IBS seminar: Versatility of Melanoma antigens in regulating human ubiquitin signalling

By Dr Sagar Bhogaraju, EMBL Grenoble

Humans carry around 40 different genes coding for melanoma antigen (MAGE) proteins. Most MAGE proteins are selectively expressed in the testis and cancer, categorizing them as cancer-testis antigens (CTAs). These CTA MAGEs are potently oncogenic and known to be poor prognostic markers. Additionally, around 11 MAGE proteins are expressed in various tissues, with a particular enrichment in the brain. MAGEs interact with multiple ubiquitin ligases to influence their activity or redirect them to specific substrates in a context-dependent manner. We use integrative structural biology techniques combined with proteomics and light microscopy to answer fundamental questions in MAGE biology. In this talk, I will present two examples of MAGE-driven signaling—one involving an oncogenic MAGE and another involving a neuronal-specific MAGE protein. I will also present our efforts to develop novel, proteomics-based methods to study ubiquitin signaling at scale.

Hosted by Dr Yvain Nicolet (IBS/Groupe Métalloprotéines)