N-acetyl-D-glucosamine kinase binds dynein light chain roadblock 1 and promotes protein aggregate clearance

Cell Death Dis. 2020 Aug 14;11(8):619. doi: 10.1038/s41419-020-02862-7.

Abstract

Emerging evidence indicates that neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) result from a failure to clear toxic protein aggregates rather than from their generation. We previously showed N-acetylglucosamine kinase (NAGK) promotes dynein functionality and suggested this might promote aggregate removal and effectively address proteinopathies. Here, we report NAGK interacts with dynein light chain roadblock type 1 (DYNLRB1) and efficiently suppresses mutant huntingtin (mHtt) (Q74) and α-synuclein (α-syn) A53T aggregation in mouse brain cells. A kinase-inactive NAGKD107A also efficiently cleared Q74 aggregates. Yeast two-hybrid selection and in silico protein-protein docking analysis showed the small domain of NAGK (NAGK-DS) binds to the C-terminal of DYNLRB1. Furthermore, a small peptide derived from NAGK-DS interfered with Q74 clearance. We propose binding of NAGK-DS to DYNLRB1 'pushes up' the tail of dynein light chain and confers momentum for inactive phi- to active open-dynein transition.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Cytoplasmic Dyneins / chemistry
  • Cytoplasmic Dyneins / metabolism*
  • Dyneins / metabolism*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Huntingtin Protein / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Models, Biological
  • Models, Molecular
  • Mutant Proteins / metabolism
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / metabolism
  • Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) / chemistry
  • Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) / metabolism*
  • Protein Aggregates*
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Domains
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • alpha-Synuclein / metabolism

Substances

  • DYNLRB1 protein, human
  • Huntingtin Protein
  • Mutant Proteins
  • Peptides
  • Protein Aggregates
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • alpha-Synuclein
  • Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor)
  • N-acetylglucosamine kinase
  • Cytoplasmic Dyneins
  • Dyneins