51
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Kuznetsov VA, Bondarenko V, Wongsurawat T, Yenamandra SP, Jenjaroenpun P. Toward predictive R-loop computational biology: genome-scale prediction of R-loops reveals their association with complex promoter structures, G-quadruplexes and transcriptionally active enhancers. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 46:7566-7585. [PMID: 29945198 PMCID: PMC6125637 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
R-loops are three-stranded RNA:DNA hybrid structures essential for many normal and pathobiological processes. Previously, we generated a quantitative R-loop forming sequence (RLFS) model, quantitative model of R-loop-forming sequences (QmRLFS) and predicted ∼660 000 RLFSs; most of them located in genes and gene-flanking regions, G-rich regions and disease-associated genomic loci in the human genome. Here, we conducted a comprehensive comparative analysis of these RLFSs using experimental data and demonstrated the high performance of QmRLFS predictions on the nucleotide and genome scales. The preferential co-localization of RLFS with promoters, U1 splice sites, gene ends, enhancers and non-B DNA structures, such as G-quadruplexes, provides evidence for the mechanical linkage between DNA tertiary structures, transcription initiation and R-loops in critical regulatory genome regions. We introduced and characterized an abundant class of reverse-forward RLFS clusters highly enriched in non-B DNA structures, which localized to promoters, gene ends and enhancers. The RLFS co-localization with promoters and transcriptionally active enhancers suggested new models for in cis and in trans regulation by RNA:DNA hybrids of transcription initiation and formation of 3D-chromatin loops. Overall, this study provides a rationale for the discovery and characterization of the non-B DNA regulatory structures involved in the formation of the RNA:DNA interactome as the basis for an emerging quantitative R-loop biology and pathobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir A Kuznetsov
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138671, Singapore.,Department of Urology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Vladyslav Bondarenko
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138671, Singapore
| | - Thidathip Wongsurawat
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138671, Singapore.,Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Surya P Yenamandra
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138671, Singapore
| | - Piroon Jenjaroenpun
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138671, Singapore.,Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
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52
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Dynamic regulation of chromatin topology and transcription by inverted repeat-derived small RNAs in sunflower. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:17578-17583. [PMID: 31409706 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1903131116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are extremely abundant in complex plant genomes. siRNAs of 24 nucleotides in length control transposon activity in a process that involves de novo methylation of targeted loci. Usually, these epigenetic modifications trigger nucleosome condensation and a permanent silencing of the affected loci. Here, we show that a TE-derived inverted repeat (IR) element, inserted near the sunflower HaWRKY6 locus, dynamically regulates the expression of the gene by altering chromatin topology. The transcripts of this IR element are processed into 24-nt siRNAs, triggering DNA methylation on its locus. These epigenetic marks stabilize the formation of tissue-specific loops in the chromatin. In leaves, an intragenic loop is formed, blocking HaWRKY6 transcription. While in cotyledons (Cots), formation of an alternative loop, encompassing the whole HaWRKY6 gene, enhances transcription of the gene. The formation of this loop changes the promoter directionality, reducing IR transcription, and ultimately releasing the loop. Our results provide evidence that TEs can act as active and dynamic regulatory elements within coding loci in a mechanism that combines RNA silencing, epigenetic modification, and chromatin remodeling machineries.
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53
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Suzuki IK. Molecular drivers of human cerebral cortical evolution. Neurosci Res 2019; 151:1-14. [PMID: 31175883 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2019.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
One of the most important questions in human evolutionary biology is how our ancestor has acquired an expanded volume of the cerebral cortex, which may have significantly impacted on improving our cognitive abilities. Recent comparative approaches have identified developmental features unique to the human or hominid cerebral cortex, not shared with other animals including conventional experimental models. In addition, genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic signatures associated with human- or hominid-specific processes of the cortical development are becoming identified by virtue of technical progress in the deep nucleotide sequencing. This review discusses ontogenic and phylogenetic processes of the human cerebral cortex, followed by the introduction of recent comprehensive approaches identifying molecular mechanisms potentially driving the evolutionary changes in the cortical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ikuo K Suzuki
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 Japan; VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, KULeuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Université Libre de Bruxelles (U.L.B.), Institut de Recherches en Biologie Humaine et Moléculaire (IRIBHM), ULB Neuroscience Institute (UNI), 1070 Brussels, Belgium.
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54
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Wu AC, Van Werven FJ. Transcribe this way: Rap1 confers promoter directionality by repressing divergent transcription. Transcription 2019; 10:164-170. [PMID: 31057041 PMCID: PMC6602560 DOI: 10.1080/21541264.2019.1608716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In eukaryotes, divergent transcription is a major source of noncoding RNAs. Recent studies have uncovered that in yeast, the transcription factor Rap1 restricts transcription in the divergent direction and thereby controls promoter directionality. Here, we summarize these findings, propose regulatory principles, and discuss the implications for eukaryotic gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C.K. Wu
- Cell Fate and Gene Regulation Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
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55
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Bunch H, Choe H, Kim J, Jo DS, Jeon S, Lee S, Cho DH, Kang K. P-TEFb Regulates Transcriptional Activation in Non-coding RNA Genes. Front Genet 2019; 10:342. [PMID: 31068966 PMCID: PMC6491683 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Many non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) serve as regulatory molecules in various physiological pathways, including gene expression in mammalian cells. Distinct from protein-coding RNA expression, ncRNA expression is regulated solely by transcription and RNA processing/stability. It is thus important to understand transcriptional regulation in ncRNA genes but is yet to be known completely. Previously, we identified that a subset of mammalian ncRNA genes is transcriptionally regulated by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) promoter-proximal pausing and in a tissue-specific manner. In this study, human ncRNA genes that are expressed in the early G1 phase, termed immediate early ncRNA genes, were monitored to assess the function of positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb), a master Pol II pausing regulator for protein-coding genes, in ncRNA transcription. Our findings indicate that the expression of many ncRNA genes is induced in the G0–G1 transition and regulated by P-TEFb. Interestingly, a biphasic characteristic of P-TEFb-dependent transcription of serum responsive ncRNA genes was observed: Pol II carboxyl-terminal domain phosphorylated at serine 2 (S2) was largely increased in the transcription start site (TSS, -300 to +300) whereas overall, it was decreased in the gene body (GB, > +350) upon chemical inhibition of P-TEFb. In addition, the three representative, immediate early ncRNAs, whose expression is dependent on P-TEFb, metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1), nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1), and X-inactive specific transcript (XIST), were further analyzed for determining P-TEFb association. Taken together, our data suggest that transcriptional activation of many human ncRNAs utilizes the pausing and releasing of Pol II, and that the regulatory mechanism of transcriptional elongation in these genes requires the function of P-TEFb. Furthermore, we propose that ncRNA and mRNA transcription are regulated by similar mechanisms while P-TEFb inhibition unexpectedly increases S2 Pol II phosphorylation in the TSSs in many ncRNA genes. One Sentence Summary: P-TEFb regulates Pol II phosphorylation for transcriptional activation in many stimulus-inducible ncRNA genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heeyoun Bunch
- Department of Applied Biosciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Hyeseung Choe
- Department of Applied Biosciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Jongbum Kim
- Department of Transcriptome & Epigenome, Macrogen Incorporated, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Doo Sin Jo
- Institute of Life Science and Biotechnology, College of Natural Science, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Soyeon Jeon
- Department of Applied Biosciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Sanghwa Lee
- Department of Applied Biosciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Dong-Hyung Cho
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Science, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Keunsoo Kang
- Department of Microbiology, College of Natural Sciences, Dankook University, Cheonan, South Korea
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56
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Ho EYK, Cao Q, Gu M, Chan RWL, Wu Q, Gerstein M, Yip KY. Shaping the nebulous enhancer in the era of high-throughput assays and genome editing. Brief Bioinform 2019; 21:836-850. [PMID: 30895290 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbz030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the 1st discovery of transcriptional enhancers in 1981, their textbook definition has remained largely unchanged in the past 37 years. With the emergence of high-throughput assays and genome editing, which are switching the paradigm from bottom-up discovery and testing of individual enhancers to top-down profiling of enhancer activities genome-wide, it has become increasingly evidenced that this classical definition has left substantial gray areas in different aspects. Here we survey a representative set of recent research articles and report the definitions of enhancers they have adopted. The results reveal that a wide spectrum of definitions is used usually without the definition stated explicitly, which could lead to difficulties in data interpretation and downstream analyses. Based on these findings, we discuss the practical implications and suggestions for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Qin Cao
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Mengting Gu
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Ricky Wai-Lun Chan
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Qiong Wu
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Mark Gerstein
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics.,Department of Computer Science, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Kevin Y Yip
- Department of Biomedical Engineering.,Department of Computer Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Hong Kong Bioinformatics Centre.,CUHK-BGI Innovation Institute of Trans-omics.,Hong Kong Institute of Diabetes and Obesity, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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57
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Wang R, Zheng D, Wei L, Ding Q, Tian B. Regulation of Intronic Polyadenylation by PCF11 Impacts mRNA Expression of Long Genes. Cell Rep 2019; 26:2766-2778.e6. [PMID: 30840896 PMCID: PMC6428223 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.02.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Revised: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulation of cleavage and polyadenylation (CPA) affects gene expression and polyadenylation site (PAS) choice. Here, we report that the CPA and termination factor PCF11 modulates gene expression on the basis of gene size. Although downregulation of PCF11 leads to inhibition of short gene expression, long genes are upregulated because of suppressed intronic polyadenylation (IPA) enriched in large introns. We show that this regulatory scheme, named PCF11-mediated expression regulation through IPA (PEIPA), takes place in cell differentiation, during which downregulation of PCF11 is coupled with upregulation of long genes with functions in cell morphology, adhesion, and migration. PEIPA targets distinct gene sets in different cell contexts with similar rules. Furthermore, PCF11 is autoregulated through a conserved IPA site, the removal of which leads to global activation of PASs close to gene promotors. Therefore, PCF11 uses distinct mechanisms to regulate genes of different sizes, and its autoregulation maintains homeostasis of PAS usage in the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruijia Wang
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Dinghai Zheng
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Lu Wei
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Qingbao Ding
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Bin Tian
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.
