The stomatin-like protein SLP-1 and Cdk2 interact with the F-Box protein Fbw7-γ

PLoS One. 2012;7(10):e47736. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0047736. Epub 2012 Oct 17.

Abstract

Control of cellular proliferation is critical to cell viability. The F-box protein Fbw7 (hAgo/hCdc4/FBXW7) functions as a specificity factor for the Skp1-Cul1-F-box protein (SCF) ubiquitin ligase complex and targets several proteins required for cellular proliferation for ubiquitin-mediated destruction. Fbw7 exists as three splice variants but the mechanistic role of each is not entirely clear. We examined the regulation of the Fbw7-γ isoform, which has been implicated in the degradation of c-Myc. We show here that Fbw7-γ is an unstable protein and that its turnover is proteasome-dependent in transformed cells. Using a two-hybrid screen, we identified a novel interaction partner, SLP-1, which binds the N-terminal domain of Fbw7-γ. Overexpression of SLP-1 inhibits the degradation of Fbw7-γ, suggesting that this interaction can happen in vivo. When Fbw7-γ is stabilized by overexpression of SLP-1, c-Myc protein abundance decreases, suggesting that the SCF(Fbw7-γ) complex maintains activity. We demonstrate that Cdk2 also binds the N-terminal domain of Fbw7-γ as well as SLP-1. Interestingly, co-expression of Cdk2 and SLP-1 does not inhibit Fbw7-γ degradation, suggesting that Cdk2 and SLP-1 may have opposing functions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Cycle
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / chemistry
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2 / metabolism*
  • F-Box Proteins / chemistry
  • F-Box Proteins / metabolism*
  • F-Box-WD Repeat-Containing Protein 7
  • HEK293 Cells
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Stability
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Proteolysis
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / chemistry
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • F-Box Proteins
  • F-Box-WD Repeat-Containing Protein 7
  • FBXW7 protein, human
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • STOML1 protein, human
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
  • CDK2 protein, human
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex