Architecture of the human GATOR1 and GATOR1-Rag GTPases complexes.

Nature
Authors
Keywords
Abstract

Nutrients, such as amino acids and glucose, signal through the Rag GTPases to activate mTORC1. The GATOR1 protein complex-comprising DEPDC5, NPRL2 and NPRL3-regulates the Rag GTPases as a GTPase-activating protein (GAP) for RAGA; loss of GATOR1 desensitizes mTORC1 signalling to nutrient starvation. GATOR1 components have no sequence homology to other proteins, so the function of GATOR1 at the molecular level is currently unknown. Here we used cryo-electron microscopy to solve structures of GATOR1 and GATOR1-Rag GTPases complexes. GATOR1 adopts an extended architecture with a cavity in the middle; NPRL2 links DEPDC5 and NPRL3, and DEPDC5 contacts the Rag GTPase heterodimer. Biochemical analyses reveal that our GATOR1-Rag GTPases structure is inhibitory, and that at least two binding modes must exist between the Rag GTPases and GATOR1. Direct interaction of DEPDC5 with RAGA inhibits GATOR1-mediated stimulation of GTP hydrolysis by RAGA, whereas weaker interactions between the NPRL2-NPRL3 heterodimer and RAGA execute GAP activity. These data reveal the structure of a component of the nutrient-sensing mTORC1 pathway and a non-canonical interaction between a GAP and its substrate GTPase.

Year of Publication
2018
Journal
Nature
Volume
556
Issue
7699
Pages
64-69
Date Published
2018 04 05
ISSN
1476-4687
DOI
10.1038/nature26158
PubMed ID
29590090
PubMed Central ID
PMC5975964
Links
Grant list
R01 CA103866 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
R01 CA129105 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
R37 AI047389 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
T32 GM007753 / GM / NIGMS NIH HHS / United States