Pdx1 is post-translationally modified in vivo and serine 61 is the principal site of phosphorylation

TY - JOUR

T1 - Pdx1 is post-translationally modified in vivo and serine 61 is the principal site of phosphorylation

AU - Frogne, Thomas

AU - Sylvestersen, Kathrine Beck

AU - Kubicek, Stefan

AU - Nielsen, Michael Lund

AU - Hecksher-Sørensen, Jacob

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - Maintaining sufficient levels of Pdx1 activity is a prerequisite for proper regulation of blood glucose homeostasis and beta cell function. Mice that are haploinsufficient for Pdx1 display impaired glucose tolerance and lack the ability to increase beta cell mass in response to decreased insulin signaling. Several studies have shown that post-translational modifications are regulating Pdx1 activity through intracellular localization and binding to co-factors. Understanding the signaling cues converging on Pdx1 and modulating its activity is therefore an attractive approach in diabetes treatment. We employed a novel technique called Nanofluidic Proteomic Immunoassay to characterize the post-translational profile of Pdx1. Following isoelectric focusing in nano-capillaries, this technology relies on a pan specific antibody for detection and it therefore allows the relative abundance of differently charged protein species to be examined simultaneously. In all eukaryotic cells tested we find that the Pdx1 protein separates into four distinct peaks whereas Pdx1 protein from bacteria only produces one peak. Of the four peaks in eukaryotic cells we correlate one of them to a phosphorylation Using alanine scanning and mass spectrometry we map this phosphorylation to serine 61 in both Min6 cells and in exogenous Pdx1 over-expressed in HEK293 cells. A single phosphorylation is also present in cultured islets but it remains unaffected by changes in glucose levels. It is present during embryogenesis but is not required for pancreas development.

AB - Maintaining sufficient levels of Pdx1 activity is a prerequisite for proper regulation of blood glucose homeostasis and beta cell function. Mice that are haploinsufficient for Pdx1 display impaired glucose tolerance and lack the ability to increase beta cell mass in response to decreased insulin signaling. Several studies have shown that post-translational modifications are regulating Pdx1 activity through intracellular localization and binding to co-factors. Understanding the signaling cues converging on Pdx1 and modulating its activity is therefore an attractive approach in diabetes treatment. We employed a novel technique called Nanofluidic Proteomic Immunoassay to characterize the post-translational profile of Pdx1. Following isoelectric focusing in nano-capillaries, this technology relies on a pan specific antibody for detection and it therefore allows the relative abundance of differently charged protein species to be examined simultaneously. In all eukaryotic cells tested we find that the Pdx1 protein separates into four distinct peaks whereas Pdx1 protein from bacteria only produces one peak. Of the four peaks in eukaryotic cells we correlate one of them to a phosphorylation Using alanine scanning and mass spectrometry we map this phosphorylation to serine 61 in both Min6 cells and in exogenous Pdx1 over-expressed in HEK293 cells. A single phosphorylation is also present in cultured islets but it remains unaffected by changes in glucose levels. It is present during embryogenesis but is not required for pancreas development.

KW - Animals

KW - Blood Glucose

KW - Chickens

KW - Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental

KW - Glucose Intolerance

KW - HEK293 Cells

KW - Homeodomain Proteins

KW - Humans

KW - Insulin

KW - Insulin-Secreting Cells

KW - Mice

KW - Phosphorylation

KW - Serine

KW - Signal Transduction

KW - Trans-Activators

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0035233

DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0035233

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 22509401

SN - 1932-6203

VL - 7

SP - e35233

JO - PLoS Computational Biology

JF - PLoS Computational Biology

IS - 4

ER -