title: PATJ, a tight junction-associated PDZ protein, is a novel degradation target of high-risk human papillomavirus E6 and the alternatively spliced isoform 18 E6.
abstract: The E6 protein from high-risk human papillomavirus types interacts with and degrades several PDZ domain-containing proteins that localize to adherens junctions or tight junctions in polarized epithelial cells. We have identified the tight junction-associated multi-PDZ protein PATJ (PALS1-associated TJ protein) as a novel binding partner and degradation target of high-risk types 16 and 18 E6. PATJ functions in the assembly of the evolutionarily conserved CRB-PALS1-PATJ and Par6-aPKC-Par3 complexes and is critical for the formation of tight junctions in polarized cells. The ability of type 18 E6 full-length to bind to, and the subsequent degradation of, PATJ is dependent on its C-terminal PDZ binding motif. We demonstrate that the spliced 18 E6* protein, which lacks a C-terminal PDZ binding motif, associates with and degrades PATJ independently of full-length 18 E6. Thus, PATJ is the first binding partner that is degraded in response to both isoforms of 18 E6. The ability of E6 to utilize a non-E6AP ubiquitin ligase for the degradation of several PDZ binding partners has been suggested. We also demonstrate that 18 E6-mediated degradation of PATJ is not inhibited in cells where E6AP is silenced by shRNA. This suggests that the E6-E6AP complex is not required for the degradation of this protein target.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, 701 W. 168th St., New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: Carina H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Storrs
authors.forename: Saul J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Silverstein
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16 / Q000502:physiology*; D052161:Human papillomavirus 18 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D047468:Immunoprecipitation; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D025941:Protein Interaction Mapping; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000378:metabolism; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D062725:Tight Junction Proteins; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C068651:E6 protein, Human papillomavirus type 16; C052603:E6 protein, Human papillomavirus type 18; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; C107903:PATJ protein, human; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D062725:Tight Junction Proteins