Hydrogen peroxide-dependent oxidation of ERK2 within its D-recruitment site alters its substrate selection.

Extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) are dysregulated in many pervasive diseases. Recently, we discovered that ERK1/2 is oxidized by signal-generated hydrogen peroxide in various cell types. Since the putative sites of oxidation lie within or near ERK1/2's ligand-binding surfaces, we investigated how oxidation of ERK2 regulates interactions with the model substrates Sub-D and Sub-F. These studies revealed that ERK2 undergoes sulfenylation at C159 on its D-recruitment site surface and that this modification modulates ERK2 activity differentially between substrates. Integrated biochemical, computational, and mutational analyses suggest a plausible mechanism for peroxide-dependent changes in ERK2-substrate interactions. Interestingly, oxidation decreased ERK2's affinity for some D-site ligands while increasing its affinity for others. Finally, oxidation by signal-generated peroxide enhanced ERK1/2's ability to phosphorylate ribosomal S6 kinase A1 (RSK1) in HeLa cells. Together, these studies lay the foundation for examining crosstalk between redox- and phosphorylation-dependent signaling at the level of kinase-substrate selection.

Characterization of Protein-Protein Interactions Using Protein Microarrays.

Functional protein microarrays allow fast, straightforward, and efficient high-throughput screening of protein-protein interactions. The microarray approach has outpaced other interaction methods, such as yeast two-hybrid screens, in part because of the vast amounts of information that can be obtained during a single assay. This protocol describes how to perform a binding assay for a protein of interest using a proteome microarray composed of thousands of functional, recombinant proteins adhered to a microchip.

Characterization of RNA-Binding Proteins Using Protein Microarrays.

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), along with target RNA, play a vital role in the regulation of cellular processing and are especially important in gene transcription and posttranscriptional regulation. Here, we present a high-throughput method for rapid identification of RBPs for a given RNA using protein microarray technology. This protocol includes preparation of Cy5-labeled RNA probes, probe denaturing and refolding, and an RNA-binding assay as performed on a yeast protein microarray.

Posttranslational Modification Assays on Functional Protein Microarrays.

Protein microarray technology provides a straightforward yet powerful strategy for identifying substrates of posttranslational modifications (PTMs) and studying the specificity of the enzymes that catalyze these reactions. Protein microarray assays can be designed for individual enzymes or a mixture to establish connections between enzymes and substrates. Assays for four well-known PTMs-phosphorylation, acetylation, ubiquitylation, and SUMOylation-have been developed and are described here for use on functional protein microarrays. Phosphorylation and acetylation require a single enzyme and are easily adapted for use on an array. The ubiquitylation and SUMOylation cascades are very similar, and the combination of the E1, E2, and E3 enzymes plus ubiquitin or SUMO protein and ATP is sufficient for in vitro modification of many substrates.

Characterization of Lipid-Protein Interactions Using Nonquenched Fluorescent Liposomal Nanovesicles and Yeast Proteome Microarrays.

Studying lipid-protein interactions is central to understanding lipid signaling, a key regulatory system in cells. To better identify lipid-binding proteins, we developed a nonquenched fluorescent (NQF) liposome that is able to carry both fluorescent molecules and a lipid of interest. By combining the strength of NQF liposomes with protein microarray technology, the method presented here facilitates high-throughput screening of lipid-protein interactions. This protocol describes how to prepare NQF liposomes and apply the fabricated liposomes to yeast proteome microarrays.

Protein Microarrays: Flexible Tools for Scientific Innovation.

Protein microarrays have emerged as a powerful tool for the scientific community, and their greatest advantage lies in the fact that thousands of reactions can be performed in a parallel and unbiased manner. The first high-density protein microarray, dubbed the "yeast proteome array," consisted of approximately 5800 full-length yeast proteins and was initially used to identify protein-lipid interactions. Further assays were subsequently developed to allow measurement of protein-DNA, protein-RNA, and protein-protein interactions, as well as four well-known posttranslational modifications: phosphorylation, acetylation, ubiquitylation, and SUMOylation. In this introduction, we describe the advent of high-density protein microarrays, as well as current methods for assessing a wide variety of protein interactions and posttranslational modifications.

Systematic Prediction of Scaffold Proteins Reveals New Design Principles in Scaffold-Mediated Signal Transduction.

Scaffold proteins play a crucial role in facilitating signal transduction in eukaryotes by bringing together multiple signaling components. In this study, we performed a systematic analysis of scaffold proteins in signal transduction by integrating protein-protein interaction and kinase-substrate relationship networks. We predicted 212 scaffold proteins that are involved in 605 distinct signaling pathways. The computational prediction was validated using a protein microarray-based approach. The predicted scaffold proteins showed several interesting characteristics, as we expected from the functionality of scaffold proteins. We found that the scaffold proteins are likely to interact with each other, which is consistent with previous finding that scaffold proteins tend to form homodimers and heterodimers. Interestingly, a single scaffold protein can be involved in multiple signaling pathways by interacting with other scaffold protein partners. Furthermore, we propose two possible regulatory mechanisms by which the activity of scaffold proteins is coordinated with their associated pathways through phosphorylation process.

Activation of diverse signalling pathways by oncogenic PIK3CA mutations.

The PIK3CA gene is frequently mutated in human cancers. Here we carry out a SILAC-based quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis using isogenic knockin cell lines containing 'driver' oncogenic mutations of PIK3CA to dissect the signalling mechanisms responsible for oncogenic phenotypes induced by mutant PIK3CA. From 8,075 unique phosphopeptides identified, we observe that aberrant activation of PI3K pathway leads to increased phosphorylation of a surprisingly wide variety of kinases and downstream signalling networks. Here, by integrating phosphoproteomic data with human protein microarray-based AKT1 kinase assays, we discover and validate six novel AKT1 substrates, including cortactin. Through mutagenesis studies, we demonstrate that phosphorylation of cortactin by AKT1 is important for mutant PI3K-enhanced cell migration and invasion. Our study describes a quantitative and global approach for identifying mutation-specific signalling events and for discovering novel signalling molecules as readouts of pathway activation or potential therapeutic targets.

Comparative analysis of mutant tyrosine kinase chemical rescue.

Protein tyrosine kinases are critical cell signaling enzymes. These enzymes have a highly conserved Arg residue in their catalytic loop which is present two residues or four residues downstream from an absolutely conserved Asp catalytic base. Prior studies on protein tyrosine kinases Csk and Src revealed the potential for chemical rescue of catalytically deficient mutant kinases (Arg to Ala mutations) by small diamino compounds, particularly imidazole; however, the potency and efficiency of rescue was greater for Src. This current study further examines the structural and kinetic basis of rescue for mutant Src as compared to mutant Abl tyrosine kinase. An X-ray crystal structure of R388A Src revealed the surprising finding that a histidine residue of the N-terminus of a symmetry-related kinase inserts into the active site of the adjacent Src and mimics the hydrogen-bonding pattern seen in wild-type protein tyrosine kinases. Abl R367A shows potent and efficient rescue more comparable to Src, even though its catalytic loop is more like that of Csk. Various enzyme redesigns of the active sites indicate that the degree and specificity of rescue are somewhat flexible, but the overall properties of the enzymes and rescue agents play an overarching role. The newly discovered rescue agent 2-aminoimidazole is about as efficient as imidazole in rescuing R/A Src and Abl. Rate vs pH studies with these imidazole analogues suggest that the protonated imidazolium is the preferred form for chemical rescue, consistent with structural models. The efficient rescue seen with mutant Abl points to the potential of this approach to be used effectively to analyze Abl phosphorylation pathways in cells.