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58
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Vakirlis N, Hebert AS, Opulente DA, Achaz G, Hittinger CT, Fischer G, Coon JJ, Lafontaine I. A Molecular Portrait of De Novo Genes in Yeasts. Mol Biol Evol 2019; 35:631-645. [PMID: 29220506 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msx315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
New genes, with novel protein functions, can evolve "from scratch" out of intergenic sequences. These de novo genes can integrate the cell's genetic network and drive important phenotypic innovations. Therefore, identifying de novo genes and understanding how the transition from noncoding to coding occurs are key problems in evolutionary biology. However, identifying de novo genes is a difficult task, hampered by the presence of remote homologs, fast evolving sequences and erroneously annotated protein coding genes. To overcome these limitations, we developed a procedure that handles the usual pitfalls in de novo gene identification and predicted the emergence of 703 de novo gene candidates in 15 yeast species from 2 genera whose phylogeny spans at least 100 million years of evolution. We validated 85 candidates by proteomic data, providing new translation evidence for 25 of them through mass spectrometry experiments. We also unambiguously identified the mutations that enabled the transition from noncoding to coding for 30 Saccharomyces de novo genes. We established that de novo gene origination is a widespread phenomenon in yeasts, only a few being ultimately maintained by selection. We also found that de novo genes preferentially emerge next to divergent promoters in GC-rich intergenic regions where the probability of finding a fortuitous and transcribed ORF is the highest. Finally, we found a more than 3-fold enrichment of de novo genes at recombination hot spots, which are GC-rich and nucleosome-free regions, suggesting that meiotic recombination contributes to de novo gene emergence in yeasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Vakirlis
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Biologie Computationnelle et Quantitative UMR7238, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Alex S Hebert
- Genome Center of Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI.,DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Dana A Opulente
- Laboratory of Genetics, Genome Center of Wisconsin, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Guillaume Achaz
- Atelier de BioInformatique, ISyEB UMR7205 Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France.,SMILE Group, CIRB UMR7241, Collège de France, Paris, France
| | - Chris Todd Hittinger
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI.,Laboratory of Genetics, Genome Center of Wisconsin, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Gilles Fischer
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Biologie Computationnelle et Quantitative UMR7238, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Joshua J Coon
- Genome Center of Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI.,DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI.,Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI.,Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI.,Morgridge Institute for Research, Madison, WI
| | - Ingrid Lafontaine
- Atelier de BioInformatique, ISyEB UMR7205 Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Physiologie Membranaire et Moléculaire du Chloroplaste UMR7141, 75005 Paris, France
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59
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Yeap LS, Meng FL. Cis- and trans-factors affecting AID targeting and mutagenic outcomes in antibody diversification. Adv Immunol 2019; 141:51-103. [PMID: 30904133 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ai.2019.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Antigen receptor diversification is a hallmark of adaptive immunity which allows specificity of the receptor to particular antigen. B cell receptor (BCR) or its secreted form, antibody, is diversified through antigen-independent and antigen-dependent mechanisms. During B cell development in bone marrow, BCR is diversified via V(D)J recombination mediated by RAG endonuclease. Upon stimulation by antigen, B cell undergo somatic hypermutation (SHM) to allow affinity maturation and class switch recombination (CSR) to change the effector function of the antibody. Both SHM and CSR are initiated by activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID). Repair of AID-initiated lesions through different DNA repair pathways results in diverse mutagenic outcomes. Here, we focus on discussing cis- and trans-factors that target AID to its substrates and factors that affect different outcomes of AID-initiated lesions. The knowledge of mechanisms that govern AID targeting and outcomes could be harnessed to elicit rare functional antibodies and develop ex vivo antibody diversification approaches with diversifying base editors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leng-Siew Yeap
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Fei-Long Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
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60
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Matsumura K, Imai H, Go Y, Kusuhara M, Yamaguchi K, Shirai T, Ohshima K. Transcriptional activation of a chimeric retrogene PIPSL in a hominoid ancestor. Gene 2018; 678:318-323. [PMID: 30096459 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2018.08.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Revised: 08/05/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Retrogenes are a class of functional genes derived from the mRNA of various intron-containing genes. PIPSL was created through a unique mechanism, whereby distinct genes were assembled at the RNA level, and the resulting chimera was then reverse transcribed and integrated into the genome by the L1 retrotransposon. Expression of PIPSL RNA via its transcription start sites (TSSs) has been confirmed in the testes of humans and chimpanzee. Here, we demonstrated that PIPSL RNA is expressed in the testis of the white-handed gibbon. The 5'-end positions of gibbon RNAs were confined to a narrow range upstream of the PIPSL start codon and overlapped with those of orangutan and human, suggesting that PIPSL TSSs are similar among hominoid species. Reporter assays using a luciferase gene and the flanking sequences of human PIPSL showed that an upstream sequence exhibits weak promoter activity in human cells. Our findings suggest that PIPSL might have acquired a promoter at an early stage of hominoid evolution before the divergence of gibbons and ultimately retained similar TSSs in all of the lineages. Moreover, the upstream sequence derived from the phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate 5-kinase, type I, alpha 5' untranslated region and/or neighboring repetitive sequences in the genome possibly exhibits promoter activity. Furthermore, we observed that a TATA-box-like sequence has emerged by nucleotide substitution in a lineage leading to humans, with this possibly responsible for a broader distribution of the human PIPSL TSSs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenya Matsumura
- Graduate School of Bioscience, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology, Nagahama, Shiga, Japan; Shizuoka Cancer Center Research Institute, Sunto, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Hiroo Imai
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Go
- Cognitive Genomics Research Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan; Department of Physiological Sciences, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan; School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | | | - Ken Yamaguchi
- Shizuoka Cancer Center Research Institute, Sunto, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Shirai
- Graduate School of Bioscience, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology, Nagahama, Shiga, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Ohshima
- Graduate School of Bioscience, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology, Nagahama, Shiga, Japan.
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61
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Production of Spliced Long Noncoding RNAs Specifies Regions with Increased Enhancer Activity. Cell Syst 2018; 7:537-547.e3. [PMID: 30447999 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2018.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Revised: 09/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Active enhancers in mammals produce enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) that are bidirectionally transcribed, unspliced, and unstable. Enhancer regions are also enriched with long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) transcripts, which are typically spliced and substantially more stable. In order to explore the relationship between these two classes of RNAs, we analyzed DNase hypersensitive sites with evidence of bidirectional transcription, which we termed eRNA-producing centers (EPCs). EPCs found very close to transcription start sites of lncRNAs exhibit attributes of both enhancers and promoters, including distinctive DNA motifs and a characteristic chromatin landscape. These EPCs are associated with higher enhancer activity, driven at least in part by the presence of conserved, directional splicing signals that promote lncRNA production, pointing at a causal role of lncRNA processing in enhancer activity. Together, our results suggest that the conserved ability of some enhancers to produce lncRNAs augments their activity in a manner likely mediated through lncRNA maturation.
