Biology subjects

Roitinger, E.

Publications and source records attributed to Roitinger, E..

15 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Emergence of histone-based chromatin complexity in Asgard archaea

The emergence of the eukaryotes coincided with the diversification of histone proteins and their post-translational modifications by enzymes that constitute the core of eukaryotic chromatin. Yet the evolutionary origins of this regulatory machinery are unknown. Here, we show that the key molecular components of histone-based chromatin regulation are present in the Asgard archaea, the closest prokaryotic relatives of eukaryotes. Asgard histones are abundant and have extended N-terminal tails rich in lysine residues that can be post-translationally modified, all of which are features shared with eukaryotic histones. In line with these findings, we identify enzymes from Asgard archaea that deposit or remove lysine acetylation on histone tails in vitro. Moreover, Asgard sirtuin deacetylases (SIR2 proteins) restore chromatin silencing in yeast, demonstrating the functional compatibility of Asgard enzymes with eukaryotic histone substrates. Our findings establish that the foundations of histone-based chromatin predate eukaryogenesis and place Asgard archaea as an evolutionary intermediate in the emergence of eukaryotic chromatin.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2026

The SPARK complex forms the molecular basis of vertebrate fertilization

Fertilization requires gamete recognition and membrane fusion, yet the molecular basis of this process in vertebrates remains unknown. Here we identify SPARK (sperm protein assembly and receptor-binding key), a conserved multi-protein complex that integrates all known sperm fertilization factors, including TMEM81-IZUMO1-SPACA6 and DCST1/2, together with two newly identified components, TMDD1 and FAM187A. SPARK subunits are mutually dependent for stability in mature sperm, and disruption of any single component causes male sterility in zebrafish and mice. Incubating zebrafish sperm with soluble egg receptor Bouncer partially rescues fertilization of Bouncer-deficient eggs in a SPARK-dependent manner, consistent with egg receptor binding priming the complex for fusion. Thus, we propose SPARK as a con-served molecular machine that couples gamete recognition to membrane fusion.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2025

RNA decay via the nuclear exosome is essential for piwi-mediated transposon silencing

Nuclear Argonaute proteins safeguard genome integrity by directing transcriptional silencing and heterochromatin formation at transposon loci. Yet it remains unclear how Argonautes enforce robust repression while relying on target transcription for their own recruitment. Here we show that transposon silencing by the Drosophila nuclear Piwi-piRNA pathway requires degradation of target RNA by the nuclear exosome. Using proximity proteomics at endogenous Piwi target sites, we identify two previously uncharacterized paralogs, TEsup-1 and TEsup-2, as essential cofactors for Piwi-mediated silencing. TEsup proteins act in part by engaging nuclear exosome adaptor complexes at piRNA-targeted transcripts through a domain that recognizes proline-rich peptides. Disruption of the Piwi-TEsup-exosome axis leads to accumulation and nuclear export of piRNA-targeted transposon RNAs. Notably, the P-element--which evades heterochromatin-based repression--is silenced primarily through this RNA-decay pathway. Thus, the nuclear piRNA pathway couples target recognition to RNA degradation, reconciling small RNA-guided heterochromatin formation with ongoing transcription at target loci.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2025

A moss N-Acetyltransferase-MAPK protein controls 2D to 3D developmental transition via acetylation and phosphorylation changes

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) finetune plant responses to developmental and environmental cues by impacting protein activity, stability, localization and interaction landscape. In this study we identified a moss specific protein which combines two common PTMs: acetylation and phosphorylation. This protein originated from the fusion of a MAPK with an N-acetyltransferase, for which we named it Rosetta NATD-MAPK 1 (RAK1). Using biochemical methods, we demonstrated that RAK1 has acetyltransferase activity that is enhanced by activation of its MAPK domain. Phenotypical studies of rak1 knockout mutants revealed a role for RAK1 in the regulation of the 2D-to-3D growth transition. Through Mass Spectrometry we verified that defective 2D-to-3D transition in the mutants was caused by differentially regulated acetylation and phosphorylation events associated to metabolic reprogramming and 3D differentiation. Collectively, this study uncovers a previously unknown multidomain protein and provides insights into the interplay of PTMs during developmental reprogramming. TeaserAcetylation and phosphorylation changes modulate the 2D to 3D developmental transition in Physcomitrium patens.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Hierarchical assembly and functional resilience of the mammalian RNA exosome

