Alterations in an IRE1-RNA complex in the mammalian unfolded protein response

Abstract

IRE1 proteins mediate cellular responses to accumulation of malfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum in the yeast and mammalian unfolded protein responses. A sensitive in vivo u.v. crosslinking assay showed that IRE1 proteins are intimately associated with RNA in mammalian cells. The IRE1-associated RNA fragments recovered by this assay were different in stressed and unstressed cells. The amount of RNA associated with IRE1 that could be revealed by end-labeling with T4 kinase was greater in IRE1-containing complexes isolated from stressed cells. Furthermore, the RNA fragments recovered from complexes found in stressed cells were shorter than those from unstressed cells, revealing a dynamic change in the IRE1-RNA complex during the UPR. Formation of the complex between IRE1 and RNA was dependent on both the kinase and endonuclease domains of IRE1, and involved pre-existing RNA species. When viewed in the context of the known importance of Ire1p-HAC1 mRNA interactions to the yeast unfolded protein response, these findings suggest that full-length mammalian IRE1s also engage RNA molecules as downstream effectors.