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62
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Gibbons HR, Shaginurova G, Kim LC, Chapman N, Spurlock CF, Aune TM. Divergent lncRNA GATA3-AS1 Regulates GATA3 Transcription in T-Helper 2 Cells. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2512. [PMID: 30420860 PMCID: PMC6215836 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) possess a diverse array of regulatory functions including activation and silencing of gene transcription, regulation of splicing, and coordinating epigenetic modifications. GATA3-AS1 is a divergent lncRNA gene neighboring GATA3. GATA3 is considered the master regulator of TH2 lineage commitment enabling TH2 effector cells to efficiently transcribe genes encoding cytokines IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13. Here, we show that the GATA3-AS1 lncRNA is selectively expressed under TH2 polarizing conditions and is necessary for efficient transcription of GATA3, IL5, and IL13 genes, while being sufficient for GATA3 transcription. GATA3-AS1 is required for formation of permissive chromatin marks, H3K27 acetylation and H3K4 di/tri-methylation, at the GATA3-AS1-GATA3 locus. Further, GATA3-AS1 binds components of the MLL methyltransferase and forms a DNA-RNA hybrid (R-loop) thus tethering the MLL methyltransferase to the gene locus. Our results indicate a novel regulatory function for a divergent lncRNA and provide new insight into the function of lncRNAs in T helper cell differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hunter R. Gibbons
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Guzel Shaginurova
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Laura C. Kim
- Program in Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Nathaniel Chapman
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Charles F. Spurlock
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Thomas M. Aune
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
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63
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Carelli FN, Liechti A, Halbert J, Warnefors M, Kaessmann H. Repurposing of promoters and enhancers during mammalian evolution. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4066. [PMID: 30287902 PMCID: PMC6172195 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06544-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Promoters and enhancers-key controllers of gene expression-have long been distinguished from each other based on their function. However, recent work suggested that common architectural and functional features might have facilitated the conversion of one type of element into the other during evolution. Here, based on cross-mammalian analyses of epigenome and transcriptome data, we provide support for this hypothesis by detecting 445 regulatory elements with signatures of activity turnover (termed P/E elements). Most events represent transformations of putative ancestral enhancers into promoters, leading to the emergence of species-specific transcribed loci or 5' exons. Distinct GC sequence compositions and stabilizing 5' splicing (U1) regulatory motif patterns may have predisposed P/E elements to regulatory repurposing, and changes in the U1 and polyadenylation signal densities and distributions likely drove the evolutionary activity switches. Our work suggests that regulatory repurposing facilitated regulatory innovation and the origination of new genes and exons during evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco N Carelli
- Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, United Kingdom.
| | - Angélica Liechti
- Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jean Halbert
- Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Maria Warnefors
- Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH), DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Henrik Kaessmann
- Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH), DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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64
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Kirk JM, Kim SO, Inoue K, Smola MJ, Lee DM, Schertzer MD, Wooten JS, Baker AR, Sprague D, Collins DW, Horning CR, Wang S, Chen Q, Weeks KM, Mucha PJ, Calabrese JM. Functional classification of long non-coding RNAs by k-mer content. Nat Genet 2018; 50:1474-1482. [PMID: 30224646 PMCID: PMC6262761 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-018-0207-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The functions of most long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are unknown. In contrast to proteins, lncRNAs with similar functions often lack linear sequence homology; thus, the identification of function in one lncRNA rarely informs the identification of function in others. We developed a sequence comparison method to deconstruct linear sequence relationships in lncRNAs and evaluate similarity based on the abundance of short motifs called kmers. We found that lncRNAs of related function often had similar kmer profiles despite lacking linear homology, and that kmer profiles correlated with protein binding to lncRNAs and with their subcellular localization. Using a novel assay to quantify Xist-like regulatory potential, we directly demonstrated that evolutionarily unrelated lncRNAs can encode similar function through different spatial arrangements of related sequence motifs. Kmer-based classification is a powerful approach to detect recurrent relationships between sequence and function in lncRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessime M Kirk
- Department of Pharmacology and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Susan O Kim
- Department of Pharmacology and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Kaoru Inoue
- Department of Pharmacology and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Matthew J Smola
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Ribometrix, Durham, NC, USA
| | - David M Lee
- Department of Pharmacology and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Megan D Schertzer
- Department of Pharmacology and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Joshua S Wooten
- Department of Pharmacology and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Allison R Baker
- Department of Pharmacology and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Ph.D. Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel Sprague
- Department of Pharmacology and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Curriculum in Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - David W Collins
- Department of Computer Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Christopher R Horning
- Department of Computer Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Shuo Wang
- Department of Computer Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Qidi Chen
- Department of Computer Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kevin M Weeks
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Peter J Mucha
- Carolina Center for Interdisciplinary Applied Mathematics, Department of Mathematics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - J Mauro Calabrese
- Department of Pharmacology and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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65
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Atkinson SR, Marguerat S, Bitton DA, Rodríguez-López M, Rallis C, Lemay JF, Cotobal C, Malecki M, Smialowski P, Mata J, Korber P, Bachand F, Bähler J. Long noncoding RNA repertoire and targeting by nuclear exosome, cytoplasmic exonuclease, and RNAi in fission yeast. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2018; 24:1195-1213. [PMID: 29914874 PMCID: PMC6097657 DOI: 10.1261/rna.065524.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are longer than 200 nucleotides but often unstable, contribute a substantial and diverse portion to pervasive noncoding transcriptomes. Most lncRNAs are poorly annotated and understood, although several play important roles in gene regulation and diseases. Here we systematically uncover and analyze lncRNAs in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Based on RNA-seq data from twelve RNA-processing mutants and nine physiological conditions, we identify 5775 novel lncRNAs, nearly 4× the previously annotated lncRNAs. The expression of most lncRNAs becomes strongly induced under the genetic and physiological perturbations, most notably during late meiosis. Most lncRNAs are cryptic and suppressed by three RNA-processing pathways: the nuclear exosome, cytoplasmic exonuclease, and RNAi. Double-mutant analyses reveal substantial coordination and redundancy among these pathways. We classify lncRNAs by their dominant pathway into cryptic unstable transcripts (CUTs), Xrn1-sensitive unstable transcripts (XUTs), and Dicer-sensitive unstable transcripts (DUTs). XUTs and DUTs are enriched for antisense lncRNAs, while CUTs are often bidirectional and actively translated. The cytoplasmic exonuclease, along with RNAi, dampens the expression of thousands of lncRNAs and mRNAs that become induced during meiosis. Antisense lncRNA expression mostly negatively correlates with sense mRNA expression in the physiological, but not the genetic conditions. Intergenic and bidirectional lncRNAs emerge from nucleosome-depleted regions, upstream of positioned nucleosomes. Our results highlight both similarities and differences to lncRNA regulation in budding yeast. This broad survey of the lncRNA repertoire and characteristics in S. pombe, and the interwoven regulatory pathways that target lncRNAs, provides a rich framework for their further functional analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie R Atkinson
- Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment and UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Samuel Marguerat
- Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment and UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS), London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
- Institute of Clinical Sciences (ICS), Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - Danny A Bitton
- Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment and UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Rodríguez-López
- Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment and UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Charalampos Rallis
- Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment and UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Jean-François Lemay
- Department of Biochemistry, Sherbrooke, Université de Sherbrooke, Quebec J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Cristina Cotobal
- Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment and UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Michal Malecki
- Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment and UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Pawel Smialowski
- LMU Munich, Biomedical Center, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried near Munich, Germany
| | - Juan Mata
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QW, United Kingdom
| | - Philipp Korber
- LMU Munich, Biomedical Center, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried near Munich, Germany
| | - François Bachand
- Department of Biochemistry, Sherbrooke, Université de Sherbrooke, Quebec J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Jürg Bähler
- Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment and UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
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66
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Control of human gene expression: High abundance of divergent transcription in genes containing both INR and BRE elements in the core promoter. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0202927. [PMID: 30138429 PMCID: PMC6107252 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background DNA sequence elements in the core promoter can play a central role in regulation of gene expression. Core elements (e.g. INR and TATA box) are located within ~50bp of the transcription start site and both upstream and downstream elements are known. Although all can affect the level of gene expression, their mechanism of action has yet to be fully defined. The studies described here are focused on two core promoter elements, INR and BRE, in the human genome. The locations of the two elements were determined in a large number of human promoters and the results were interpreted in terms of overall promoter function. Results A total of 13,406 promoters were collected from the reference version of the human genome and found to contain 62,891 INR sequences and 32,290 BRE. An INR sequence was found in the core region of 1231 (9.2%) promoters and a BRE in 2592 (19.3%); 121 promoters (0.9%) have both INR and BRE elements. Counts support the view that most human promoters lack an INR or BRE element in the core promoter. Further analysis was carried out with the aligned aggregate of promoters from each chromosome. The results showed distinct INR distributions in separate chromosome groups indicating a degree of chromosome specificity to the way core promoter elements are deployed in the genome. The rare promoters with both INR and BRE elements were found to be enriched among the genes with divergent transcription. Enrichment raises the possibility that core promoter elements can have a function in chromosome organization as well as in initiation of transcription.
