| 2020 |
HRI (EIF2AK1) is the eIF2α kinase necessary and sufficient to relay mitochondrial stress signals to ATF4 induction. A genome-wide CRISPR interference screen identified OMA1 (mitochondrial stress-activated protease) and DELE1 as upstream factors; mitochondrial stress triggers OMA1-dependent cleavage of DELE1, causing accumulation of DELE1 in the cytosol where it directly interacts with HRI and activates its eIF2α kinase activity. |
Genome-wide CRISPRi screen, co-immunoprecipitation (DELE1-HRI interaction), genetic knockout/knockdown with eIF2α phosphorylation and ATF4 induction readouts, subcellular fractionation |
Nature |
High |
32132707
|
| 2001 |
HRI is the physiological eIF2α kinase in erythroid precursors that inhibits globin translation when heme is limiting. HRI knockout mice on an iron-deficient diet accumulate heme-free globin aggregates in red blood cells, causing hyperchromic normocytic anemia, erythroid hyperplasia, and accelerated apoptosis, establishing HRI as the in vivo regulator of heme-globin balance via eIF2α phosphorylation. |
Targeted gene disruption (HRI-/- mice), iron-deficiency challenge, histology, globin aggregation assays, erythroid cell analysis |
The EMBO journal |
High |
11726526
|
| 2003 |
Autophosphorylation of Thr485 (but not Thr483) in the activation loop of HRI is essential for attaining eIF2α kinase activity. Thr490, though not itself an autophosphorylation site, is critical for catalytic activity and for the efficient phosphorylation of Thr485. Disruption of Thr485 autophosphorylation locks HRI in a hypophosphorylated, kinase-inactive state. |
Site-directed mutagenesis of activation-loop residues, in vitro autokinase and eIF2α kinase assays, 32P-labeling phosphopeptide mapping |
Biochemistry |
High |
12767237
|
| 2007 |
Cys385 in the kinase insertion (KI) domain of HRI is the heme axial ligand in the C-terminal region. Spectroscopic analysis of isolated KI domain showed a 5-coordinate high-spin heme complex with thiol (Cys385) as axial ligand; the Cys385Ser mutant displayed markedly different Soret band position and ESR parameters, confirming this assignment. |
Site-directed mutagenesis, optical absorption spectroscopy, resonance Raman spectroscopy, electron spin resonance (ESR), heme spectral titration |
Journal of inorganic biochemistry |
High |
17597215
|
| 2008 |
HRI is the primary eIF2α kinase activated by 26S proteasome inhibition. In MEF knockout cell lines lacking PKR, PERK, or GCN2 individually, proteasome inhibitor (MG-132 or bortezomib) still increased eIF2α phosphorylation, whereas HRI-/- cells failed to show this increase, establishing HRI as the essential kinase in this proteostatic stress response. |
Knockout MEF cells (HRI-/-, PKR-/-, PERK-/-, GCN2-/-) treated with proteasome inhibitors; eIF2α phosphorylation and protein synthesis rate measurements |
The Biochemical journal |
High |
18290760
|
| 2018 |
HRI (EIF2AK1) functions as an HbF repressor in adult human erythroid cells. CRISPR-Cas9 knockout of HRI markedly increased HbF production; mechanistically, HRI depletion reduced BCL11A levels, which accounts for a large part of the γ-globin de-repression. |
Protein kinase domain-focused CRISPR-Cas9 screen in primary human erythroid cells; HbF quantification; BCL11A protein/mRNA analysis upon HRI knockdown |
Science |
High |
30026227
|
| 2020 |
The HRI-regulated transcription factor ATF4 directly activates BCL11A transcription by binding to its enhancer and fostering enhancer-promoter contacts, defining a linear HRI→ATF4→BCL11A→γ-globin signaling pathway in human erythroblasts. |
CRISPR-Cas9 loss-of-function screen in human erythroblasts; ChIP-seq for ATF4 at BCL11A enhancer; chromatin conformation assays; murine model comparisons |
