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Hanzl A, Casement R, Imrichova H, Hughes SJ, Barone E, Testa A, Bauer S, Wright J, Brand M, Ciulli A, Winter GE. Functional E3 ligase hotspots and resistance mechanisms to small-molecule degraders. Nat Chem Biol 2023; 19:323-333. [PMID: 36329119 PMCID: PMC7614256 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-022-01177-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation is a novel pharmacology established by drugs that recruit target proteins to E3 ubiquitin ligases. Based on the structure of the degrader and the target, different E3 interfaces are critically involved, thus forming defined 'functional hotspots'. Understanding disruptive mutations in functional hotspots informs on the architecture of the assembly, and highlights residues susceptible to acquire resistance phenotypes. Here we employ haploid genetics to show that hotspot mutations cluster in substrate receptors of hijacked ligases, where mutation type and frequency correlate with gene essentiality. Intersection with deep mutational scanning revealed hotspots that are conserved or specific for chemically distinct degraders and targets. Biophysical and structural validation suggests that hotspot mutations frequently converge on altered ternary complex assembly. Moreover, we validated hotspots mutated in patients that relapse from degrader treatment. In sum, we present a fast and widely accessible methodology to characterize small-molecule degraders and associated resistance mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Hanzl
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ryan Casement
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, James Black Centre, Dundee, UK
| | - Hana Imrichova
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Scott J Hughes
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, James Black Centre, Dundee, UK
- Amphista Therapeutics Ltd., Newhouse, UK
| | - Eleonora Barone
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrea Testa
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, James Black Centre, Dundee, UK
- Amphista Therapeutics Ltd., Newhouse, UK
| | - Sophie Bauer
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
- Proxygen GmbH, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jane Wright
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, James Black Centre, Dundee, UK
| | - Matthias Brand
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
- Proxygen GmbH, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alessio Ciulli
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, James Black Centre, Dundee, UK.
| | - Georg E Winter
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.
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Hanzl A, Barone E, Bauer S, Yue H, Nowak RP, Hahn E, Pankevich EV, Koren A, Kubicek S, Fischer ES, Winter GE. E3-Specific Degrader Discovery by Dynamic Tracing of Substrate Receptor Abundance. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:1176-1184. [PMID: 36602777 PMCID: PMC9853857 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c10784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation (TPD) is a new pharmacology based on small-molecule degraders that induce proximity between a protein of interest (POI) and an E3 ubiquitin ligase. Of the approximately 600 E3s encoded in the human genome, only around 2% can be co-opted with degraders. This underrepresentation is caused by a paucity of discovery approaches to identify degraders for defined E3s. This hampers a rational expansion of the druggable proteome and stymies critical advancements in the field, such as tissue- and cell-specific degradation. Here, we focus on dynamic NEDD8 conjugation, a post-translational, regulatory circuit that controls the activity of 250 cullin RING E3 ligases (CRLs). Leveraging this regulatory layer enabled us to develop a scalable assay to identify compounds that alter the interactome of an E3 of interest by tracing their abundance after pharmacologically induced auto-degradation. Initial validation studies are performed for CRBN and VHL, but proteomics studies indicate broad applicability for many CRLs. Among amenable ligases, we select CRLDCAF15 for a proof-of-concept screen, leading to the identification of a novel DCAF15-dependent molecular glue degrader inducing the degradation of RBM23 and RBM39. Together, this strategy empowers the scalable identification of degraders specific to a ligase of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Hanzl
- CeMM
Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of
Sciences, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Eleonora Barone
- CeMM
Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of
Sciences, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Sophie Bauer
- CeMM
Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of
Sciences, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Hong Yue
- Department
of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department
of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Radosław P. Nowak
- Department
of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department
of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Elisa Hahn
- CeMM
Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of
Sciences, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Eugenia V. Pankevich
- CeMM
Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of
Sciences, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna Koren
- CeMM
Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of
Sciences, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefan Kubicek
- CeMM
Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of
Sciences, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Eric S. Fischer
- Department
