Curated Optogenetic Publication Database

Abstract: Open Reading Frame 6 (ORF6) proteins, which are unique to severe acute respiratory syndrome-related (SARS) coronavirus, inhibit the classical nuclear import pathway to antagonize host antiviral responses. Several alternative models were proposed to explain the inhibitory function of ORF6 [H. Xia et al., Cell Rep. 33, 108234 (2020); L. Miorin et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 117, 28344-28354 (2020); and M. Frieman et al., J. Virol. 81, 9812-9824 (2007)]. To distinguish these models and build quantitative understanding of ORF6 function, we developed a method for scoring both ORF6 concentration and functional effect in single living cells. We combined quantification of untagged ORF6 expression level in single cells with optogenetics-based measurement of nuclear transport kinetics, using methods that could be adapted to measure concentration-dependent effects of any untagged protein. We found that SARS-CoV-2 ORF6 is ~15 times more potent than SARS-CoV-1 ORF6 in inhibiting nuclear import and export, due to differences in the C-terminal region that is required for the NUP98-RAE1 binding. The N-terminal region was required for transport inhibition. This region binds membranes but could be replaced by synthetic constructs which forced oligomerization in solution, suggesting its primary function is oligomerization. We propose that the hydrophobic N-terminal region drives oligomerization of ORF6 to multivalently cross-link the NUP98-RAE1 complexes at the nuclear pore complex, and this multivalent binding inhibits bidirectional transport.

Abstract: Macromolecular transport across the nuclear envelope depends on facilitated diffusion through nuclear pore complexes (NPCs). The interior of NPCs contains a permeability barrier made of phenylalanine-glycine (FG) repeat domains that selectively facilitates the permeation of cargoes bound to nuclear transport receptors (NTRs). FG-repeat domains in NPCs are a major site of O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification, but the functional role of this modification in nucleocytoplasmic transport is unclear. We developed high-throughput assays based on optogenetic probes to quantify the kinetics of nuclear import and export in living human cells. We found that increasing O-GlcNAc modification of the NPC accelerated NTR-facilitated transport of proteins in both directions, and decreasing modification slowed transport. Superresolution imaging revealed strong enrichment of O-GlcNAc at the FG-repeat barrier. O-GlcNAc modification also accelerated passive permeation of a small, inert protein through NPCs. We conclude that O-GlcNAc modification accelerates nucleocytoplasmic transport by enhancing the nonspecific permeability of the FG-repeat barrier, perhaps by steric inhibition of interactions between FG repeats.

Abstract: Macromolecular transportacross the nuclear envelope is fundamental to eukaryotic cells and depends on facilitated diffusion through nuclear pore complexes (NPCs). The interior of NPCs contains apermeability barriermade of phenylalanine-glycine (FG) repeat domainsthat selectively facilitatesthe permeation ofcargoes bound to nuclear transport receptors (NTRs)1,2.The NPC is enriched in O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification3-8, but itsfunctional rolein nucleocytoplasmic transport isunclear. We developed high-throughput assaysbased on optogenetic probes to quantify the kinetics of nuclear import and exportin living human cells and showedthat the O-GlcNAc modification of the NPC accelerates the nucleocytoplasmic transport in both directions.Super-resolution imaging of O-GlcNAc revealed strong enrichmentat the FG barrier ofthe NPC channel. O-GlcNAcmodificationalso promoted the passive permeation of a small,inert protein through NPCs.Our results suggest that O-GlcNAc modification acceleratesnucleocytoplasmic transport by enhancingthe non-specific permeabilitythe FG-repeat barrier.