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Target-induced clustering activates Trim-Away of pathogens and proteins.

ABSTRACT: Trim-Away is a recently developed technology that exploits off-the-shelf antibodies and the RING E3 ligase and cytosolic antibody receptor TRIM21 to carry out rapid protein depletion. How TRIM21 is catalytically activated upon target engagement, either during its normal immune function or when repurposed for targeted protein degradation, is unknown. Here we show that a mechanism of target-induced clustering triggers intermolecular dimerization of the RING domain to switch on the ubiquitination activity of TRIM21 and induce virus neutralization or drive Trim-Away. We harness this mechanism for selective degradation of disease-causing huntingtin protein containing long polyglutamine tracts and expand the Trim-Away toolbox with highly active TRIM21-nanobody chimeras that can also be controlled optogenetically. This work provides a mechanism for cellular activation of TRIM RING ligases and has implications for targeted protein degradation technologies.

SUBMITTER: Zeng J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7611929 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:In order to study early developmental events in the mammalian embryo it is often desirable to be able to impair expression of specific genes. While DNA and RNA methods are routine, protein methods are still at the very beginning. When a specific antibody is supplied to mouse oocytes expressing the ubiquitin-protein ligase TRIM21, a ternary complex forms with the target protein, leading to its rapid and acute degradation - hence the name 'Trim-away' (PMID 29153837). However, there are many unknowns in this new endeavour. First and foremost, the extent to which endogenous proteins can be depleted depends on their amount, in relation to the amount of exogenous antibody, which is limited by the microinjection procedure. Secondly, the depletion of the protein must be sustained over days. Using the iBAQ algorithm we show that proteins found in preimplantation mouse embryos range from 3,5E-10 to 2,6E-02 picomoles. These amounts are tractable with our microinjection method, which supplies up to 100 picoliters and up to 6,7E-4 picomoles antibody before incurring in toxic effects on mouse development. Building on these data, we demonstrate the feasibility of protein knock-down for a gene which is essential in the preimplantation mouse embryo, namely TEAD4 (TEA domain family member 4). Protein knock-down persists for sufficient time to result in a phenotype which is entirely consistent with that of the null mutation (Tead4 -/-) and of the RNA interference, namely: significantly reduced mRNA expression of TEAD4 target genes Cdx2 and Gata3, and embryo’s inability to implant. We conclude that for a time window of 3-4 days of preimplantation development the protein depletion method can be a valid alternative to DNA and RNA methods. After in vivo fertilization and short culture in KSOM(aa) medium, pronuclear-stage oocytes (B6C3F1 x CD1) were microinjected with Trim21 mRNA and dextran beads as tracer (named 'group 4'), or Trim21 mRNA, dextran beads and anti-GFP antibody (named 'group 5'), or Trim21 mRNA, dextran beads and anti-TEAD4 antibody (named 'group 6'), two replicates each ('a' and 'b'). On day 4 after microinjection, the most advanced embryos were examined for phenotype or lysed for transcriptome analysis. TEAD4-depleted embryos formed only 30% blastocysts and these were not able to implant in the outgrowth assay, in contrast to the almost full rates of the embryos injected with Trim21 mRNA or Trim21 mRNA + anti-GFP antibody. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the TEAD4 target genes Cdx2 and Gata3 are significantly reduced in the embryos that received the anti-TEAD4 antibody compared to the embryos that received Trim21 mRNA only, while the embryos that received anti-GFP antibody were much similar to those that received Trim21 mRNA only.

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Target-induced clustering activates Trim-Away of pathogens and proteins.

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