Mitchel L. Tepe , Yitan Chen , Allison Carso , Huiqing Zhou
{"title":"MapID-based quantitative mapping of chemical modifications and expression of human transfer RNA","authors":"Mitchel L. Tepe , Yitan Chen , Allison Carso , Huiqing Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2025.04.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2025.04.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Detection and quantification of tRNA chemical modifications are critical for understanding their regulatory functions in biology and diseases. However, tRNA-seq–based methods for modification mapping encountered challenges both experimentally (poor processivity of heavily modified tRNAs during reverse transcription or RT) and bioinformatically (frequent reads misalignment to highly similar tRNA genes). Here, we report “MapID-tRNA-seq” where we deployed an evolved reverse transcriptase (RT-1306) into tRNA-seq and developed “MapIDs” that reduce redundancy of the human tRNA genome and explicitly annotate genetic variances. RT-1306 generated robust mutations against m<sup>1</sup>A and m<sup>3</sup>C, and RT stops against multiple bulky roadblock modifications. MapID-assisted data processing enabled systematic exclusion of false-positive discoveries of modifications which arise from reads misalignment onto similar genes. We applied MapID-tRNA-seq into mapping m<sup>1</sup>A, m<sup>3</sup>C and expression levels of tRNAs in three mammary cell lines, which revealed cell-type dependent modification sites and potential translational regulation of the reduced mitochondrial activities in breast cancer.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":265,"journal":{"name":"Cell Chemical Biology","volume":"32 5","pages":"Pages 752-766.e7"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143897780","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Maria M. Shchepinova , Rachel Richardson , Jack W. Houghton , Abigail R. Walker , Mohammed A. Safar , Daniel Conole , Aylin C. Hanyaloglu , Edward W. Tate
{"title":"Spatiotemporally resolved GPCR interactome uncovers unique mediators of receptor agonism","authors":"Maria M. Shchepinova , Rachel Richardson , Jack W. Houghton , Abigail R. Walker , Mohammed A. Safar , Daniel Conole , Aylin C. Hanyaloglu , Edward W. Tate","doi":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2025.04.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2025.04.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cellular signaling by membrane G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) is governed by a complex and diverse array of mechanisms. The dynamics of a GPCR interactome, as it evolves over time and space in response to an agonist, provide a unique perspective on pleiotropic signaling decoding and functional selectivity at the cellular level. In this study, we utilized proximity-based APEX2 proteomics to investigate the interaction network of the luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) on a minute-to-minute timescale. We developed an analytical approach that integrates quantitative multiplexed proteomics with temporal reference profiles, creating a platform to identify the proteomic environment of APEX2-tagged LHR at the nanometer scale. LHR activity is finely regulated spatially, leading to the identification of putative interactors, including the Ras-related GTPase RAP2B, which modulate both receptor signaling and post-endocytic trafficking. This work provides a valuable resource for spatiotemporal nanodomain mapping of LHR interactors across subcellular compartments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":265,"journal":{"name":"Cell Chemical Biology","volume":"32 5","pages":"Pages 722-735.e7"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143948966","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xing Zhang , Kyong Tkhe Fam , Tingting Dai , Howard C. Hang
{"title":"Microbiota mechanisms in cancer progression and therapy","authors":"Xing Zhang , Kyong Tkhe Fam , Tingting Dai , Howard C. Hang","doi":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2025.04.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2025.04.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The composition of the microbiota in patients has been shown to correlate with cancer progression and response to therapy, highlighting unique opportunities to improve patient outcomes. In this review, we discuss the challenges and advancements in understanding the chemical mechanisms of specific microbiota species, pathways, and molecules involved in cancer progression and treatment. We also describe the modulation of cancer and immunotherapy by the microbiota, along with approaches for investigating microbiota enzymes and metabolites. Elucidating these specific microbiota mechanisms and molecules should offer new opportunities for developing enhanced diagnostics and therapeutics to improve outcomes for cancer patients. Nonetheless, many microbiota mechanisms remain to be determined and require innovative chemical genetic approaches.