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67
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Birth, coming of age and death: The intriguing life of long noncoding RNAs. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2018; 79:143-152. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2017] [Revised: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
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68
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Dao LTM, Spicuglia S. Transcriptional regulation by promoters with enhancer function. Transcription 2018; 9:307-314. [PMID: 29889606 PMCID: PMC6150634 DOI: 10.1080/21541264.2018.1486150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Promoters with enhancer activity have been described recently. In this point of view, we will discuss current findings highlighting the commonality of this type of regulatory elements, their genetic and epigenetic characteristics, their potential biological roles in the regulation of gene expression and the underlining molecular mechanisms. ABBREVIATIONS TSS: transcription start site; IFN: interferon; STARR-seq: Self-Transcribing Active Regulatory Region sequencing; MPRA: Massively Parallel Reporter Assay; ChIP: chromatin immunoprecipitation; CRISPR: Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats; lncRNA: long non-coding RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan T. M. Dao
- Vinmec Research Institute of Stem cell and Gene technology (VRISG), Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Salvatore Spicuglia
- Aix-Marseille University, INSERM, TAGC, UMR, Marseille, France
- Equipe Labéllisée Ligue Contre le Cancer
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69
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Expression and replication of virus-like circular DNA in human cells. Sci Rep 2018; 8:2851. [PMID: 29434270 PMCID: PMC5809378 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-21317-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The consumption of bovine milk and meat is considered a risk factor for colon- and breast cancer formation, and milk consumption has also been implicated in an increased risk for developing Multiple Sclerosis (MS). A number of highly related virus-like DNAs have been recently isolated from bovine milk and sera and from a brain sample of a MS patient. As a genetic activity of these Acinetobacter-related bovine milk and meat factors (BMMFs) is unknown in eukaryotes, we analyzed their expression and replication potential in human HEK293TT cells. While all analyzed BMMFs show transcriptional activity, the MS brain isolate MSBI1.176, sharing homology with a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy-associated DNA molecule, is transcribed at highest levels. We show expression of a replication-associated protein (Rep), which is highly conserved among all BMMFs, and serological tests indicate a human anti-Rep immune response. While the cow milk isolate CMI1.252 is replication-competent in HEK293TT cells, replication of MSBI1.176 is complemented by CMI1.252, pointing at an interplay during the establishment of persistence in human cells. Transcriptome profiling upon BMMF expression identified host cellular gene expression changes related to cell cycle progression and cell viability control, indicating potential pathways for a pathogenic involvement of BMMFs.
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70
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Henriques T, Scruggs BS, Inouye MO, Muse GW, Williams LH, Burkholder AB, Lavender CA, Fargo DC, Adelman K. Widespread transcriptional pausing and elongation control at enhancers. Genes Dev 2018; 32:26-41. [PMID: 29378787 PMCID: PMC5828392 DOI: 10.1101/gad.309351.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 226] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In this study, Henriques et al. demonstrate that transcription is a nearly universal feature of enhancers in Drosophila and mammalian cells and that nascent RNA sequencing strategies are optimal for identification of both enhancers and superenhancers. Their findings provide insights into the unique characteristics of superenhancers, which stimulate high-level gene expression through rapid pause release; interestingly, this property renders associated genes resistant to loss of factors that stabilize paused RNAPII. Regulation by gene-distal enhancers is critical for cell type-specific and condition-specific patterns of gene expression. Thus, to understand the basis of gene activity in a given cell type or tissue, we must identify the precise locations of enhancers and functionally characterize their behaviors. Here, we demonstrate that transcription is a nearly universal feature of enhancers in Drosophila and mammalian cells and that nascent RNA sequencing strategies are optimal for identification of both enhancers and superenhancers. We dissect the mechanisms governing enhancer transcription and discover remarkable similarities to transcription at protein-coding genes. We show that RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) undergoes regulated pausing and release at enhancers. However, as compared with mRNA genes, RNAPII at enhancers is less stable and more prone to early termination. Furthermore, we found that the level of histone H3 Lys4 (H3K4) methylation at enhancers corresponds to transcriptional activity such that highly active enhancers display H3K4 trimethylation rather than the H3K4 monomethylation considered a hallmark of enhancers. Finally, our work provides insights into the unique characteristics of superenhancers, which stimulate high-level gene expression through rapid pause release; interestingly, this property renders associated genes resistant to the loss of factors that stabilize paused RNAPII.
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Affiliation(s)
- Telmo Henriques
- Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA.,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Benjamin S Scruggs
- Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | - Michiko O Inouye
- Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA.,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Ginger W Muse
- Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | - Lucy H Williams
- Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | - Adam B Burkholder
- Center for Integrative Bioinformatics, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | - Christopher A Lavender
- Center for Integrative Bioinformatics, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | - David C Fargo
- Center for Integrative Bioinformatics, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | - Karen Adelman
- Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA.,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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71
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Candelli T, Challal D, Briand JB, Boulay J, Porrua O, Colin J, Libri D. High-resolution transcription maps reveal the widespread impact of roadblock termination in yeast. EMBO J 2018; 37:embj.201797490. [PMID: 29351914 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201797490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Revised: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 12/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcription termination delimits transcription units but also plays important roles in limiting pervasive transcription. We have previously shown that transcription termination occurs when elongating RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) collides with the DNA-bound general transcription factor Reb1. We demonstrate here that many different DNA-binding proteins can induce termination by a similar roadblock (RB) mechanism. We generated high-resolution transcription maps by the direct detection of RNAPII upon nuclear depletion of two essential RB factors or when the canonical termination pathways for coding and non-coding RNAs are defective. We show that RB termination occurs genomewide and functions independently of (and redundantly with) the main transcription termination pathways. We provide evidence that transcriptional readthrough at canonical terminators is a significant source of pervasive transcription, which is controlled to a large extent by RB termination. Finally, we demonstrate the occurrence of RB termination around centromeres and tRNA genes, which we suggest shields these regions from RNAPII to preserve their functional integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tito Candelli
- Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS, UMR 7592, Univ Paris Diderot, Paris, France.,Ecole doctorale Structure et Dynamique des Systèmes Vivants, Université Paris Saclay, Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Drice Challal
- Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS, UMR 7592, Univ Paris Diderot, Paris, France.,Ecole doctorale Structure et Dynamique des Systèmes Vivants, Université Paris Saclay, Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Jean-Baptiste Briand
- Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS, UMR 7592, Univ Paris Diderot, Paris, France.,Ecole doctorale Structure et Dynamique des Systèmes Vivants, Université Paris Saclay, Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Jocelyne Boulay
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative de la Cellule (I2BC), CNRS, UMR 9198, Univ Paris-Saclay, Centre Energie Atomique, Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Odil Porrua
- Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS, UMR 7592, Univ Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Jessie Colin
- Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS, UMR 7592, Univ Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Domenico Libri
- Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS, UMR 7592, Univ Paris Diderot, Paris, France
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72
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Scruggs BS, Adelman K. The Importance of Controlling Transcription Elongation at Coding and Noncoding RNA Loci. COLD SPRING HARBOR SYMPOSIA ON QUANTITATIVE BIOLOGY 2018; 80:33-44. [PMID: 27325707 DOI: 10.1101/sqb.2015.80.027235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Here we discuss current paradigms for how transcription initiation and elongation control are achieved in mammalian cells, and how they differ at protein-coding mRNA genes versus noncoding RNA (ncRNA) loci. We present a model for the function of ncRNAs wherein the act of transcription is regulatory, rather than the ncRNA products themselves. We further describe how the establishment of transcriptionally engaged, but paused, RNA polymerase II impacts chromatin structure around divergent transcription start sites, and how this can influence transcription factor binding and mRNA gene activity in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin S Scruggs
- Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
| | - Karen Adelman
- Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
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73
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Ransohoff JD, Wei Y, Khavari PA. The functions and unique features of long intergenic non-coding RNA. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2017; 19:143-157. [PMID: 29138516 DOI: 10.1038/nrm.2017.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 888] [Impact Index Per Article: 126.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Long intergenic non-coding RNA (lincRNA) genes have diverse features that distinguish them from mRNA-encoding genes and exercise functions such as remodelling chromatin and genome architecture, RNA stabilization and transcription regulation, including enhancer-associated activity. Some genes currently annotated as encoding lincRNAs include small open reading frames (smORFs) and encode functional peptides and thus may be more properly classified as coding RNAs. lincRNAs may broadly serve to fine-tune the expression of neighbouring genes with remarkable tissue specificity through a diversity of mechanisms, highlighting our rapidly evolving understanding of the non-coding genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia D Ransohoff
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, California 94305, USA
| | - Yuning Wei
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, California 94305, USA
| | - Paul A Khavari
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, California 94305, USA.,Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, California 94304, USA
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74
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Abstract
Most RNA polymerases can initiate transcription from diverse DNA template sequences with relatively few outright sequence restraints. Recent reports have demonstrated that failure to subdue the promiscuity of RNA polymerase in vivo can severely impede cell function. This phenomenon appears common to all cell types with undesirable effects ranging from growth inhibition in prokaryotes to cancer in higher organisms. Here we discuss similarities and differences in strategies employed by cells to minimise spurious transcription across life's domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph T Wade
- a Wadsworth Center , New York State Department of Health , Albany , NY , USA.,b Department of Biomedical Sciences , School of Public Health, University at Albany, SUNY , Albany , NY , USA
| | - David C Grainger
- c Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham , Edgbaston, Birmingham , UK
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75
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Abstract
Thousands of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been annotated, yet their functions remain unclear. Recent studies-including Schlackow et al. (2017) in this issue of Molecular Cell-using orthogonal methods investigated the expression and functions of lncRNAs, resulting in deeper appreciation for the salient differences between lncRNAs and mRNAs and the roles lncRNAs serve.
