Cited by 42Protein Kinase Regulation and GTPase SignalingProtein Tyrosine PhosphatasesPI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in cancer

Structural insights and activating mutations in diverse pathologies define mechanisms of deregulation for phospholipase C gamma enzymes

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Liu, Yang, Bunney, Tom D., Khosa, Sakshi, Macé, Kévin, Beckenbauer, Katharina, Askwith, Trevor, Maslen, Sarah, Stubbs, Christopher +6 more·2020·EBioMedicine

Abstract

BACKGROUND: PLCγ enzymes are key nodes in cellular signal transduction and their mutated and rare variants have been recently implicated in development of a range of diseases with unmet need including cancer, complex immune disorders, inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases. However, molecular nature of activation and the impact and dysregulation mechanisms by mutations, remain unclear; both are critically dependent on comprehensive characterization of the intact PLCγ enzymes. METHODS: For structural studies we applied cryo-EM, cross-linking mass spectrometry and hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry. In parallel, we compiled mutations linked to main pathologies, established their distribution and assessed their impact in cells and in vitro. FINDINGS: We define structure of a complex containing an intact, autoinhibited PLCγ1 and the intracellular part of FGFR1 and show that the interaction is centred on the nSH2 domain of PLCγ1. We define the architecture of PLCγ1 where an autoinhibitory interface involves the cSH2, spPH, TIM-barrel and C2 domains; this relative orientation occludes PLCγ1 access to its substrate. Based on this framework and functional characterization, the mechanism leading to an increase in PLCγ1 activity for the largest group of mutations is consistent with the major, direct impact on the autoinhibitory interface. INTERPRETATION: We reveal features of PLCγ enzymes that are important for determining their activation status. Targeting such features, as an alternative to targeting the PLC active site that has so far not been achieved for any PLC, could provide new routes for clinical interventions related to various pathologies driven by PLCγ deregulation. FUND: CR UK, MRC and AstaZeneca.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.102607

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  • Following phosphorylation of PLCγ1, the critical pTyr residue binds to its cSH2 domain, and this intramolecular interaction is required for repositioning of the regulatory region and release of autoinhibition.

    “Following phosphorylation of PLCγ1, the critical pTyr residue in PLCγ1 binds to its cSH2 domain; this intramolecular interaction is required for repositioning of the regulatory region and release of the autoinhibition.”

    From Phosphatidylinositol(4,5)bisphosphate: diverse functions at the plasma membrane (2020) · cites this paper as [48]

    The Discussion (page unavailable) says that previous studies suggest phosphorylated Y783 binds the cSH2 domain, resulting in release of autoinhibition. It does not establish that this binding is required to reposition the regulatory region; instead, it says the changes that bring Y783 and cSH2 together remain unclear. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • PLCγ1 shares 52% sequence identity with PLCγ2, and their overall domain organisation is conserved; therefore, homology models are plausible.

    “PLCγ1 shares 52% sequence identity with PLCγ2, and their overall domain organisation is conserved; therefore, homology models are plausible.”

    From Characterisation of molecular mechanisms for PLCγ2 disease-linked variants (2024) · cites this paper as Liu et al., 2020

    The Results section on PLCγ1 architecture (page unavailable) describes PLCγ-family domains and reports using conserved PLC-core structures to make a homology model of PLCγ1. It does not give 52% sequence identity between PLCγ1 and PLCγ2 or explicitly establish that their overall domain organisation is conserved. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Initial cellular studies of individual mutations, as well as their comparison in a standard cell-based assay, have shown a clear increase in basal PLC activity of these variants and further enhancement after stimulation.

    “Initial cellular studies of individual mutations, as well as their comparison in a standard cell-based assay, have shown a clear increase in basal PLC activity of these variants and further enhancement after stimulation [(Liu et al., 2020); Fig S1].”

    From Characterisation of molecular mechanisms for PLCγ2 disease-linked variants (2024) · cites this paper as Liu et al., 2020

    The Results section (‘Distribution and functional impact of mutations in PLCγ enzymes’; page unavailable) reports increased activity for the majority of variants tested in a standard cellular assay, and says most were further stimulated by EGF. It also identifies several deletions that lost responsiveness to EGF, so further enhancement does not apply to every tested variant. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • In inactive PLCγ1, cSH2 and sPH domains contribute to autoinhibition by interacting with the PLC-core, preventing membrane interactions required for access to PI(4,5)P2.

    “In the inactive form, two domains within the regulatory region (cSH2 and sPH) directly contribute to autoinhibition by interacting with the PLC-core, preventing membrane interactions required for the access to the PLC substrate, PI(4,5)P2 [47,48].”
  • Positions of the SH3 domain in the γSA are different in the two PLCγ2 models, as expected from studies of PLCγ1 suggesting flexibility of this domain.

    “Positions of the SH3 domain in the γSA are different in the two models (Fig. 1B), as expected from studies of PLCγ1 that suggested flexibility of this domain with respect to the rest of the molecule (Liu et al., 2020).”

    From Characterisation of molecular mechanisms for PLCγ2 disease-linked variants (2024) · cites this paper as Liu et al., 2020

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Authors
Liu, Y., Bunney, T. D., Khosa, S., Macé, K., Beckenbauer, K., Askwith, T., Maslen, S., Stubbs, C., de Oliveira, T. M., Sader, K., Skehel, M., Gavin, A.-C., Phillips, C., & Katan, M.
Affiliations
  • AstraZeneca (United Kingdom) (GB)
  • Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology (GB)
  • European Molecular Biology Laboratory (DE)
  • UCL School of Pharmacy (GB)
  • MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (GB)
  • Thermo Fisher Scientific (United Kingdom) (GB)
  • University of Geneva (CH)
Corresponding author
  • Bunney, Tom D.
  • Phillips, Christopher
  • Katan, Matilda
Venue
EBioMedicine
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-01
Volume
51
Pages
102607
ISSN
2352-3964 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2999670393
Cited by
42
References
35
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 8
FWCI
2.43
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • EBioMedicine (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Archive ouverte UNIGE (University of Geneva) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • HAL (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
  • Archive ouverte UNIGE (University of Geneva) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • Cancer Research UK
  • AbbVie Deutschland
  • Medical Research Council (P028160)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Protein Kinase Regulation and GTPase Signaling
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in cancer
Keywords
phospholipase C-gamma, PLCγ1, autoinhibition, C2 domain, FGFR1, protein complex structure, activating mutations, signal transduction, disease-associated variants, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, immune disorders, inflammation
MeSH terms
Humans, Models, Molecular, Mutation, Protein Binding, Mutant Proteins, Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 1, Phospholipase C gamma

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