51
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Lu TY, Smaruj PN, Fudenberg G, Mancuso N, Chaisson MJP. The motif composition of variable number tandem repeats impacts gene expression. Genome Res 2023; 33:511-524. [PMID: 37037626 PMCID: PMC10234305 DOI: 10.1101/gr.276768.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the impact of DNA variation on human traits is a fundamental question in human genetics. Variable number tandem repeats (VNTRs) make up ∼3% of the human genome but are often excluded from association analysis owing to poor read mappability or divergent repeat content. Although methods exist to estimate VNTR length from short-read data, it is known that VNTRs vary in both length and repeat (motif) composition. Here, we use a repeat-pangenome graph (RPGG) constructed on 35 haplotype-resolved assemblies to detect variation in both VNTR length and repeat composition. We align population-scale data from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) Consortium to examine how variations in sequence composition may be linked to expression, including cases independent of overall VNTR length. We find that 9422 out of 39,125 VNTRs are associated with nearby gene expression through motif variations, of which only 23.4% are accessible from length. Fine-mapping identifies 174 genes to be likely driven by variation in certain VNTR motifs and not overall length. We highlight two genes, CACNA1C and RNF213, that have expression associated with motif variation, showing the utility of RPGG analysis as a new approach for trait association in multiallelic and highly variable loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsung-Yu Lu
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Paulina N Smaruj
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Geoffrey Fudenberg
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Nicholas Mancuso
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
- Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033, USA
| | - Mark J P Chaisson
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA;
- The Genomic and Epigenomic Regulation Program, USC Norris Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033, USA
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52
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Wright SE, Todd PK. Native functions of short tandem repeats. eLife 2023; 12:e84043. [PMID: 36940239 PMCID: PMC10027321 DOI: 10.7554/elife.84043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Over a third of the human genome is comprised of repetitive sequences, including more than a million short tandem repeats (STRs). While studies of the pathologic consequences of repeat expansions that cause syndromic human diseases are extensive, the potential native functions of STRs are often ignored. Here, we summarize a growing body of research into the normal biological functions for repetitive elements across the genome, with a particular focus on the roles of STRs in regulating gene expression. We propose reconceptualizing the pathogenic consequences of repeat expansions as aberrancies in normal gene regulation. From this altered viewpoint, we predict that future work will reveal broader roles for STRs in neuronal function and as risk alleles for more common human neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon E Wright
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan–Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan–Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Picower InstituteCambridgeUnited States
| | - Peter K Todd
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan–Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
- VA Ann Arbor Healthcare SystemAnn ArborUnited States
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53
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Jam HZ, Li Y, DeVito R, Mousavi N, Ma N, Lujumba I, Adam Y, Maksimov M, Huang B, Dolzhenko E, Qiu Y, Kakembo FE, Joseph H, Onyido B, Adeyemi J, Bakhtiari M, Park J, Javadzadeh S, Jjingo D, Adebiyi E, Bafna V, Gymrek M. A deep population reference panel of tandem repeat variation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.09.531600. [PMID: 36945429 PMCID: PMC10028971 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.09.531600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
Tandem repeats (TRs) represent one of the largest sources of genetic variation in humans and are implicated in a range of phenotypes. Here we present a deep characterization of TR variation based on high coverage whole genome sequencing from 3,550 diverse individuals from the 1000 Genomes Project and H3Africa cohorts. We develop a method, EnsembleTR, to integrate genotypes from four separate methods resulting in high-quality genotypes at more than 1.7 million TR loci. Our catalog reveals novel sequence features influencing TR heterozygosity, identifies population-specific trinucleotide expansions, and finds hundreds of novel eQTL signals. Finally, we generate a phased haplotype panel which can be used to impute most TRs from nearby single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with high accuracy. Overall, the TR genotypes and reference haplotype panel generated here will serve as valuable resources for future genome-wide and population-wide studies of TRs and their role in human phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helyaneh Ziaei Jam
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Ross DeVito
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Nima Mousavi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Nichole Ma
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Ibra Lujumba
- The African Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Data Intensive Sciences, the Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Kampala-Uganda
| | - Yagoub Adam
- Covenant University Bioinformatics Research (CUBRe), Covenant University, Ota, Ogun, 112233, Nigeria
| | - Mikhail Maksimov
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Bonnie Huang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | | | - Yunjiang Qiu
