RBM15, an RNA binding protein, determines cell-fate specification of many tissues including blood. We demonstrate that RBM15 is methylated by protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) at residue R578, leading to its degradation via ubiquitylation by an E3 ligase (CNOT4). Overexpression of PRMT1 in acute megakaryocytic leukemia cell lines blocks megakaryocyte terminal differentiation by downregulation of RBM15 protein level. Restoring RBM15 protein level rescues megakaryocyte terminal differentiation blocked by PRMT1 overexpression. At the molecular level, RBM15 binds to pre-messenger RNA intronic regions of genes important for megakaryopoiesis such as GATA1, RUNX1, TAL1 and c-MPL. Furthermore, preferential binding of RBM15 to specific intronic regions recruits the splicing factor SF3B1 to the same sites for alternative splicing. Therefore, PRMT1 regulates alternative RNA splicing via reducing RBM15 protein concentration. Targeting PRMT1 may be a curative therapy to restore megakaryocyte differentiation for acute megakaryocytic leukemia.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.07938.001

B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) ovarian killer (BOK) is a BCL-2 family protein with high homology to the multidomain proapoptotic proteins BAX and BAK, yet Bok−/− and even Bax−/−Bok−/− and Bak−/−Bok−/− mice were reported to have no overt phenotype or apoptotic defects in response to a host of classical stress stimuli. These surprising findings were interpreted to reflect functional compensation among the BAX, BAK, and BOK proteins. However, BOK cannot compensate for the severe apoptotic defects of Bax−/−Bak−/− mice despite its widespread expression. Here, we independently developed Bok−/− mice and found that Bok−/− cells are selectively defective in their response to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress stimuli, consistent with the predominant subcellular localization of BOK at the ER. Whereas Bok−/− mouse embryonic fibroblasts exposed to thapsigargin, A23187, brefeldin A, DTT, geldanamycin, or bortezomib manifested reduced activation of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, the death response to other stimuli such as etoposide, staurosporine, or UV remained fully intact. Multiple organs in Bok−/− mice exhibited resistance to thapsigargin-induced apoptosis in vivo. Although the ER stress agents activated the unfolded protein response, both ATF4 and CHOP activation were diminished in Bok−/− cells and mice. Importantly, BAX and BAK were unable to compensate for the defective apoptotic response to ER stress observed in SV40-transformed and primary Bok−/− cells, and in vivo. These findings support a selective and distinguishing role for BOK in regulating the apoptotic response to ER stress, revealing—to our knowledge—the first bona fide apoptotic defect linked to Bok deletion.

Summary We performed a landscape‐scale investigation to compare the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) communities between grasslands and farmlands in the farming–pastoral ecotone of northern China. AMF richness and community composition were examined with 454 pyrosequencing. Structural equation modelling (SEM) and multivariate analyses were applied to disentangle the direct and indirect effects (mediated by multiple environmental factors) of land use on AMF. Land use conversion from grassland to farmland significantly reduced AMF richness and extraradical hyphal length density, and these land use types also differed significantly in AMF community composition. SEM showed that the effects of land use on AMF richness and hyphal length density in soil were primarily mediated by available phosphorus and soil structural quality. Soil texture was the strongest predictor of AMF community composition. Soil carbon, nitrogen and soil pH were also significantly correlated with AMF community composition, indicating that these abiotic variables could be responsible for some of the community composition differences among sites. Our study shows that land use has a partly predictable effect on AMF communities across this ecologically relevant area of China, and indicates that high soil phosphorus concentrations and poor soil structure are particularly detrimental to AMF in this fragile ecosystem.

In humans and animals lacking functional LDL receptor (LDLR), LDL from plasma still readily traverses the endothelium. To identify the pathways of LDL uptake, a genome-wide RNAi screen was performed in endothelial cells and cross-referenced with GWAS-data sets. Here we show that the activin-like kinase 1 (ALK1) mediates LDL uptake into endothelial cells. ALK1 binds LDL with lower affinity than LDLR and saturates only at hypercholesterolemic concentrations. ALK1 mediates uptake of LDL into endothelial cells via an unusual endocytic pathway that diverts the ligand from lysosomal degradation and promotes LDL transcytosis. The endothelium-specific genetic ablation of Alk1 in Ldlr-KO animals leads to less LDL uptake into the aortic endothelium, showing its physiological role in endothelial lipoprotein metabolism. In summary, identification of pathways mediating LDLR-independent uptake of LDL may provide unique opportunities to block the initiation of LDL accumulation in the vessel wall or augment hepatic LDLR-dependent clearance of LDL.