B cell linker protein (BLNK) is a regulator of Met receptor signaling and trafficking in non-small cell lung cancer.

Met is an oncogene aberrantly activated in multiple cancers. Therefore, to better understand Met biology and its role in disease we applied the Mammalian Membrane Two-Hybrid (MaMTH) to generate a targeted interactome map of its interactions with human SH2/PTB-domain-containing proteins. We identified thirty interaction partners, including sixteen that were previously unreported. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)-focused functional characterization of a Met-interacting protein, BLNK, revealed that BLNK is a positive regulator of Met signaling, and modulates localization, including ligand-dependent trafficking of Met in NSCLC cell lines. Furthermore, the interaction between Met and GRB2 is increased in the presence of BLNK, and the constitutive interaction between BLNK and GRB2 is increased in the presence of active Met. Tumor phenotypical assays uncovered roles for BLNK in anchorage-independent growth and chemotaxis of NSCLC cell lines. Cumulatively, this study provides a Met-interactome and delineates a role for BLNK in regulating Met biology in NSCLC context.

CFTR interactome mapping using the mammalian membrane two-hybrid high-throughput screening system.

Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) is a chloride and bicarbonate channel in secretory epithelia with a critical role in maintaining fluid homeostasis. Mutations in CFTR are associated with Cystic Fibrosis (CF), the most common lethal autosomal recessive disorder in Caucasians. While remarkable treatment advances have been made recently in the form of modulator drugs directly rescuing CFTR dysfunction, there is still considerable scope for improvement of therapeutic effectiveness. Here, we report the application of a high-throughput screening variant of the Mammalian Membrane Two-Hybrid (MaMTH-HTS) to map the protein-protein interactions of wild-type (wt) and mutant CFTR (F508del), in an effort to better understand CF cellular effects and identify new drug targets for patient-specific treatments. Combined with functional validation in multiple disease models, we have uncovered candidate proteins with potential roles in CFTR function/CF pathophysiology, including Fibrinogen Like 2 (FGL2), which we demonstrate in patient-derived intestinal organoids has a significant effect on CFTR functional expression.

Drugging the undruggable proteins in cancer: A systems biology approach.

In recent years, the research community has, with comprehensive systems biology approaches and related technologies, gained insight into the vast complexity of numerous cancers. These approaches allow an in-depth exploration that cannot be achieved solely using conventional low-throughput methods, which do not closely mimic the natural cellular environment. In this review, we discuss recent integrative multiple omics approaches for understanding and modulating previously identified 'undruggable' targets such as members of the RAS family, MYC, TP53, and various E3 ligases and deubiquitinases. We describe how these technologies have revolutionized drug discovery by overcoming an array of biological and technological challenges and how, in the future, they will be pivotal in assessing cancer states in individual patients, allowing for the prediction and application of personalized disease treatments.

D154Q Mutation does not Alter KRAS Dimerization.

KRAS is one of the most frequently mutated oncogenes in human cancers. Despite nearly 40 years of research, KRAS remains largely undruggable, in part due to an incomplete understanding of its biology. Recently, KRAS dimerization was discovered to play an important role in its signalling function. The KRAS D154Q mutant was described as a dimer-deficient variant that can be used to study the effect of dimerization in KRAS oncogenicity. However, we show here that KRAS D154Q homo- and heterodimerized with KRAS WT using three separate protein-protein interaction assays, and that oncogenic KRAS dimerization was not negatively impacted by the presence of a secondary D154Q mutation. In conclusion, we advise caution in using this variant to study the purpose of dimerization in KRAS oncogenic behaviour.

Detecting Membrane Protein-protein Interactions Using the Mammalian Membrane Two-hybrid (MaMTH) Assay.

Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) play an integral role in numerous cellular processes. Membrane protein interactions, in particular, are critical in cellular responses to stresses and stimuli, with dysfunction of these PPIs (e.g., due to aberrant expression and/or mutation of interaction partners) leading to a diverse array of pathological states. Exploration of the interaction space and dynamics of membrane proteins is difficult due to the limitations of current techniques used to study proteins in the biochemically complex environment of biological membranes. In the protocols below, we describe a newly developed membrane protein interaction assay called the Mammalian-Membrane Two-Hybrid (MaMTH), designed specifically for the detection of integral membrane PPIs in the context of living mammalian cells. Prior to using MaMTH, cell lines of interest are genetically modified to encode a reporter of choice. MaMTH "bait" and "prey" constructs of interest are also generated using Gateway cloning technology. The assay is then performed by co-transfection of baits and preys, with bait-prey interaction quantifiably assessed by way of a reporter signal (e.g., light (luciferase), fluorescence (GFP). © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.