The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase forms two multi-protein signaling complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2, which are master regulators of cell growth, metabolism, survival and autophagy. Two of the subunits of these complexes are mLST8 and Raptor, β-propeller proteins that stabilize the mTOR kinase and recruit substrates, respectively. Here we report that the eukaryotic chaperonin CCT plays a key role in mTORC assembly and signaling by folding both mLST8 and Raptor. A high resolution (4.0 Å) cryo-EM structure of the human mLST8-CCT intermediate isolated directly from cells shows mLST8 in a near-native state bound to CCT deep within the folding chamber between the two CCT rings, and interacting mainly with the disordered N- and C-termini of specific CCT subunits of both rings. These findings describe a unique function of CCT in mTORC assembly and a distinct binding site in CCT for mLST8, far from those found for similar β-propeller proteins.

Edited by Ursula JakobBardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is a genetic disorder characterized by malfunctions in primary cilia resulting from mutations that disrupt the function of the BBSome, an 8-subunit complex that plays an important role in protein transport in primary cilia. To better understand the molecular basis of BBS, here we used an integrative structural modeling approach consisting of EM and chemical cross-linking coupled with MS analyses, to analyze the structure of a BBSome 2-7-9 subcomplex consisting of three homologous BBS proteins, BBS2, BBS7, and BBS9. The resulting molecular model revealed an overall structure that resembles a flattened triangle. We found that within this structure, BBS2 and BBS7 form a tight dimer through a coiled-coil interaction and that BBS9 associates with the dimer via an interaction with the ␣-helical domain of BBS2. Interestingly, a BBSassociated mutation of BBS2 (R632P) is located in its ␣-helical domain at the interface between BBS2 and BBS9, and binding experiments indicated that this mutation disrupts the BBS2-BBS9 interaction. This finding suggests that BBSome assembly is disrupted by the R632P substitution, providing molecular insights that may explain the etiology of BBS in individuals harboring this mutation.

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Abbreviations: BBS, Bardet-Biedl Syndrome; BBSome, BBS protein ciliary transport complex; BBS2-7-9, BBSome subcomplex containing BBS2, 7 and 9 proteins; IFT, intraflagellar transport; ARL6, ADP-ribosylation factor-like protein 6; LZTFL1, Leucine zipper transcription factor-like protein 1; CCT, cytosolic chaperonin containing tailless polypeptide 1; EM, electron microscopy; XL-MS, chemical crosslinking coupled with mass spectrometry; HEK-293T, human embryonic kidney 293T cells; DMEM, Dulbecco modified eagle media; FBS, fetal bovine serum; HPC4, protein C peptide tag; PEI, polyethylenimine; LC, liquid chromatography; MS/MS, tandem mass spectrometry; DSS, disuccinimidyl suberate; DSG, disuccinimidyl glutarate; IMP, integrative modeling platform; GAE , γ adaptin ear domain; RMSD, root mean square deviation. SummaryBardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is a genetic disease caused by mutations that disrupt the function of the BBSome, an eight-subunit complex that plays an important role in transport of proteins in primary cilia. To better understand the molecular basis of the disease, we analyzed the structure of a BBSome subcomplex consisting of three homologous BBS proteins (BBS2, BBS7, and BBS9) by an integrative structural modeling approach using electron microscopy and chemical crosslinking coupled with mass spectrometry. The resulting molecular model revealed an overall structure that resembles a flattened triangle.Within the structure, BBS2 and BBS7 form a tight dimer based on a coiled-coil interaction, and BBS9 associates with the dimer via an interaction with the α-helical domain of BBS2.Interestingly, a BBS-linked mutation of BBS2 (R632P) is located in the α-helical domain at the interface between BBS2 and BBS9, and binding experiments showed that this mutation disrupted the interaction of BBS2 with BBS9. This finding suggests that BBSome assembly is disrupted by the R632P substitution, providing a molecular explanation for BBS in patients harboring this mutation.

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