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Excitability in the p53 network mediates robust signaling with tunable activation thresholds in single cells

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Item Type:Article
Title:Excitability in the p53 network mediates robust signaling with tunable activation thresholds in single cells
Creators Name:Mönke, G., Cristiano, E., Finzel, A., Friedrich, D., Herzel, H., Falcke, M. and Loewer, A.
Abstract:Cellular signaling systems precisely transmit information in the presence of molecular noise while retaining flexibility to accommodate the needs of individual cells. To understand design principles underlying such versatile signaling, we analyzed the response of the tumor suppressor p53 to varying levels of DNA damage in hundreds of individual cells and observed a switch between distinct signaling modes characterized by isolated pulses and sustained oscillations of p53 accumulation. Guided by dynamic systems theory we show that this requires an excitable network structure comprising positive feedback and provide experimental evidence for its molecular identity. The resulting data-driven model reproduced all features of measured signaling responses and is sufficient to explain their heterogeneity in individual cells. We present evidence that heterogeneity in the levels of the feedback regulator Wip1 sets cell-specific thresholds for p53 activation, providing means to modulate its response through interacting signaling pathways. Our results demonstrate how excitable signaling networks can provide high specificity, sensitivity and robustness while retaining unique possibilities to adjust their function to the physiology of individual cells.
Keywords:A549 Cells, Biological Models, DNA Damage, MCF-7 Cells, Protein Phosphatase 2C, Signal Transduction, Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
Source:Scientific Reports
ISSN:2045-2322
Publisher:Nature Publishing Group
Volume:7
Page Range:46571
Date:18 April 2017
Official Publication:https://doi.org/10.1038/srep46571
PubMed:View item in PubMed

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