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76
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RPA Interacts with HIRA and Regulates H3.3 Deposition at Gene Regulatory Elements in Mammalian Cells. Mol Cell 2017; 65:272-284. [PMID: 28107649 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2016.11.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2016] [Revised: 07/26/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The histone chaperone HIRA is involved in depositing histone variant H3.3 into distinct genic regions, including promoters, enhancers, and gene bodies. However, how HIRA deposits H3.3 to these regions remains elusive. Through a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) screening, we identified single-stranded DNA binding protein replication protein A (RPA) as a regulator of the deposition of newly synthesized H3.3 into chromatin. We show that RPA physically interacts with HIRA to form RPA-HIRA-H3.3 complexes, and it co-localizes with HIRA and H3.3 at gene promoters and enhancers. Depletion of RPA1, the largest subunit of the RPA complex, dramatically reduces both HIRA association with chromatin and the deposition of newly synthesized H3.3 at promoters and enhancers and leads to altered transcription at gene promoters. These results support a model whereby RPA, best known for its role in DNA replication and repair, recruits HIRA to promoters and enhancers and regulates deposition of newly synthesized H3.3 to these regulatory elements for gene regulation.
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77
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Bunch H. Gene regulation of mammalian long non-coding RNA. Mol Genet Genomics 2017; 293:1-15. [PMID: 28894972 DOI: 10.1007/s00438-017-1370-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcribes two classes of RNAs, protein-coding and non-protein-coding (ncRNA) genes. ncRNAs are also synthesized by RNA polymerases I and III (Pol I and III). In humans, the number of ncRNA genes exceeds more than twice that of protein-coding genes. However, the history of studying Pol II-synthesized ncRNA is relatively short. Since early 2000s, important biological and pathological functions of these ncRNA genes have begun to be discovered and intensively studied. And transcription mechanisms of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) have been recently reported. Transcription of lncRNAs utilizes some transcription factors and mechanisms shared in that of protein-coding genes. In addition, tissue specificity in lncRNA gene expression has been shown. LncRNAs play essential roles in regulating the expression of neighboring or distal genes through different mechanisms. This leads to the implication of lncRNAs in a wide variety of biological pathways and pathological development. In this review, the newly discovered transcription mechanisms, characteristics, and functions of lncRNA are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heeyoun Bunch
- School of Applied Biosciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Agriculture & Life Sciences Building 1, Room 207, 80 Dae-Hak Ro, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
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78
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Xu W, Xu H, Li K, Fan Y, Liu Y, Yang X, Sun Q. The R-loop is a common chromatin feature of the Arabidopsis genome. NATURE PLANTS 2017; 3:704-714. [PMID: 28848233 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-017-0004-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 07/14/2017] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
R-loops are functional structures in chromatin comprising one single-stranded DNA and a DNA:RNA hybrid. Here, we report ssDRIP-seq, a single-strand DNA ligation-based library preparation technique for genome-wide identification of R-loops. When applied in Arabidopsis, ssDRIP-seq exhibits high efficiency, low bias and strand specificity. We found that Arabidopsis R-loops are enriched by both AT and GC skews, and are formed in the sense and antisense orientations. R-loops are strongly enriched in gene promoters and gene bodies, and are highly associated with noncoding RNA and repetitive genomic regions. Furthermore, R-loops are negatively correlated with CG DNA hypermethylation, and are prevalent in regions with multiple chromatin modifications, showing strong correlations with the activated and repressed gene loci. Our analyses indicate that R-loops are common features in the Arabidopsis genome and suggest that the R-loops play diverse roles in genome organization and gene regulation, thereby providing insights into plant nuclear genome formation and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Xu
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Center for Plant Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Hui Xu
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Kuan Li
- Center for Plant Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yingxu Fan
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Center for Plant Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Xuerui Yang
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Qianwen Sun
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
- Center for Plant Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
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79
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Hezroni H, Ben-Tov Perry R, Meir Z, Housman G, Lubelsky Y, Ulitsky I. A subset of conserved mammalian long non-coding RNAs are fossils of ancestral protein-coding genes. Genome Biol 2017; 18:162. [PMID: 28854954 PMCID: PMC5577775 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-017-1293-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Only a small portion of human long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) appear to be conserved outside of mammals, but the events underlying the birth of new lncRNAs in mammals remain largely unknown. One potential source is remnants of protein-coding genes that transitioned into lncRNAs. Results We systematically compare lncRNA and protein-coding loci across vertebrates, and estimate that up to 5% of conserved mammalian lncRNAs are derived from lost protein-coding genes. These lncRNAs have specific characteristics, such as broader expression domains, that set them apart from other lncRNAs. Fourteen lncRNAs have sequence similarity with the loci of the contemporary homologs of the lost protein-coding genes. We propose that selection acting on enhancer sequences is mostly responsible for retention of these regions. As an example of an RNA element from a protein-coding ancestor that was retained in the lncRNA, we describe in detail a short translated ORF in the JPX lncRNA that was derived from an upstream ORF in a protein-coding gene and retains some of its functionality. Conclusions We estimate that ~ 55 annotated conserved human lncRNAs are derived from parts of ancestral protein-coding genes, and loss of coding potential is thus a non-negligible source of new lncRNAs. Some lncRNAs inherited regulatory elements influencing transcription and translation from their protein-coding ancestors and those elements can influence the expression breadth and functionality of these lncRNAs. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13059-017-1293-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadas Hezroni
- Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, 234 Herzl St., Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Rotem Ben-Tov Perry
- Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, 234 Herzl St., Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Zohar Meir
- Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, 234 Herzl St., Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Gali Housman
- Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, 234 Herzl St., Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Yoav Lubelsky
- Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, 234 Herzl St., Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Igor Ulitsky
- Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, 234 Herzl St., Rehovot, 76100, Israel.
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80
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Abstract
This review by Vo ngoc et al. expands the view of the RNA polymerase II core promoter, which is comprised of classical DNA sequence motifs, sequence-specific DNA-binding transcription factors, chromatin signals, and DNA structure. The signals that direct the initiation of transcription ultimately converge at the core promoter, which is the gateway to transcription. Here we provide an overview of the RNA polymerase II core promoter in bilateria (bilaterally symmetric animals). The core promoter is diverse in terms of its composition and function yet is also punctilious, as it acts with strict rules and precision. We additionally describe an expanded view of the core promoter that comprises the classical DNA sequence motifs, sequence-specific DNA-binding transcription factors, chromatin signals, and DNA structure. This model may eventually lead to a more unified conceptual understanding of the core promoter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Vo Ngoc
- Section of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Yuan-Liang Wang
- Section of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - George A Kassavetis
- Section of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - James T Kadonaga
- Section of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
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81
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Kustatscher G, Grabowski P, Rappsilber J. Pervasive coexpression of spatially proximal genes is buffered at the protein level. Mol Syst Biol 2017; 13:937. [PMID: 28835372 PMCID: PMC5572396 DOI: 10.15252/msb.20177548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Genes are not randomly distributed in the genome. In humans, 10% of protein-coding genes are transcribed from bidirectional promoters and many more are organised in larger clusters. Intriguingly, neighbouring genes are frequently coexpressed but rarely functionally related. Here we show that coexpression of bidirectional gene pairs, and closeby genes in general, is buffered at the protein level. Taking into account the 3D architecture of the genome, we find that co-regulation of spatially close, functionally unrelated genes is pervasive at the transcriptome level, but does not extend to the proteome. We present evidence that non-functional mRNA coexpression in human cells arises from stochastic chromatin fluctuations and direct regulatory interference between spatially close genes. Protein-level buffering likely reflects a lack of coordination of post-transcriptional regulation of functionally unrelated genes. Grouping human genes together along the genome sequence, or through long-range chromosome folding, is associated with reduced expression noise. Our results support the hypothesis that the selection for noise reduction is a major driver of the evolution of genome organisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg Kustatscher
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Piotr Grabowski
- Chair of Bioanalytics, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Juri Rappsilber
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK .,Chair of Bioanalytics, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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82
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Vihervaara A, Mahat DB, Guertin MJ, Chu T, Danko CG, Lis JT, Sistonen L. Transcriptional response to stress is pre-wired by promoter and enhancer architecture. Nat Commun 2017; 8:255. [PMID: 28811569 PMCID: PMC5557961 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00151-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2016] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Programs of gene expression are executed by a battery of transcription factors that coordinate divergent transcription from a pair of tightly linked core initiation regions of promoters and enhancers. Here, to investigate how divergent transcription is reprogrammed upon stress, we measured nascent RNA synthesis at nucleotide-resolution, and profiled histone H4 acetylation in human cells. Our results globally show that the release of promoter-proximal paused RNA polymerase into elongation functions as a critical switch at which a gene’s response to stress is determined. Highly transcribed and highly inducible genes display strong transcriptional directionality and selective assembly of general transcription factors on the core sense promoter. Heat-induced transcription at enhancers, instead, correlates with prior binding of cell-type, sequence-specific transcription factors. Activated Heat Shock Factor 1 (HSF1) binds to transcription-primed promoters and enhancers, and CTCF-occupied, non-transcribed chromatin. These results reveal chromatin architectural features that orient transcription at divergent regulatory elements and prime transcriptional responses genome-wide. Heat Shock Factor 1 (HSF1) is a regulator of stress-induced transcription. Here, the authors investigate changes to transcription and chromatin organization upon stress and find that activated HSF1 binds to transcription-primed promoters and enhancers, and to CTCF occupied, untranscribed chromatin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anniina Vihervaara
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Cell Biology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, 20520, Finland.,Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA
| | - Dig Bijay Mahat
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA
| | - Michael J Guertin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22908, USA
| | - Tinyi Chu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, The Baker Institute for Animal Health, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA.,Graduate Field of Computational Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA
| | - Charles G Danko
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, The Baker Institute for Animal Health, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA
| | - John T Lis
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA.