Blood |
High |
32299090
|
| 2017 |
HRI coordinates two translation-regulation pathways during iron deficiency: eIF2α phosphorylation (eIF2αP) and mTORC1 suppression. HRI-eIF2αP-ATF4 signaling suppresses mTORC1 specifically in erythroid cells; erythroid-specific ablation of eIF2αP abolished ATF4 induction in vivo and impaired erythroid differentiation and antioxidant responses. |
Erythroid-specific eIF2α knock-in mouse model (eAA); HRI knockout mice; pharmacologic mTORC1 inhibition; ribosome profiling; in vivo iron deficiency challenge |
Blood |
High |
29101239
|
| 2019 |
HRI globally represses translation of cytosolic and mitochondrial ribosomal protein mRNAs during iron deficiency, causing decreased cytosolic and mitochondrial protein synthesis. Absence of HRI during iron deficiency elicits a cytoplasmic unfolded protein response and impairs mitochondrial respiration; ATF4 target genes are activated downstream of HRI to maintain mitochondrial function. |
Ribosome profiling in murine primary erythroblasts from HRI-/- and wild-type mice under iron deficiency; mitochondrial respiration assays |
eLife |
High |
31033440
|
| 2020 |
HRI controls autophagy to clear cytosolic protein aggregates when the ubiquitin-proteasome system is inhibited. HRI silencing decreased BAG3 and HSPB8 levels (chaperone-assisted selective autophagy components), caused cytotoxic accumulation of α-synuclein, and aged HRI-/- mice accumulated misfolded α-synuclein and protein aggregates in spinal cord white matter. |
HRI siRNA knockdown; overexpression of α-synuclein; immunofluorescence for protein aggregates; aged HRI-/- mouse histopathology; BAG3/HSPB8 immunoblotting |
The Journal of biological chemistry |
Medium |
33168630
|
| 2024 |
The HRI branch of the ISR selectively induces mitophagy. Activation of the HRI branch results in mitochondrial localization of phosphorylated eIF2 (p-eIF2), which is sufficient to induce mitophagy. This HRI-driven mitophagy pathway operates in parallel with and is mechanistically distinct from the PINK1-PARKIN pathway. |
Whole-genome CRISPR screen; mitophagy reporters; ISR branch-specific genetic activation; immunofluorescence for p-eIF2 subcellular localization |
Molecular cell |
High |
38340717
|
| 2018 |
Hsp90 interacts with HRI and modulates its kinase activity under stress. Co-immunoprecipitation showed that the HRI K1 subdomain is required for HRI-Hsp90 complex formation. In vitro kinase assay with co-immunoprecipitated HRI-Hsp90 complex showed increased eIF2α phosphorylation upon heavy metal stress and heat shock. |
Co-immunoprecipitation with truncated HRI domains; mammalian two-hybrid assay; in silico protein-protein interaction modeling; in vitro kinase assay |
International journal of biological macromolecules |
Medium |
30170366
|
| 2020 |
HRI is activated by nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs) via reactive oxygen species (ROS). In quadruple eIF2α kinase KO MEF cells, nsPEF-induced eIF2α phosphorylation was abolished and rescued only by HRI overexpression; the ROS scavenger NAC blocked nsPEF-induced eIF2α phosphorylation, establishing a ROS→HRI→eIF2α axis. |
eIF2α kinase quadruple KO and single kinase-rescued MEF cells; nsPEF treatment; ROS detection (CM-H2DCFDA); NAC scavenger rescue; eIF2α phosphorylation immunoblotting |
PloS one |
Medium |
32155190
|
| 2022 |
Cytosolic proteotoxicity activates HRI through the Hsp70-Bag3 module. Hsp70-Bag3 directly interacted with HRI (Co-IP), and disruption of this interaction (JG-98 inhibitor) activated eIF2α phosphorylation via HRI but not PERK, establishing a cytosolic Hsp70-Bag3-HRI-eIF2α proteotoxicity-sensing axis. |
Co-immunoprecipitation of Hsp70-Bag3-HRI complex; JG-98 Hsp70-Bag3 interaction inhibitor; RNAseq pathway analysis; genetic knockdown of HRI |
