Biology subjects

Gogl, G.

Publications and source records attributed to Gogl, G..

17 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

An NR2F1-dependent retinoic acid network controls retinal specialization in mice and reveals foveal hypoplasia in patients with BBSOAS

The molecular programs that establish specialized retinal regions during development are essential for high-acuity vision, yet how their disruption contributes to human visual disorders remains poorly understood. Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf optic atrophy syndrome (BBSOAS), caused by pathogenic variants in NR2F1 and characterized by visual impairment, provides an opportunity to investigate these mechanisms. Using single-cell RNA sequencing of three complementary Nr2f1 mouse models, including two carrying patient-specific mutations, we identified a shared Nr2f1-dependent transcriptional program enriched in retinoic acid (RA) pathway genes. Loss or mutation of Nr2f1 disrupted the spatial organization of RA signaling, most prominently by expanding the dorso-equatorial Cyp26a1 expression domain into ventral retina and reducing ventral determinants such as Vax2. These molecular changes were associated with altered dorso-ventral distribution of S- and M-opsin-expressing cone photoreceptors. We further demonstrate that human NR2F1 binds a conserved regulatory region upstream of CYP26A1, supporting its direct role in regulating local RA availability. Finally, high-resolution optical coherence tomography in individuals with BBSOAS revealed reproducible foveal abnormalities, including a smaller and shallower foveal pit and increased central retinal thickness, consistent with foveal hypoplasia. These findings uncover a previously unrecognized retina-intrinsic component of BBSOAS visual pathology and establish an NR2F1-RA/CYP26A1 regulatory axis linking developmental retinal regionalization to human foveal specialization.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2026

FMRP controls diacylglycerol-dependent neuronal activity by mediating m6A-regulated translation efficiency

Fragile X syndrome (FXS), a leading inherited cause of intellectual developmental disorder and autism, results from loss of the RNA-binding protein FMRP. Loss of FMRP causes excessive neuronal protein synthesis contributing to widespread functional disturbances, yet the mechanisms linking FMRP to specific mRNA targets remain unclear. We show that FMRP promotes translation of the brain mRNA DGK{kappa} by binding mA-modified repetitive RNA motifs, thereby relieving a translational block encoded within its sequence. FMRP loss sharply reduces neuronal DGK{kappa}, and DGK{kappa} depletion alone reproduces hallmark FXS phenotypes, including hyperactivity, compulsive behavior, overgrowth, dendritic spine abnormalities, overactivated diacylglycerol signaling and increased protein synthesis. These findings identify DGK{kappa} as a key effector of FMRP function and establish a regulatory axis where mA RNA modification modulates neuronal translation. This work defines new principles of translational control in neurodevelopmental disorders and positions DGK{kappa} as a central driver of FXS pathogenesis.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Structural analysis of HERC2/UBE3A and HERC2/DOCK10 complexes provides new insights into the molecular basis of Angelman, Angelman-like and Dup15q Syndromes

UBE3A and HERC2 are two mutually interacting HECT E3 Ubiquitin ligases whose genes are altered in 15q11.2-13.1 Duplication (Dup15q) Syndrome, Angelman Syndrome (AS) and other phenotypically-related mental retardation syndromes. Using quantitative binding assays, X-ray crystallography and sequence conservation analysis, we show that the HERC2/UBE3A complex occurs in probably most animals with a central nervous system, via a conserved interface involving the RLD2 domain of HERC2 and a "DxDKDxD" motif of UBE3A. We found that HERC2 also recognizes and binds to similar DxDKDxD motifs within a handful of other proteins relevant to brain development (DOCK10, PCM1, USP35, BAZ2B, ARID4A, ARIP4, RERE and MYT1). We further investigated the interaction of HERC2 with DOCK10, a RAC1- and CDC42-GEF protein that regulates dendritic spine morphogenesis in hippocampal neurons. Both disruption of the HERC2-binding motif in DOCK10 and knockdown of HERC2 affected the GEF activity of DOCK10. We also show that the DOCK10-induced dendritic spine formation is dependent on its ability to bind HERC2. Structural modeling of full-length DOCK10, free or bound to either RLD2, CDC42 or RAC1 indicates that the GEF activation of full-length DOCK10 requires a conformational change that is stimulated by binding to HERC2. Based on our data, we propose that under pathological conditions, in developing brains with an abnormal dosage of either HERC2 or its dominant partner UBE3A, increased or decreased amounts of HERC2/DOCK10 complexes could lead to altered GTPase activation. This in turn could affect dendritic spine formation and neurodevelopment.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2025

