The sterol-responsive RNF145 E3 ubiquitin ligase mediates the degradation of HMG-CoA reductase together with gp78 and Hrd1

Abstract

Mammalian HMG-CoA reductase (HMGCR), the rate-limiting enzyme of the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway and the therapeutic target of statins, is post-transcriptionally regulated by sterol-accelerated degradation. Under cholesterol-replete conditions, HMGCR is ubiquitinated and degraded, but the identity of the E3 ubiquitin ligase(s) responsible for mammalian HMGCR turnover remains controversial. Using systematic, unbiased CRISPR/Cas9 genome-wide screens with a sterol-sensitive endogenous HMGCR reporter, we comprehensively map the E3 ligase landscape required for sterol-accelerated HMGCR degradation. We find that RNF145 and gp78 independently co-ordinate HMGCR ubiquitination and degradation. RNF145, a sterol-responsive ER-resident E3 ligase, is unstable but accumulates following sterol depletion. Sterol addition triggers RNF145 recruitment to HMGCR via Insigs, promoting HMGCR ubiquitination and proteasome-mediated degradation. In the absence of both RNF145 and gp78, Hrd1, a third UBE2G2-dependent E3 ligase, partially regulates HMGCR activity. Our findings reveal a critical role for the sterol-responsive RNF145 in HMGCR regulation and elucidate the complexity of sterol-accelerated HMGCR degradation.

Editorial note: This article has been through an editorial process in which the authors decide how to respond to the issues raised during peer review. The Reviewing Editor's assessment is that all the issues have been addressed ( see decision letter).

eLife digest

Cholesterol is a fatty molecule that is essential for our health; for example, it is a component of the outer membrane that surrounds every cell in our body. Yet, it also has a reputation for clogging arteries and causing heart attacks and strokes. Our organism can adjust the amount of cholesterol it creates through an enzyme called HMGCR, which is found in all cells. Switching off HMGCR, for instance by taking drugs called statins, reduces the amount of cholesterol made by cells. To regulate the activity of HMGCR, the body uses proteins known as E3 ubiquitin ligases, which can label the enzyme for destruction. However, the identity of the ligases that target HMGCR is a matter of intense debate.

Here, Menzies, Volkmar et al. addressed this issue by using an approach called a genome-wide CRISPR forward genetic screen. First, HMGCR was marked inside the cells with a fluorescent tag to watch how its levels change in response to different amounts of cholesterol. Then, each gene in the cell was deleted, and the effects recorded. This allowed Menzies, Volkmar et al. to find the genes responsible for the rapid destruction of HMGCR.

The experiments revealed that the E3 ubiquitin ligases RNF145 and gp78 are independently responsible for the degradation of the majority of HMGCR, with a third ligase, Hrd1, getting involved if the first two are absent. In particular, RNF145 builds up when a cell is starved of cholesterol, but it immediately marks HMGCR for destruction once cholesterol becomes more abundant. This ligase can therefore both sense and respond to the amount of cholesterol in a cell, making it a perfect candidate for regulating HMGCR based on what the body needs.

Identifying the proteins that adjust the levels of HMGCR sheds light on how a cell controls the amount of cholesterol it creates. This knowledge could be relevant in the fight against the health problems associated with this molecule.