Molecular mechanisms underlying the evolution of the slp76 signalosome

Sci Rep. 2017 May 4;7(1):1509. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-01660-0.

Abstract

The well-defined mammalian slp76-signalosome is crucial for T-cell immune response, yet whether slp76-signalosome exists in invertebrates and how it evolved remain unknown. Here we investigated slp76-signalosome from an evolutionary perspective in amphioxus Branchiostoma belcheri (bb). We proved slp76-signalosome components bbslp76, bbGADS and bbItk are present in amphioxus and bbslp76 interacts with bbGADS and bbItk, but differences exist between the interaction manners within slp76-signalosome components of amphioxus and human (h). Specifically, bbslp76 has a unique WW-domain that blocked its association with hItk and decreased TCR-induced tyrosine-phosphorylation and NFAT-activation. Deletion of WW-domain shifted the constitutive association between bbslp76 and hPLCγ1 to a TCR-enhanced association. Among slp76-signalosome, the interaction between slp76 and PLCγ1 is the most conserved and the binding between Itk and slp76 evolved from constitutive to stimulation-regulated. Sequence alignment and 3D structural analysis of slp76-signalosome molecules from keystone species indicated slp76 evolved into a more unfolded and flexible adaptor due to lack of WW-domain and several low-complexity-regions (LCRs) while GADS turned into a larger protein by a LCR gain, thus preparing more space for nucleating the coevolving slp76-signalosome. Altogether, through deletion of WW-domain and manipulation of LCRs, slp76-signalosome evolves from a rigid and stimulation-insensitive to a more flexible and stimulation-responding complex.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / chemistry
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / genetics*
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / metabolism
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Evolution, Molecular*
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Humans
  • Jurkat Cells
  • Lancelets / genetics
  • Lancelets / metabolism
  • Models, Molecular
  • Mutation / genetics
  • NFATC Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Organ Specificity / genetics
  • Phosphoproteins / chemistry
  • Phosphoproteins / genetics*
  • Phosphoproteins / metabolism
  • Phosphotyrosine / metabolism
  • Phylogeny
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs
  • Protein Interaction Mapping
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • NFATC Transcription Factors
  • Phosphoproteins
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
  • SLP-76 signal Transducing adaptor proteins
  • Phosphotyrosine