Most eukaryotic proteins assemble into multisubunit complexes that coordinate essential cellular functions, yet the principles governing their assembly and proteostatic control remain largely undefined. Here, we systematically dissect the cellular assembly and functional organization of the RNA exosome, an essential ribonucleolytic complex, using an inducible dual-guide CRISPR/Cas9 system in mouse embryonic stem cells. We reveal a sequential assembly pathway where Exosc2, Exosc4, and Exosc7 initiate complex formation, facilitating the incorporation of barrel and cap subunits in a defined hierarchy. Unlike other structural subunits, the terminally incorporated cap subunit Exosc1 is dispensable for cell viability, revealing a modular, functionally resilient architecture. We demonstrate that orphan subunits are selectively degraded via the ubiquitin-proteasome system, enforcing stringent quality control over RNA exosome biogenesis. These findings establish a framework for decoding the assembly logic of essential macromolecular machines and uncover previously unrecognized plasticity in the composition and function of the RNA exosome.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2024

PITHD1: An Endogenous Inhibitor of the 26S Proteasome During Cellular Dormancy

Cellular dormancy represents a state of regulated growth arrest essential for diverse biological processes, from reproduction to cancer progression. While mechanisms controlling protein synthesis in dormant cells have been identified, how cells regulate protein degradation during dormancy remains unclear. Using zebrafish oocytes, eggs and embryos as a model system, we discovered PITHD1 as an endogenous inhibitor of the 26S proteasome. Our high-resolution cryoEM structure reveals that PITHD1 simultaneously blocks three crucial functional sites on the 19S regulatory particle which are required for ubiquitin recognition, processing, and substrate translocation. This triple-lock mechanism effectively prevents protein degradation in dormant cells. Given PITHD1s evolutionary conservation across species, this mechanism likely represents a general strategy for reversible proteasome regulation during cellular dormancy. Our findings establish a new paradigm for controlling proteostasis in quiescent states.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2024

Cross-species interactome analysis uncovers a conserved selective autophagy mechanism for protein quality control in plants

Selective autophagy is a fundamental protein quality control pathway that safeguards proteostasis by degrading damaged or surplus cellular components, particularly under stress. This process is orchestrated by selective autophagy receptors (SARs) that direct specific cargo for degradation. While significant strides have been made in understanding the molecular framework of selective autophagy, the diversity of SAR repertoires across species remain largely unexplored. Through a comparative interactome analysis across five model organisms, we identified a suite of conserved and lineage-specific SAR candidates. Among these, we validated CESAR as a conserved SAR critical for proteostasis under heat stress. CESAR specifically facilitates the degradation of hydrophobic, ubiquitinated protein aggregates and is indispensable for heat stress tolerance. Our study offers a rich resource for SAR discovery and positions CESAR as a pivotal regulator of proteostasis, with broad implications for improving stress resilience in plants.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Increase in ER-mitochondria contacts and mitochondrial fusion are hallmarks of mitochondrial activation during embryogenesis

Mitochondrial ATP production is essential for development, yet the mechanisms underlying the continuous increase in mitochondrial activity during embryogenesis remain elusive. Using zebrafish as a model system for vertebrate development, we comprehensively profile mitochondrial activity, morphology, metabolome, proteome and phospho-proteome as well as respiratory chain enzymatic activity. Our data show that the increase in mitochondrial activity during embryogenesis does not require mitochondrial biogenesis, is not limited by metabolic substrates at early stages, and occurs without an increase in the abundance of respiratory chain complexes or their in vitro activity. Our analyses pinpoint a previously unexplored increase in mitochondrial-ER association during early stages in combination with changes in mitochondrial morphology at later stages as possible contributors to the rise in mitochondrial activity during embryogenesis. Overall, our systematic profiling of the molecular and morphological changes to mitochondria during embryogenesis provides a valuable resource for further studying mitochondrial function during embryogenesis.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Metabolic enzymes moonlight as selective autophagy receptors to protect plants against viral-induced cellular damage

