Trp-tRNA synthetase bridges DNA-PKcs to PARP-1 to link IFN-γ and p53 signaling

Nat Chem Biol. 2012 Apr 15;8(6):547-54. doi: 10.1038/nchembio.937.

Abstract

Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) engenders strong antiproliferative responses, in part through activation of p53. However, the long-known IFN-γ-dependent upregulation of human Trp-tRNA synthetase (TrpRS), a cytoplasmic enzyme that activates tryptophan to form Trp-AMP in the first step of protein synthesis, is unexplained. Here we report a nuclear complex of TrpRS with the catalytic subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs) and with poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1), the major PARP in human cells. The IFN-γ-dependent poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of DNA-PKcs (which activates its kinase function) and concomitant activation of the tumor suppressor p53 were specifically prevented by Trp-SA, an analog of Trp-AMP that disrupted the TrpRS-DNA-PKcs-PARP-1 complex. The connection of TrpRS to p53 signaling in vivo was confirmed in a vertebrate system. These and further results suggest an unexpected evolutionary expansion of the protein synthesis apparatus to a nuclear role that links major signaling pathways.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Catalytic Domain
  • Cell Culture Techniques
  • Cell Nucleus / drug effects
  • Cell Nucleus / enzymology
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Cytoplasm / drug effects
  • Cytoplasm / enzymology
  • Cytoplasm / metabolism
  • DNA-Activated Protein Kinase / genetics
  • DNA-Activated Protein Kinase / metabolism*
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian / enzymology
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Immunoprecipitation
  • Interferon-gamma / pharmacology*
  • Interferon-gamma / physiology
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Models, Molecular
  • Phosphorylation
  • Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1
  • Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / genetics
  • Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / metabolism*
  • Protein Interaction Maps
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects*
  • Transfection
  • Tryptophan-tRNA Ligase / genetics
  • Tryptophan-tRNA Ligase / metabolism*
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / genetics
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / metabolism*
  • Zebrafish / embryology
  • Zebrafish / metabolism

Substances

  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • Interferon-gamma
  • PARP1 protein, human
  • Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1
  • Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases
  • DNA-Activated Protein Kinase
  • Tryptophan-tRNA Ligase