TOR complex 2-regulated protein kinase Ypk1 controls sterol distribution by inhibiting StARkin domain-containing proteins located at plasma membrane-endoplasmic reticulum contact sites

Mol Biol Cell. 2018 Aug 15;29(17):2128-2136. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E18-04-0229. Epub 2018 Jun 21.

Abstract

In our proteome-wide screen, Ysp2 (also known as Lam2/Ltc4) was identified as a likely physiologically relevant target of the TOR complex 2 (TORC2)-dependent protein kinase Ypk1 in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Ysp2 was subsequently shown to be one of a new family of sterol-binding proteins located at plasma membrane (PM)-endoplasmic reticulum (ER) contact sites. Here we document that Ysp2 and its paralogue Lam4/Ltc3 are authentic Ypk1 substrates in vivo and show using genetic and biochemical criteria that Ypk1-mediated phosphorylation inhibits the ability of these proteins to promote retrograde transport of sterols from the PM to the ER. Furthermore, we provide evidence that a change in PM sterol homeostasis promotes cell survival under membrane-perturbing conditions known to activate TORC2-Ypk1 signaling. These observations define the underlying molecular basis of a new regulatory mechanism for cellular response to plasma membrane stress.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Membrane / metabolism*
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum / metabolism*
  • Homeostasis
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 2 / metabolism*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Domains
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / chemistry*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / metabolism*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / chemistry*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / metabolism*
  • Sphingolipids / metabolism
  • Sterols / metabolism*
  • Stress, Physiological

Substances

  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
  • Sphingolipids
  • Sterols
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 2
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • YPK1 protein, S cerevisiae