The GPI-anchored superoxide dismutase SodC is essential for regulating basal Ras activity and for chemotaxis of Dictyostelium discoideum

J Cell Sci. 2008 Sep 15;121(Pt 18):3099-108. doi: 10.1242/jcs.030056.

Abstract

A genetic screen for Dictyostelium mutant displaying high level of constitutive phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate led to the finding that the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored superoxide dismutase SodC regulates small GTPase Ras. Cells that lack SodC exhibited constitutively high levels of active Ras, more membrane localization of GFP-PHcrac, and defects in chemoattractant sensing, cell polarization and motility. These defects of SodC-lacking cells were partially restored by expression of wild-type SodC but not by the catalytically inactive mutant SodC (H245R, H247Q). Furthermore, an inhibition of PI3K activity in SodC-deficient cells by LY294002 only partially restored chemoattractant sensing and cell polarization, consistent with the fact that SodC-deficient cells have aberrantly high level of active Ras, which functions upstream of PI3K. A higher level of active GFP-RasG was observed in SodC-deficient cells, which significantly decreased upon incubation of SodC-deficient cells with the superoxide scavenger XTT. Having constitutively high levels of active Ras proteins and more membrane localization of GFP-PHcrac, SodC-deficient cells exhibited severe defects in chemoattractant sensing, cell polarization and motility.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Chemotaxis / physiology*
  • Chromones / metabolism
  • Dictyostelium / cytology
  • Dictyostelium / enzymology*
  • Dictyostelium / physiology*
  • Glycosylphosphatidylinositols / metabolism
  • Isoenzymes / genetics
  • Isoenzymes / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Morpholines / metabolism
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / metabolism
  • Phosphatidylinositol Phosphates / metabolism
  • Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors
  • Protozoan Proteins / genetics
  • Protozoan Proteins / metabolism*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Superoxide Dismutase / genetics
  • Superoxide Dismutase / metabolism*
  • ras Proteins / genetics
  • ras Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Chromones
  • Glycosylphosphatidylinositols
  • Isoenzymes
  • Morpholines
  • Phosphatidylinositol Phosphates
  • Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors
  • Protozoan Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-triphosphate
  • 2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one
  • Superoxide Dismutase
  • ras Proteins