Systematic Detection of Poly(A)+ RNA-Interacting Proteins and Their Differential Binding

Melanoma RBPome identification reveals PDIA6 as an unconventional RNA-binding protein involved in metastasis

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) have been relatively overlooked in cancer research despite their contribution to virtually every cancer hallmark. Here, we use RNA interactome capture (RIC) to characterize the melanoma RBPome and uncover novel RBPs involved in melanoma progression. Comparison of RIC profiles of a non-tumoral versus a metastatic cell line revealed prevalent changes in RNA-binding capacities that were not associated with changes in RBP levels. Extensive functional validation of a selected group of 24 RBPs using five different in vitro assays unveiled unanticipated roles of RBPs in melanoma malignancy. As proof-of-principle we focused on PDIA6, an ER-lumen chaperone that displayed a novel RNA-binding activity. We show that PDIA6 is involved in metastatic progression, map its RNA-binding domain, and find that RNA binding is required for PDIA6 tumorigenic properties. These results exemplify how RIC technologies can be harnessed to uncover novel vulnerabilities of cancer cells.

The RNA-Protein Interactome of Differentiated Kidney Tubular Epithelial Cells

BACKGROUND

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are fundamental regulators of cellular biology that affect all steps in the generation and processing of RNA molecules. Recent evidence suggests that regulation of RBPs that modulate both RNA stability and translation may have a profound effect on the proteome. However, regulation of RBPs in clinically relevant experimental conditions has not been studied systematically.

METHODS

We used RNA interactome capture, a method for the global identification of RBPs to characterize the global RNA-binding proteome (RBPome) associated with polyA-tailed RNA species in murine ciliated epithelial cells of the inner medullary collecting duct. To study regulation of RBPs in a clinically relevant condition, we analyzed hypoxia-associated changes of the RBPome.

RESULTS

We identified >1000 RBPs that had been previously found using other systems. In addition, we found a number of novel RBPs not identified by previous screens using mouse or human cells, suggesting that these proteins may be specific RBPs in differentiated kidney epithelial cells. We also found quantitative differences in RBP-binding to mRNA that were associated with hypoxia versus normoxia.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings demonstrate the regulation of RBPs through environmental stimuli and provide insight into the biology of hypoxia-response signaling in epithelial cells in the kidney. A repository of the RBPome and proteome in kidney tubular epithelial cells, derived from our findings, is freely accessible online, and may contribute to a better understanding of the role of RNA-protein interactions in kidney tubular epithelial cells, including the response of these cells to hypoxia.