Structural analysis of the PTEN:P-Rex2 signaling complex reveals how cancer-associated mutations coordinate to hyperactivate Rac1.
Sci Signal 2021;
14:14/681/eabc4078. [PMID:
33947796 DOI:
10.1126/scisignal.abc4078]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The dual-specificity phosphatase PTEN functions as a tumor suppressor by hydrolyzing PI(3,4,5)P3 to PI(4,5)P2 to inhibit PI3K-AKT signaling and cellular proliferation. P-Rex2 is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Rho GTPases and can be activated by Gβγ subunits downstream of G protein-coupled receptor signaling and by PI(3,4,5)P3 downstream of receptor tyrosine kinases. The PTEN:P-Rex2 complex is a commonly mutated signaling node in metastatic cancer. Assembly of the PTEN:P-Rex2 complex inhibits the activity of both proteins, and its dysregulation can drive PI3K-AKT signaling and cellular proliferation. Here, using cross-linking mass spectrometry and functional studies, we gained mechanistic insights into PTEN:P-Rex2 complex assembly and coinhibition. We found that PTEN was anchored to P-Rex2 by interactions between the PDZ-interacting motif in the PTEN C-terminal tail and the second PDZ domain of P-Rex2. This interaction bridged PTEN across the P-Rex2 surface, preventing PI(3,4,5)P3 hydrolysis. Conversely, PTEN both allosterically promoted an autoinhibited conformation of P-Rex2 and blocked its binding to Gβγ. In addition, we observed that the PTEN-deactivating mutations and P-Rex2 truncations combined to drive Rac1 activation to a greater extent than did either single variant alone. These insights enabled us to propose a class of gain-of-function, cancer-associated mutations within the PTEN:P-Rex2 interface that uncouple PTEN from the inhibition of Rac1 signaling.
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