| | - Lea Sistonen
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Cell Biology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, 20520, Finland.
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83
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Jin Y, Eser U, Struhl K, Churchman LS. The Ground State and Evolution of Promoter Region Directionality. Cell 2017; 170:889-898.e10. [PMID: 28803729 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2017.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2016] [Revised: 04/06/2017] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Eukaryotic promoter regions are frequently divergently transcribed in vivo, but it is unknown whether the resultant antisense RNAs are a mechanistic by-product of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription or biologically meaningful. Here, we use a functional evolutionary approach that involves nascent transcript mapping in S. cerevisiae strains containing foreign yeast DNA. Promoter regions in foreign environments lose the directionality they have in their native species. Strikingly, fortuitous promoter regions arising in foreign DNA produce equal transcription in both directions, indicating that divergent transcription is a mechanistic feature that does not imply a function for these transcripts. Fortuitous promoter regions arising during evolution promote bidirectional transcription and over time are purged through mutation or retained to enable new functionality. Similarly, human transcription is more bidirectional at newly evolved enhancers and promoter regions. Thus, promoter regions are intrinsically bidirectional and are shaped by evolution to bias transcription toward coding versus non-coding RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Jin
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Umut Eser
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kevin Struhl
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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84
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Wedel C, Förstner KU, Derr R, Siegel TN. GT-rich promoters can drive RNA pol II transcription and deposition of H2A.Z in African trypanosomes. EMBO J 2017; 36:2581-2594. [PMID: 28701485 PMCID: PMC5579346 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201695323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Revised: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome‐wide transcription studies are revealing an increasing number of “dispersed promoters” that, unlike “focused promoters”, lack well‐conserved sequence motifs and tight regulation. Dispersed promoters are nevertheless marked by well‐defined chromatin structures, suggesting that specific sequence elements must exist in these unregulated promoters. Here, we have analyzed regions of transcription initiation in the eukaryotic parasite Trypanosoma brucei, in which RNA polymerase II transcription initiation occurs over broad regions without distinct promoter motifs and lacks regulation. Using a combination of site‐specific and genome‐wide assays, we identified GT‐rich promoters that can drive transcription and promote the targeted deposition of the histone variant H2A.Z in a genomic context‐dependent manner. In addition, upon mapping nucleosome occupancy at high resolution, we find nucleosome positioning to correlate with RNA pol II enrichment and gene expression, pointing to a role in RNA maturation. Nucleosome positioning may thus represent a previously unrecognized layer of gene regulation in trypanosomes. Our findings show that even highly dispersed, unregulated promoters contain specific DNA elements that are able to induce transcription and changes in chromatin structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Wedel
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Ramona Derr
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - T Nicolai Siegel
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany .,Department of Veterinary Sciences, Experimental Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München, Germany.,Biomedical Center Munich, Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
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85
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Catania F. From intronization to intron loss: How the interplay between mRNA-associated processes can shape the architecture and the expression of eukaryotic genes. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2017; 91:136-144. [PMID: 28673893 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2017.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2017] [Revised: 06/25/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Transcription-coupled processes such as capping, splicing, and cleavage/polyadenylation participate in the journey from genes to proteins. Although they are traditionally thought to serve only as steps in the generation of mature mRNAs, a synthesis of available data indicates that these processes could also act as a driving force for the evolution of eukaryotic genes. A theoretical framework for how mRNA-associated processes may shape gene structure and expression has recently been proposed. Factors that promote splicing and cleavage/polyadenylation in this framework compete for access to overlapping or neighboring signals throughout the transcription cycle. These antagonistic interactions allow mechanisms for intron gain and splice site recognition as well as common trends in eukaryotic gene structure and expression to be coherently integrated. Here, I extend this framework further. Observations that largely (but not exclusively) revolve around the formation of DNA-RNA hybrid structures, called R loops, and promoter directionality are integrated. Additionally, the interplay between splicing factors and cleavage/polyadenylation factors is theorized to also affect the formation of intragenic DNA double-stranded breaks thereby contributing to intron loss. The most notable prediction in this proposition is that RNA molecules can mediate intron loss by serving as a template to repair DNA double-stranded breaks. The framework presented here leverages a vast body of empirical observations, logically extending previous suggestions, and generating verifiable predictions to further substantiate the view that the intracellular environment plays an active role in shaping the structure and the expression of eukaryotic genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Catania
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Hüfferstraße 1, 48149 Münster, Germany.
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86
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Primate-specific Long Non-coding RNAs and MicroRNAs. GENOMICS PROTEOMICS & BIOINFORMATICS 2017; 15:187-195. [PMID: 28602844 PMCID: PMC5487532 DOI: 10.1016/j.gpb.2017.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2017] [Revised: 03/25/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are critical regulators of gene expression in essentially all life forms. Long ncRNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are two important RNA classes possessing regulatory functions. Up to date, many primate-specific ncRNAs have been identified and investigated. Their expression specificity to primate lineage suggests primate-specific roles. It is thus critical to elucidate the biological significance of primate or even human-specific ncRNAs, and to develop potential ncRNA-based therapeutics. Here, we have summarized the studies regarding regulatory roles of some key primate-specific lncRNAs and miRNAs.
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87
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Tandem duplications lead to novel expression patterns through exon shuffling in Drosophila yakuba. PLoS Genet 2017; 13:e1006795. [PMID: 28531189 PMCID: PMC5460883 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2015] [Revised: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 05/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
One common hypothesis to explain the impacts of tandem duplications is that whole gene duplications commonly produce additive changes in gene expression due to copy number changes. Here, we use genome wide RNA-seq data from a population sample of Drosophila yakuba to test this ‘gene dosage’ hypothesis. We observe little evidence of expression changes in response to whole transcript duplication capturing 5′ and 3′ UTRs. Among whole gene duplications, we observe evidence that dosage sharing across copies is likely to be common. The lack of expression changes after whole gene duplication suggests that the majority of genes are subject to tight regulatory control and therefore not sensitive to changes in gene copy number. Rather, we observe changes in expression level due to both shuffling of regulatory elements and the creation of chimeric structures via tandem duplication. Additionally, we observe 30 de novo gene structures arising from tandem duplications, 23 of which form with expression in the testes. Thus, the value of tandem duplications is likely to be more intricate than simple changes in gene dosage. The common regulatory effects from chimeric gene formation after tandem duplication may explain their contribution to genome evolution. The enclosed work shows that whole gene duplications rarely affect gene expression, in contrast to widely held views that the adaptive value of duplicate genes is related to additive changes in gene expression due to gene copy number. We further explain how tandem duplications that create shuffled gene structures can force upregulation of gene sequences, de novo gene creation, and multifold changes in transcript levels. These results show that tandem duplications can produce new genes that are a source of immediate novelty associated with more extreme expression changes than previously suggested by theory. Further, these gene expression changes are a potential source of both beneficial and pathogenic mutations, immediately relevant to clinical and medical genetics in humans and other metazoans.
