Common biochemical properties of metabolic genes recurrently dysregulated in tumors.

BACKGROUND: Tumor initiation and progression are associated with numerous metabolic alterations. However, the biochemical drivers and constraints that contribute to metabolic gene dysregulation are unclear. METHODS: Here, we present MetOncoFit, a computational model that integrates 142 metabolic features that can impact tumor fitness, including enzyme catalytic activity, pathway association, network topology, and reaction flux. MetOncoFit uses genome-scale metabolic modeling and machine-learning to quantify the relative importance of various metabolic features in predicting cancer metabolic gene expression, copy number variation, and survival data. RESULTS: Using MetOncoFit, we performed a meta-analysis of 9 cancer types and over 4500 samples from TCGA, Prognoscan, and COSMIC tumor databases. MetOncoFit accurately predicted enzyme differential expression and its impact on patient survival using the 142 attributes of metabolic enzymes. Our analysis revealed that enzymes with high catalytic activity were frequently upregulated in many tumors and associated with poor survival. Topological analysis also identified specific metabolites that were hot spots of dysregulation. CONCLUSIONS: MetOncoFit integrates a broad range of datasets to understand how biochemical and topological features influence metabolic gene dysregulation across various cancer types. MetOncoFit was able to achieve significantly higher accuracy in predicting differential expression, copy number variation, and patient survival than traditional modeling approaches. Overall, MetOncoFit illuminates how enzyme activity and metabolic network architecture influences tumorigenesis.

The entropic force generated by intrinsically disordered segments tunes protein function.

Protein structures are dynamic and can explore a large conformational landscape1,2. Only some of these structural substates are important for protein function (such as ligand binding, catalysis and regulation)3-5. How evolution shapes the structural ensemble to optimize a specific function is poorly understood3,4. One of the constraints on the evolution of proteins is the stability of the folded 'native' state. Despite this, 44% of the human proteome contains intrinsically disordered peptide segments greater than 30 residues in length6, the majority of which have no known function7-9. Here we show that the entropic force produced by an intrinsically disordered carboxy terminus (ID-tail) shifts the conformational ensemble of human UDP-α-D-glucose-6-dehydrogenase (UGDH) towards a substate with a high affinity for an allosteric inhibitor. The function of the ID-tail does not depend on its sequence or chemical composition. Instead, the affinity enhancement can be accurately predicted based on the length of the intrinsically disordered segment, and is consistent with the entropic force generated by an unstructured peptide attached to the protein surface10-13. Our data show that the unfolded state of the ID-tail rectifies the dynamics and structure of UGDH to favour inhibitor binding. Because this entropic rectifier does not have any sequence or structural constraints, it is an easily acquired adaptation. This model implies that evolution selects for disordered segments to tune the energy landscape of proteins, which may explain the persistence of intrinsic disorder in the proteome.

Correction: Hydrophobic Core Variations Provide a Structural Framework for Tyrosine Kinase Evolution and Functional Specialization.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005885.].

Hydrophobic Core Variations Provide a Structural Framework for Tyrosine Kinase Evolution and Functional Specialization.

Protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) are a group of closely related enzymes that have evolutionarily diverged from serine/threonine kinases (STKs) to regulate pathways associated with multi-cellularity. Evolutionary divergence of PTKs from STKs has occurred through accumulation of mutations in the active site as well as in the commonly conserved hydrophobic core. While the functional significance of active site variations is well understood, relatively little is known about how hydrophobic core variations contribute to PTK evolutionary divergence. Here, using a combination of statistical sequence comparisons, molecular dynamics simulations, mutational analysis and in vitro thermostability and kinase assays, we investigate the structural and functional significance of key PTK-specific variations in the kinase core. We find that the nature of residues and interactions in the hydrophobic core of PTKs is strikingly different from other protein kinases, and PTK-specific variations in the core contribute to functional divergence by altering the stability and dynamics of the kinase domain. In particular, a functionally critical STK-conserved histidine that stabilizes the regulatory spine in STKs is selectively mutated to an alanine, serine or glutamate in PTKs, and this loss-of-function mutation is accommodated, in part, through compensatory PTK-specific interactions in the core. In particular, a PTK-conserved phenylalanine in the I-helix appears to structurally and functionally compensate for the loss of STK-histidine by interacting with the regulatory spine, which has far-reaching effects on enzyme activity, inhibitor sensing, and stability. We propose that hydrophobic core variations provide a selective advantage during PTK evolution by increasing the conformational flexibility, and therefore the allosteric potential of the kinase domain. Our studies also suggest that Tyrosine Kinase Like kinases such as RAF are intermediates in PTK evolutionary divergence inasmuch as they share features of both PTKs and STKs in the core. Finally, our studies provide an evolutionary framework for identifying and characterizing disease and drug resistance mutations in the kinase core.

Identification and classification of small molecule kinases: insights into substrate recognition and specificity.

