title: Regulation of 4E-BP1 phosphorylation: a novel two-step mechanism.
abstract: The multisubunit eukaryotic translation initiation factor (eIF) 4F recruits 40S ribosomal subunits to the 5' end of mRNA. The eIF4F subunit eIF4E interacts directly with the mRNA 5' cap structure. Assembly of the eIF4F complex is inhibited by a family of repressor polypeptides, the eIF4E-binding proteins (4E-BPs). Binding of the 4E-BPs to eIF4E is regulated by phosphorylation: Hypophosphorylated 4E-BP isoforms interact strongly with eIF4E, whereas hyperphosphorylated isoforms do not. 4E-BP1 is hypophosphorylated in quiescent cells, but is hyperphosphorylated on multiple sites following exposure to a variety of extracellular stimuli. The PI3-kinase/Akt pathway and the kinase FRAP/mTOR signal to 4E-BP1. FRAP/mTOR has been reported to phosphorylate 4E-BP1 directly in vitro. However, it is not known if FRAP/mTOR is responsible for the phosphorylation of all 4E-BP1 sites, nor which sites must be phosphorylated to release 4E-BP1 from eIF4E. To address these questions, a recombinant FRAP/mTOR protein and a FRAP/mTOR immunoprecipitate were utilized in in vitro kinase assays to phosphorylate 4E-BP1. Phosphopeptide mapping of the in vitro-labeled protein yielded two 4E-BP1 phosphopeptides that comigrated with phosphopeptides produced in vivo. Mass spectrometry analysis indicated that these peptides contain phosphorylated Thr-37 and Thr-46. Thr-37 and Thr-46 are efficiently phosphorylated in vitro by FRAP/mTOR when 4E-BP1 is bound to eIF4E. However, phosphorylation at these sites was not associated with a loss of eIF4E binding. Phosphorylated Thr-37 and Thr-46 are detected in all phosphorylated in vivo 4E-BP1 isoforms, including those that interact with eIF4E. Finally, mutational analysis demonstrated that phosphorylation of Thr-37/Thr-46 is required for subsequent phosphorylation of several carboxy-terminal serum-sensitive sites. Taken together, our results suggest that 4E-BP1 phosphorylation by FRAP/mTOR on Thr-37 and Thr-46 is a priming event for subsequent phosphorylation of the carboxy-terminal serum-sensitive sites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and McGill Cancer Center, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, H3G 1Y6, Canada.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Gingras
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Gygi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Raught
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Polakiewicz
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Hoekstra
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aebersold
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sonenberg
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D001665:Binding Sites; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002460:Cell Line; D002867:Chromones / Q000494:pharmacology; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D039561:Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4E; D006801:Humans; D020104:Immunophilins / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009025:Morpholines / Q000494:pharmacology; D010448:Peptide Initiation Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017853:Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) / Q000378:metabolism; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D011494:Protein Kinases; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000494:pharmacology; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; D013912:Threonine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002867:Chromones; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; C087000:EIF4EBP1 protein, human; D039561:Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4E; D009025:Morpholines; D010448:Peptide Initiation Factors; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D013912:Threonine; C085911:2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one; D011494:Protein Kinases; D017853:Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor); C546842:MTOR protein, human; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; D020104:Immunophilins; D020123:Sirolimus