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":265,"journal":{"name":"Cell Chemical Biology","volume":"32 5","pages":"Pages 653-677"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143910714","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Meet the Cell Chemical Biology author and newest advisory board member: Marcus Conrad","authors":"Marcus Conrad","doi":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2025.04.011","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2025.04.011","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In an interview with Dr. Mishtu Dey, the editor-in-chief of <em>Cell Chemical Biology</em>, Prof. Marcus Conrad, a new advisory board member and lead author of the paper entitled “<span><span>N-acetyl-L-cysteine averts ferroptosis by fostering glutathione peroxidase 4</span><svg><path></path></svg></span>,” shares his perspective on his research area, opportunities in the chemical biology field, and his plans to meaningfully contribute in this new position.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":265,"journal":{"name":"Cell Chemical Biology","volume":"32 5","pages":"Pages 643-645"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143948959","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Meet the authors: Xing Zhang, Kyong Fam, Tingting Dai, and Howard Hang","authors":"Xing Zhang, Kyong Fam, Tingting Dai, Howard Hang","doi":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2025.04.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2025.04.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In an interview with Dr. Mishtu Dey, the editor-in-chief of <em>Cell Chemical Biology</em>, the authors of the Review article entitled “<span><span>Microbiota mechanisms in cancer progression and therapy</span><svg><path></path></svg></span>” share their perspectives on their field and lives as scientists.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":265,"journal":{"name":"Cell Chemical Biology","volume":"32 5","pages":"Pages 646-648"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143948960","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anna Shemorry , Willem den Besten , Melinda M. Mulvihill , Curt J. Essenburg , Nicole Blaquiere , Tracy Kleinheinz , Elisia Villemure , Frank Peale , Gauri Deshmukh , Danilo Maddalo , Elizabeth Levy , Kebing Yu , Matthew R. Steensma , Elizabeth A. Tovar , Emily Wolfrum , Karthik Nagapudi , Robert A. Blake , William F. Forrest , Steven T. Staben , Carrie R. Graveel , Ingrid E. Wertz
{"title":"Engineering ERα degraders with pleiotropic ubiquitin ligase ligands maximizes therapeutic efficacy by co-opting distinct effector ligases","authors":"Anna Shemorry , Willem den Besten , Melinda M. Mulvihill , Curt J. Essenburg , Nicole Blaquiere , Tracy Kleinheinz , Elisia Villemure , Frank Peale , Gauri Deshmukh , Danilo Maddalo , Elizabeth Levy , Kebing Yu , Matthew R. Steensma , Elizabeth A. Tovar , Emily Wolfrum , Karthik Nagapudi , Robert A. Blake , William F. Forrest , Steven T. Staben , Carrie R. Graveel , Ingrid E. Wertz","doi":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2025.04.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2025.04.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Proximity-inducing compounds that modulate target protein homeostasis represent an emerging therapeutic strategy. While the inherent complexity of these bifunctional compounds presents certain challenges, their unique composition offers opportunities to co-opt specific cellular effectors to enhance therapeutic impact. In this study, we systematically evaluate a series of bifunctional degrader compounds engineered with the estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα) inhibitor endoxifen linked to various bioactive ubiquitin ligase ligands. Notably, ERα degraders containing pan-IAP antagonist ligands significantly reduced the proliferation of ERα-dependent cells compared to clinical-stage ERα degraders. These pan-IAP antagonist-based ERα degraders leverage distinct effector ligases to achieve dual therapeutic effects: They utilize XIAP within tumor cells to promote ERα degradation and activate cIAP1/2 in both tumor and immune cells to induce TNFα, which drives tumor cell death. Our findings illustrate a broader concept that co-opting the discrete functions of selected cellular effectors, while simultaneously modulating therapeutic target protein homeostasis, are dual strategies that can significantly enhance the efficacy of induced proximity therapeutics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":265,"journal":{"name":"Cell Chemical Biology","volume":"32 5","pages":"Pages 694-709.e35"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143948964","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jiashuo Zheng (郑嘉烁) , Weijia Zhang (张唯佳) , Junya Ito , Bernhard Henkelmann , Chenxi Xu (徐晨曦) , Eikan Mishima , Marcus Conrad
