The Q61H mutation decouples KRAS from upstream regulation and renders cancer cells resistant to SHP2 inhibitors.

Cancer cells bearing distinct KRAS mutations exhibit variable sensitivity to SHP2 inhibitors (SHP2i). Here we show that cells harboring KRAS Q61H are uniquely resistant to SHP2i, and investigate the underlying mechanisms using biophysics, molecular dynamics, and cell-based approaches. Q61H mutation impairs intrinsic and GAP-mediated GTP hydrolysis, and impedes activation by SOS1, but does not alter tyrosyl phosphorylation. Wild-type and Q61H-mutant KRAS are both phosphorylated by Src on Tyr32 and Tyr64 and dephosphorylated by SHP2, however, SHP2i does not reduce ERK phosphorylation in KRAS Q61H cells. Phosphorylation of wild-type and Gly12-mutant KRAS, which are associated with sensitivity to SHP2i, confers resistance to regulation by GAP and GEF activities and impairs binding to RAF, whereas the near-complete GAP/GEF-resistance of KRAS Q61H remains unaltered, and high-affinity RAF interaction is retained. SHP2 can stimulate KRAS signaling by modulating GEF/GAP activities and dephosphorylating KRAS, processes that fail to regulate signaling of the Q61H mutant.

A Hypoxia-Inducible HIF1-GAL3ST1-Sulfatide Axis Enhances ccRCC Immune Evasion via Increased Tumor Cell-Platelet Binding.

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common form of kidney cancer and the major cause of mortality for individuals with von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease. ccRCC is characterized most frequently by inactivation of VHL tumor suppressor protein that mediates degradation of the alpha subunit of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) transcription factor family. HIF has been implicated in disease progression and the aim of this study was to identify novel HIF target genes that may contribute to ccRCC. We show that GAL3ST1, an enzyme that catalyzes the sulfonation of the plasma membrane sulfolipid sulfatide, is among the top 50 upregulated genes in ccRCC tissue relative to matched normal tissue. Increased expression of GAL3ST1 in primary ccRCC correlates with decreased survival. We show that GAL3ST1 is a HIF target gene whose expression is induced upon VHL loss leading to the accumulation of its enzymatic product sulfatide. Notably, platelets bind more efficiently to renal cancer cells with high GAL3ST1-sulfatide expression than to GAL3ST1-sulfatide-negative counterparts, which protects ccRCC cells against natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity. These results suggest that GAL3ST1 is a HIF-responsive gene that may contribute to ccRCC development via promoting cancer cell evasion of immune surveillance. IMPLICATIONS: Cancer development is in part dependent on evasion of immune response. We identify a HIF target gene product GAL3ST1 that may play a role in this critical process.

Tyrosyl phosphorylation of KRAS stalls GTPase cycle via alteration of switch I and II conformation.

Deregulation of the RAS GTPase cycle due to mutations in the three RAS genes is commonly associated with cancer development. Protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 promotes RAF-to-MAPK signaling pathway and is an essential factor in RAS-driven oncogenesis. Despite the emergence of SHP2 inhibitors for the treatment of cancers harbouring mutant KRAS, the mechanism underlying SHP2 activation of KRAS signaling remains unclear. Here we report tyrosyl-phosphorylation of endogenous RAS and demonstrate that KRAS phosphorylation via Src on Tyr32 and Tyr64 alters the conformation of switch I and II regions, which stalls multiple steps of the GTPase cycle and impairs binding to effectors. In contrast, SHP2 dephosphorylates KRAS, a process that is required to maintain dynamic canonical KRAS GTPase cycle. Notably, Src- and SHP2-mediated regulation of KRAS activity extends to oncogenic KRAS and the inhibition of SHP2 disrupts the phosphorylation cycle, shifting the equilibrium of the GTPase cycle towards the stalled 'dark state'.

Roles for Pbp1 and caloric restriction in genome and lifespan maintenance via suppression of RNA-DNA hybrids.

