IRE1: ER stress sensor and cell fate executor

IRE1: ER stress sensor and cell fate executor.

Cells operate a signaling network termed the unfolded protein response (UPR) to monitor protein-folding capacity in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1) is an ER transmembrane sensor that activates the UPR to maintain the ER and cellular function. Although mammalian IRE1 promotes cell survival, it can initiate apoptosis via decay of antiapoptotic miRNAs. Convergent...

How IRE1 Reacts to ER Stress

The long-awaited structure of the effector portion of IRE1, the endoplasmic reticulum stress transducer, is published in this issue of Cell (Lee et al., 2008). This structure provides new insight into the mysterious coupling of kinase and endoribonuclease activities in the oldest, most-conserved branch of the unfolded protein response in eukaryotes.

Self-association and BiP dissociation are not sufficient for activation of the ER stress sensor Ire1.

Ire1 is a type I transmembrane protein located on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Upon ER stress, Ire1 releases the ER chaperone BiP and self-associates. This activates Ire1 and triggers the unfolded protein response in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We isolated and characterized an Ire1 luminal domain mutant lacking both the N-terminal and the juxtamembrane loosely folded subregions. Alth...

Multiple roles of the ER stress sensor IRE1 demonstrated by gene targeting in rice

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress sensor, IRE1, contains a kinase domain and a ribonuclease domain. Ribonuclease mediates the unconventional splicing of mRNA encoding the transcription factor AtbZIP60 in Arabidopsis, or OsbZIP50 in rice, and thereby transduces signals from stressed ER. Here, we demonstrate the additional roles of plant IRE1 using genetically modified rice plants. Using a ge...

IL - 21 : An Executor of B Cell Fate 1