{"title":"N-acetyl-l-cysteine averts ferroptosis by fostering glutathione peroxidase 4","authors":"Jiashuo Zheng (郑嘉烁) , Weijia Zhang (张唯佳) , Junya Ito , Bernhard Henkelmann , Chenxi Xu (徐晨曦) , Eikan Mishima , Marcus Conrad","doi":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2025.04.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2025.04.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>N</em>-acetyl-<span>l</span>-cysteine (NAC) is a medication and a widely used antioxidant in cell death research. Despite its somewhat obscure mechanism of action, its role in inhibiting ferroptosis is gaining increasing recognition. In this study, we demonstrate that NAC treatment rapidly replenishes the intracellular cysteine pool, reinforcing its function as a prodrug for cysteine. Interestingly, its enantiomer, <em>N</em>-acetyl-<span>d</span>-cysteine (<span>d</span>-NAC), which cannot be converted into cysteine, also exhibits a strong anti-ferroptotic effect. We further clarify that NAC, <span>d</span>-NAC, and cysteine all act as direct reducing substrates for GPX4, counteracting lipid peroxidation. Consequently, only GPX4—rather than system x<sub>c</sub><sup>−</sup>, glutathione biosynthesis, or ferroptosis suppressor protein 1—is necessary for NAC and <span>d</span>-NAC to prevent ferroptosis. Additionally, we identify a broad range of reducing substrates for GPX4 <em>in vitro</em>, including β-mercaptoethanol. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying the protective effects of NAC and other potential GPX4-reducing substrates against ferroptosis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":265,"journal":{"name":"Cell Chemical Biology","volume":"32 5","pages":"Pages 767-775.e5"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143889940","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Decoding the minute-by-minute GPCR interactome unveils hormone signaling gatekeepers","authors":"Wenqing Shui","doi":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2025.04.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2025.04.012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this issue of <em>Cell Chemical Biology</em>, Shchepinova et al.<span><span><sup>1</sup></span></span> map the luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) interactome with sub-minute precision. They identify novel regulators, such as RAP2B, which influences cAMP signaling and endosomal trafficking, enhancing our understanding of GPCR-mediated intracellular signaling and interactome dynamics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":265,"journal":{"name":"Cell Chemical Biology","volume":"32 5","pages":"Pages 651-652"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143950541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Emma Guilbaud , Flavie Naulin , Lydia Meziani , Eric Deutsch , Lorenzo Galluzzi
{"title":"Impact of radiation therapy on the immunological tumor microenvironment","authors":"Emma Guilbaud , Flavie Naulin , Lydia Meziani , Eric Deutsch , Lorenzo Galluzzi","doi":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2025.04.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2025.04.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>External beam radiation therapy (RT) is a cornerstone of modern cancer management, being utilized in both curative and palliative settings due to its safety, efficacy, and widespread availability. A primary biological effect of RT is DNA damage, which leads to significant cytostatic and cytotoxic effects. Importantly, malignant cells possess a limited capacity for DNA repair compared to normal cells, and when combined with irradiation techniques that minimize damage to healthy tissues, this creates an advantageous therapeutic window. However, the clinical effectiveness of RT also appears to involve both direct and indirect interactions between RT and non-transformed components of the tumoral ecosystem, particularly immune cells. In this review, we describe the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which irradiated cancer cells modify the immunological tumor microenvironment and how such changes ultimately impact tumor growth.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":265,"journal":{"name":"Cell Chemical Biology","volume":"32 5","pages":"Pages 678-693"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143867082","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Meet the authors: Mitchel L. Tepe and Huiqing Zhou","authors":"Mitchel L. Tepe, Huiqing Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2025.04.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2025.04.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In an interview with Dr. Samantha Nelson, a scientific editor of <em>Cell Chemical Biology</em>, the authors of the Resource article entitled “<span><span>MapID-based quantitative mapping of chemical modifications and expression of human transfer RNA</span><svg><path></path></svg></span>” share their perspectives on their field and life as scientists.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":265,"journal":{"name":"Cell Chemical Biology","volume":"32 5","pages":"Pages 649-650"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143948961","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}