of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department
of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Georg E. Winter
- CeMM
Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of
Sciences, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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Abstract
Traditional approaches in the development of small-molecule drugs typically aim to inhibit the biochemical activity of functional protein domains. In contrast, targeted protein degradation aims to reduce overall levels of disease-relevant proteins. Mechanistically, this can be achieved via chemical ligands that induce molecular proximity between an E3 ubiquitin ligase and a protein of interest, leading to ubiquitination and degradation of the protein of interest. This paradigm-shifting pharmacology promises to address several limitations inherent to conventional inhibitor design. Most notably, targeted protein degradation has the potential not only to expand the druggable proteome beyond the reach of traditional competitive inhibitors but also to develop therapeutic strategies of unmatched selectivity. This review briefly summarizes key challenges that remain to be addressed to deliver on these promises and to realize the full therapeutic potential of pharmacologic modulation of protein degradation pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Hanzl
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Georg E Winter
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
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Mayor-Ruiz C, Jaeger MG, Bauer S, Brand M, Sin C, Hanzl A, Mueller AC, Menche J, Winter GE. Plasticity of the Cullin-RING Ligase Repertoire Shapes Sensitivity to Ligand-Induced Protein Degradation. Mol Cell 2020; 75:849-858.e8. [PMID: 31442425 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2019.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Revised: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Inducing protein degradation via small molecules is a transformative therapeutic paradigm. Although structural requirements of target degradation are emerging, mechanisms determining the cellular response to small-molecule degraders remain poorly understood. To systematically delineate effectors required for targeted protein degradation, we applied genome-scale CRISPR/Cas9 screens for five drugs that hijack different substrate receptors (SRs) of cullin RING ligases (CRLs) to induce target proteolysis. We found that sensitivity to small-molecule degraders is dictated by shared and drug-specific modulator networks, including the COP9 signalosome and the SR exchange factor CAND1. Genetic or pharmacologic perturbation of these effectors impairs CRL plasticity and arrests a wide array of ligases in a constitutively active state. Resulting defects in CRL decommissioning prompt widespread CRL auto-degradation that confers resistance to multiple degraders. Collectively, our study informs on regulation and architecture of CRLs amenable for targeted protein degradation and outlines biomarkers and putative resistance mechanisms for upcoming clinical investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Mayor-Ruiz
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Martin G Jaeger
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Sophie Bauer
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthias Brand
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Celine Sin
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander Hanzl
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - André C Mueller
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jörg Menche
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Georg E Winter
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
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Ferreira da Silva J, Salic S, Wiedner M, Datlinger P, Essletzbichler P, Hanzl A, Superti-Furga G, Bock C, Winter G, Loizou JI. Genome-scale CRISPR screens are efficient in non-homologous end-joining deficient cells. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15751. [PMID: 31673055 PMCID: PMC6823505 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-52078-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The mutagenic repair of Cas9 generated breaks is thought to predominantly rely on non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ), leading to insertions and deletions within DNA that culminate in gene knock-out (KO). In this study, by taking focused as well as genome-wide approaches, we show that this pathway is dispensable for the repair of such lesions. Genetic ablation of NHEJ is fully compensated for by alternative end joining (alt-EJ), in a POLQ-dependent manner, resulting in a distinct repair signature with larger deletions that may be exploited for large-scale genome editing. Moreover, we show that cells deficient for both NHEJ and alt-EJ were still able to repair CRISPR-mediated DNA double-strand breaks, highlighting how little is yet known about the mechanisms of CRISPR-based genome editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Ferreira da Silva
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sejla Salic
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marc Wiedner
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Paul Datlinger
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Patrick Essletzbichler
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander Hanzl
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Giulio Superti-Furga
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph Bock
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Georg Winter
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Joanna I Loizou
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
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