iScience |
Medium |
35573186
|
| 2024 |
Mitochondrial protein import stress (MPIS) is the overarching trigger for the DELE1-HRI pathway. Endogenous DELE1 can be cleaved into two forms (DELE1-S and DELE1-VS); OMA1 is crucial for DELE1 cleavage in HeLa cells but dispensable in HEK293T cells. HtrA2, a mitochondrial protease, mediates DELE1 cleavage into DELE1-VS, and a Parkinson's disease-associated HtrA2 mutant showed reduced DELE1 processing. |
Epitope-tagged and endogenous DELE1 cleavage assays; OMA1/HtrA2 genetic knockdown; cell fractionation; comparison across HeLa and HEK293T cell lines |
Communications biology |
Medium |
38555279
|
| 2025 |
EIF2AK1/HRI is a negative regulator of PINK1-dependent mitophagy. siRNA knockdown of HRI in HeLa, SK-OV-3, U2OS, and ARPE-19 cells enhanced mitochondrial depolarization-induced PINK1 stabilization and phosphorylation of ubiquitin and Rab8A. Knockdown of DELE1 (HRI activator) produced similar effects, and ISR inhibitor ISRIB also enhanced PINK1 activation. |
siRNA kinome screen; PINK1 stabilization/ubiquitin phosphorylation assays; mito-QC mitophagy reporters; genetic confirmation in four cell lines |
Science advances |
Medium |
40344059
|
| 2025 |
The UBR4 ubiquitin ligase complex promotes ubiquitination and degradation of activated HRI, thereby restraining ISR overactivation. Tubule-specific Ubr4 deficiency exacerbated cisplatin-induced AKI with elevated HRI-ISR activity, and genetic enhancement of UBR4 or pharmacologic ISR inhibition mitigated nephrotoxicity. |
Conditional Ubr4 knockout mice; cisplatin AKI model; ubiquitination assays; ISRIB pharmacologic inhibition; eIF2α phosphorylation immunoblotting |
Free radical biology & medicine |
Medium |
41548766
|
| 2025 |
KCMF1 regulates HRI ubiquitination to inhibit the ISR. KCMF1 knockdown reduced HRI ubiquitination and promoted eIF2α phosphorylation and ATF4/ATF3/SESN2 expression; KCMF1 overexpression reversed these effects; ISR inhibitor rescued the effects of KCMF1 knockdown on cancer cell behavior. |
Ni-NTA pull-down ubiquitination assay; KCMF1 knockdown/overexpression; eIF2α phosphorylation immunoblotting; xenograft mouse model |
Biochemical pharmacology |
Medium |
41391693
|
| 2015 |
In hippocampal neurons, nitric oxide (NO) activates HRI, which phosphorylates eIF2α to stimulate translation of BACE1 mRNA. This HRI-eIF2α-BACE1 axis is activated by glutamate signaling and promotes synaptic spine growth and memory consolidation; HRI inhibition or siRNA knockdown blocked BACE1 expression and spine growth. |
Western blot, luciferase reporter assay for BACE1 translation; HRI inhibitor and HRI siRNA in hippocampal neurons; immunofluorescence; mouse behavioral assays with HRI/nNOS inhibitors |
Antioxidants & redox signaling |
Medium |
25706765
|
| 2013 |
HRI kinase activation in the CA1 hippocampus is required for object recognition memory consolidation; learning induced a transient increase in eIF2α phosphorylation in dorsal CA1 that was blocked by the HRI inhibitor AMI, and this phosphorylation correlated with increased BACE1 and ATF4 protein expression. |
Intra-hippocampal injection of HRI kinase inhibitor (AMI); object recognition behavioral task in rats; eIF2α phosphorylation and BACE1/ATF4 immunoblotting in CA1 |
Hippocampus |
Medium |
23418065
|
| 2010 |
Hepatic HRI is the eIF2α kinase mediating heme-dependent translational regulation of CYP2B enzymes. In HRI-KO hepatocytes, phenobarbital-induced CYP2B protein induction proceeded undeterred even after acute heme depletion. Genetic HRI ablation also elevated basal ER stress (PERK activation, Grp78/Grp94 induction, protein ubiquitination), indicating HRI normally modulates hepatic ER stress tone. |