The non-catalytic ϵ DNA polymerase subunit is an NPF motif recognition protein

Short linear motifs (SLiMs) in disordered protein regions direct numerous protein-protein interactions, yet most remain uncharacterized. The Asn-Pro-Phe (NPF) motif is a well-known EH-domain ligand implicated in endocytosis, but here we reveal that the non-catalytic subunit of human DNA polymerase {varepsilon} (POLE2) also serves as a general NPF-motif receptor. Using a quantitative "native holdup" assay, we find that POLE2 selectively binds diverse NPF-containing peptides, including canonical EH-domain ligands (e.g., SYNJ1) and previously uncharacterized motifs. Biochemical measurements and mutational analysis show that NPF motifs interact with a shallow pocket near the POLE2 C-terminus, and AlphaFold predictions confirm key roles for Y513, E520, and S522 in motif coordination. Proteome-scale affinity screens identify NPF-containing nuclear proteins (e.g., WDHD1, DONSON, TTF2) that bind POLE2 with micromolar affinities, and their motif mutations abolish binding in cell extracts. Although POLE2 primarily tethers the catalytic POLE subunit to replication forks, these results indicate that it can also recruit various NPF-bearing partners involved in replication, DNA repair, and transcription regulation. Notably, NPF motifs optimized for EH-domain binding can still associate with POLE2, highlighting the inherent degeneracy of SLiM-mediated networks. Overall, these findings establish POLE2 as a central hub linking replication with other processes via broad NPF-motif recognition.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2024

Identification and quantitative characterization of protein-DNA interactions with the native holdup assay: GATA1 regulation of the plasma membrane calcium pump

GATA1 is a crucial transcription factor involved in hematopoiesis, and mutations in this gene are linked to severe hematological disorders, including anemia, thrombocytopenia, Down-syndrome related transient abnormal myelopoiesis (DS-TAM) and acute megakaryocytic leukemia (DS- AMKL). Despite significant clinical interest in the molecular level characterization of GATA1 mutations, a comprehensive understanding of their impact on DNA binding is limited. Efforts to conduct detailed studies on full-length recombinant GATA1 have faced significant technical challenges, while alternative approaches are limited by low throughput or qualitative nature. Here, we introduce a native holdup (nHU) assay designed to systematically quantify DNA-protein interactions and suitable for studying the impact of transcription factor mutations on DNA-binding affinity. First, we demonstrate, using the erythroid-specific ATP2B4 promoter as a model, that nHU can capture sequence-specific interactions and detect even subtle differences in DNA binding affinities of GATA1. Then, we quantitatively characterize the impact of pathological mutations on DNA binding affinities in the context of full-length human GATA1. Our findings reveal that the short isoform, lacking the N-terminal transactivation domain (N-TAD), binds to DNA with increased affinity, while the R307C mutation reduces binding to the ATP2B4 erythroid promoter. In harmony with these observations, GATA1s exhibits increased functional activity, while the R307C mutation results in decreased activity. This study demonstrates the power of the nHU assay for studying DNA interactions of transcription factor variants and providing insight into the molecular mechanism of related diseases.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Comparative analysis of PDZ-binding motifs in the diacylglycerol kinase family

Diacylglycerol kinases (DGKs) control local and temporal amounts of diacylglycerol (DAG) and phosphatidic acid (PA) by converting DAG to PA through phosphorylation in cells. Certain DGK enzymes possess C-terminal sequences that encode potential PDZ-binding motifs (PBMs), which could be involved in their recruitment into supramolecular signaling complexes. In this study, we used two different interactomic approaches, quantitative native holdup (nHU) and qualitative affinity purification (AP), both coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) to investigate the PDZ partners associated with the potential PBMs of DGKs. Complementing these results with site-specific affinity interactomic data measured on isolated PDZ domain fragments and PBM motifs, as well as evolutionary conservation analysis of the PBMs of DGKs, we explored functional differences within different DGK groups. All our results indicate that putative PBM sequences of type II enzymes are likely to be nonfunctional. In contrast, type IV enzymes possess highly promiscuous PBMs that interact with a set of PDZ proteins with very similar affinity interactomes. The combination of various interactomic assays and evolutionary analyses provides a useful strategy for identifying functional domains and motifs within diverse enzyme families.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Affinity-ranking BIN1 interactions and screening natural BIN1 variants that may cause neuromuscular disorders

