Disordered region of cereblon is required for efficient degradation by proteolysis-targeting chimera

Sci Rep. 2019 Dec 23;9(1):19654. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-56177-5.

Abstract

Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are an emerging strategy for promoting targeted protein degradation by inducing the proximity between targeted proteins and E3 ubiquitin ligases. Although successful degradation of numerous proteins by PROTACs has been demonstrated, the elements that determine the degradability of PROTAC-targeted proteins have not yet been explored. In this study, we developed von Hippel-Lindau-Cereblon (VHL-CRBN) heterodimerizing PROTACs that induce the degradation of CRBN, but not VHL. A quantitative proteomic analysis further revealed that VHL-CRBN heterodimerizing PROTACs induced the degradation of CRBN, but not the well-known immunomodulatory drug (IMiD) neo-substrates, IKAROS family zinc finger 1 (IKZF1) and -3 (IZKF3). Moreover, truncation of disordered regions of CRBN and the androgen receptor (AR) attenuated their PROTAC-induced degradation, and attachment of the disordered region to stable CRBN or AR facilitated PROTAC-induced degradation. Thus, these results suggest that the intrinsically disordered region of targeted proteins is essential for efficient proteolysis, providing a novel criterion for choosing degradable protein targets.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / genetics
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / metabolism*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Ikaros Transcription Factor / genetics
  • Ikaros Transcription Factor / metabolism
  • Jurkat Cells
  • Protein Domains
  • Proteolysis*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism*
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / genetics
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • CRBN protein, human
  • IKZF1 protein, human
  • IKZF3 protein, human
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Ikaros Transcription Factor
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases