Targeting of the Akt/PKB kinase to the actin skeleton

Serine/threonine kinase Akt/PKB intracellular distribution undergoes rapid changes in response to agonists such as Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) or Insulin-like growth factor (IGF). The concept has recently emerged that Akt subcellular movements are facilitated by interaction with nonsubstrate ligands. Here we show that Akt is bound to the actin skeleton in in situ cytoskeletal matrix preparations from PDGF-treated Saos2 cells, suggesting an interaction between the two proteins. Indeed, by immunoprecipitation and subcellular fractioning, we demonstrate that endogenous Akt and actin physically interact. Using recombinant proteins in in vitro binding and overlay assays, we further demonstrate that Akt interacts with actin directly. Expression of Akt mutants strongly indicates that the N-terminal PH domain of Akt mediates this interaction. More important, we show that the partition between actin bound and unbound Akt is not constant, but is modulated by growth factor stimulation. In fact, PDGF treatment of serum-starved cells triggers an increase in the amount of Akt associated with the actin skeleton, concomitant with an increase in Akt phosphorylation. Conversely, expression of an Akt mutant in which both Ser473 and Thr308 have been mutated to alanine completely abrogates PDGF-induced binding. The small GTPases Rac1 and Cdc42 seem to facilitate actin binding, possibly increasing Akt phosphorylation.Received 10 September 2003; accepted 25 September 2003     

Volcanically emitted sodium chloride as a source for Io's neutral clouds and plasma torus

The atmosphere of Jupiter's satellite Io is extremely tenuous, time variable and spatially heterogeneous. Only a few molecules--SO2, SO and S2--have previously been identified as constituents of this atmosphere, and possible sources include frost sublimation, surface sputtering and active volcanism. Io has been known for almost 30 years to be surrounded by a cloud of Na, which requires an as yet unidentified atmospheric source of sodium. Sodium chloride has been recently proposed as an important atmospheric constituent, based on the detection of chlorine in Io's plasma torus and models of Io's volcanic gases. Here we report the detection of NaCl in Io's atmosphere; it constitutes only approximately 0.3% when averaged over the entire disk, but is probably restricted to smaller regions than SO2 because of its rapid photolysis and surface condensation. Although the inferred abundance of NaCl in volcanic gases is lower than predicted, those volcanic emissions provide an important source of Na and Cl in Io's neutral clouds and plasma torus.     

Mutations in the polyglutamine binding protein 1 gene cause X-linked mental retardation

We found mutations in the gene PQBP1 in 5 of 29 families with nonsyndromic (MRX) and syndromic (MRXS) forms of X-linked mental retardation (XLMR). Clinical features in affected males include mental retardation, microcephaly, short stature, spastic paraplegia and midline defects. PQBP1 has previously been implicated in the pathogenesis of polyglutamine expansion diseases. Our findings link this gene to XLMR and shed more light on the pathogenesis of this common disorder.     

Ru2 and Ru encode mouse orthologs of the genes mutated in human Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome types 5 and 6

Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS) is a genetically heterogeneous disease involving abnormalities of melanosomes, platelet dense granules and lysosomes. Here we have used positional candidate and transgenic rescue approaches to identify the genes mutated in ruby-eye 2 and ruby-eye mice (ru2 and ru, respectively), two 'mimic' mouse models of HPS. We also show that these genes are orthologs of the genes mutated in individuals with HPS types 5 and 6, respectively, and that their protein products directly interact. Both genes are previously unknown and are found only in higher eukaryotes, and together represent a new class of genes that have evolved in higher organisms to govern the synthesis of highly specialized lysosome-related organelles.     

Notch1 functions as a tumor suppressor in mouse skin

Notch proteins are important in binary cell-fate decisions and inhibiting differentiation in many developmental systems, and aberrant Notch signaling is associated with tumorigenesis. The role of Notch signaling in mammalian skin is less well characterized and is mainly based on in vitro studies, which suggest that Notch signaling induces differentiation in mammalian skin. Conventional gene targeting is not applicable to establishing the role of Notch receptors or ligands in the skin because Notch1-/- embryos die during gestation. Therefore, we used a tissue-specific inducible gene-targeting approach to study the physiological role of the Notch1 receptor in the mouse epidermis and the corneal epithelium of adult mice. Unexpectedly, ablation of Notch1 results in epidermal and corneal hyperplasia followed by the development of skin tumors and facilitated chemical-induced skin carcinogenesis. Notch1 deficiency in skin and in primary keratinocytes results in increased and sustained expression of Gli2, causing the development of basal-cell carcinoma-like tumors. Furthermore, Notch1 inactivation in the epidermis results in derepressed beta-catenin signaling in cells that should normally undergo differentiation. Enhanced beta-catenin signaling can be reversed by re-introduction of a dominant active form of the Notch1 receptor. This leads to a reduction in the signaling-competent pool of beta-catenin, indicating that Notch1 can inhibit beta-catenin-mediated signaling. Our results indicate that Notch1 functions as a tumor-suppressor gene in mammalian skin.