Truncation of the protein-protein interaction SH3 domain of the membrane remodeling Bridging Integrator 1 (BIN1, Amphiphysin 2) protein leads to centronuclear myopathy. Here, we assessed the impact of a set of naturally observed, previously uncharacterized BIN1 SH3 domain variants using conventional in vitro and cell-based assays monitoring the BIN1 interaction with dynamin 2 (DNM2) and identified potentially harmful ones that can be also tentatively connected to neuromuscular disorders. However, SH3 domains are typically promiscuous and it is expected that other, so-far unknown partners of BIN1 exist besides DNM2, that also participate in the development of centronuclear myopathy. In order to shed light on these other relevant interaction partners and to get a holistic picture of the pathomechanism behind BIN1 SH3 domain variants, we used affinity interactomics. We identified hundreds of new BIN1 interaction partners proteome-wide, among which many appear to participate in cell division, suggesting a critical role of BIN1 in the regulation of mitosis. Finally, we show that the identified BIN1 mutations indeed cause proteome-wide affinity perturbation, signifying the importance of employing unbiased affinity interactomic approaches.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2022

The Holdup Multiplex, an assay for high-throughput measurement of protein-ligand affinity constants using a mass-spectrometry readout

The accurate description and subsequent modeling of protein interactomes requires quantification of their affinities at proteome-wide scale. Here we develop and validate the Holdup Multiplex, a versatile assay for high-throughput measurement of protein-ligand affinity constants that uses mass-spectrometry as readout. The method can quantify thousands of affinities in one single run, with high precision and over several orders of magnitude. We applied this strategy to the seven human 14-3-3 isoforms, quantifying in a few sample-runs their interaction with 1,000 different phosphopeptides. We were able to identify hundreds of new 14-3-3 binding sites. We showed that the seven human 14-3-3 display similar specificities but staggered affinities, 14-3-3g being always the best binder and 14-3-3{varepsilon} and {sigma}, the weakest. Finally, we identified dozens of 14-3-3 bindings sites, some intervening in key signaling pathways, that were either stabilized or destabilized by the phytotoxin Fusicoccin-A. Our approach, which throughput can be pushed up to the sensitivity limit of the mass-spectrometry setup, is applicable to any category of protein-ligand interactions and thus bears a wide potential both for high-throughput interactomics and chemoproteomics.

systems biology↗

bioRxiv2022

Native holdup (nHU) to measure binding affinities from cell extracts

Characterizing macromolecular interactions is essential for understanding cellular processes, yet nearly all methods used to detect protein interactions from cells are qualitative. Here, we introduce the native holdup (nHU) approach to quantify equilibrium binding constants and explore binding mechanisms of protein interactions from cell extracts. Compared to other pulldown-based assays, nHU requires less sample preparation and can be coupled to any analytical methods, such as western blotting (nHU-WB) or mass spectrometry (nHU-MS) as readouts. We use nHU to explore interactions of SNX27, a cargo adaptor of the retromer complex and find good agreement between in vitro affinities and those measured directly from cell extracts using nHU. This challenges the unwritten paradigm stating that biophysical parameters like binding constants cannot be accurately determined from cells or cellular extracts. We discuss the strengths and limitations of nHU and provide simple protocols that can be implemented in most laboratories.

systems biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Quantitative fragmentomics allow affinity mapping of interactomes

