Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
  • Publication
    RASSF1A uncouples Wnt from Hippo signalling and promotes YAP mediated differentiation via p73
    Transition from pluripotency to differentiation is a pivotal yet poorly understood developmental step. Here, we show that the tumour suppressor RASSF1A is a key player driving the early specification of cell fate. RASSF1A acts as a natural barrier to stem cell self-renewal and iPS cell generation, by switching YAP from an integral component in the β-catenin-TCF pluripotency network to a key factor that promotes differentiation. We demonstrate that epigenetic regulation of the Rassf1A promoter maintains stemness by allowing a quaternary association of YAP-TEAD and β-catenin-TCF3 complexes on the Oct4 distal enhancer. However, during differentiation, promoter demethylation allows GATA1-mediated RASSF1A expression which prevents YAP from contributing to the TEAD/β-catenin-TCF3 complex. Simultaneously, we find that RASSF1A promotes a YAP-p73 transcriptional programme that enables differentiation. Together, our findings demonstrate that RASSF1A mediates transcription factor selection of YAP in stem cells, thereby acting as a functional "switch" between pluripotency and initiation of differentiation.
    Scopus© Citations 65  182
  • Publication
    HiQuant: Rapid postquantification analysis of large-scale MS-generated proteomics data
    Recent advances in mass-spectrometry-based proteomics are now facilitating ambitious large-scale investigations of the spatial and temporal dynamics of the proteome; however, the increasing size and complexity of these data sets is overwhelming current downstream computational methods, specifically those that support the postquantification analysis pipeline. Here we present HiQuant, a novel application that enables the design and execution of a postquantification workflow, including common data-processing steps, such as assay normalization and grouping, and experimental replicate quality control and statistical analysis. HiQuant also enables the interpretation of results generated from large-scale data sets by supporting interactive heatmap analysis and also the direct export to Cytoscape and Gephi, two leading network analysis platforms. HiQuant may be run via a user-friendly graphical interface and also supports complete one-touch automation via a command-line mode. We evaluate HiQuant’s performance by analyzing a large-scale, complex interactome mapping data set and demonstrate a 200-fold improvement in the execution time over current methods. We also demonstrate HiQuant’s general utility by analyzing proteome-wide quantification data generated from both a large-scale public tyrosine kinase siRNA knock-down study and an in-house investigation into the temporal dynamics of the KSR1 and KSR2 interactomes. Download HiQuant, sample data sets, and supporting documentation at http://hiquant.primesdb.eu.
    Scopus© Citations 6  623
  • Publication
    On-Beads Digestion in Conjunction with Data-Dependent Mass Spectrometry: A Shortcut to Quantitative and Dynamic Interaction Proteomics
    With the advent of the '-omics' era, biological research has shifted from functionally analyzing single proteins to understanding how entire protein networks connect and adapt to environmental cues. Frequently, pathological processes are initiated by a malfunctioning protein network rather than a single protein. It is therefore crucial to investigate the regulation of proteins in the context of a pathway first and signaling network second. In this study, we demonstrate that a quantitative interaction proteomic approach, combining immunoprecipitation, in-solution digestion and label-free quantification mass spectrometry, provides data of high accuracy and depth. This protocol is applicable, both to tagged, exogenous and untagged, endogenous proteins. Furthermore, it is fast, reliable and, due to a label-free quantitation approach, allows the comparison of multiple conditions. We further show that we are able to generate data in a medium throughput fashion and that we can quantify dynamic interaction changes in signaling pathways in response to mitogenic stimuli, making our approach a suitable method to generate data for system biology approaches.
    Scopus© Citations 105  286
  • Publication
    Extensive rewiring of the EGFR network in colorectal cancer cells expressing transforming levels of KRAS G13D
    Protein-protein-interaction networks (PPINs) organize fundamental biological processes, but how oncogenic mutations impact these interactions and their functions at a network-level scale is poorly understood. Here, we analyze how a common oncogenic KRAS mutation (KRASG13D) affects PPIN structure and function of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) network in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. Mapping >6000 PPIs shows that this network is extensively rewired in cells expressing transforming levels of KRASG13D (mtKRAS). The factors driving PPIN rewiring are multifactorial including changes in protein expression and phosphorylation. Mathematical modelling also suggests that the binding dynamics of low and high affinity KRAS interactors contribute to rewiring. PPIN rewiring substantially alters the composition of protein complexes, signal flow, transcriptional regulation, and cellular phenotype. These changes are validated by targeted and global experimental analysis. Importantly, genetic alterations in the most extensively rewired PPIN nodes occur frequently in CRC and are prognostic of poor patient outcomes.
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  • Publication
    Proteomic Mapping of the Interactome of KRAS Mutants Identifies New Features of RAS Signalling Networks and the Mechanism of Action of Sotorasib
    RAS proteins are key regulators of cell signalling and control different cell functions including cell proliferation, differentiation, and cell death. Point mutations in the genes of this family are common, particularly in KRAS. These mutations were thought to cause the constitutive activation of KRAS, but recent findings showed that some mutants can cycle between active and inactive states. This observation, together with the development of covalent KRASG12C inhibitors, has led to the arrival of KRAS inhibitors in the clinic. However, most patients develop resistance to these targeted therapies, and we lack effective treatments for other KRAS mutants. To accelerate the development of RAS targeting therapies, we need to fully characterise the molecular mechanisms governing KRAS signalling networks and determine what differentiates the signalling downstream of the KRAS mutants. Here we have used affinity purification mass-spectrometry proteomics to characterise the interactome of KRAS wild-type and three KRAS mutants. Bioinformatic analysis associated with experimental validation allows us to map the signalling network mediated by the different KRAS proteins. Using this approach, we characterised how the interactome of KRAS wild-type and mutants is regulated by the clinically approved KRASG12C inhibitor Sotorasib. In addition, we identified novel crosstalks between KRAS and its effector pathways including the AKT and JAK-STAT signalling modules.
      26Scopus© Citations 1