Chemical induction of the interaction between AIMP2-DX2 and Siah1 to enhance ubiquitination

Cell Chem Biol. 2024 Nov 21;31(11):1958-1968.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2024.08.004. Epub 2024 Sep 10.

Abstract

AIMP2-DX2 (hereafter DX2) is an oncogenic variant of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase-interacting multifunctional protein 2 (AIMP2) that mediates tumorigenic interactions with various factors involved in cancer. Reducing the levels of DX2 can effectively inhibit tumorigenesis. We previously reported that DX2 can be degraded through Siah1-mediated ubiquitination. In this study, we identified a compound, SDL01, which enhanced the interaction between DX2 and Siah1, thereby facilitating the ubiquitin-dependent degradation of DX2. SDL01 was found to bind to the pocket surrounding the N-terminal flexible region and GST domain of DX2, causing a conformational change that stabilized its interaction with Siah1. Our findings demonstrate that protein-protein interactions (PPIs) can be modulated through chemically induced conformational changes.

Keywords: AIMP2-DX2; Siah1; allosteric modulation; and molecular docking; small molecule; ubiquitination.

MeSH terms

  • DNA-Binding Proteins / chemistry
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Nuclear Proteins* / chemistry
  • Nuclear Proteins* / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases* / metabolism
  • Ubiquitination* / drug effects

Substances

  • seven in absentia proteins
  • AIMP2 protein, human
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • DNA-Binding Proteins