Glutaminase Affects the Transcriptional Activity of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ (PPARγ) via Direct Interaction

Biochemistry. 2018 Nov 6;57(44):6293-6307. doi: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b00773. Epub 2018 Oct 18.

Abstract

Phosphate-activated glutaminases catalyze the deamidation of glutamine to glutamate and play key roles in several physiological and pathological processes. In humans, GLS encodes two multidomain splicing isoforms: KGA and GAC. In both isoforms, the canonical glutaminase domain is flanked by an N-terminal region that is folded into an EF-hand-like four-helix bundle. However, the splicing event replaces a well-structured three-repeat ankyrin domain in KGA with a shorter, unordered C-terminal stretch in GAC. The multidomain architecture, which contains putative protein-protein binding motifs, has led to speculation that glutaminases are involved in cellular processes other than glutamine metabolism; in fact, some proteins have been identified as binding partners of KGA and the isoforms of its paralogue gene, GLS2. Here, a yeast two-hybrid assay identified nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) as a new binding partner of the glutaminase. We show that KGA and GAC directly bind PPARγ with a low-micromolar dissociation constant; the interaction involves the N-terminal and catalytic domains of glutaminases as well as the ligand-binding domain of the nuclear receptor. The interaction occurs within the nucleus, and by sequestering PPARγ from its responsive element DR1, the glutaminases decreased nuclear receptor activity as assessed by a luciferase reporter assay. Altogether, our findings reveal an unexpected glutaminase-binding partner and, for the first time, directly link mitochondrial glutaminases to an unanticipated role in gene regulation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Glutaminase / metabolism*
  • Glutamine / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Luciferases / metabolism
  • Models, Molecular
  • PPAR gamma / chemistry
  • PPAR gamma / genetics*
  • PPAR gamma / metabolism*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Domains
  • Protein Isoforms
  • Transcription, Genetic*

Substances

  • PPAR gamma
  • Protein Isoforms
  • Glutamine
  • Luciferases
  • Glutaminase