Characterization of the Spatial Organization of Raf Isoforms Interacting with K-Ras4B in the Lipid Membrane

Langmuir. 2020 Jun 2;36(21):5944-5953. doi: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c00770. Epub 2020 May 22.

Abstract

Activation of Raf kinases by the membrane-anchored protein K-Ras4B is a key step of cellular signal regulation. As a predominant variant of the Ras family, K-Ras4B has been considered to be a major drug target in cancer therapy. Therefore, an integrated study of Raf interaction with membrane-associated K-Ras4B is essential. While the Ras-binding domain (RBD) of Raf contains the main binding interface to K-Ras4B, its cysteine-rich domain (CRD) is thought to be responsible for its association with the membrane interface. We applied time-lapse tapping-mode atomic force microscopy to visualize and characterize the interaction of these binding motifs of A-, B-, and C-Raf isoforms with K-Ras4B in a raft-like anionic model biomembrane. However, we found that the RBDs of the Raf isomers are readily recruited to K-Ras4B nanoclusters in the lipid membrane, with different efficiencies. Unexpectedly and different from A-Raf-RBD, B- and C-Raf-RBD are able to bind markedly also directly to the lipid membrane. We also found that Raf-RBD-CRD is readily recruited to the K-Ras4B forming nanoclusters in the fluid membrane phase, with the CRD domains binding to the lipid interface. The K-Ras4B-nanoclusters are likely to enhance Raf binding and activate signaling by enriching the Raf proteins and facilitating formation of Raf dimers. Interestingly, A-, B-, and C-Raf-RBD-CRD are also able to bind directly to the heterogeneous membrane surrounding the K-Ras4B nanoclusters, which could potentially enhance the overall affinity to K-Ras4B in a Raf-isoform-dependent manner. Overall, these results provide new insights into the spatial organization of the membrane-associated Raf-Ras signaling module for the various Raf isoforms, which is important for understanding the activation of Raf kinases and required for the development of drugs against cancers through targeting Raf-Ras interactions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Lipids*
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Domains
  • Protein Isoforms
  • Signal Transduction*

Substances

  • Lipids
  • Protein Isoforms