Human protein networks have been widely explored but most binding affinities remain unknown, hindering quantitative interactome-function studies. Yet interactomes rely on minimal interacting fragments displaying quantifiable affinities. Here we measured the affinities of 65,000 interactions involving PDZ domains and their target PDZ-binding motifs (PBM) within a human interactome region particularly relevant for viral infection and cancer. We calculate interactomic distances, identify hot spots for viral interference, generate binding profiles and specificity logos, and explain selected cases by crystallographic studies. Mass spectrometry experiments on cell extracts and literature surveys show that quantitative fragmentomics effectively complement protein interactomics by providing affinities and completeness of coverage, putting a full human interactome affinity survey within realistic reach. Finally, we show that interactome hijacking by the viral PBM of human papillomavirus (HPV) E6 oncoprotein deeply impacts the host cell proteome way beyond immediate E6 binders, illustrating the complex system-wide relationship between interactome and function.

systems biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Host PDZ-containing proteins targeted by SARS-Cov-2

Small linear motif targeting protein interacting domains called PDZ have been identified at the C-terminus of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) proteins E, 3a, and N. Using a high-throughput approach of affinity-profiling against the full human PDZome, we identified sixteen human PDZ binders of SARS-CoV-2 proteins E, 3A and N showing significant interactions with dissociation constants values ranging from 3 M to 82 M. Six of them (TJP1, PTPN13, HTRA1, PARD3, MLLT4, LNX2) are also recognized by SARS-CoV while three (NHERF1, MAST2, RADIL) are specific to SARS-CoV-2 E protein. Most of these SARS-CoV-2 protein partners are involved in cellular junctions/polarity and could be also linked to evasion mechanisms of the immune responses during viral infection. Seven of the PDZ-containing proteins among binders of the SARS-CoV-2 proteins E, 3a or N affect significantly viral replication under knock-down gene expression in infected cells. This PDZ profiling identifying human proteins potentially targeted by SARS-CoV-2 can help to understand the multifactorial severity of COVID19 and to conceive effective anti-coronaviral agents for therapeutic purposes.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2020

Binding Profile Mapping of the S100 Protein Family Using a High-throughput Local Surface Mimetic Holdup Assay

S100 proteins are small, typically homodimeric, vertebrate-specific EF-hand proteins that establish Ca2+-dependent protein-protein interactions in the intra- and extracellular environment and are overexpressed in various pathologies. There are about 20 distinct human S100 proteins with numerous potential partner proteins. Here, we used a quantitative holdup assay to measure affinity profiles of most members of the S100 protein family against a library of chemically synthetized foldamers. The profiles allowed us to quantitatively map the binding promiscuity of each member towards the foldamer library. Since the library was designed to systematically contain most binary natural amino acid side chain combinations, the data also provide insight into the promiscuity of each S100 protein towards all potential naturally-occurring S100 partners in the human proteome. Such information will be precious for future drug design of modulators of S100 pathological activities.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2020

Recognition of high-risk HPV E6 oncoproteins by 14-3-3 proteins studied by interactomics and crystallography

The seven human 14-3-3 isoforms, highly similar yet encoded by distinct genes, are among the top 1% highest-expressed human proteins. 14-3-3 proteins recognize phosphorylated motifs within numerous human or viral proteins. We analyzed by crystallography, fluorescence polarization, mutagenesis and fusicoccin-mediated modulation the structural basis and druggability of 14-3-3 binding to four E6 oncoproteins of tumorigenic HPV. The seven isoforms bound variant and mutated phospho-motifs of E6 and unrelated protein RSK1 with different affinities, albeit following an ordered ranking profile with conserved relative KD ratios. Remarkably, 14-3-3 isoforms obey the same hierarchy when binding to most of their established targets, nicely supported by a recent proteome-wide human complexome map. This knowledge allows predicting the proportions of 14-3-3 isoforms engaged with phosphoproteins in various tissues. Notwithstanding their individual functions, cellular concentrations of 14-3-3 may be collectively adjusted to buffer the strongest phosphorylation outbursts, explaining their expression variations in different tissues and tumors.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2020

Interactomic affinity profiling by holdup assay: acetylation and distal residues impact the PDZome-binding specificity of PTEN phosphatase

Protein domains often recognize short linear protein motifs composed of a core conserved consensus sequence surrounded by less critical, modulatory positions. Here we used an accurate experimental approach combining high-throughput holdup chromatographic assay and fluorescence polarization to measure quantitative binding affinity profiles of the PDZ domain-binding motif (PBM) of PTEN phosphatase towards the 266 known human PDZ domains. Inclusion of N-terminal flanking residues, acetylation or mutation of a lysine at a modulatory position significantly altered the PDZome-binding profile of the PTEN PBM. A specificity index is also introduced to quantify the specificity of a given PBM over the complete PDZome. Our results highlight the impact of modulatory residues and post-translational modifications on PBM interactomes and their specificity.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.View Full Text

