Project description:Purpose: Use next generation sequencing to determine which CRISPR knockouts confer resistance to EGFR inhibitors and to determine which cellular pathways get upregulated in response to neratinib.
Project description:The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a central regulator of cell growth and proliferation in response to growth factor and nutrient signaling. Consequently, this kinase is implicated in metabolic diseases including cancer and diabetes so there is great interest in understanding mTOR regulatory networks. mTOR exists in two functionally distinct complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2, and whereas the natural product rapamycin only inhibits a subset of mTORC1 functions, recently developed ATP-competitive mTOR inhibitors have revealed new roles for both complexes. To examine the complete spectrum of mTOR responsive cellular processes, we compared the transcriptional profiles of mammalian cells treated with rapamycin versus the ATP-competitive inhibitor PP242. Our analysis provides a genome-wide view of the transcriptional outputs of mTOR signaling that are insensitive to rapamycin. Gene expression in mouse NIH3T3 cells was measured after 18 hour treatment with DMSO (control), 50 nM rapamycin, or 2 uM PP242. Four independent experiments were performed for each condition.
Project description:The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a central regulator of cell growth and proliferation in response to growth factor and nutrient signaling. Consequently, this kinase is implicated in metabolic diseases including cancer and diabetes so there is great interest in understanding mTOR regulatory networks. mTOR exists in two functionally distinct complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2, and whereas the natural product rapamycin only inhibits a subset of mTORC1 functions, recently developed ATP-competitive mTOR inhibitors have revealed new roles for both complexes. To examine the complete spectrum of mTOR responsive cellular processes, we compared the transcriptional profiles of mammalian cells treated with rapamycin versus the ATP-competitive inhibitor PP242. Our analysis provides a genome-wide view of the transcriptional outputs of mTOR signaling that are insensitive to rapamycin.
Project description:Goal: Study resistance mechanisms to ATP-competitive vs. allosteric AKT inhibitors, in prostate cancer Methods: RNA-sequencing Results: Resistance to the ATP-competitive inhibitor GDC-0068 was driven by compensatory activity of parallel signaling pathways
Project description:During mammalian cell growth and differentiation, the unfolded protein response (UPR) homeostatically adjusts endoplasmic reticulum (ER) protein-folding capacity to match changing cellular secretory demands. However, under high/chronic ER stress conditions the UPR triggers apoptosis. This dichotomy is promoted in part by differential activation levels of the ER transmembrane kinase/endoribonuclease (RNase) IRE1a. IRE1a kinase auto-phosphorylation operates as a rheostat to control downstream RNase-induced outputs that either sustain adaptive ER protein-folding or cause apoptosis. We have previously shown that IRE1a’s RNase activity can be activated or fully inactivated by ATP-competitive kinase inhibitors. Here we developed a new class of ATP-competitive kinase inhibitors that partially antagonize the RNase of IRE1a at full occupancy. An atomic level resolution co-crystal structure shows that these small molecule partial antagonists—which we named ‘PAIR’s for (Partial Antagonists of IRE1a RNase)—occupy the ATP-binding site of IRE1a and partially displace a helix (helix aC) in the kinase domain that forms part of a dimeric interface. In insulin-producing beta cells, PAIRs permit adaptive XBP1 mRNA splicing, while quelling destructive/terminal outputs from extra-XBP1 mRNA endonucleolytic decay, thus preventing apoptosis. Preservation of XBP1 splicing by PAIRs permits B lymphocytes to differentiate into immunoglobulin-producing plasma cells. In summary, we propose that an intermediate RNase-inhibitory “sweet spot,” achieved by PAIR-bound IRE1a, may capture a structural conformation naturally available to IRE1a that could represent a desirable therapeutic state for drugging this master UPR sensor/effector.
Project description:Here we report Total RNA seq and RiboSeq on MEF cells treated with halofuginone. Halofuginone is a competitive inhibitor of the Prolyl-tRNA synthetase that results in an accumulation of uncharged Prolyl-tRNA upon treatment that leads to an activation of the protein kinase Gcn2.
Project description:Activation of the extracellular signal regulated kinase-2 (ERK2) by phosphorylation has been shown to involve changes in protein dynamics, as determined by hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) and NMR relaxation dispersion measurements. These can be described by a global exchange between two conformational states, named “L” and “R”, where R is associated with a catalytically productive ATP-binding mode. An ATP-competitive ERK1/2 inhibitor, Vertex-11e, has properties of conformation selection for the R-state, revealing movements of the activation loop that are allosterically coupled to the kinase active site. However, the features of inhibitors important for R-state selection are unknown. Here we survey a panel of ATP-competitive ERK inhibitors using HDX-MS and NMR and identify 14 new molecules with properties of R-state selection. They reveal effects propagated to distal regions in the P+1 and helix αF segments surrounding the activation loop, as well as helix αL16. Crystal structures of inhibitor complexes with ERK2 reveal systematic shifts in the Gly loop and helix αC, mediated by a Tyr-Tyr ring stacking interaction and the conserved Lys-Glu salt bridge. The findings suggest a model for the R-state involving small movements in the N-lobe that promote compactness within the kinase active site and alter mobility surrounding the activation loop. Such properties of conformation selection might be exploited to modulate the protein docking interface used by ERK substrates and effectors.
Project description:Diverse environmental insults induce the integrated stress response (ISR), which features eIF2 phosphorylation and translational control that serves to restore protein homeostasis. The eIF2 kinase GCN2 is a first responder in the ISR that is activated by amino acid depletion and other unrelated stresses. Two processes are suggested to trigger an ordered process of GCN2 activation during stress: GCN2 monitoring stress via accumulating uncharged tRNAs or by stalled and colliding ribosomes. Our results suggest that while ribosomal collisions are indeed essential for GCN2 activation in response to translational elongation inhibitors, conditions that trigger deacylation of tRNAs activate GCN2 via its direct association with affected tRNAs. Both process require the GCN2 regulatory domain related to histidyl tRNA synthetases. GCN2 activation by UV irradiation features lowered amino acids and increased uncharged tRNAs and ribosome collisions are dispensable. We conclude that there are multiple mechanisms that activate GCN2 during diverse stresses.
Project description:When eukaryotic cells are deprived of amino acids, uncharged tRNAs accumulate and activate the conserved GCN2 protein kinase. We examine how yeast growth and tRNA charging or aminoacylation is affected during amino acid depletion in the presence and absence of GCN2. tRNA charging is measured using a microarray technique which allows for simultaneous measurement of all cytosolic tRNAs. A fully prototrophic and its isogenic GCN2 deletion strain were used. We measured relative tRNA charging levels in yeast strains with an intact and deleted GCN2.
Project description:When eukaryotic cells are deprived of amino acids, uncharged tRNAs accumulate and activate the conserved GCN2 protein kinase. We examine how yeast growth and tRNA charging or aminoacylation is affected during amino acid depletion in the presence and absence of GCN2. tRNA charging is measured using a microarray technique which allows for simultaneous measurement of all cytosolic tRNAs. A fully prototrophic and its isogenic GCN2 deletion strain were used.