Repair of isoaspartate formation modulates the interaction of deamidated 4E-BP2 with mTORC1 in brain

J Biol Chem. 2010 Jun 18;285(25):19402-8. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M110.120774. Epub 2010 Apr 27.

Abstract

In eukaryotes, a rate-limiting step of translation initiation is recognition of the mRNA 5' m(7)GpppN cap structure by the eukaryotic initiation factor 4F (eIF4F), a heterotrimeric complex consisting of the cap-binding protein, eIF4E, along with eIF4G, and eIF4A. The eIF4E-binding proteins (4E-BPs) repress translation by disrupting eIF4F formation, thereby preventing ribosome recruitment to the mRNA. Of the three 4E-BPs, 4E-BP2 is the predominant paralog expressed in the mammalian brain and plays an important role in synaptic plasticity and learning and memory. 4E-BP2 undergoes asparagine deamidation, solely in the brain, during early postnatal development. Deamidation spontaneously converts asparagines into a mixture of aspartates or isoaspartates, the latter of which may be destabilizing to proteins. The enzyme protein L-isoaspartyl methyltransferase (PIMT) prevents isoaspartate accumulation by catalyzing the conversion of isoaspartates to aspartates. PIMT exhibits high activity in the brain, relative to other tissues. We report here that 4E-BP2 is a substrate for PIMT. In vitro deamidated 4E-BP2 accrues isoapartyl residues and is methylated by recombinant PIMT. Using an antibody that recognizes 4E-BP2, which harbors isoaspartates at the deamidation sites, Asn(99) and Asn(102), we demonstrate that 4E-BP2 in PIMT-/- brain lysates contains isoaspartate residues. Further, we show that 4E-BP2 containing isoaspartates lacks the augmented association with raptor that is a feature of deamidated 4E-BP2.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Catalysis
  • Eukaryotic Initiation Factors / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Isoaspartic Acid / chemistry*
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1
  • Methylation
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Multiprotein Complexes
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Biosynthesis
  • Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • S-Adenosylmethionine / chemistry
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Transcription Factors / chemistry*

Substances

  • EIF4EBP2 protein, human
  • Eukaryotic Initiation Factors
  • Isoaspartic Acid
  • Multiprotein Complexes
  • Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • S-Adenosylmethionine
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases