The C terminus of p53 binds the N-terminal domain of MDM2

Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2010 Aug;17(8):982-9. doi: 10.1038/nsmb.1872. Epub 2010 Jul 18.

Abstract

The p53 tumor suppressor interacts with its negative regulator Mdm2 via the former's N-terminal region and core domain, yet the extreme p53 C-terminal region contains lysine residues ubiquitinated by Mdm2 and can bear post-translational modifications that inhibit Mdm2-p53 association. We show that the Mdm2-p53 interaction is decreased upon deletion, mutation or acetylation of the p53 C terminus. Mdm2 decreases the association of full-length but not C-terminally deleted p53 with a DNA target sequence in vitro and in cells. Further, using multiple approaches, we show that a peptide from the p53 C terminus directly binds the Mdm2 N terminus in vitro. We also show that p300-acetylated p53 inefficiently binds Mdm2 in vitro, and Nutlin-3 treatment induces C-terminal modification(s) of p53 in cells, explaining the low efficiency of Nutlin-3 in dissociating p53-MDM2 in vitro.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cross-Linking Reagents / pharmacology
  • DNA / metabolism
  • HCT116 Cells
  • Humans
  • Imidazoles / metabolism
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Mice
  • Models, Biological
  • Piperazines / metabolism
  • Protein Binding / drug effects
  • Protein Interaction Mapping
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2 / chemistry*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2 / metabolism*
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • Sequence Deletion / genetics
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p14ARF / metabolism
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / chemistry*
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / metabolism*

Substances

  • Cross-Linking Reagents
  • Imidazoles
  • Piperazines
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p14ARF
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • nutlin 3
  • DNA
  • MDM2 protein, human
  • Mdm2 protein, mouse
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2