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Molecular and Cellular Biology, June 2004, p. 4636-4650, Vol. 24, No. 11
0270-7306/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/MCB.24.11.4636-4650.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Mutations in the SAM Domain of the ETV6-NTRK3 Chimeric Tyrosine Kinase Block Polymerization and Transformation Activity

Cristina E. Tognon,1 Cameron D. Mackereth,2 Aruna M. Somasiri,3 Lawrence P. McIntosh,2 and Poul H. B. Sorensen1*

Departments of Pathology and Pediatrics, British Columbia Research Institute for Children's and Women's Health, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 4H4,1 Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Chemistry and Biotechnology Laboratory, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3,2 Department of Anatomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6H 3V5, Canada3

Received 17 October 2003/ Returned for modification 3 December 2003/ Accepted 2 March 2004

The 12p13 ETV6 (TEL) gene is frequently targeted by chromosomal translocations in human malignancies, resulting in the formation of oncogenic ETV6 gene fusions. Many of the known partner genes encode protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs), generating fusion proteins that function as chimeric PTKs. ETV6-NTRK3 (EN), comprised of the ETV6 SAM domain fused to the NTRK3 PTK, is unique among ETV6 chimeric oncoproteins, as it is expressed in cancers of multiple lineages. We initially hypothesized that, similar to other ETV6-PTK chimeras, SAM-mediated dimerization of EN leads to constitutive activation of the PTK and downstream signaling cascades. However, when the EN SAM domain was replaced with an inducible FK506 binding protein (FKBP) dimerization system, resulting FKBP-NTRK3 chimeras failed to transform NIH 3T3 cells even though PTK activation was preserved. It was recently shown that the ETV6 SAM domain has two potential interacting surfaces, raising the possibility that this domain can mediate protein polymerization. We therefore mutated each EN SAM binding interface in a manner shown previously to abolish self-association of wild-type ETV6. Each mutation completely blocked the ability of EN to polymerize, to activate its PTK, and to transform NIH 3T3 cells. Furthermore, EN itself formed large polymeric structures within cells while mutant EN proteins were present only as monomers. Finally, we observed a dominant negative effect on the transformation of isolated SAM domains coexpressed in EN-transformed cells. Taken together, our results suggest that higher-order polymerization may be a critical requirement for the transformation activity of EN and possibly other ETV6-PTK fusion proteins.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Departments of Pathology and Pediatrics, BC Research Institute for Children's and Women's Health, 950 West 28th St., Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 4H4, Canada. Phone: (604) 875-2936. Fax: (604) 875-3417. E-mail: psor{at}interchange.ubc.ca.

Molecular and Cellular Biology, June 2004, p. 4636-4650, Vol. 24, No. 11
0022-538X/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/MCB.24.11.4636-4650.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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