Semisynthetic Approach to the Analysis of Tumor Suppressor PTEN Ubiquitination

J Am Chem Soc. 2023 Mar 22;145(11):6039-6044. doi: 10.1021/jacs.2c13871. Epub 2023 Mar 10.

Abstract

Phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) tumor suppressor protein is a PIP3 lipid phosphatase that is subject to multifaceted post-translational modifications. One such modification is the monoubiquitination of Lys13 that may alter its cellular localization but is also positioned in a manner that could influence several of its cellular functions. To explore the regulatory influence of ubiquitin on PTEN's biochemical properties and its interaction with ubiquitin ligases and a deubiquitinase, the generation of a site-specifically and stoichiometrically ubiquitinated protein could be beneficial. Here, we describe a semisynthetic method that relies upon sequential expressed protein ligation steps to install ubiquitin at a Lys13 mimic in near full-length PTEN. This approach permits the concurrent installation of C-terminal modifications in PTEN, thereby facilitating an analysis of the interplay between N-terminal ubiquitination and C-terminal phosphorylation. We find that the N-terminal ubiquitination of PTEN inhibits its enzymatic function, reduces its binding to lipid vesicles, modulates its processing by NEDD4-1 E3 ligase, and is efficiently cleaved by the deubiquitinase, USP7. Our ligation approach should motivate related efforts for uncovering the effects of ubiquitination of complex proteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Deubiquitinating Enzymes / metabolism
  • Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport* / metabolism
  • Lipids
  • Nedd4 Ubiquitin Protein Ligases / genetics
  • Nedd4 Ubiquitin Protein Ligases / metabolism
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase / chemistry
  • Ubiquitin / chemistry
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases* / metabolism
  • Ubiquitination

Substances

  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
  • Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport
  • Nedd4 Ubiquitin Protein Ligases
  • Ubiquitin
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase
  • Deubiquitinating Enzymes
  • Lipids