Intergenic transcription within repetitive loci such as the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) repeats of yeast commonly triggers aberrant recombination. Major mechanisms suppressing aberrant rDNA recombination rely on chromatin silencing or RNAPII repression at intergenic spacers within the repeats. We find ancient processes operating at rDNA intergenic spacers and other loci to maintain genome stability via repression of RNA-DNA hybrids. The yeast Ataxin-2 protein Pbp1 binds noncoding RNA, suppresses RNA-DNA hybrids, and prevents aberrant rDNA recombination. Repression of RNA-DNA hybrids in Pbp1-deficient cells through RNaseH overexpression, deletion of the G4DNA-stabilizing Stm1, or caloric restriction operating via RNaseH/Pif1 restores rDNA stability. Pbp1 also limits hybrids at non-rDNA G4DNA loci including telomeres. Moreover, cells lacking Pbp1 have a short replicative lifespan that is extended upon hybrid suppression. Thus, we find roles for Pbp1 in genome maintenance and reveal that caloric restriction counteracts Pbp1 deficiencies by engaging RNaseH and Pif1.

Effects of Perinuclear Chromosome Tethers in the Telomeric URA3/5FOA System Reflect Changes to Gene Silencing and not Nucleotide Metabolism.

Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences that protect the ends of linear chromosomes. Telomeres also recruit histone deacetylase complexes that can then spread along chromosome arms and repress the expression of subtelomeric genes in a process known as telomere position effect (TPE). In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, association of telomeres with the nuclear envelope is thought to promote TPE by increasing the local concentration of histone deacetylase complexes at chromosome ends. Importantly, our understanding of TPE stems primarily from studies that employed marker genes inserted within yeast subtelomeres. In particular, the prototrophic marker URA3 is commonly used to assay TPE by negative selection on media supplemented with 5-fluoro-orotic acid (5FOA). Recent findings suggested that decreased growth on 5FOA-containing media may not always indicate increased expression of a telomeric URA3 reporter, but can rather reflect an increase in ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) function and nucleotide metabolism. Thus, we set out to test if the 5FOA sensitivity of subtelomeric URA3-harboring cells in which we deleted various factors implicated in perinuclear telomere tethering reflects changes to TPE and/or RNR. We report that RNR inhibition restores 5FOA resistance to cells lacking RNR regulatory factors but not any of the major telomere tethering and silencing factors, including Sir2, cohibin, Mps3, Heh1, and Esc1. In addition, we find that the disruption of tethering pathways in which these factors participate increases the level of URA3 transcripts originating from the telomeric reporter gene and abrogates silencing of subtelomeric HIS3 reporter genes without altering RNR gene expression. Thus, increased 5FOA sensitivity of telomeric URA3-harboring cells deficient in telomere tethers reflects the dysregulation of TPE but not RNR. This is key to understanding relationships between telomere positioning, chromatin silencing, and lifespan.

Cohesin and related coiled-coil domain-containing complexes physically and functionally connect the dots across the genome.

Interactions between genetic regions located across the genome maintain its three-dimensional organization and function. Recent studies point to key roles for a set of coiled-coil domain-containing complexes (cohibin, cohesin, condensin and monopolin) and related factors in the regulation of DNA-DNA connections across the genome. These connections are critical to replication, recombination, gene expression as well as chromosome segregation.

Perinuclear cohibin complexes maintain replicative life span via roles at distinct silent chromatin domains.

Heterochromatin, or silent chromatin, preferentially resides at the nuclear envelope. Telomeres and rDNA repeats are the two major perinuclear silent chromatin domains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The Cohibin protein complex maintains rDNA repeat stability in part through silent chromatin assembly and perinuclear rDNA anchoring. We report here a role for Cohibin at telomeres and show that functions of the complex at chromosome ends and rDNA maintain replicative life span. Cohibin binds LEM/SUN domain-containing nuclear envelope proteins and telomere-associated factors. Disruption of Cohibin or the envelope proteins abrogates telomere localization and silent chromatin assembly within subtelomeres. Loss of Cohibin limits Sir2 histone deacetylase localization to chromosome ends, disrupts subtelomeric DNA stability, and shortens life span even when rDNA repeats are stabilized. Restoring telomeric Sir2 concentration abolishes chromatin and life span defects linked to the loss of telomeric Cohibin. Our work uncovers roles for Cohibin complexes and reveals relationships between nuclear compartmentalization, chromosome stability, and aging.