4. Defining a Binding Interaction Between KDM1A and the Long Non-Coding RNA HOTAIR
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Probing the Interfaces of Epigenetic Complexes: Efforts Towards Elucidating and Targeting Critical Protein:Protein and Protein:lncRNA Interactions of Lysine-Specific Demethylase 1 (KDM1A/LSD1) By Meghan Frances Lawler Department of Chemistry Duke University Date:_______________________ Approved: ___________________________ Dewey G. McCafferty, Supervisor ___________________________ Emily Derbyshire ___________________________ Michael Lynch ___________________________ Qiu Wang Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Chemistry in the Graduate School of Duke University 2019 ABSTRACT Probing the Interfaces of Epigenetic Complexes: Efforts Towards Elucidating and Targeting Critical Protein:Protein and Protein:lncRNA Interactions of Lysine-Specific Demethylase 1 (KDM1A/LSD1) by Meghan Frances Lawler Department of Chemistry Duke University Date:_______________________ Approved: ___________________________ Dewey G. McCafferty, Supervisor ___________________________ Emily Derbyshire ___________________________ Michael Lynch ___________________________ Qiu Wang An abstract of a dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Chemistry in the Graduate School of Duke University 2019 Copyright by Meghan Frances Lawler 2019 Abstract The post translational modification (PTM) of histone proteins is a highly dynamic process that is utilized in the control of gene transcription. This epigenetic process involves enzymatic ‘writers’ and ‘erasers’ which place or remove chemical modifications to the unstructured tails of histone proteins which protrude out from the nucleosomal core. In a highly dynamic manner, each PTM is spatiotemporally regulated and combinations of PTMs at a gene promotor or enhancer region leads to transcriptional enhancement or repression. The gene targets as well as selectivity and specificity of epigenetic enzymes is regulated by the multimeric complexes each enzyme is co-opted. Each complex contains a unique set of coregulatory proteins with RNA and DNA binding domains and PTM ‘reader’ domains to direct the catalytic machinery to a specific subset of genes. The coregulatory proteins also affect the specificity and selectivity of the enzyme through mechanisms which are only beginning to be explored. Our interest is in elucidating the role of coregulatory proteins and lncRNA with respect to lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1/KDM1A). A flavin-dependent mono-and di-demethylase of H3K4me1/2 and H3K9me1/2, KDM1A has been implicated in many different multimeric enzymatic complexes which, in some cases such as the REST and NuRD complexes, function on opposing pathways. This disparity in the downstream outcome being coordinated by the same enzyme highlights the need to understand not iv only epigenetic enzymes, but to consider the complexes as a whole towards therapeutic targeting. The specific aims of my thesis were to (a) interrogate the role of individual and multiple coregulatory partners in enzyme selectivity and specificity (b) establish tools to study the mechanisms of biochemical and biophysical of protein:protein and protein:lncRNA interactions and (c) elucidate key characteristics of protein:protein and protein:lncRNA interfaces towards targeted disruption. To this end, I have utilized cloning and mutagenesis methods towards heterologous expression and purification of coregulatory partners of KDM1A in E. coli. I chose coregulatory partners found in a common catalytic core as well as several additional coregulatory proteins from a stable KDM1A-containing 5-mer complex. I have produced multiple constructs for four of these proteins to allow for multiple affinity purification routes as well as for future binding studies. I have further expressed each of these constructs and have made significant efforts towards the purification of each construct based on solubility. I furthermore established HDX-MS and SELEX protocol in our lab as tools to allow us to explore the dynamics of these epigenetic interactions. I further demonstrated and confirmed that there is no hotspot along the binding interface between KDM1A and CoREST, but that CoREST stabilizes the apical end of the KDM1A tower domain via HDX-MS with the highest change in deuterium uptake, over 20%, long KDM1A TαA residues 440-451. v I also made significant efforts towards elucidating the interaction between KDM1A and HOTAIR. Firstly, I established an RNA radiolabeled EMSA assay for the lab which allowed us to test the binding of HOTAIR to KDM1A. With this assay, we saw that CoREST286-482, specifically the linker region (residues 293-380), must be bound to KDM1A for HOTAIR to bind and that the dissociation constant was unchanged at 1.710.38 µM and 1.29±0.34 µM, respectively. Further, I