BACKGROUND: Many prokaryotic kinases that phosphorylate small molecule substrates, such as antibiotics, lipids and sugars, are evolutionarily related to Eukaryotic Protein Kinases (EPKs). These Eukaryotic-Like Kinases (ELKs) share the same overall structural fold as EPKs, but differ in their modes of regulation, substrate recognition and specificity-the sequence and structural determinants of which are poorly understood. RESULTS: To better understand the basis for ELK specificity, we applied a Bayesian classification procedure designed to identify sequence determinants responsible for functional divergence. This reveals that a large and diverse family of aminoglycoside kinases, characterized members of which are involved in antibiotic resistance, fall into major sub-groups based on differences in putative substrate recognition motifs. Aminoglycoside kinase substrate specificity follows simple rules of alternating hydroxyl and amino groups that is strongly correlated with variations at the DFG + 1 position. CONCLUSIONS: Substrate specificity determining features in small molecule kinases are mostly confined to the catalytic core and can be identified based on quantitative sequence and crystal structure comparisons.

Co-conserved MAPK features couple D-domain docking groove to distal allosteric sites via the C-terminal flanking tail.

Mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) form a closely related family of kinases that control critical pathways associated with cell growth and survival. Although MAPKs have been extensively characterized at the biochemical, cellular, and structural level, an integrated evolutionary understanding of how MAPKs differ from other closely related protein kinases is currently lacking. Here, we perform statistical sequence comparisons of MAPKs and related protein kinases to identify sequence and structural features associated with MAPK functional divergence. We show, for the first time, that virtually all MAPK-distinguishing sequence features, including an unappreciated short insert segment in the ß4-ß5 loop, physically couple distal functional sites in the kinase domain to the D-domain peptide docking groove via the C-terminal flanking tail (C-tail). The coupling mediated by MAPK-specific residues confers an allosteric regulatory mechanism unique to MAPKs. In particular, the regulatory αC-helix conformation is controlled by a MAPK-conserved salt bridge interaction between an arginine in the αC-helix and an acidic residue in the C-tail. The salt-bridge interaction is modulated in unique ways in individual sub-families to achieve regulatory specificity. Our study is consistent with a model in which the C-tail co-evolved with the D-domain docking site to allosterically control MAPK activity. Our study provides testable mechanistic hypotheses for biochemical characterization of MAPK-conserved residues and new avenues for the design of allosteric MAPK inhibitors.

Inhibiting EGFR dimerization using triazolyl-bridged dimerization arm mimics.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in multiple carcinomas and is the focus of a variety of targeted therapies. Here we report the design of peptide-based compounds that mimic the EGFR dimerization arm and inhibit allosteric activation of EGFR. These peptides are modified to contain a triazolyl bridge between the peptide strands to constrain the EGFR dimerization arm ß-loop. In this study, we demonstrate that these peptides have significantly improved proteolytic stability over the non-modified peptide sequence, and their inhibitory effects are dependent on the number of the methylene units and orientation of the introduced triazolyl bridge. We identified a peptide, EDA2, which downregulates receptor phosphorylation and dimerization and reduces cell viability. This is the first example of a biologically active triazolyl-bridged peptide targeting the EGFR dimerization interface that effectively downregulates EGFR activation.

The Tribbles 2 (TRB2) pseudokinase binds to ATP and autophosphorylates in a metal-independent manner.

The human Tribbles (TRB)-related pseudokinases are CAMK (calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase)-related family members that have evolved a series of highly unusual motifs in the 'pseudocatalytic' domain. In canonical kinases, conserved amino acids bind to divalent metal ions and align ATP prior to efficient phosphoryl-transfer to substrates. However, in pseudokinases, atypical residues give rise to diverse and often unstudied biochemical and structural features that are thought to be central to cellular functions. TRB proteins play a crucial role in multiple signalling networks and overexpression confers cancer phenotypes on human cells, marking TRB pseudokinases out as a novel class of drug target. In the present paper, we report that the human pseudokinase TRB2 retains the ability to both bind and hydrolyse ATP weakly in vitro. Kinase activity is metal-independent and involves a catalytic lysine residue, which is conserved in TRB proteins throughout evolution alongside several unique amino acids in the active site. A similar low level of autophosphorylation is also preserved in the closely related human TRB3. By employing chemical genetics, we establish that the nucleotide-binding site of an 'analogue-sensitive' (AS) TRB2 mutant can be targeted with specific bulky ligands of the pyrazolo-pyrimidine (PP) chemotype. Our analysis confirms that TRB2 retains low levels of ATP binding and/or catalysis that is targetable with small molecules. Given the significant clinical successes associated with targeting of cancer-associated kinases with small molecule inhibitors, it is likely that similar approaches will be useful for further evaluating the TRB pseudokinases, with the translation of this information likely to furnish new leads for drug discovery.

Mitochondrial ADCK3 employs an atypical protein kinase-like fold to enable coenzyme Q biosynthesis.

