Determination of protein interactome of transcription factor Sox2 in embryonic stem cells engineered for inducible expression of four reprogramming factors

J Biol Chem. 2012 Mar 30;287(14):11384-97. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M111.320143. Epub 2012 Feb 9.

Abstract

Unbiased proteomic screens provide a powerful tool for defining protein-protein interaction networks. Previous studies employed multidimensional protein identification technology to identify the Sox2-interactome in embryonic stem cells (ESC) undergoing differentiation in response to a small increase in the expression of epitope-tagged Sox2. Thus far the Sox2-interactome in ESC has not been determined. To identify the Sox2-interactome in ESC, we engineered ESC for inducible expression of different combinations of epitope-tagged Sox2 along with Oct4, Klf4, and c-Myc. Epitope-tagged Sox2 was used to circumvent the lack of suitable Sox2 antibodies needed to perform an unbiased proteomic screen of Sox2-associated proteins. Although i-OS-ESC differentiate when both Oct4 and Sox2 are elevated, i-OSKM-ESC do not differentiate even when the levels of the four transcription factors are coordinately elevated ∼2-3-fold. Our findings with i-OS-ESC and i-OSKM-ESC provide new insights into the reasons why ESC undergo differentiation when Sox2 and Oct4 are elevated in ESC. Importantly, the use of i-OSKM-ESC enabled us to identify the Sox2-interactome in undifferentiated ESC. Using multidimensional protein identification technology, we identified >70 proteins that associate with Sox2 in ESC. We extended these findings by testing the function of the Sox2-assoicated protein Smarcd1 and demonstrate that knockdown of Smarcd1 disrupts the self-renewal of ESC and induces their differentiation. Together, our work provides the first description of the Sox2-interactome in ESC and indicates that Sox2 along with other master regulators is part of a highly integrated protein-protein interaction landscape in ESC.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Engineering*
  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / deficiency
  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / genetics
  • Embryonic Stem Cells / cytology
  • Embryonic Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Epitope Mapping
  • Gene Expression
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Humans
  • Kinesins / genetics
  • Kinesins / metabolism
  • Kruppel-Like Factor 4
  • Mice
  • Octamer Transcription Factor-3 / genetics
  • Octamer Transcription Factor-3 / metabolism
  • Protein Interaction Mapping*
  • Proteomics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / metabolism
  • SOXB1 Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • SOXB1 Transcription Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone
  • KLF4 protein, human
  • Klf4 protein, mouse
  • Kruppel-Like Factor 4
  • Octamer Transcription Factor-3
  • Pou5f1 protein, mouse
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc
  • SOXB1 Transcription Factors
  • Smarcd1 protein, mouse
  • Sox2 protein, mouse
  • Kif4 protein, mouse
  • Kinesins

Associated data

  • GEO/GSE34801