CCeMMP Seminar Series – Dr. Raphael Trenker May 2022
By jordan-hyndman
Past SeminarsMay 10, 2022
Structures of the HER2-HER3-NRG1b receptor complex reveal a dynamic dimer interface induced
The Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 3 (HER3) and its close homolog, the orphan receptor HER2, are single pass transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinases that form a pro-oncogenic signaling complex upon binding to the HER3 ligand neuregulin-1b (NRG1b). Until recently, there were no structural insights into the HER2/HER3 heterodimer owing to the difficulties in its reconstitution in vitro. We isolated near full-length HER2/HER3/NRG1b heterocomplex and obtained a 2.9 Å cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) reconstruction of the extracellular domain module, which revealed a surprisingly dynamic dimerization interface. Based on additional structures of this heterocomplex in which HER2 harbors its most frequently observed oncogenic mutation, S310F, and of this complex bound to the therapeutic antibody trastuzumab, it will be discussed how oncogenic mutations and therapeutics appear to exploit the intrinsic dynamics of the HER2/HER3 heterodimer.