- Illumina Incorporated, San Diego, California 92122, USA
| | - Fredrick Elishama Kakembo
- The African Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Data Intensive Sciences, the Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Kampala-Uganda
| | - Habi Joseph
- The African Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Data Intensive Sciences, the Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Kampala-Uganda
| | - Blessing Onyido
- Department of Computer & Information Sciences, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun, 112233, Nigeria
- Covenant Applied Informatics and Communication Africa Centre of Excellence (CApIC-ACE), Covenant University, Ota, Ogun, 112233, Nigeria
| | - Jumoke Adeyemi
- Department of Computer & Information Sciences, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun, 112233, Nigeria
- Covenant Applied Informatics and Communication Africa Centre of Excellence (CApIC-ACE), Covenant University, Ota, Ogun, 112233, Nigeria
| | - Mehrdad Bakhtiari
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Jonghun Park
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Sara Javadzadeh
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Daudi Jjingo
- The African Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Data Intensive Sciences, the Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Kampala-Uganda
- Department of Computer Science, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Ezekiel Adebiyi
- Covenant University Bioinformatics Research (CUBRe), Covenant University, Ota, Ogun, 112233, Nigeria
- Department of Computer & Information Sciences, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun, 112233, Nigeria
- Covenant Applied Informatics and Communication Africa Centre of Excellence (CApIC-ACE), Covenant University, Ota, Ogun, 112233, Nigeria
- Applied Bioinformatics Division, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, 69120, Germany
| | - Vineet Bafna
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Melissa Gymrek
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
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54
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Plavskin Y, de Biase MS, Schwarz RF, Siegal ML. The rate of spontaneous mutations in yeast deficient for MutSβ function. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 13:6931805. [PMID: 36529906 PMCID: PMC9997558 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in simple sequence repeat loci underlie many inherited disorders in humans, and are increasingly recognized as important determinants of natural phenotypic variation. In eukaryotes, mutations in these sequences are primarily repaired by the MutSβ mismatch repair complex. To better understand the role of this complex in mismatch repair and the determinants of simple sequence repeat mutation predisposition, we performed mutation accumulation in yeast strains with abrogated MutSβ function. We demonstrate that mutations in simple sequence repeat loci in the absence of mismatch repair are primarily deletions. We also show that mutations accumulate at drastically different rates in short (<8 bp) and longer repeat loci. These data lend support to a model in which the mismatch repair complex is responsible for repair primarily in longer simple sequence repeats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yevgeniy Plavskin
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York 10003, USA.,Department of Biology, New York University, New York 10003, USA
| | - Maria Stella de Biase
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin 10115, Germany.,Department of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin 10099, Germany
| | - Roland F Schwarz
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin 10115, Germany.,Institute for Computational Cancer Biology, Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO), Cancer Research Center Cologne Essen (CCCE), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne 50937, Germany.,Berlin Institute for the Foundations of Learning and Data (BIFOLD), Berlin 10623, Germany
| | - Mark L Siegal
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York 10003, USA.,Department of Biology, New York University, New York 10003, USA
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55
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Hamanaka K, Yamauchi D, Koshimizu E, Watase K, Mogushi K, Ishikawa K, Mizusawa H, Tsuchida N, Uchiyama Y, Fujita A, Misawa K, Mizuguchi T, Miyatake S, Matsumoto N. Genome-wide identification of tandem repeats associated with splicing variation across 49 tissues in humans. Genome Res 2023; 33:435-447. [PMID: 37307504 PMCID: PMC10078293 DOI: 10.1101/gr.277335.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Tandem repeats (TRs) are one of the largest sources of polymorphism, and their length is associated with gene regulation. Although previous studies reported several tandem repeats regulating gene splicing in cis (spl-TRs), no large-scale study has been conducted. In this study, we established a genome-wide catalog of 9537 spl-TRs with a total of 58,290 significant TR-splicing associations across 49 tissues (false discovery rate 5%) by using Genotype-Tissue expression (GTex) Project data. Regression models explaining splicing variation by using spl-TRs and other flanking variants suggest that at least some of the spl-TRs directly modulate splicing. In our catalog, two spl-TRs are known loci for repeat expansion diseases, spinocerebellar ataxia 6 (SCA6) and 12 (SCA12). Splicing alterations by these spl-TRs were compatible with those observed in SCA6 and SCA12. Thus, our comprehensive spl-TR catalog may help elucidate the pathomechanism of genetic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohei Hamanaka
- Department of Human Genetics, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan
| | | | - Eriko Koshimizu
- Department of Human Genetics, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan
