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Lysine acetylation of TDP-43 drives phase separation and pathological aggregation

Garcia Morato, J.; Hans, F.; von Zweydorf, F.; Feederle, R.; Elsaesser, S. J.; Skodras, A. A.; Gloeckner, C. J.; Neumann, M.; Kahle, P. J.

2020-05-26 cell biology
10.1101/2020.05.26.104356 bioRxiv
Show abstract

The trans-activation response DNA-binding protein TDP-43 regulates RNA processing and forms neuropathological aggregates in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Investigating TDP-43 post-translational modifications, we discovered that K84 acetylation reduced nuclear import whereas K136 acetylation impaired RNA binding and splicing capabilities of TDP-43. Such failure of RNA interaction triggered TDP-43 phase separation mediated by the C-terminal low complexity domain, leading to the formation of insoluble aggregates with pathologically phosphorylated and ubiquitinated TDP-43. Confirming the results from site-directed mutagenesis, we succeeded to introduce authentic acetyl-lysine at the identified sites via amber suppression. [AcK84]TDP-43 showed cytoplasmic mislocalization and the aggregation propensity of [acK136]TDP-43 was confirmed. With newly developed antibodies, we found that the nuclear sirtuin SIRT1 can potently deacetylate [acK136]TDP-43. Moreover, SIRT1 reduced the aggregation propensity of [acK136]TDP-43. Thus, distinct lysine acetylations modulate nuclear import, RNA binding and phase separation of TDP-43, suggesting novel regulatory mechanisms for TDP-43 pathogenesis.

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