The Cell Fate Determinant Musashi Is Controlled Through Dynamic Protein:Protein Interactions

The Musashi RNA-binding protein functions as a gatekeeper of cell maturation and plasticity through the control of target mRNA translation. It is understood that Musashi promotes stem cell self-renewal and opposes differentiation. While Musashi is best characterized as a repressor of target mRNA translation, we have shown that Musashi can activate target mRNA translation in a cell context specific manner via regulatory phosphorylation on two evolutionarily conserved C-terminal serine residues. Our recent work has found that Musashi is expressed in pituitary stem cells as well as in differentiated hormone producing cell lineages in the adult pituitary. We hypothesize that Musashi maintains cell fate plasticity in the adult pituitary to allow the gland to modulate hormone production in response to changing organismal needs. Here, we seek to understand the regulation of Musashi function. Both Musashi isoforms (Musashi1 and Musashi2) contain two RNA-recognition motifs (RRMs) that bind to specific sequences in the 3’-UTR of target mRNA transcripts; however, neither isoform has enzymatic properties and thus functions through interactions with other proteins to regulate translational outcomes, but the identity and role of Musashi partner proteins is largely unknown. In this study, we have identified co-associated partner proteins that functionally contribute to Musashi-dependent mRNA translational activation during the maturation of Xenopus oocytes. Using mass spectrometry, we identified 29 co-associated proteins that interact specifically with Musashi1 during oocyte maturation and determined that the Musashi co-associated proteins ePABP, PABP4, LSM14A/B, CELF2, PUM1, ELAV1, ELAV2, and DDX6 attenuated oocyte maturation through individual antisense DNA oligo knockdowns. An assessment of the role of these cofactors in the control of Musashi-dependent target mRNA translation is in progress. In addition to studying co-associated proteins, we have created a computational 3D model of the Musashi1 molecule to assist in our investigation Musashi dimerization. This model has indicated that both Musashi1 dimerization and Musashi1:Musashi2 heterodimerization are energetically favorable, and co-pulldown studies have verified both Musashi1 homo-dimerization and Musashi1:Musashi2 heterodimerization in vivo. Computational modeling of Musashi dimer complexes has also identified the key amino acids necessary for these interactions. The contribution of each co-associated protein’s influence on Musashi-dependent translation, relative to the requirement for Musashi:Musashi dimerization, is expected to provide unparalleled insight into regulation of Musashi action. Moreover, cell type specific regulation of association of Musashi co-factors would directly influence Musashi target mRNA translation in oocyte maturation and during pituitary cell plasticity.