| | - Kei Watase
- Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
| | - Kaoru Mogushi
- Intractable Disease Research Center, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Kinya Ishikawa
- The Center for Personalized Medicine for Healthy Aging, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
| | - Hidehiro Mizusawa
- Department of Neurology, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan
| | - Naomi Tsuchida
- Department of Human Genetics, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan
- Department of Rare Disease Genomics, Yokohama City University Hospital, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan
| | - Yuri Uchiyama
- Department of Human Genetics, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan
- Department of Rare Disease Genomics, Yokohama City University Hospital, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan
| | - Atsushi Fujita
- Department of Human Genetics, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan
| | - Kazuharu Misawa
- Department of Human Genetics, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan
| | - Takeshi Mizuguchi
- Department of Human Genetics, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan
| | - Satoko Miyatake
- Department of Human Genetics, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan
- Clinical Genetics Department, Yokohama City University Hospital, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan
| | - Naomichi Matsumoto
- Department of Human Genetics, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan;
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56
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Makova KD, Weissensteiner MH. Noncanonical DNA structures are drivers of genome evolution. Trends Genet 2023; 39:109-124. [PMID: 36604282 PMCID: PMC9877202 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2022.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
In addition to the canonical right-handed double helix, other DNA structures, termed 'non-B DNA', can form in the genomes across the tree of life. Non-B DNA regulates multiple cellular processes, including replication and transcription, yet its presence is associated with elevated mutagenicity and genome instability. These discordant cellular roles fuel the enormous potential of non-B DNA to drive genomic and phenotypic evolution. Here we discuss recent studies establishing non-B DNA structures as novel functional elements subject to natural selection, affecting evolution of transposable elements (TEs), and specifying centromeres. By highlighting the contributions of non-B DNA to repeated evolution and adaptation to changing environments, we conclude that evolutionary analyses should include a perspective of not only DNA sequence, but also its structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kateryna D Makova
- Department of Biology, Penn State University, 310 Wartik Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
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57
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Verbiest M, Maksimov M, Jin Y, Anisimova M, Gymrek M, Bilgin Sonay T. Mutation and selection processes regulating short tandem repeats give rise to genetic and phenotypic diversity across species. J Evol Biol 2023; 36:321-336. [PMID: 36289560 PMCID: PMC9990875 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Short tandem repeats (STRs) are units of 1-6 bp that repeat in a tandem fashion in DNA. Along with single nucleotide polymorphisms and large structural variations, they are among the major genomic variants underlying genetic, and likely phenotypic, divergence. STRs experience mutation rates that are orders of magnitude higher than other well-studied genotypic variants. Frequent copy number changes result in a wide range of alleles, and provide unique opportunities for modulating complex phenotypes through variation in repeat length. While classical studies have identified key roles of individual STR loci, the advent of improved sequencing technology, high-quality genome assemblies for diverse species, and bioinformatics methods for genome-wide STR analysis now enable more systematic study of STR variation across wide evolutionary ranges. In this review, we explore mutation and selection processes that affect STR copy number evolution, and how these processes give rise to varying STR patterns both within and across species. Finally, we review recent examples of functional and adaptive changes linked to STRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Verbiest
- Institute of Computational Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Facility ManagementZürich University of Applied SciencesWädenswilSwitzerland
- Department of Molecular Life SciencesUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Swiss Institute of BioinformaticsLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Mikhail Maksimov
- Department of Computer Science & EngineeringUniversity of California San DiegoLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
- Department of MedicineUniversity of California San DiegoLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Ye Jin
- Department of MedicineUniversity of California San DiegoLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
- Department of BioengineeringUniversity of California San DiegoLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Maria Anisimova
- Institute of Computational Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Facility ManagementZürich University of Applied SciencesWädenswilSwitzerland
- Swiss Institute of BioinformaticsLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Melissa Gymrek
- Department of Computer Science & EngineeringUniversity of California San DiegoLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
- Department of MedicineUniversity of California San DiegoLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Tugce Bilgin Sonay
- Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental BiologyColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
