Summary
Bromodomain (BRD)-containing proteins are chemically tractable multi-domain scaffolding molecules involved in acetyl lysine (Kac) signaling. BRD inhibitors have shown promise in clinical oncology, including melanomas; however, their narrow therapeutic windows and issues with resistance in pre-clinical models highlight the need to better understand the functions of and interconnection between BRD-containing proteins. Here, we use complementary interaction-mapping techniques (affinity purification and proximity-dependent biotinylation) to map the interactions of 39 of the 42 BRD-containing proteins and 110 additional proteins that physically or functionally associate with them. We uncover 3,892 novel interactions and reveal the intricate connectivity of the Kac machinery. Chemical inhibition of multiple BRD classes revealed that inhibiting BETs—but not mSWI/SNF or CREBBP/EP300 proteins—dramatically rewired the interactome. Finally, we identified MAPKAPK2 activity as a critical determinant of BET inhibitor sensitivity in melanoma through its impact on chromatin composition remodeling.
In Brief Kougnassoukou Tchara et al. generate a static protein interaction map of the human acetyl lysine machinery by coupling two complementary functional proteomics approaches (FLAG affinity purification and proximity-dependent biotinylation) to mass spectrometry. They also investigate network changes upon bromodomain inhibition, and describe a novel resistance mechanism mediated by the p38 stress signaling pathway that causes significant metabolic changes.
Highlights
Two complementary interaction proteomics analyses of the human acetyl lysine machinery were performed.
Novel target- and compound-specific impacts of bromodomain inhibitors were identified.
MAPKAPK2 was identified as a novel resistance gene to BET bromodomain inhibitors in melanoma.
BET bromodomain inhibition leads to metabolic adaptation in melanoma.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
Footnotes
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