Chemogenetic Control of Protein Anchoring to Endomembranes in Living Cells with Lipid-Tethered Small Molecules

Biochemistry. 2020 Jan 21;59(2):205-211. doi: 10.1021/acs.biochem.9b00807. Epub 2019 Oct 15.

Abstract

The self-localizing ligand-induced protein translocation (SLIPT) system is an emerging platform that controls protein localization in living cells using synthetic self-localizing ligands (SLs). Here, we report a chemogenetic SLIPT system for inducing protein translocation from the cytoplasm to the surface of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi membranes, referred to as endomembranes. By screening a series of lipid-trimethoprim (TMP) conjugates, we found oleic acid-tethered TMP (oleTMP) to be the optimal SL that efficiently relocated and anchored Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase (eDHFR)-fusion proteins to endomembranes. We showed that oleTMP mediated protein anchoring to endomembranes within minutes and could be reversed by the addition of free TMP. We also applied the endomembrane SLIPT system to artificially activate endomembrane Ras and inhibit the active nuclear transport of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), demonstrating its applicability for manipulating biological processes in living cells. We envision that the present oleTMP-based SLIPT system, which affords rapid and reversible control of protein anchoring to endomembranes, will offer a new unique tool for the study and control of spatiotemporally regulated cell signaling processes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum / metabolism
  • Escherichia coli / enzymology
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / metabolism
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / metabolism*
  • Golgi Apparatus / metabolism
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Membranes / metabolism*
  • Ligands
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Oleic Acids / pharmacology
  • Protein Transport / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase / metabolism*
  • Trimethoprim / analogs & derivatives
  • Trimethoprim / pharmacology*
  • ras Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • Ligands
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Oleic Acids
  • Trimethoprim
  • Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases
  • ras Proteins