Vps11 and Vps18 of Vps-C membrane traffic complexes are E3 ubiquitin ligases and fine-tune signalling

Nat Commun. 2019 Apr 23;10(1):1833. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-09800-y.

Abstract

In response to extracellular signals, many signalling proteins associated with the plasma membrane are sorted into endosomes. This involves endosomal fusion, which depends on the complexes HOPS and CORVET. Whether and how their subunits themselves modulate signal transduction is unknown. We show that Vps11 and Vps18 (Vps11/18), two common subunits of the HOPS/CORVET complexes, are E3 ubiquitin ligases. Upon overexpression of Vps11/Vps18, we find perturbations of ubiquitination in signal transduction pathways. We specifically demonstrate that Vps11/18 regulate several signalling factors and pathways, including Wnt, estrogen receptor α (ERα), and NFκB. For ERα, we demonstrate that the Vps11/18-mediated ubiquitination of the scaffold protein PELP1 impairs the activation of ERα by c-Src. Thus, proteins involved in membrane traffic, in addition to performing their well-described role in endosomal fusion, fine-tune signalling in several different ways, including through ubiquitination.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • CSK Tyrosine-Protein Kinase
  • Co-Repressor Proteins / metabolism*
  • Endosomes / metabolism*
  • Estrogen Receptor alpha / metabolism
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligase Complexes / metabolism*
  • Ubiquitination / physiology
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins / metabolism*
  • Wnt Proteins / metabolism
  • src-Family Kinases / metabolism

Substances

  • Co-Repressor Proteins
  • ESR1 protein, human
  • Estrogen Receptor alpha
  • NF-kappa B
  • PELP1 protein, human
  • Transcription Factors
  • VPS11 protein, human
  • VPS18 protein, human
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins
  • Wnt Proteins
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligase Complexes
  • CSK Tyrosine-Protein Kinase
  • src-Family Kinases
  • CSK protein, human