Simon Cook

Control of cell death and mitochondrial fission by ERK1/2 MAP Kinase signalling.
Cook SJ, Stuart K, Gilley R, Sale MJ

The ERK1/2 signalling pathway is best known for its role in connecting activated growth factor receptors to changes in gene expression due to activated ERK1/2 entering the nucleus and phosphorylating transcription factors. However, active ERK1/2 also translocate to a variety of other organelles including the endoplasmic reticulum, endosomes, golgi and mitochondria to access specific substrates and influence cell physiology. In this article we review two aspects of ERK1/2 signalling at the mitochondria that are involved in regulating cell fate decisions. First, we describe the prominent role of ERK1/2 in controlling the BCL2-regulated, cell-intrinsic apoptotic pathway. In most cases ERK1/2 signalling promotes cell survival by activating pro-survival BCL2 proteins (BCL2, BCL-xL and MCL1) and repressing pro-death proteins (BAD, BIM, BMF and PUMA). This pro-survival signalling is co-opted by oncogenes to confer cancer cell-specific survival advantages and we describe how this information has been used to develop new drug combinations. However, ERK1/2 can also drive the expression of the pro-death protein NOXA to control 'autophagy or apoptosis' decisions during nutrient starvation. We also describe recent studies demonstrating a link between ERK1/2 signalling, DRP1 and the mitochondrial fission machinery and how this may influence metabolic reprogramming during tumorigenesis and stem cell reprogramming. With advances in sub-cellular proteomics it is likely that new roles for ERK1/2, and new substrates, remain to be discovered at the mitochondria and other organelles. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The FEBS journal, , 1742-4658, , 2017

Visualisation of Endogenous ERK1/2 in Cells with a Bioorthogonal Covalent Probe.
Sipthorp J, Lebraud H, Gilley R, Kidger A, Okkenhaug H, Saba-El-Leil MK, Meloche S, Caunt CJ, Cook S, Heightman TD

The RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK pathway has been intensively studied in oncology with RAS known to be mutated in ~30% of all human cancers. The recent emergence of ERK1/2 inhibitors and their ongoing clinical investigation demands a better understanding of ERK1/2 behaviour following small molecule inhibition. Although fluorescent fusion proteins and fluorescent antibodies are well-established methods to visualise proteins, we show that ERK1/2 can be visualised via a less invasive approach based on a two-step process using Inverse Electron Demand Diels-Alder cycloaddition. Our previously reported TCO-tagged covalent ERK1/2 inhibitor was used in a series of imaging experiments following a click reaction with a tetrazine-tagged fluorescent dye. Although limitations were encountered with this approach, endogenous ERK1/2 was successfully imaged in cells and 'on target' staining was confirmed by overexpressing DUSP5, a nuclear ERK1/2 phosphatase which anchors ERK1/2 in the nucleus.

Bioconjugate chemistry, , 1520-4812, , 2017

RNA-binding proteins ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2 promote cell quiescence.
Galloway A, Saveliev A, Łukasiak S, Hodson DJ, Bolland D, Balmanno K, Ahlfors H, Monzón-Casanova E, Mannurita SC, Bell LS, Andrews S, Díaz-Muñoz MD, Cook SJ, Corcoran A, Turner M

Progression through the stages of lymphocyte development requires coordination of the cell cycle. Such coordination ensures genomic integrity while cells somatically rearrange their antigen receptor genes [in a process called variable-diversity-joining (VDJ) recombination] and, upon successful rearrangement, expands the pools of progenitor lymphocytes. Here we show that in developing B lymphocytes, the RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2 are critical for maintaining quiescence before precursor B cell receptor (pre-BCR) expression and for reestablishing quiescence after pre-BCR-induced expansion. These RBPs suppress an evolutionarily conserved posttranscriptional regulon consisting of messenger RNAs whose protein products cooperatively promote transition into the S phase of the cell cycle. This mechanism promotes VDJ recombination and effective selection of cells expressing immunoglobulin-μ at the pre-BCR checkpoint.

Science (New York, N.Y.), 352, 1095-9203, 453-9, 2016