AbstractRNA viruses co-opt the host endomembrane system and organelles to build replication complexes for infection. How the host responds to these membrane perturbations is poorly understood. Here, we explore the autophagic response of Arabidopsis thaliana to three viruses that hijack different cellular compartments. Autophagy is significantly induced within systemically infected tissues, its disruption rendering plants highly sensitive to infection. Contrary to being an antiviral defense mechanism as previously suggested, quantitative analyses of the viral loads established autophagy as a tolerance pathway. Further analysis of one of these viruses, the Turnip Crinkle Virus (TCV) that hijack mitochondria, showed that despite perturbing mitochondrial integrity, TCV does not trigger a typical mitophagy response. Instead, TCV and Turnip yellow mosaic virus (TYMV) infection activates a distinct selective autophagy mechanism, where oligomeric metabolic enzymes moonlight as selective autophagy receptors and degrade key executors of defense and cell death such as EDS1. Altogether, our study reveals an autophagy-regulated metabolic rheostat that gauges cellular integrity during viral infection and degrades cell death executors to avoid catastrophic amplification of immune signaling.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2023

A conserved fertilization complex of Izumo1, Spaca6, and Tmem81 mediates sperm-egg interaction in vertebrates

Fertilization, the fusion of sperm and egg, is essential for sexual reproduction. While several proteins have been demonstrated to be essential for the binding and fusion of gametes in vertebrates, the molecular mechanisms driving this key process are poorly understood. Here, we performed a protein interaction screen using AlphaFold-Multimer to uncover protein-protein interactions in fertilization. This screen resulted in the prediction of a trimeric complex composed of the essential fertilization factors Izumo1 and Spaca6, and Tmem81, a protein previously not implicated in fertilization. We show that Tmem81 is a conserved, testis-expressed transmembrane protein that is evolutionarily related to Izumo1 and Spaca6 and is essential for male fertility in fish and mice. Consistent with trimer formation in vivo, zebrafish izumo1-/-, spaca6-/-, and tmem81-/- mutants exhibit the same sperm-egg binding defect and show co-depletion of all three proteins in sperm. Moreover, we provide experimental evidence that Izumo1, Spaca6, and Tmem81 interact in zebrafish sperm. Strikingly, the Izumo1-Spaca6 interaction is predicted to form a cleft that serves as a binding site for Bouncer, the only identified egg protein essential for fertilization in zebrafish. Together, these results provide compelling evidence for a conserved sperm factor complex in vertebrates that forms a specific interface for the sperm-egg interaction required for successful fertilization.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2022

Functionally distinct promoter classes initiate transcription via different mechanisms reflected in focused versus dispersed initiation patterns

Recruitment of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) to promoter regions is essential for transcription. Despite conflicting evidence, the Pol II Pre-Initiation Complex (PIC) is often thought to be of uniform composition and assemble at all promoters via an identical mechanism. Here, we show using Drosophila melanogaster S2 cells as a model that promoter classes with distinct functions and initiation patterns function via PICs that display different compositions and dependencies: developmental promoter DNA readily associates with the canonical Pol II PIC, whereas housekeeping promoter DNA does not and instead recruit different factors such as DREF. Consistently, TBP and DREF are required by distinct sets of promoters, and TBP and its paralog TRF2 function at different promoter types, partly exclusively and partly redundantly. In contrast, TFIIA is required for transcription from all promoters, and we identify factors that can recruit and/or stabilize TFIIA at housekeeping promoters and activate transcription. We show that promoter activation by these factors is sufficient to induce the dispersed transcription initiation patterns characteristic of housekeeping promoters. Thus, different promoter classes direct distinct mechanisms of transcription initiation, which relate to different focused versus dispersed initiation patterns.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2021

A molecular network of conserved factors keeps ribosomes dormant in the egg

Ribosomes are produced in large quantities during oogenesis and stored in the egg. However, the egg and early embryo are translationally repressed. Using mass-spectrometry and cryo-EM analyses of ribosomes isolated from zebrafish and Xenopus eggs and embryos, we provide molecular evidence that ribosomes transition from a dormant to an active state during the first hours of embryogenesis. Dormant ribosomes are associated with four conserved factors that form two modules and occupy functionally important sites of the ribosome: a Habp4-eEF2 module that stabilizes ribosome levels and a Dap1b/Dapl1-eIF5a module that represses translation. Dap1b/Dapl1 is a newly discovered translational inhibitor that stably inserts into the polypeptide exit tunnel. Thus, a developmentally programmed, conserved ribosome state plays a key role in ribosome storage and translational repression in the egg.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2021

