Peptide-tiling screens of cancer drivers reveal oncogenic protein domains and associated peptide inhibitors

Abstract

Gene fragments derived from structural domains mediating physical interactions can modulate biological functions. Utilizing this, we developed lentiviral overexpression libraries of peptides comprehensively tiling high-confidence cancer driver genes. Toward inhibiting cancer growth, we assayed ~66,000 peptides, tiling 65 cancer drivers and 579 mutant alleles. Pooled fitness screens in two breast cancer cell lines revealed peptides, which selectively reduced cellular proliferation, implicating oncogenic protein domains important for cell fitness. Coupling of cell-penetrating motifs to these peptides enabled drug-like function, with peptides derived from EGFR and RAF1 inhibiting cell growth at IC50s of 27-63 μM. We anticipate that this peptide-tiling (PepTile) approach will enable rapid de novo mapping of bioactive protein domains and associated interfering peptides.

Keywords: cancer drivers; inhibitors; peptides; protein-protein interactions.