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58
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Martin-Trujillo A, Garg P, Patel N, Jadhav B, Sharp AJ. Genome-wide evaluation of the effect of short tandem repeat variation on local DNA methylation. Genome Res 2023; 33:184-196. [PMID: 36577521 PMCID: PMC10069470 DOI: 10.1101/gr.277057.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Short tandem repeats (STRs) contribute significantly to genetic diversity in humans, including disease-causing variation. Although the effect of STR variation on gene expression has been extensively assessed, their impact on epigenetics has been poorly studied and limited to specific genomic regions. Here, we investigated the hypothesis that some STRs act as independent regulators of local DNA methylation in the human genome and modify risk of common human traits. To address these questions, we first analyzed two independent data sets comprising PCR-free whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and genome-wide DNA methylation levels derived from whole-blood samples in 245 (discovery cohort) and 484 individuals (replication cohort). Using genotypes for 131,635 polymorphic STRs derived from WGS using HipSTR, we identified 11,870 STRs that associated with DNA methylation levels (mSTRs) of 11,774 CpGs (Bonferroni P < 0.001) in our discovery cohort, with 90% successfully replicating in our second cohort. Subsequently, through fine-mapping using CAVIAR we defined 585 of these mSTRs as the likely causal variants underlying the observed associations (fm-mSTRs) and linked a fraction of these to previously reported genome-wide association study signals, providing insights into the mechanisms underlying complex human traits. Furthermore, by integrating gene expression data, we observed that 12.5% of the tested fm-mSTRs also modulate expression levels of nearby genes, reinforcing their regulatory potential. Overall, our findings expand the catalog of functional sequence variants that affect genome regulation, highlighting the importance of incorporating STRs in future genetic association analysis and epigenetics data for the interpretation of trait-associated variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Martin-Trujillo
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Hess Center for Science and Medicine, New York, New York 10029, USA
| | - Paras Garg
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Hess Center for Science and Medicine, New York, New York 10029, USA
| | - Nihir Patel
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Hess Center for Science and Medicine, New York, New York 10029, USA
| | - Bharati Jadhav
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Hess Center for Science and Medicine, New York, New York 10029, USA
| | - Andrew J Sharp
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Hess Center for Science and Medicine, New York, New York 10029, USA
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59
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Ding YC, Adamson AW, Bakhtiari M, Patrick C, Park J, Laitman Y, Weitzel JN, Bafna V, Friedman E, Neuhausen SL. Variable number tandem repeats (VNTRs) as modifiers of breast cancer risk in carriers of BRCA1 185delAG. Eur J Hum Genet 2023; 31:216-222. [PMID: 36434258 PMCID: PMC9905572 DOI: 10.1038/s41431-022-01238-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite substantial efforts in identifying both rare and common variants affecting disease risk, in the majority of diseases, a large proportion of unexplained genetic risk remains. We propose that variable number tandem repeats (VNTRs) may explain a proportion of the missing genetic risk. Herein, in a pilot study with a retrospective cohort design, we tested whether VNTRs are causal modifiers of breast cancer risk in 347 female carriers of the BRCA1 185delAG pathogenic variant, an important group given their high risk of developing breast cancer. We performed targeted-capture to sequence VNTRs, called genotypes with adVNTR, tested the association of VNTRs and breast cancer risk using Cox regression models, and estimated the effect size using a retrospective likelihood approach. Of 303 VNTRs that passed quality control checks, 4 VNTRs were significantly associated with risk to develop breast cancer at false discovery rate [FDR] < 0.05 and an additional 4 VNTRs had FDR < 0.25. After determining the specific risk alleles, there was a significantly earlier age at diagnosis of breast cancer in carriers of the risk alleles compared to those without the risk alleles for seven of eight VNTRs. One example is a VNTR in exon 2 of LINC01973 with a per-allele hazard ratio of 1.58 (1.07-2.33) and 5.28 (2.79-9.99) for the homozygous risk-allele genotype. Results from this first systematic study of VNTRs demonstrate that VNTRs may explain a proportion of the unexplained genetic risk for breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Chun Ding
- Department of Population Sciences, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Aaron W Adamson
- Department of Population Sciences, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Mehrdad Bakhtiari
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Carmina Patrick
- Department of Population Sciences, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Jonghun Park
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Yael Laitman
- Oncogenetics Unit, Institute of Human Genetics, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Jeffrey N Weitzel
- Latin American School of Oncology, Tuxla Gutierrez, Chiapas, MX and Natera, San Carlos, CA, USA
| | - Vineet Bafna
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Eitan Friedman
- Oncogenetics Unit, Institute of Human Genetics, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The Center for Preventive Personalized Medicine, Assuta Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Susan L Neuhausen
- Department of Population Sciences, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA.