E3 ubiquitin ligase RNF213 employs a non-canonical zinc finger active site and is allosterically regulated by ATP

RNF213 is a giant E3 ubiquitin ligase and a major susceptibility factor of Moyamoya disease, a cerebrovascular disorder that can result in stroke or death. In the cell, RNF213 is involved in lipid droplet formation, lipotoxicity, hypoxia, and NF-{kappa}B signaling, but its exact function in these processes is unclear. Structural characterization has revealed the presence of a dynein- like ATPase module and an unprecedented but poorly understood E3 module. Here, we demonstrate that RNF213 E3 activity is dependent on ATP binding, rather than ATP hydrolysis, and is particularly responsive to the ATP/ADP/AMP ratio. Biochemical and activity-based probe analyses identify a non-canonical zinc finger domain as the E3 active site, which utilizes the strictly conserved Cys4462, not involved in zinc coordination, as the reactive nucleophile. The cryo-EM structure of the trapped RNF213:E2[~]Ub intermediate reveals RNF213 C-terminal domain as the E2 docking site, which positions the ubiquitin-loaded E2 proximal to the catalytic zinc finger, facilitating nucleophilic attack of Cys4462 on the E2[~]Ub thioester. Our findings show that RNF213 represents an undescribed type of a transthiolation E3 enzyme and is regulated by adenine nucleotide concentration via its ATPase core, possibly allowing it to react to changing metabolic conditions in the cell.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2019

ESCO1 and CTCF enable formation of long chromatin loops by protecting cohesinSTAG1 from WAPL

Eukaryotic genomes are folded into loops. It is thought that these are formed by cohesin complexes via extrusion, either until loop expansion is arrested by CTCF or until cohesin is removed from DNA by WAPL. Although WAPL limits cohesins chromatin residence time to minutes, it has been reported that some loops exist for hours. How these loops can persist is unknown. We show that during G1-phase, mammalian cells contain acetylated cohesinSTAG1 which binds chromatin for hours, whereas cohesinSTAG2 binds chromatin for minutes. Our results indicate that CTCF and the acetyltransferase ESCO1 protect a subset of cohesinSTAG1 complexes from WAPL, thereby enable formation of long and presumably long-lived loops, and that ESCO1, like CTCF, contributes to boundary formation in chromatin looping. Our data are consistent with a model of nested loop extrusion, in which acetylated cohesinSTAG1 forms stable loops between CTCF sites, demarcating the boundaries of more transient cohesinSTAG2 extrusion activity.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2018

N-terminal β-strand underpins biochemical specialization of an ATG8 isoform

ATG8 is a highly-conserved ubiquitin-like protein that modulates autophagy pathways by binding autophagic membranes and numerous proteins, including cargo receptors and core autophagy components. Throughout plant evolution, ATG8 has expanded from a single protein in algae to multiple isoforms in higher plants. However, the degree to which ATG8 isoforms have functionally specialized to bind distinct proteins remains unclear. Here, we describe a comprehensive protein-protein interaction resource, obtained using in planta immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry, to define the potato ATG8 interactome. We discovered that ATG8 isoforms bind distinct sets of plant proteins with varying degrees of overlap. This prompted us to define the biochemical basis of ATG8 specialization by comparing two potato ATG8 isoforms using both in vivo protein interaction assays and in vitro quantitative binding affinity analyses. These experiments revealed that the N-terminal {beta}-strand--and, in particular, a single amino acid polymorphism--underpins binding specificity to the substrate PexRD54 by shaping the hydrophobic pocket that accommodates this proteins ATG8 interacting motif. Additional proteomics experiments indicated that the N-terminal {beta}-strand shapes the ATG8 interactor profiles, defining interaction specificity with about 80 plant proteins. Our findings are consistent with the view that ATG8 isoforms comprise a layer of specificity in the regulation of selective autophagy pathways in plants.

plant biology↗