues 255-314, are involved in SIRT4-C-RAF interaction, which is independent of the first 28 a.a. of SIRT4 and therefore its mitochondrial localization as well as of the catalytic activity of SIRT4. Our findings also add a new function to the C-terminus of SIRT4 besides its role in proteasomal degradation and stability regulation of SIRT4 (49).…”