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88
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Yu D, Shi W, Zhang YE. Underrepresentation of active histone modification marks in evolutionarily young genes. INSECT SCIENCE 2017; 24:174-186. [PMID: 26607206 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/12/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
It is known that evolutionarily new genes can rapidly evolve essential roles in fundamental biological processes. Nevertheless, the underlying molecular mechanism of how they acquire their novel transcriptional pattern is less characterized except for the role of cis-regulatory evolution. Epigenetic modification offers an alternative possibility. Here, we examined how histone modifications have changed among different gene age groups in Drosophila melanogaster by integrative analyses of an updated new gene dataset and published epigenomic data. We found a robust pattern across various datasets where both the coverage and intensity of active histone modifications, histone 3 lysine 4 trimethylation and lysine 36 trimethylation, increased with evolutionary age. Such a temporal correlation is negative and much weaker for the repressive histone mark, lysine 9 trimethylation, which is expected given its major association with heterochromatin. By further comparison with neighboring old genes, the depletion of active marks of new genes could be only partially explained by the local epigenetic context. All these data are consistent with the observation that older genes bear relatively higher expression levels and suggest that the evolution of histone modifications could be implicated in transcriptional evolution after gene birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daqi Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents & Key Laboratory of the Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Wenwen Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents & Key Laboratory of the Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yong E Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents & Key Laboratory of the Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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89
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Integrative classification of human coding and noncoding genes through RNA metabolism profiles. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2016; 24:86-96. [PMID: 27870833 DOI: 10.1038/nsmb.3325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2016] [Accepted: 10/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Pervasive transcription of the human genome results in a heterogeneous mix of coding RNAs and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Only a small fraction of lncRNAs have demonstrated regulatory functions, thus making functional lncRNAs difficult to distinguish from nonfunctional transcriptional byproducts. This difficulty has resulted in numerous competing human lncRNA classifications that are complicated by a steady increase in the number of annotated lncRNAs. To address these challenges, we quantitatively examined transcription, splicing, degradation, localization and translation for coding and noncoding human genes. We observed that annotated lncRNAs had lower synthesis and higher degradation rates than mRNAs and discovered mechanistic differences explaining slower lncRNA splicing. We grouped genes into classes with similar RNA metabolism profiles, containing both mRNAs and lncRNAs to varying extents. These classes exhibited distinct RNA metabolism, different evolutionary patterns and differential sensitivity to cellular RNA-regulatory pathways. Our classification provides an alternative to genomic context-driven annotations of lncRNAs.
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90
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Ulitsky I. Evolution to the rescue: using comparative genomics to understand long non-coding RNAs. Nat Rev Genet 2016; 17:601-14. [DOI: 10.1038/nrg.2016.85] [Citation(s) in RCA: 373] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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91
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Chen Y, Pai AA, Herudek J, Lubas M, Meola N, Järvelin AI, Andersson R, Pelechano V, Steinmetz LM, Jensen TH, Sandelin A. Principles for RNA metabolism and alternative transcription initiation within closely spaced promoters. Nat Genet 2016; 48:984-94. [PMID: 27455346 PMCID: PMC5008441 DOI: 10.1038/ng.3616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian transcriptomes are complex and formed by extensive promoter activity. In addition, gene promoters are largely divergent and initiate transcription of reverse-oriented promoter upstream transcripts (PROMPTs). Although PROMPTs are commonly terminated early, influenced by polyadenylation sites, promoters often cluster so that the divergent activity of one might impact another. Here we found that the distance between promoters strongly correlates with the expression, stability and length of their associated PROMPTs. Adjacent promoters driving divergent mRNA transcription support PROMPT formation, but owing to polyadenylation site constraints, these transcripts tend to spread into the neighboring mRNA on the same strand. This mechanism to derive new alternative mRNA transcription start sites (TSSs) is also evident at closely spaced promoters supporting convergent mRNA transcription. We suggest that basic building blocks of divergently transcribed core promoter pairs, in combination with the wealth of TSSs in mammalian genomes, provide a framework with which evolution shapes transcriptomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Chen
- The Bioinformatics Centre, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Athma A Pai
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jan Herudek
- Centre for mRNP Biogenesis and Metabolism, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Michal Lubas
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Centre for mRNP Biogenesis and Metabolism, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Nicola Meola
- Centre for mRNP Biogenesis and Metabolism, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Aino I Järvelin
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Robin Andersson
- The Bioinformatics Centre, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vicent Pelechano
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lars M Steinmetz
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany.,Stanford Genome Technology Center, Palo Alto, California, USA.,Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Torben Heick Jensen
- Centre for mRNP Biogenesis and Metabolism, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Albin Sandelin
- The Bioinformatics Centre, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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92
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McLysaght A, Hurst LD. Open questions in the study of de novo genes: what, how and why. Nat Rev Genet 2016; 17:567-78. [PMID: 27452112 DOI: 10.1038/nrg.2016.78] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The study of de novo protein-coding genes is maturing from the ad hoc reporting of individual cases to the systematic analysis of extensive genomic data from several species. We identify three key challenges for this emerging field: understanding how best to identify de novo genes, how they arise and why they spread. We highlight the intellectual challenges of understanding how a de novo gene becomes integrated into pre-existing functions and becomes essential. We suggest that, as with protein sequence evolution, antagonistic co-evolution may be key to de novo gene evolution, particularly for new essential genes and new cancer-associated genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aoife McLysaght
- The Smurfit Institute of Genetics, University of Dublin, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Laurence D Hurst
- The Milner Centre for Evolution, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, Somerset BA2 7AY, UK
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93
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Al-Hadid Q, Yang Y. R-loop: an emerging regulator of chromatin dynamics. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2016; 48:623-31. [PMID: 27252122 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmw052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2016] [Accepted: 04/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The dynamic structure of chromatin, which exists in two conformational states: heterochromatin and euchromatin, alters the accessibility of the DNA to regulatory factors during transcription, replication, recombination, and DNA damage repair. Chemical modifications of histones and DNA, as well as adenosine triphospahate-dependent nucleosome remodeling, have been the major focus of research on chromatin dynamics over the past two decades. However, recent studies using a DNA-RNA hybrid-specific antibody and next-generation sequencing approaches have revealed that the formation of R-loops, one of the most common non-canonical DNA structures, is an emerging regulator of chromatin states. This review focuses on recent insights into the interplay between R-loop formation and the epigenetic modifications of chromatin in normal and disease states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qais Al-Hadid
- Department of Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Cancer Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Yanzhong Yang
- Department of Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Cancer Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
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94
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Mostovoy Y, Thiemicke A, Hsu TY, Brem RB. The Role of Transcription Factors at Antisense-Expressing Gene Pairs in Yeast. Genome Biol Evol 2016; 8:1748-61. [PMID: 27190003 PMCID: PMC4943177 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evw104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Genes encoded close to one another on the chromosome are often coexpressed, by a mechanism and regulatory logic that remain poorly understood. We surveyed the yeast genome for tandem gene pairs oriented tail-to-head at which expression antisense to the upstream gene was conserved across species. The intergenic region at most such tandem pairs is a bidirectional promoter, shared by the downstream gene mRNA and the upstream antisense transcript. Genomic analyses of these intergenic loci revealed distinctive patterns of transcription factor regulation. Mutation of a given transcription factor verified its role as a regulator in trans of tandem gene pair loci, including the proximally initiating upstream antisense transcript and downstream mRNA and the distally initiating upstream mRNA. To investigate cis-regulatory activity at such a locus, we focused on the stress-induced NAD(P)H dehydratase YKL151C and its downstream neighbor, the metabolic enzyme GPM1. Previous work has implicated the region between these genes in regulation of GPM1 expression; our mutation experiments established its function in rich medium as a repressor in cis of the distally initiating YKL151C sense RNA, and an activator of the proximally initiating YKL151C antisense RNA. Wild-type expression of all three transcripts required the transcription factor Gcr2. Thus, at this locus, the intergenic region serves as a focal point of regulatory input, driving antisense expression and mediating the coordinated regulation of YKL151C and GPM1. Together, our findings implicate transcription factors in the joint control of neighboring genes specialized to opposing conditions and the antisense transcripts expressed between them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulia Mostovoy
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California Present address: Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Alexander Thiemicke
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California Program in Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität, Jena, Germany Present address: Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
| | - Tiffany Y Hsu
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California Present address: Graduate Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Rachel B Brem
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California Present address: Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA
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95
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Thompson PJ, Macfarlan TS, Lorincz MC. Long Terminal Repeats: From Parasitic Elements to Building Blocks of the Transcriptional Regulatory Repertoire. Mol Cell 2016; 62:766-76. [PMID: 27259207 PMCID: PMC4910160 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2016.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 172] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The life cycle of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), also called long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons, begins with transcription by RNA polymerase II followed by reverse transcription and re-integration into the host genome. While most ERVs are relics of ancient integration events, "young" proviruses competent for retrotransposition-found in many mammals, but not humans-represent an ongoing threat to host fitness. As a consequence, several restriction pathways have evolved to suppress their activity at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional stages of the viral life cycle. Nevertheless, accumulating evidence has revealed that LTR sequences derived from distantly related ERVs have been exapted as regulatory sequences for many host genes in a wide range of cell types throughout mammalian evolution. Here, we focus on emerging themes from recent studies cataloging the diversity of ERV LTRs acting as important transcriptional regulatory elements in mammals and explore the molecular features that likely account for LTR exaptation in developmental and tissue-specific gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Thompson
- Department of Medical Genetics, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Todd S Macfarlan
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - Matthew C Lorincz
- Department of Medical Genetics, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada.
