Protein and nucleotide biosynthesis are coupled by a single rate-limiting enzyme, PRPS2, to drive cancer.

Cancer cells must integrate multiple biosynthetic demands to drive indefinite proliferation. How these key cellular processes, such as metabolism and protein synthesis, crosstalk to fuel cancer cell growth is unknown. Here, we uncover the mechanism by which the Myc oncogene coordinates the production of the two most abundant classes of cellular macromolecules, proteins, and nucleic acids in cancer cells. We find that a single rate-limiting enzyme, phosphoribosyl-pyrophosphate synthetase 2 (PRPS2), promotes increased nucleotide biosynthesis in Myc-transformed cells. Remarkably, Prps2 couples protein and nucleotide biosynthesis through a specialized cis-regulatory element within the Prps2 5' UTR, which is controlled by the oncogene and translation initiation factor eIF4E downstream Myc activation. We demonstrate with a Prps2 knockout mouse that the nexus between protein and nucleotide biosynthesis controlled by PRPS2 is crucial for Myc-driven tumorigenesis. Together, these studies identify a translationally anchored anabolic circuit critical for cancer cell survival and an unexpected vulnerability for "undruggable" oncogenes, such as Myc. PAPERFLICK:

The translational landscape of the mammalian cell cycle.

Gene regulation during cell-cycle progression is an intricately choreographed process, ensuring accurate DNA replication and division. However, the translational landscape of gene expression underlying cell-cycle progression remains largely unknown. Employing genome-wide ribosome profiling, we uncover widespread translational regulation of hundreds of mRNAs serving as an unexpected mechanism for gene regulation underlying cell-cycle progression. A striking example is the S phase translational regulation of RICTOR, which is associated with cell cycle-dependent activation of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2 (mTORC2) signaling and accurate cell-cycle progression. We further identified unappreciated coordination in translational control of mRNAs within molecular complexes dedicated to cell-cycle progression, lipid metabolism, and genome integrity. This includes the majority of mRNAs comprising the cohesin and condensin complexes responsible for maintaining genome organization, which are coordinately translated during specific cell cycle phases via their 5' UTRs. Our findings illuminate the prevalence and dynamic nature of translational regulation underlying the mammalian cell cycle.