As a critical apoptosis executioner, caspase-3 becomes activated and then enters into the nucleus to exert its function. However, the molecular mechanism of this nuclear entry of active caspase-3 is still unknown. In ...As a critical apoptosis executioner, caspase-3 becomes activated and then enters into the nucleus to exert its function. However, the molecular mechanism of this nuclear entry of active caspase-3 is still unknown. In this study, we revealed that easpase-3 harbors a crm-l-independent nuclear export signal （NES） in its small subunit. Using reversecaspase-3 as the study model, we found that the function of the NES in caspase-3 was not disturbed by the conformational changes during induced caspase-3 activation. Mutations disrupting the cleavage activity or p3-recognition site resulted in a defect in the nuclear entry of active caspase-3. We provide evidence that the p3-mediated specific cleavage activity of active caspase-3 abrogated the function of the NES. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that during caspase-3 activation, NES is constitutively present, p3-mediated specific cleavage activity abrogates the NES function in caspase-3, thus facilitating the nuclear entry of active caspase-3.展开更多
It is recognized that HIV-1 capsid cores are disassembled in the cytoplasm, releasing their genomes into the nucleus through nuclear pores, but there is also evidence showing the capsid(CA) exists in the nucleus. Whet...It is recognized that HIV-1 capsid cores are disassembled in the cytoplasm, releasing their genomes into the nucleus through nuclear pores, but there is also evidence showing the capsid(CA) exists in the nucleus. Whether HIV-1 enters the nucleus and how it enters the nucleus through the undersized nuclear pore remains mysterious. Based on multicolor labeling and real-time imaging of the viral and cellular components, our observations via light and electron microscopy suggest that HIV-1 selectively gathered at the microtubule organization center(MTOC), leading the nearby nuclear envelope(NE) to undergo deformation,invagination and restoration to form a nuclear vesicle in which the viral particles were wrapped;then, the inner membrane of the nuclear vesicle ruptured to release HIV-1 into the nucleus. This unexpected discovery expands our understanding of the complexity of HIV-1 nuclear entry, which may provide new insights to HIV-1 virology.展开更多
基金Supplementary information is linked to the online version of the paper on the Cell Research website.Acknowledgments We thank Prof Jian Wang （Shanghai University, Shanghai） for his valuable revision and discussion. This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China （30700411）, Shenzhen Bureau of Science Technology and Information （SZKJ-2006018, SZKJ-2007012）, Shenzhen Nanshan Bureau of Science Technology and Information （2008036） and Shenzhen Key Laboratory Advancement Scheme.
文摘As a critical apoptosis executioner, caspase-3 becomes activated and then enters into the nucleus to exert its function. However, the molecular mechanism of this nuclear entry of active caspase-3 is still unknown. In this study, we revealed that easpase-3 harbors a crm-l-independent nuclear export signal （NES） in its small subunit. Using reversecaspase-3 as the study model, we found that the function of the NES in caspase-3 was not disturbed by the conformational changes during induced caspase-3 activation. Mutations disrupting the cleavage activity or p3-recognition site resulted in a defect in the nuclear entry of active caspase-3. We provide evidence that the p3-mediated specific cleavage activity of active caspase-3 abrogated the function of the NES. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that during caspase-3 activation, NES is constitutively present, p3-mediated specific cleavage activity abrogates the NES function in caspase-3, thus facilitating the nuclear entry of active caspase-3.
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDB29050100)。
文摘It is recognized that HIV-1 capsid cores are disassembled in the cytoplasm, releasing their genomes into the nucleus through nuclear pores, but there is also evidence showing the capsid(CA) exists in the nucleus. Whether HIV-1 enters the nucleus and how it enters the nucleus through the undersized nuclear pore remains mysterious. Based on multicolor labeling and real-time imaging of the viral and cellular components, our observations via light and electron microscopy suggest that HIV-1 selectively gathered at the microtubule organization center(MTOC), leading the nearby nuclear envelope(NE) to undergo deformation,invagination and restoration to form a nuclear vesicle in which the viral particles were wrapped;then, the inner membrane of the nuclear vesicle ruptured to release HIV-1 into the nucleus. This unexpected discovery expands our understanding of the complexity of HIV-1 nuclear entry, which may provide new insights to HIV-1 virology.
