Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Rosalie C Sears

Publications and source records attributed to Rosalie C Sears.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

OmicsTweezer: A distribution-independent cell deconvolution model for multi-omics Data.

Cell deconvolution estimates cell type proportions from bulk omics data, enabling insights into tissue microenvironments and disease. However, practical applications are often hindered by batch effects between bulk data and referenced single-cell data, a challenge that is frequently overlooked. To address this discrepancy, we developed OmicsTweezer, a distribution-independent cell deconvolution model. By integrating optimal transport with deep learning, OmicsTweezer aligns simulated and real data in a shared latent space, effectively mitigating data shifts and inter-omics distribution differences. OmicsTweezer is versatile, capable of deconvolving bulk RNA-seq, bulk proteomics, and spatial transcriptomics. Extensive evaluations on simulated and real-world datasets demonstrate its robustness and accuracy. Furthermore, applications in prostate and colon cancer showcase OmicsTweezer's ability to identify biologically meaningful cell types. As a unified deconvolution framework for multi-omics data, OmicsTweezer offers an efficient and powerful tool for studying disease microenvironments.

Humans↗

A conserved pathway that controls c-Myc protein stability through opposing phosphorylation events occurs in yeast.

The c-Myc transcription factor is a key regulator of cell proliferation and cell fate decisions. c-Myc overexpression is observed in a variety of human tumors, revealing the importance of maintaining normal levels of c-Myc protein. c-Myc protein stability in mammalian cells is controlled by interdependent and sequential phosphorylation and dephosphorylation events on two highly conserved residues, serine 62 and threonine 58. Here we show that these sequential phosphorylation and dephosphorylation events and their effect on c-Myc stability also occurs in the model system Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These results suggest the presence of a conserved pathway in yeast that controls protein turnover in response to a specific phospho-degron sequence. These findings have implications regarding conserved pathways for regulated protein degradation, and they validate the use of genetically tractable yeast for the study of the turnover of proteins such as c-Myc that contain this motif.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

Protein phosphatase 2A regulatory subunit B56alpha associates with c-myc and negatively regulates c-myc accumulation.

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) plays a prominent role in controlling accumulation of the proto-oncoprotein c-Myc. PP2A mediates its effects on c-Myc by dephosphorylating a conserved residue that normally stabilizes c-Myc, and in this way, PP2A enhances c-Myc ubiquitin-mediated degradation. Stringent regulation of c-Myc levels is essential for normal cell function, as c-Myc overexpression can lead to cell transformation. Conversely, PP2A has tumor suppressor activity. Uncovering relevant PP2A holoenzymes for a particular target has been limited by the fact that cellular PP2A represents a large heterogeneous population of trimeric holoenzymes, composed of a conserved catalytic subunit and a structural subunit along with a variable regulatory subunit which directs the holoenzyme to a specific target. We now report the identification of a specific PP2A regulatory subunit, B56alpha, that selectively associates with the N terminus of c-Myc. B56alpha directs intact PP2A holoenzymes to c-Myc, resulting in a dramatic reduction in c-Myc levels. Inhibition of PP2A-B56alpha holoenzymes, using small hairpin RNA to knock down B56alpha, results in c-Myc overexpression, elevated levels of c-Myc serine 62 phosphorylation, and increased c-Myc function. These results uncover a new protein involved in regulating c-Myc expression and reveal a critical interconnection between a potent oncoprotein, c-Myc, and a well-documented tumor suppressor, PP2A.

Catalytic Domain↗

The life cycle of C-myc: from synthesis to degradation.

The c-Myc transcription factor is a potent regulator of cellular proliferation and cell fate decision. Precise regulation of c-Myc protein levels is essential to maintain normal cell function. In order to maintain proper levels of c-Myc, its protein stability is tightly controlled. c-Myc is degraded through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. This perspective discusses a sophisticated and complex signaling pathway that controls the life cycle of c-Myc from protein synthesis to ubiquitin-mediated degradation. The pathway involves Ras-activated kinases, the Pin1 prolyl isomerase, the PP2A phosphatase and a series of c-Myc phosphorylation and dephosphorylation events that control its stability.

Animals↗