RAS-independent ERK activation by constitutively active KSR3 in non-chordate metazoa

Aline Chessel, Noémie Crozé, Maria Dolores Molina, Laura Taberner, Philippe Dru, Luc Martin and Thierry Lepage ()
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Aline Chessel: Université Côte d’Azur
Noémie Crozé: Université Côte d’Azur
Maria Dolores Molina: University of Barcelona
Laura Taberner: Université Côte d’Azur
Philippe Dru: Institut de la Mer de Villefranche
Luc Martin: Université Côte d’Azur
Thierry Lepage: Université Côte d’Azur

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-26

Abstract: Abstract During early development of the sea urchin embryo, activation of ERK signalling in mesodermal precursors is not triggered by extracellular RTK ligands but by a cell-autonomous, RAS-independent mechanism that was not understood. We discovered that in these cells, ERK signalling is activated through the transcriptional activation of a gene encoding a protein related to Kinase Suppressor of Ras, that we named KSR3. KSR3 belongs to a family of catalytically inactive allosteric activators of RAF. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that genes encoding kinase defective KSR3 proteins are present in most non-chordate metazoa but have been lost in flies and nematodes. We show that the structure of KSR3 factors resembles that of several oncogenic human RAF mutants and that KSR3 from echinoderms, cnidarians and hemichordates activate ERK signalling independently of RAS when overexpressed in cultured cells. Finally, we used the sequence of KSR3 factors to identify activating mutations of human B-RAF. These findings reveal key functions for this family of factors as activators of RAF in RAS-independent ERK signalling in invertebrates. They have implications on the evolution of the ERK signalling pathway and suggest a mechanism for its co-option in the course of evolution.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39606-y

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