RESUMEN
Activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) is one of three endoplasmic reticulum (ER) transmembrane stress sensors that mediate the unfolded protein response (UPR). Despite its crucial role in long-term ER stress adaptation, regulation of ATF6 alpha (α) signalling remains poorly understood, possibly because its activation involves ER-to-Golgi and nuclear trafficking. Here, we generated an ATF6α/Inositol-requiring kinase 1 (IRE1) dual UPR reporter CHO-K1 cell line and performed an unbiased genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis screen to systematically profile genetic factors that specifically contribute to ATF6α signalling in the presence and absence of ER stress. The screen identified both anticipated and new candidate genes that regulate ATF6α activation. Among these, calreticulin (CRT), a key ER luminal chaperone, selectively repressed ATF6α signalling: Cells lacking CRT constitutively activated a BiP::sfGFP ATF6α-dependent reporter, had higher BiP levels and an increased rate of trafficking and processing of ATF6α. Purified CRT interacted with the luminal domain of ATF6α in vitro and the two proteins co-immunoprecipitated from cell lysates. CRT depletion exposed a negative feedback loop implicating ATF6α in repressing IRE1 activity basally and overexpression of CRT reversed this repression. Our findings indicate that CRT, beyond its known role as a chaperone, also serves as an ER repressor of ATF6α to selectively regulate one arm of the UPR.
Asunto(s)
Factor de Transcripción Activador 6 , Sistemas CRISPR-Cas , Calreticulina , Cricetulus , Factor de Transcripción Activador 6/metabolismo , Factor de Transcripción Activador 6/genética , Calreticulina/metabolismo , Calreticulina/genética , Animales , Células CHO , Humanos , Respuesta de Proteína Desplegada , Estrés del Retículo Endoplásmico/genética , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinasas/metabolismo , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinasas/genética , Transducción de SeñalRESUMEN
Ambient measurements of seventeen 2,3,7,8-polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin/dibenzofuran congeners (2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs) have been taken in a number of monitoring programs or ad-hoc studies in Hong Kong. The longest monitoring program started at two locations in the territory in July 1997. The other monitoring efforts are ad-hoc studies, varying from a few coordinated sampling events at multiple sites to a year-long monitoring project that targeted suspected local dioxin sources. In this paper, we examined these measurements to understand the ambient levels, temporal and spatial variation, and possible sources of the 2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs in Hong Kong. The territory-wide annual average concentration of the dioxins was 0.052 pg I-TEQ/m3 measured at the regular monitoring stations in the most recent annual cycle of 2000/2001. This level fell at the lower end of the range of dioxin concentrations measured at other urban locations around the world. The dioxin levels showed a clear seasonality in that elevated concentrations were observed in the winter and lower concentrations in the summer at all monitoring sites with one year or more regular measurements. The measurements indicated that the few known local dioxin sources, including a major chemical waste incinerator facility, landfill sites, and vehicular traffic, are not important contributors to ambient dioxins in Hong Kong. On days of high dioxin concentrations, the 2,3,7,8-PCDD/F congeners were observed to have almost identical compositions with a north-northwest to south-southeast spatial gradient in concentrations at different sampling locations in Hong Kong. This observation, along with other collaborative evidence, established a strong link between high dioxin concentration days in Hong Kong and regional transport of the polluted air masses from the north.
Asunto(s)
Dioxinas/análisis , Contaminantes Ambientales/análisis , Dibenzodioxinas Policloradas/análogos & derivados , Contaminantes Ocupacionales del Aire/análisis , Industria Química , Monitoreo del Ambiente , Hong Kong , Hospitales , Eliminación de Residuos Sanitarios , Dibenzodioxinas Policloradas/análisis , Eliminación de Residuos , Estaciones del Año , Tiempo (Meteorología)RESUMEN
A rapid energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) spectrometric method for the analysis of metal components of marine sediments has been presented. Calibrations were made using synthetic matrix. The agreement of the results for sediment standard reference materials with reference values is satisfactory. Major advantages of the non-destructive ED-XRF technique over conventional chemical digestion methods include the applicability to analyzing the major oxide components, as well as to trace metals, and the avoidance of hazardous chemicals. The method has been applied to the routine analysis of Hong Kong marine sediment.