Selective autophagy is mediated by cargo receptors that link the cargo to the isolation membrane via interactions with Atg8 proteins. Atg8 proteins are localized to the membrane in an ubiquitin-like conjugation reaction, but how this conjugation is coupled to the presence of the cargo is unclear. Here we show that the S. cerevisiae Atg19, Atg34 and the human p62, Optineurin and NDP52 cargo receptors interact with the E3-like enzyme Atg12∼Atg5-Atg16, which stimulates Atg8 conjugation. The interaction of Atg19 with the Atg12∼Atg5-Atg16 complex is mediated by its Atg8-interacting motifs (AIMs). We identify the AIM-binding sites in the Atg5 subunit and mutation of these sites impairs selective autophagy. In a reconstituted system the recruitment of the E3 to the prApe1 cargo is sufficient to drive accumulation of conjugated Atg8 at the cargo. The interaction of the Atg12∼Atg5-Atg16 complex and Atg8 with Atg19 is mutually exclusive, which may confer directionality to the system.
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.
© 2016, Fracchiolla et al.
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Pancreatic KATP channel trafficking defects underlie congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) cases unresponsive to the KATP channel opener diazoxide, the mainstay medical therapy for CHI. Current clinically used KATP channel inhibitors have been shown to act as pharmacochaperones and restore surface expression of trafficking mutants; however, their therapeutic utility for KATP trafficking-impaired CHI is hindered by high affinity binding, which limits functional recovery of rescued channels. Recent structural studies of KATP channels employing cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) have revealed a promiscuous pocket where several known KATP pharmacochaperones bind. The structural knowledge provides a framework for discovering KATP channel pharmacochaperones with desired reversible inhibitory effects to permit functional recovery of rescued channels. Using an AI-based virtual screening technology AtomNet followed by functional validation, we identified a novel compound, termed Aekatperone, which exhibits chaperoning effects on KATP channel trafficking mutations. Aekatperone reversibly inhibits KATP channel activity with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) ~9 μM. Mutant channels rescued to the cell surface by Aekatperone showed functional recovery upon washout of the compound. CryoEM structure of KATP bound to Aekatperone revealed distinct binding features compared to known high affinity inhibitor pharmacochaperones. Our findings unveil a KATP pharmacochaperone enabling functional recovery of rescued channels as a promising therapeutic for CHI caused by KATP trafficking defects.
The hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major global health problem, with chronic infection leading to liver complications and high death toll. Current treatments, such as nucleos(t)ide analogs and interferon-α, effectively suppress viral replication but rarely cure the infection. To address this, new antivirals targeting different components of the HBV molecular machinery are being developed. Here we investigated the hepatitis B core protein (HBc) that forms the viral capsids and plays a vital role in the HBV life cycle. We explored two distinct binding pockets on the HBV capsid: the central hydrophobic pocket of HBc-dimers and the pocket at the tips of capsid spikes. We synthesized a geranyl dimer that binds to the central pocket with micromolar affinity, and dimeric peptides that bind the spike-tip pocket with sub-micromolar affinity. Cryo-electron microscopy further confirmed the binding of peptide dimers to the capsid spike tips and their capsid-aggregating properties. Finally, we show that the peptide dimers induce HBc aggregation in vitro and in living cells. Our findings highlight two tractable sites within the HBV capsid and provide an alternative strategy to affect HBV capsids.