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60
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Styk J, Pös Z, Pös O, Radvanszky J, Turnova EH, Buglyó G, Klimova D, Budis J, Repiska V, Nagy B, Szemes T. Microsatellite instability assessment is instrumental for Predictive, Preventive and Personalised Medicine: status quo and outlook. EPMA J 2023; 14:143-165. [PMID: 36866160 PMCID: PMC9971410 DOI: 10.1007/s13167-023-00312-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
A form of genomic alteration called microsatellite instability (MSI) occurs in a class of tandem repeats (TRs) called microsatellites (MSs) or short tandem repeats (STRs) due to the failure of a post-replicative DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system. Traditionally, the strategies for determining MSI events have been low-throughput procedures that typically require assessment of tumours as well as healthy samples. On the other hand, recent large-scale pan-tumour studies have consistently highlighted the potential of massively parallel sequencing (MPS) on the MSI scale. As a result of recent innovations, minimally invasive methods show a high potential to be integrated into the clinical routine and delivery of adapted medical care to all patients. Along with advances in sequencing technologies and their ever-increasing cost-effectiveness, they may bring about a new era of Predictive, Preventive and Personalised Medicine (3PM). In this paper, we offered a comprehensive analysis of high-throughput strategies and computational tools for the calling and assessment of MSI events, including whole-genome, whole-exome and targeted sequencing approaches. We also discussed in detail the detection of MSI status by current MPS blood-based methods and we hypothesised how they may contribute to the shift from conventional medicine to predictive diagnosis, targeted prevention and personalised medical services. Increasing the efficacy of patient stratification based on MSI status is crucial for tailored decision-making. Contextually, this paper highlights drawbacks both at the technical level and those embedded deeper in cellular/molecular processes and future applications in routine clinical testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Styk
- Institute of Medical Biology, Genetics and Clinical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, 811 08 Bratislava, Slovakia ,Comenius University Science Park, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia ,Geneton Ltd, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Zuzana Pös
- Comenius University Science Park, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia ,Geneton Ltd, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia ,Institute of Clinical and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 845 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ondrej Pös
- Comenius University Science Park, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia ,Geneton Ltd, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jan Radvanszky
- Comenius University Science Park, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia ,Institute of Clinical and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 845 05 Bratislava, Slovakia ,Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Evelina Hrckova Turnova
- Comenius University Science Park, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia ,Slovgen Ltd, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Gergely Buglyó
- Department of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Daniela Klimova
- Institute of Medical Biology, Genetics and Clinical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, 811 08 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jaroslav Budis
- Comenius University Science Park, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia ,Geneton Ltd, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia ,Slovak Centre of Scientific and Technical Information, 811 04 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Vanda Repiska
- Institute of Medical Biology, Genetics and Clinical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, 811 08 Bratislava, Slovakia ,Medirex Group Academy, NPO, 949 05 Nitra, Slovakia
| | - Bálint Nagy
- Comenius University Science Park, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia ,Department of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Tomas Szemes
- Comenius University Science Park, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia ,Geneton Ltd, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia ,Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia
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61
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Bustos BI, Billingsley K, Blauwendraat C, Gibbs JR, Gan-Or Z, Krainc D, Singleton AB, Lubbe SJ. Genome-wide contribution of common short-tandem repeats to Parkinson's disease genetic risk. Brain 2023; 146:65-74. [PMID: 36347471 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease is a complex neurodegenerative disorder with a strong genetic component, for which most known disease-associated variants are single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and small insertions and deletions (indels). DNA repetitive elements account for >50% of the human genome; however, little is known of their contribution to Parkinson's disease aetiology. While select short tandem repeats (STRs) within candidate genes have been studied in Parkinson's disease, their genome-wide contribution remains unknown. Here we present the first genome-wide association study of STRs in Parkinson's disease. Through a meta-analysis of 16 imputed genome-wide association study cohorts from the International Parkinson's Disease Genomic Consortium (IPDGC), totalling 39 087 individuals (16 642 cases and 