Exploring the interactome of PML nuclear subdomains during fatty acid stress using APEX2-mediated proximity labeling

When exposed to excess fatty acids, specific cell types produce nuclear lipid droplets (nLDs) that associate with promyelocytic leukemia (PML) protein to form Lipid Associated PML Structures (LAPS) that are enriched in lipid biosynthetic enzymes but deficient in canonical proteins associated with PML nuclear bodies (PML NBs). To identify the PML interactome during lipid stress, we employed proximity-dependent biotin identification (BioID) in U2OS cells expressing PMLI and PMLII fused to the ascorbate peroxidase APEX2 and cultured in the absence or presence of oleate to enhance lipid droplet formation. The resulting interactome included proteins enriched under oleate-treated conditions, such mitogen activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase 2 (MK2), ESCRT proteins and the COPII vesicle transport proteins Sec23B, Sec24A and USO1. COPII proteins co-localized with both PML-NBs and LAPS but were selectively enriched in PML-NBs following oleate treatment. The nuclear localization of USO1 was uniquely dependent on PML expression. Thus, the APEX2-PML proximity interactome implicates PML domains in the nuclear function of a non-canonical network of COPII vesicle trafficking proteins. SUMMARY STATEMENTThis is the first study to utilize APEX2 proximity labelling to identify the protein interactome of PML nuclear substructures and how interactions are modified under conditions of fatty acid-induced stress.