2. Academic Validation
  3. µMap proximity labeling in living cells reveals stress granule disassembly mechanisms

µMap proximity labeling in living cells reveals stress granule disassembly mechanisms

  • Nat Chem Biol. 2024 Aug 30. doi: 10.1038/s41589-024-01721-2.
Chenmengxiao Roderick Pan 1 2,  Steve D Knutson 1 2,  Sean W Huth 1 2,  David W C MacMillan 3 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Merck Center for Catalysis at Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
  • 2 Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
  • 3 Merck Center for Catalysis at Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA. dmacmill@princeton.edu.
  • 4 Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA. dmacmill@princeton.edu.
PMID: 39215100 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-024-01721-2
Abstract

Phase-separated condensates are membrane-less intracellular structures comprising dynamic protein interactions that organize essential biological processes. Understanding the composition and dynamics of these organelles advances our knowledge of cellular behaviors and disease pathologies related to granule dysregulation. In this study, we apply microenvironment mapping with a HaloTag-based platform (HaloMap) to characterize intracellular stress granule dynamics in living cells. After validating the robustness and sensitivity of this approach, we then profile the stress granule proteome throughout the formation and disassembly and under pharmacological perturbation. These experiments reveal several ubiquitin-related modulators, including the HECT (homologous to E6AP C terminus) E3 Ligases ITCH and NEDD4L, as well as the ubiquitin receptor toll-interacting protein TOLLIP, as key mediators of granule disassembly. In addition, we identify an autophagy-related pathway that promotes granule clearance. Collectively, this work establishes a general photoproximity labeling approach for unraveling intracellular protein interactomes and uncovers previously unexplored regulatory mechanisms of stress granule dynamics.

Figures
Products