Genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 Screens Reveal Loss of Redundancy between PKMYT1 and WEE1 in Glioblastoma Stem-like Cells

Cell Rep. 2015 Dec 22;13(11):2425-2439. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.11.021. Epub 2015 Dec 7.

Abstract

To identify therapeutic targets for glioblastoma (GBM), we performed genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 knockout (KO) screens in patient-derived GBM stem-like cells (GSCs) and human neural stem/progenitors (NSCs), non-neoplastic stem cell controls, for genes required for their in vitro growth. Surprisingly, the vast majority GSC-lethal hits were found outside of molecular networks commonly altered in GBM and GSCs (e.g., oncogenic drivers). In vitro and in vivo validation of GSC-specific targets revealed several strong hits, including the wee1-like kinase, PKMYT1/Myt1. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that PKMYT1 acts redundantly with WEE1 to inhibit cyclin B-CDK1 activity via CDK1-Y15 phosphorylation and to promote timely completion of mitosis in NSCs. However, in GSCs, this redundancy is lost, most likely as a result of oncogenic signaling, causing GBM-specific lethality.

Keywords: CRISPR-Cas9; Glioblastoma; Myt1; PKMYT1; WEE1; cancer therapeutics; functional genomics; gene editing.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • CDC2 Protein Kinase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • CDC2 Protein Kinase / metabolism
  • CRISPR-Cas Systems / genetics*
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics*
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Cyclin B / metabolism
  • ErbB Receptors / metabolism
  • Gene Library
  • Genome, Human*
  • Glioblastoma / metabolism
  • Glioblastoma / pathology
  • Humans
  • Membrane Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics*
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Microscopy, Video
  • Mitosis
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / cytology
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Nuclear Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics*
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / genetics*
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Pyrazoles / pharmacology
  • Pyrimidines / pharmacology
  • Pyrimidinones
  • RNA Interference
  • Time-Lapse Imaging
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / genetics
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / metabolism

Substances

  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Cyclin B
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Pyrazoles
  • Pyrimidines
  • Pyrimidinones
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • EGFR protein, human
  • ErbB Receptors
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • WEE1 protein, human
  • PKMYT1 protein, human
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • CDC2 Protein Kinase
  • adavosertib