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Aberrant NUP98 condensates activate leukemogenic genes via discrete genomic engagement

ABSTRACT: NUP98 FG repeats trigger hematopoietic malignancies when aberrantly fused to various DNA/chromatin binding domains. However, how these heterogeneous NUP98 fusions drive oncogenesis remains unclear. Here we fuse different NUP98 FG repeat compositions to dCas9 and establish that NUP98 FG repeats are sufficient to activate human genes via cooperative activity at human endogenous promoters. Further, we find that NUP98-FG repeats spontaneously undergo liquid-liquid phase separation and co-condensate with other transcriptional coactivators in human cells, which we show is indispensable for transcriptional activation. We also define a threshold of NUP98 FG repeat numbers required for biomolecular condensation and gene activation that is consistent with NUP98 FG repeat lengths observed across clinical cohorts. Using ChIP-seq and live cell imaging, we further demonstrate that although NUP98 FG repeats can robustly shuttle into cell nuclei, engagement with the human genome is directed solely through fusion partner. Interestingly, two frequent oncogenic fusions, NUP98-HOXA9 and NUP98-KDM5A exhibit discrete genomic engagement landscapes and gene-regulatory modes in that NUP98-HOXA9 initiates strong transcription via intragenic super enhancer-like binding and increased intrachromosomal contacts, while NUP98-KDM5A activates genes via strict localization to promoters. Additionally, in primary human HSCs, NUP98-HOXA9 and NUP98-KDM5A globally dysregulate transcription in a largely non-overlapping manner. Nevertheless, both oncogenic fusion proteins directly drive the inappropriate activation of core leukemia-associated oncogenes, which occurs coincident with the downregulation of genes associated with HSC lineage commitment. Altogether, our studies point toward a conserved core set of potential therapeutic targets driving NUP98-associated cancers and clarify the transcriptional and oncogenic role of aberrant NUP98 condensates.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE248061 | GEO | 2025/02/19

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Development of cancer is intimately associated with genetic abnormalities that target proteins with intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs). In human hematological malignancies, recurrent chromosomal translocation of nucleoporin (NUP98 or NUP214) generates an aberrant chimera that invariably retains nucleoporin’s IDR, tandemly dispersed phenylalanine-andglycine (FG) repeats1-3. However, it remains largely elusive how unstructured IDRs contribute to oncogenesis. We here show that IDR or FG repeats harbored within NUP98-HOXA9, a homeodomain-containing transcription factor (TF) chimera recurrently detected in acute leukemia patients1,4,5, is essential for establishing nuclear liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) puncta and for inducing leukemic transformation of primary hematopoietic cells in vitro and in vivo. Strikingly, LLPS of NUP98-HOXA9 not only promotes chromatin occupancy of chimera TF oncoproteins but is also required for formation of a broad, ‘super-enhancer’-like binding pattern, typically seen at a battery of leukemia-related loci exemplified by HOX, MEIS and PBX genes, potentiating their transcriptional activation. An artificial HOX chimera, created by replacing NUP98’s FG repeats with an unrelated LLPSforming IDR of FUS6,7, had similar enhancement effects on chimera’s chromatin binding and target gene activation. Via Hi-C mapping, we further demonstrated that the phase-separated NUP98-HOXA9 protein assembly is able to induce formation of CTCF-independent chromatin looping enriched at leukemic oncogenes. Together, this report describes a proof-of-principle example wherein cancer acquires mutation to establish condensates of oncogenic TFs via a phase separation mechanism, which simultaneously enhances their chromatin targeting and induces organization of aberrant three-dimensional chromatin structure during tumorous transformation. As a range of LLPS-competent molecules are implicated in various human cancers, this mechanism can potentially be generalized to many malignant and diseased settings.

Project description:Development of cancer is intimately associated with genetic abnormalities that target proteins with intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs). In human hematological malignancies, recurrent chromosomal translocation of nucleoporin (NUP98 or NUP214) generates an aberrant chimera that invariably retains nucleoporin’s IDR, tandemly dispersed phenylalanine-and-glycine (FG) repeats. However, it remains largely elusive how unstructured IDRs contribute to oncogenesis. We here show that IDR or FG repeats harbored within NUP98-HOXA9, a HOX transcription factor (TF) chimera recurrently detected in acute leukemia patients, is essential for establishing nuclear liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) puncta and for inducing leukemic transformation of primary hematopoietic cells in vitro and in vivo. Strikingly, LLPS of NUP98-HOXA9 not only promotes chromatin occupancy of chimera TF oncoproteins but is also required for formation of a broad, ‘super-enhancer’-like binding pattern, typically seen at a battery of leukemia-related loci exemplified by HOX, MEIS and PBX genes, potentiating their transcriptional activation. An artificial HOX chimera, created by replacing NUP98’s FG repeats with an unrelated LLPS-forming IDR of FUS, had similar enhancement effects on chimera’s chromatin binding and target gene activation. Via Hi-C mapping, we further demonstrated that the phase-separated NUP98-HOXA9 protein assembly is able to induce de novo formation of CTCF-independent chromatin looping enriched at leukemic oncogenes. Together, this report describes a proof-of-principle example wherein cancer acquires mutation to establish multi-molecule assemblies of oncogenic TFs via a phase separation mechanism, which simultaneously enhances their chromatin targeting and induces organization of aberrant three-dimensional chromatin structure during tumorous transformation. As a range of LLPS-competent molecules are implicated in various human cancers, this mechanism can potentially be generalized to many malignant and diseased settings.

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Aberrant NUP98 condensates activate leukemogenic genes via discrete genomic engagement

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