# Molecular determinants of Ras-mTORC2 signaling

## TL;DR

This study identifies key molecular features in the RasC protein that regulate its interaction with mTORC2 in Dictyostelium, shedding light on how Ras signaling is controlled.

## Contribution

The paper discovers specific residues in RasC that are critical for its activation of mTORC2 and chemotaxis in Dictyostelium.

## Key findings

- RasC SWI residue T36, along with E38 and allosteric domain residues, plays a crucial role in mTORC2 activation.
- Conserved basic residues and the prenylation site in the HVR are essential for RasC-mTORC2 pathway activation.
- RasC's membrane localization is necessary for both its cAMP-induced activation and subsequent mTORC2 activation.

## Abstract

Recent research has identified the mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 2 (mTORC2) as a conserved direct effector of Ras proteins. While previous studies suggested the involvement of the Switch I (SWI) effector domain of Ras in binding mTORC2 components, the regulation of the Ras-mTORC2 pathway is not entirely understood. In Dictyostelium, mTORC2 is selectively activated by the Ras protein RasC, and the RasC-mTORC2 pathway then mediates chemotaxis to cAMP and cellular aggregation by regulating the actin cytoskeleton and promoting cAMP signal relay. Here, we investigated the role of specific residues in RasC's SWI, C-terminal allosteric domain, and hypervariable region (HVR) related to mTORC2 activation. Interestingly, our results suggest that RasC SWI residue A31, which was previously implicated in RasC-mediated aggregation, regulates RasC’s specific activation by the Aimless RasGEF. On the other hand, our investigation identified a crucial role for RasC SWI residue T36, with secondary contributions from E38 and allosteric domain residues. Finally, we found that conserved basic residues and the adjacent prenylation site in the HVR, which are crucial for RasC’s membrane localization, are essential for RasC-mTORC2 pathway activation by allowing for both RasC’s own cAMP-induced activation and its subsequent activation of mTORC2. Therefore, our findings revealed new determinants of RasC-mTORC2 pathway specificity in Dictyostelium, contributing to a deeper understanding of Ras signaling regulation in eukaryotic cells.