The ancient UbiB protein kinase-like family is involved in isoprenoid lipid biosynthesis and is implicated in human diseases, but demonstration of UbiB kinase activity has remained elusive for unknown reasons. Here, we quantitatively define UbiB-specific sequence motifs and reveal their positions within the crystal structure of a UbiB protein, ADCK3. We find that multiple UbiB-specific features are poised to inhibit protein kinase activity, including an N-terminal domain that occupies the typical substrate binding pocket and a unique A-rich loop that limits ATP binding by establishing an unusual selectivity for ADP. A single alanine-to-glycine mutation of this loop flips this coenzyme selectivity and enables autophosphorylation but inhibits coenzyme Q biosynthesis in vivo, demonstrating functional relevance for this unique feature. Our work provides mechanistic insight into UbiB enzyme activity and establishes a molecular foundation for further investigation of how UbiB family proteins affect diseases and diverse biological pathways.

Deciphering the structural basis of eukaryotic protein kinase regulation.

Eukaryotic protein kinases (EPKs) regulate numerous signaling processes by phosphorylating targeted substrates through the highly conserved catalytic domain. Our previous computational studies proposed a model stating that a properly assembled nonlinear motif termed the Regulatory (R) spine is essential for catalytic activity of EPKs. Here we define the required intramolecular interactions and biochemical properties of the R-spine and the newly identified "Shell" that surrounds the R-spine using site-directed mutagenesis and various in vitro phosphoryl transfer assays using cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase as a representative of the entire kinome. Analysis of the 172 available Apo EPK structures in the protein data bank (PDB) revealed four unique structural conformations of the R-spine that correspond with catalytic inactivation of various EPKs. Elucidating the molecular entities required for the catalytic activation of EPKs and the identification of these inactive conformations opens new avenues for the design of efficient therapeutic EPK inhibitors.

Evolutionary variation and adaptation in a conserved protein kinase allosteric network: implications for inhibitor design.

The activation of protein kinases involves conformational changes in key functional regions of the kinase domain, a detailed understanding of which is essential for the design of selective protein kinase inhibitors. Through statistical analysis of protein kinase sequences and crystal structures from diverse organisms, we recently proposed that the activation of protein kinases involves a hidden strain switch in the catalytic loop. Specifically, we demonstrated that the backbone torsion-angles of residues in the catalytic loop switch from a "relaxed" to "strained" conformation upon kinase activation and the strained geometry results in a network of hydrogen bonds involving conserved non-catalytic residues in the ATP and substrate binding lobes. Here, we further explore this activation mechanism by analyzing families that lack the canonical hydrogen bonding interactions with the strained backbone. We find that alternative mechanisms have evolved to maintain catalytic loop strain. In PIM kinase, for example, two water molecules account for the lack of a conserved aspartate in the substrate binding by hydrogen bonds to the strained backbone. We discuss the relevance of these findings in the design of family-specific allosteric inhibitors, and in predicting the structural and functional impact of cancer mutations that alter the strain associated hydrogen bonding network. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Inhibitors of Protein Kinases (2012).

Identification of a hidden strain switch provides clues to an ancient structural mechanism in protein kinases.

The protein kinase catalytic domain contains several conserved residues of unknown functions. Here, using a combination of computational and experimental approaches, we show that the function of some of these residues is to maintain the backbone geometry of the active site in a strained conformation. Specifically, we find that the backbone geometry of the catalytically important HRD motif deviates from ideality in high-resolution structures and the strained geometry results in favorable hydrogen bonds with conserved noncatalytic residues in the active site. In particular, a conserved aspartate in the F-helix hydrogen bonds to the strained HRD backbone in diverse eukaryotic and eukaryotic-like protein kinase crystal structures. Mutations that alter this hydrogen-bonding interaction impair catalytic activity in Aurora kinase. Although the backbone strain is present in most active conformations, several inactive conformations lack the strain because of a peptide flip in the HRD backbone. The peptide flip is correlated with loss of hydrogen bonds with the F-helix aspartate as well as with other interactions associated with kinase regulation. Within protein kinases that are regulated by activation loop phosphorylation, the strained residue is an arginine, which coordinates with the activation loop phosphate. Based on analysis of strain across the protein kinase superfamily, we propose a model in which backbone strain co-evolved with conserved residues for allosteric control of catalytic activity. Our studies provide new clues for the design of allosteric protein kinase inhibitors.

Design principles underpinning the regulatory diversity of protein kinases.

Protein phosphorylation in eukaryotes is carried out by a large and diverse family of protein kinases, which display remarkable diversity and complexity in their modes of regulation. The complex modes of regulation have evolved as a consequence of natural selection operating on protein kinase sequences for billions of years. Here we describe how quantitative comparisons of protein kinase sequences from diverse organisms, in particular prokaryotes, have contributed to our understanding of the structural organization and evolution of allosteric regulation in the protein kinase domain. An emerging view from these studies is that regulatory diversity and complexity in the protein kinase domain evolved in a 'modular' fashion through elaboration of an ancient core component, which existed before the emergence of eukaryotes. The core component provided the conformational flexibility required for ATP binding and phosphoryl transfer in prokaryotic kinases, but evolved into a highly regulatable domain in eukaryotes through the addition of exaggerated structural features that facilitated tight allosteric control. Family and group-specific features are built upon the core component in eukaryotes to provide additional layers of control. We propose that 'modularity' and 'conformational flexibility' are key evolvable traits of the protein kinase domain that contributed to its extensive regulatory diversity and complexity.