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96
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Lacadie SA, Ibrahim MM, Gokhale SA, Ohler U. Divergent transcription and epigenetic directionality of human promoters. FEBS J 2016; 283:4214-4222. [DOI: 10.1111/febs.13747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2015] [Revised: 02/08/2016] [Accepted: 04/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Scott A. Lacadie
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology; Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine; Berlin Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health (BIH); Germany
| | - Mahmoud M. Ibrahim
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology; Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine; Berlin Germany
- Department of Biology; Humboldt University Berlin; Germany
| | - Sucheta A. Gokhale
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology; Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine; Berlin Germany
| | - Uwe Ohler
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology; Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine; Berlin Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health (BIH); Germany
- Department of Biology; Humboldt University Berlin; Germany
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97
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Agarwal N, Ansari A. Enhancement of Transcription by a Splicing-Competent Intron Is Dependent on Promoter Directionality. PLoS Genet 2016; 12:e1006047. [PMID: 27152651 PMCID: PMC4859611 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 04/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhancement of transcription by a splicing-competent intron is an evolutionarily conserved feature among eukaryotes. The molecular mechanism underlying the phenomenon, however, is not entirely clear. Here we show that the intron is an important regulator of promoter directionality. Employing strand-specific transcription run-on (TRO) analysis, we show that the transcription of mRNA is favored over the upstream anti-sense transcripts (uaRNA) initiating from the promoter in the presence of an intron. Mutation of either the 5′ or 3′ splice site resulted in the reversal of promoter directionality, thereby suggesting that it is not merely the 5′ splice site but the entire splicing-competent intron that regulates transcription directionality. ChIP analysis revealed the recruitment of termination factors near the promoter region in the presence of an intron. Removal of intron or the mutation of splice sites adversely affected the promoter localization of termination factors. We have earlier demonstrated that the intron-mediated enhancement of transcription is dependent on gene looping. Here we show that gene looping is crucial for the recruitment of termination factors in the promoter-proximal region of an intron-containing gene. In a looping-defective mutant, despite normal splicing, the promoter occupancy of factors required for poly(A)-dependent termination of transcription was compromised. This was accompanied by a concomitant loss of transcription directionality. On the basis of these results, we propose that the intron-dependent gene looping places the terminator-bound factors in the vicinity of the promoter region for termination of the promoter-initiated upstream antisense transcription, thereby conferring promoter directionality. Eukaryotic genes differ from their prokaryotic counterparts in having intervening non-coding sequences called introns. The precise biological role of introns in eukaryotic systems remains unclear even more than forty years after their initial discovery. One function of intron that has been remarkably conserved during evolution is their ability to enhance the transcription of genes that harbor them. How does the intron regulate transcription, however, is not known. Here we show that the intron enhances gene expression by affecting direction of the promoter-initiated transcription. In the presence of an intron, polymerase tends to transcribe the downstream coding region producing mRNA, while in the absence of a splicing-competent intron polymerase starts transcribing promoter upstream region producing upstream antisense RNA (uaRNA). Intron-mediated promoter directionality was dependent on gene looping, which is the interaction off the promoter and terminator region of a gene in a transcription-dependent manner. We show that the intron-dependent gene looping facilitates the recruitment of termination factors in the promoter-proximal region. The recruited termination factors stop uaRNA synthesis thereby conferring directionality to the promoter-bound polymerase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Agarwal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Athar Ansari
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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98
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Pundhir S, Bagger FO, Lauridsen FB, Rapin N, Porse BT. Peak-valley-peak pattern of histone modifications delineates active regulatory elements and their directionality. Nucleic Acids Res 2016; 44:4037-51. [PMID: 27095194 PMCID: PMC4872112 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Accepted: 04/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Formation of nucleosome free region (NFR) accompanied by specific histone modifications at flanking nucleosomes is an important prerequisite for enhancer and promoter activity. Due to this process, active regulatory elements often exhibit a distinct shape of histone signal in the form of a peak-valley-peak (PVP) pattern. However, different features of PVP patterns and their robustness in predicting active regulatory elements have never been systematically analyzed. Here, we present PARE, a novel computational method that systematically analyzes the H3K4me1 or H3K4me3 PVP patterns to predict NFRs. We show that NFRs predicted by H3K4me1 and me3 patterns are associated with active enhancers and promoters, respectively. Furthermore, asymmetry in the height of peaks flanking the central valley can predict the directionality of stable transcription at promoters. Using PARE on ChIP-seq histone modifications from four ENCODE cell lines and four hematopoietic differentiation stages, we identified several enhancers whose regulatory activity is stage specific and correlates positively with the expression of proximal genes in a particular stage. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that PVP patterns delineate both the histone modification landscape and the transcriptional activities governed by active enhancers and promoters, and therefore can be used for their prediction. PARE is freely available at http://servers.binf.ku.dk/pare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sachin Pundhir
- The Finsen Laboratory, Rigshospitalet, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark Danish Stem Cell Centre (DanStem), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark The Bioinformatics Centre, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Frederik O Bagger
- The Finsen Laboratory, Rigshospitalet, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark Danish Stem Cell Centre (DanStem), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark The Bioinformatics Centre, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Felicia B Lauridsen
- The Finsen Laboratory, Rigshospitalet, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark Danish Stem Cell Centre (DanStem), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nicolas Rapin
- The Finsen Laboratory, Rigshospitalet, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark Danish Stem Cell Centre (DanStem), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark The Bioinformatics Centre, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Bo T Porse
- The Finsen Laboratory, Rigshospitalet, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark Danish Stem Cell Centre (DanStem), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
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99
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Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a diverse class of RNAs that engage in numerous biological processes across every branch of life. Although initially discovered as mRNA-like transcripts that do not encode proteins, recent studies have revealed features of lncRNAs that further distinguish them from mRNAs. In this Review, we describe special events in the lifetimes of lncRNAs - before, during and after transcription - and discuss how these events ultimately shape the unique characteristics and functional roles of lncRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey J Quinn
- Center for Personal Dynamic Regulomes, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University School of Medicine and School of Engineering, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Howard Y Chang
- Center for Personal Dynamic Regulomes, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA
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100
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Luo S, Lu JY, Liu L, Yin Y, Chen C, Han X, Wu B, Xu R, Liu W, Yan P, Shao W, Lu Z, Li H, Na J, Tang F, Wang J, Zhang YE, Shen X. Divergent lncRNAs Regulate Gene Expression and Lineage Differentiation in Pluripotent Cells. Cell Stem Cell 2016; 18:637-52. [PMID: 26996597 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2016.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 276] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2015] [Revised: 12/17/2015] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Divergent lncRNAs that are transcribed in the opposite direction to nearby protein-coding genes comprise a significant proportion (∼20%) of total lncRNAs in mammalian genomes. Through genome-wide analysis, we found that the distribution of this lncRNA class strongly correlates with essential developmental regulatory genes. In pluripotent cells, divergent lncRNAs regulate the transcription of nearby genes. As an example, the divergent lncRNA Evx1as promotes transcription of its neighbor gene, EVX1, and regulates mesendodermal differentiation. At a single-cell level, early broad expression of Evx1as is followed by a rapid, high-level transcription of EVX1, supporting the idea that Evx1as plays an upstream role to facilitate EVX1 transcription. Mechanistically, Evx1as RNA binds to regulatory sites on chromatin, promotes an active chromatin state, and interacts with Mediator. Based on our analyses, we propose that the biological function of thousands of uncharacterized lncRNAs of this class may be inferred from the role of their neighboring adjacent genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai Luo
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - J Yuyang Lu
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Lichao Liu
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yafei Yin
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Chunyan Chen
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xue Han
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Bohou Wu
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Ronggang Xu
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Pixi Yan
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Wen Shao
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zhi Lu
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Haitao Li
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jie Na
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Fuchou Tang
- Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jianlong Wang
- The Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Department of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Yong E Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xiaohua Shen
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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