Revealing functional insights into ER proteostasis through proteomics and interactomics

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER), responsible for processing approximately one-third of the human proteome including most secreted and membrane proteins, plays a pivotal role in protein homeostasis (proteostasis). Dysregulation of ER proteostasis has been implicated in a number of disease states. As such, continued efforts are directed at elucidating mechanisms of ER protein quality control which are mediated by transient and dynamic protein-protein interactions with molecular chaperones, co-chaperones, protein folding and trafficking factors that take place in and around the ER. Technological advances in mass spectrometry have played a pivotal role in characterizing and understanding these protein-protein interactions that dictate protein quality control mechanisms. Here, we highlight the recent progress from mass spectrometry-based investigation of ER protein quality control in revealing the topological arrangement of the proteostasis network, stress response mechanisms that adjust the ER proteostasis capacity, and disease specific changes in proteostasis network engagement. We close by providing a brief outlook on underexplored areas of ER proteostasis where mass spectrometry is a tool uniquely primed to further expand our understanding of the regulation and coordination of protein quality control processes in diverse diseases.