Rubicon (protein)

Last updated
RUBCN
Identifiers
Aliases RUBCN , RUBICON, SCAR15, KIAA0226, RUN and cysteine rich domain containing beclin 1 interacting protein, rubicon autophagy regulator
External IDs OMIM: 613516 MGI: 1915160 HomoloGene: 15687 GeneCards: RUBCN
Orthologs
SpeciesHumanMouse
Entrez
Ensembl
UniProt
RefSeq (mRNA)

NM_001145642
NM_014687
NM_001346873

NM_001200038
NM_172615
NM_001374776

RefSeq (protein)

NP_001139114
NP_001333802
NP_055502

NP_001186967
NP_766203
NP_001361705

Location (UCSC) Chr 3: 197.67 – 197.75 Mb Chr 16: 32.64 – 32.7 Mb
PubMed search [3] [4]
Wikidata
View/Edit Human View/Edit Mouse

Rubicon (run domain Beclin-1-interacting and cysteine-rich domain-containing protein) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the RUBCN gene. [5] [6] Rubicon is one of the few known negative regulators of autophagy, a cellular process that degrades unnecessary or damaged cellular components. [7] Rubicon is recruited to its sites of action through interaction with the small GTPase Rab7, [7] [8] and impairs the autophagosome-lysosome fusion step of autophagy through inhibition of PI3KC3-C2 (class III phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase complex 2). [7] [9]

Contents

Negative modulation of Rubicon is associated with reduction of aging and aging-associated diseases: knockout of Rubicon increases lifespan in roundworms and female fruit flies, [10] and in mice decreases kidney fibrosis and α-synuclein accumulation. [10]

In addition to regulation of autophagy, Rubicon has been shown to be required for LC3-associated phagocytosis (LAP) and LC3-associated endocytosis (LANDO). [11] [12] Rubicon has also been shown to negatively regulate the innate immune response through direct interaction with multiple downstream regulatory molecules. [13] [14] [15]

Structure

X-ray crystal structure of human Rubicon RH domain (red) bound to Rab7-GTP (grey) (PDB ID: 6WCW). Crystal structure of Human Rubicon protein bound to Rab7-GTP.png
X-ray crystal structure of human Rubicon RH domain (red) bound to Rab7-GTP (grey) (PDB ID: 6WCW).

Rubicon consists of 972 amino acids and has an N-terminal RUN domain, a middle region (MR), and a C-terminal Rubicon homology (RH) domain. [16]

The Rubicon homology domain is rich in cysteine residues and binds at least 4 divalent Zinc ions, forming zinc finger motifs. [7] The structural basis for interaction between Rubicon and GTP-bound Rab7 has been experimentally determined (PDB ID: 6WCW). [7] [17]

Function

The function of the N-terminal RUN domain are unknown, but it is required for autophagy suppression. [18] The middle region contains the PI3K-binding domain (PIKBD), which mediates inhibition of PI3KC3-C2. [9] The C-terminal Rubicon homology domain mediates interaction with Rab7, and is shared by other RH domain-containing autophagy regulatory proteins, including PLEKHM1 and Pacer (also known as RUBCNL, Rubicon-like Autophagy Enhancer). [7]

Autophagy-dependent

Rubicon suppresses autophagy through association with and inhibition of PI3KC3-C2. [19] Specifically, Rubicon directly binds PI3KC3-C2 [20] [5] and inhibits recruitment of PI3KC3-C2 to the membrane through conformational modulation of the Beclin-1 subunit. [9] This activity prevents PI3KC3-directed generation of phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PI3P) at the autophagosome membrane, and a resulting failure to recruit machinery that directs autophagosome-lysosome fusion. [9] Rubicon is targeted to its site of action through direct interaction with Rab7, which decorates late endosomes and late autophagosomes. [7] [8]

Autophagy-independent

Rubicon is required for LC3-associated phagocytosis (LAP) and LC3-associated endocytosis (LANDO). [11] [12] Rubicon plays a role in PI3KC3 localization to phagosomes, which is important for PI3P production at the membrane and recruitment of downstream effectors including NOX2. [11]

Rubicon has been shown to suppress the innate immune response and in some cases exacerbate viral replication. [13] Rubicon suppresses cytokine responses through interaction with NF-κB essential modulator (NEMO), [13] interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) [15] and caspase recruitment domain-containing protein 9 (CARD9). [14]

Role in aging and disease

Rubicon expression levels increase with age in mice and other model organisms, suggesting that Rubicon may cause age-associated decrease of autophagy. [10] Since reduced autophagy is associated with aging and age-related diseases, modulation of Rubicon has been identified as a potential therapeutic target. [7] [9]

In mice, Rubicon knockout reduces α-synuclein accumulation in the brain and reduces interstitial fibrosis in the kidney. [10]

Aging

Rubicon knockout increases lifespan in roundworms (C. elegans) through modulation of autophagy, and also increases lifespan in female fruit flies (D. melanogaster). [10]

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

Rubicon levels are increased in mouse models of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). [21] Knockout of Rubicon in hepatocytes improves liver steatosis and autophagy, suggesting that Rubicon contributes to NAFLD pathogenesis. [21]

Metabolic disease

Age-dependent decline of Rubicon expression in adipose tissues may exacerbate metabolic disorders due to excessive autophagic activity. [22]

Salih ataxia (SCAR15)

A single nucleotide deletion mutation within Rubicon is the cause of Salih ataxia (OMIM ID: 615705). Salih ataxia (also known as spinocerebellar ataxia, autosomal recessive 15 or SCAR15) is a form of spinocerebellar ataxia characterized by progressive loss of coordination of hands, gait, speech, and eye movement. [23] The disease was discovered in children carrying a mutation (c.2624delC p.Ala875ValfsX146) causing a frameshift mutation and an erroneous open reading frame in the Rubicon-coding gene starting from Alanine 875. [24] The resulting disruption of the C-terminal domain impairs Rubicon subcellular localization with Rab7 and late endosomes. [25]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">BNIP3</span> Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">BECN1</span> Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

Beclin-1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the BECN1 gene. Beclin-1 is a mammalian ortholog of the yeast autophagy-related gene 6 (Atg6) and BEC-1 in the C. elegans nematode. This protein interacts with either BCL-2 or PI3k class III, playing a critical role in the regulation of both autophagy and cell death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ATG5</span> Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">MAP1LC3B</span> Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">MAP1LC3A</span> Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">ATG16L1</span> Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">PLEKHM1</span> Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">ATG8</span>

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An autophagosome is a spherical structure with double layer membranes. It is the key structure in macroautophagy, the intracellular degradation system for cytoplasmic contents. After formation, autophagosomes deliver cytoplasmic components to the lysosomes. The outer membrane of an autophagosome fuses with a lysosome to form an autolysosome. The lysosome's hydrolases degrade the autophagosome-delivered contents and its inner membrane.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacer (protein)</span> Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rubicon homology domain</span> Rubicon homology protein domain

The Rubicon homology domain is an evolutionarily conserved protein domain of approximately 250 amino acids that mediates protein–protein interaction. RH domains are present in several human proteins involved in regulation of autophagy and endosomal trafficking. While not all RH domains have been characterized, those of human Rubicon and PLEKHM1 mediate interaction with the small GTPase Rab7, which is found on late endosomes and autophagosomes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AMBRA1</span> Protein-coding gene

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References

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