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2019

High throughput competitive fluorescence polarization assay reveals functionalredundancy in the S100 protein family

The calcium-binding, vertebrate-specific S100 protein family consists of 20 paralogs in humans (referred as the S100ome), with several clinically important members. To assess their interactome, high-throughput, systematic analysis is indispensable, which allows one to get not only qualitative but quantitative insight into their protein-protein interactions (PPIs). We have chosen an unbiased assay, fluorescence polarization (FP) that revealed a partial functional redundancy when the complete S100ome (n=20) was tested against numerous model partners (n=13). Based on their specificity, the S100ome can be grouped into two distinct classes: promiscuous and orphan. In the first group, members bound to several ligands (>4-5) with comparable high affinity, while in the second one, the paralogs bound only one partner weakly, or no ligand was identified (orphan). Our results demonstrate that in vitro FP assays are highly suitable for quantitative ligand binding studies of selected protein families. Moreover, we provide evidence that PPI-based phenotypic characterization can complement the information obtained from the sequence-based phylogenetic analysis of the S100ome, an evolutionary young protein family.\n\nAuthor summaryFunctional similarity among a protein family can be essential in order to understand proteomic data, to find biomarkers, or in inhibitor design. Proteins with similar functions can compensate the loss-of-function of the others, their expression can co-vary under pathological conditions, and simultaneous targeting can lead to better results in the clinics. To investigate this property one can use sequence-based approaches. However, this path can be difficult. In the case of the vertebrate specific, evolutionary young, S100 family, phylogenetic approaches lead to ambiguous results. To overcome this problem, we applied a high-throughput biochemical approach to experimentally measure the binding affinities of a large number of S100 interactions. We performed unbiased fluorescence polarization assay, involving the complete human S100ome (20 paralogs) and 13 known interaction partners. We used this measured 20x13 (260) protein-protein interaction array to reveal the functional relationships within the family. Our work provide a general framework for studies focusing on phenotype-based domain classification.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2018

Rewiring of RSK-PDZ interactions by linear motif phosphorylation

Protein phosphorylation is a key regulator of protein-protein interactions. How does the interactome of a protein change during extracellular stimulations? While many individual examples of phosphorylation-regulated interactions were described previously, studies addressing the interactome changes induced by a particular phosphorylation event remain scarce. Here, we try to answer this question, by focusing on interactions between a phosphorylable PDZ-binding linear motif and the entire complement of human PDZ domains. Using a combination of in vitro quantitative techniques and cell-based approaches, we demonstrate that the activation of the mitotic effector kinase RSK1 causes dramatic changes in its connectivity with PDZ domain containing proteins. These changes consist of modulations of the binding affinity of numerous interactions, rather than on/off switching of a few interactions. Our results highlight the previously unappreciated role of phosphorylation in the complex and subtle rewiring of large numbers of protein-protein interactions.

systems biology↗

bioRxiv2018

Mob-family kinase co-activators bind cognate Ndr/Lats kinases through conserved and modular interface

Ndr/Lats kinases bind to Mob coactivator proteins and their complexes play important roles in \"Hippo\" signaling pathways controlling cell proliferation and morphogenesis. All Ndr/Lats kinases have a 70-80 amino acid long unique N-terminal region (NTR) which binds to Mob factors. In order to gain insight into the structural basis of kinase-coactivator binding specificity, we have determined the crystal structure of Cbk1(NTR)-Mob2 and Dbf2(NTR)-Mob1 complexes from yeast (S. cerevisiae). We show that the Ndr/Lats(NTR)-Mob interface is a common structural platform through which kinase-cofactor binding is mediated, albeit amino acid variations in key positions contribute to subgroup and organism-specific differences. We further show that conserved residues at the NTR-Mob interface may participate in novel activation mechanisms likely ubiquitous in Ndr/Lats kinases. Ndr/Lats kinase activation may resemble to that of other AGC kinases but with an extra structural requirement for NTR mediated Mob binding for proper allosteric activation.

biochemistry↗