HRI-/- mouse hepatocyte model; heme depletion + phenobarbital treatment; CYP2B protein assays; PERK/Grp78/Grp94/ubiquitination immunoblotting |
Molecular pharmacology |
Medium |
20071449
|
| 2024 |
Hemin binding to HRI induces large-scale allosteric structural rearrangements detected by HDX-MS that are not seen with ATP-mimetic competitive inhibitors; these rearrangements primarily suppress HRI autophosphorylation (including tyrosine phosphorylation not previously observed in eIF2α kinases), providing a structural basis for heme-mediated allosteric inhibition distinct from ATP-competitive inhibition. |
Hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS); biochemical kinase assays; AlphaFold 3 structural modeling; comparison of hemin vs. dabrafenib/encorafenib/GCN2iB inhibitors |
The Biochemical journal |
Medium |
40471279
|
| 2025 |
HRI forms a dimer in solution through its N-terminal domain, but N-terminal domain-mediated dimerization is not essential for autophosphorylation activity. Phosphorylated HRI forms a stable complex with eIF2α whereas dephosphorylated HRI fails to bind eIF2α. Phosphate groups at Thr488 and Thr493 interact with adjacent basic residues to enhance eIF2α recognition. Heme-induced deactivation selectively targets the dephosphorylated kinase domain to suppress autophosphorylation. |
Biochemical reconstitution; N-terminal domain deletion mutants; autophosphorylation assays; eIF2α binding assays; structural modeling based on AlphaFold predictions |
bioRxivpreprint |
Medium |
|
| 2013 |
HRI is required for bacterial pathogens to execute virulence-associated cellular activities in host cells. HRI-null cells were resistant to Yersinia Yop-mediated cytoskeleton damage (reduced type 3 secretion), showed dramatically reduced Chlamydia intracellular proliferation, and blocked Listeria trafficking to the cytosol. These infection-associated functions of HRI appeared independent of its eIF2α kinase/protein synthesis regulation activity. |
HRI-null cells infected with Yersinia, Chlamydia, and Listeria; cytoskeletal damage assays; T3S functional assays; intracellular proliferation counts; eIF2α phosphorylation analysis |
PloS one |
Medium |
23874749
|
| 2025 |
ROCK1 phosphorylates BACH2 to protect it from heme-driven degradation in differentiating B cells, and also restrains HRI activity by controlling HRI's interaction with HSP90 and limiting recruitment of HRI and HSP90 to p62/SQSTM1 complexes that also contain mTOR complex 1 and TBK1. |
Co-immunoprecipitation of HRI-HSP90-p62 complex; ROCK1 KO B cells; phosphorylation assays; proteomics of p62 complexes |
JCI insight |
Low |
39903532
|
| 2024 |
Unfolded proteins accumulating in the mitochondrial matrix activate HRI kinase, which then phosphorylates eIF2α to inhibit mitochondrial protein translation and mitochondrial protein import. HRI was recruited to mitochondria upon induction of mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) and interacted with other proteins there, as confirmed by CRISPR-Cas9 HRI deletion abolishing the UPRmt eIF2α phosphorylation response. |
CRISPR-Cas9 HRI deletion; ribosome profiling; mitochondrial protein import assays; mitochondrial recruitment/co-IP of HRI; ROS and morphology assays |
Cellular signalling |
Medium |
39168261
|
| 2026 |
GABARAPL1 facilitates the interaction between HSP90 and HRI, which is required for full activation of HRI during sodium arsenite-induced stress. In GABARAPL1-deficient A549 cells, eIF2α phosphorylation was decreased and stress granule formation was impaired upon arsenite treatment. |
GABARAPL1 knockout/knockdown; eIF2α phosphorylation immunoblotting; stress granule immunofluorescence; co-immunoprecipitation of HSP90-HRI |
Scientific reports |
Medium |
41904211
|