confirmed that the first 320 nt of domain 4 of HOTAIR (nt 1500-1820) contain the critical binding and that the dissociation constant was slightly higher at 2.97±0.96 µM. I have also optimized SHAPE-MaP and crosslinking strategies to explore the binding interface between KDM1A:CoREST286-482 and lncRNA. I determined that there were 83 nt that displayed at least a 1.5-fold change in SHAPE reactivity of HOTAIR D4 due to the presence of KDM1A:CoREST286-482. I also utilized a free-energy based secondary structure model to establish a secondary structure for HOTAIR D4 based on my SHAPE-MaP data. I noted that 44% of the significant nt were confined to a stretch of RNA (nt 1538-1610, 1779-1844) that is predominantly dsRNA. Further usage of photochemical crosslinking strategies revealed a propensity for G:C paired nt to be crosslinked to KDM1A:CoREST286-482. A similar nt sequence around these paired nt suggests a binding motif. vi Dedication These last five years have truly been a journey. I came to graduate school at Duke University ready to learn and partake in exciting and relevant science. So first, and foremost, thank you to my advisor, Dewey McCafferty, for allowing me the space to explore but also to grow as a scientist and person. In addition, I have grown enormously as a person in ways that I could not even have imagined, and there are many people that I would like to take a moment to thank and dedicate this work to. None of this would have been possible without the support and belief the faculty at Western Carolina University had in me. Dr. William Kwochka, you sparked and fostered my interest in science, and encouraged me every step of the way. Your mentorship and guidance has been unparalleled – I never would have considered graduate school without you. Dr. David Evanoff, thank you for fostering my skills as an independent researcher while at Western, and for all of the advice and guidance during my time at Duke. Brittania Bintz, thank you for pushing me and teaching me to have the confidence to stand up for myself and to push for what I believe in. Bob Buckner, David Starnes, Matt Henley, and Jon Henson: the four of you kept me grounded and reminded me that there will always be time outside of science to follow my other passions. Thank you to the four of you for seeing the potential in me when I couldn’t see it in myself. To my parents, Mary and Kelly Lawler, thank you for your unwavering support and love, it hasn’t always been easy, but we’ve made it work the best way we know vii how. Thank you for always granting me opportunities to do what I need to do and not questioning my path. I am so blessed to have such supportive parents in my life, and I will never be able to thank you enough. There truly aren’t the words to express how grateful I am to not only have you as parents, but friends. To my siblings, Jonathan, Grace, and Shannon Lawler, each of you keep me balanced. Jonathan, thank you for all of the Friday evening conversations, you have no idea how much I looked forward to them some weeks. Grace, thank you for being a ray of sunshine and always willing to just talk even when I have nothing to say. Shannon, thanks for always being 100% authentic to yourself, it reminds me to do the same. I am so proud of each of you for pursuing your goals and dreams with drive and purpose, it has been a blessing watching you grow, and I can’t wait to keep watching your journeys. To my friends and Kappa Kappa Psi brothers, thank you for standing by my side and for being my family. Each of you have shaped and changed my perspective and life in ways that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to fully grasp. I am so grateful for each of you and the lessons you have taught me, the good and the bad, I am a stronger, more compassionate, and more conscientious person because of you. I’d like to specifically thank Brittany Clark, Rachel Caddell, Mary Kate Moore, Katie Durham, Nina Fiore, Jesse Nixon, Alexandra and Andrew Hall, Cameron Holmes, Chuck Hendrick, Christiana Gooden, Katherine and Bumki Kim, Alex Chaconas, and Ken Maksimchuk. Thank you to each of you for keeping me alive, sane, and well-fed over the past years. viii You all have each stood by me and stood in my corner through everything, and I can never thank you enough. The confidence each of you hold in me gave me strength when I most needed it. I’d also like to thank those that couldn’t walk with me through my entire time here at Duke, you each taught me of my individual strength and courage. I cherish all of the memories I have with each of you and wish you nothing but the best. “ I’d like to also thank my undergrads, Rebecca Haley and Maegan Burns. I know this project was not the easiest or straightforward, but the dedication and drive that both of you have has made me a better person and mentor and that is invaluable to me.