22 445 controls of European ancestry), we identified 34 genome-wide significant STR loci (P < 5.34 × 10-6), with the strongest signal located in KANSL1 [chr17:44 205 351:[T]11, P = 3 × 10-39, odds ratio = 1.31 (95% confidence interval = 1.26-1.36)]. Conditional-joint analyses suggested that four significant STRs mapping nearby NDUFAF2, TRIML2, MIRNA-129-1 and NCOR1 were independent from known risk SNPs. Including STRs in heritability estimates increased the variance explained by SNPs alone. Gene expression analysis of STRs (eSTRs) in RNA sequencing data from 13 brain regions identified significant associations of STRs influencing the expression of multiple genes, including known Parkinson's disease genes. Further functional annotation of candidate STRs revealed that significant eSTRs within NUDFAF2 and ZSWIM7 overlap with regulatory features and are associated with change in the expression levels of nearby genes. Here, we show that STRs at known and novel candidate loci contribute to Parkinson's disease risk and have functional effects in disease-relevant tissues and pathways, supporting previously reported disease-associated genes and giving further evidence for their functional prioritization. These data represent a valuable resource for researchers currently dissecting Parkinson's disease risk loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernabe I Bustos
- Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology and Simpson Querrey Center for Neurogenetics, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Kimberley Billingsley
- Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Cornelis Blauwendraat
- Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - J Raphael Gibbs
- Computational Biology Group, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ziv Gan-Or
- The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital), McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Neurology and neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Dimitri Krainc
- Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology and Simpson Querrey Center for Neurogenetics, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Andrew B Singleton
- Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Steven J Lubbe
- Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology and Simpson Querrey Center for Neurogenetics, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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62
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Gochi L, Kawai Y, Fujimoto A. Comprehensive analysis of microsatellite polymorphisms in human populations. Hum Genet 2023; 142:45-57. [PMID: 36048238 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-022-02484-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Microsatellites (MS) are tandem repeats of short units, and have been used for population genetics, individual identification, and medical genetics. However, studies of MS on a whole-genome level are limited, and genotyping methods for MS have yet to be established. Here, we analyzed approximately 8.5 million MS regions using a previously developed MS caller for short reads (MIVcall method) for three large publicly available human genome sequencing data sets: the Korean Personal Genome Project, Simons Genome Diversity Project, and Human Genome Diversity Project. Our analysis identified 253,114 polymorphic MS. A comparison among different populations suggests that MS in the coding region evolved by random genetic drift and natural selection. In an analysis of genetic structures, MS clearly revealed population structures as SNPs and detected clusters that were not found by SNPs in African and Oceanian populations. Based on the MS polymorphisms, we selected MS marker candidates for individual identification. Finally, we applied our method to a deep sequenced ancient DNA sample. This study provides a comprehensive picture of MS polymorphisms and application to human population studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leo Gochi
- Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0003, Japan
| | - Yosuke Kawai
- Genome Medical Science Project, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akihiro Fujimoto
- Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0003, Japan.
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63
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Alimohamed MZ, Boven LG, van Dijk KK, Vos YJ, Hoedemaekers YM, van der Zwaag PA, Sijmons RH, Jongbloed JD, Sikkema-Raddatz B, Westers H. SEPT–GD: A decision tree to prioritise potential RNA splice variants in cardiomyopathy genes for functional splicing assays in diagnostics. Gene 2023; 851:146984. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Wendt FR, Pathak GA, Polimanti R. Phenome-wide association study of loci harboring de novo tandem repeat mutations in UK Biobank exomes. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7682. [PMID: 36509785 PMCID: PMC9744822 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35423-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
When present in coding regions, tandem repeats (TRs) may have large effects on protein structure and function contributing to health and disease. We use a family-based design to identify de novo TRs and assess their impact at the population level in 148,607 European ancestry participants from the UK Biobank. The 427 loci with de novo TR mutations are enriched for targets of microRNA-184 (21.1-fold, P = 4.30 × 10-5, FDR = 9.50 × 10-3). There are 123 TR-phenotype associations with posterior probabilities > 0.95. These relate to body structure, cognition, and cardiovascular, metabolic, psychiatric, and respiratory outcomes. We report several loci with large likely causal effects on tissue microstructure, including the FAN1-[TG]N and carotid intima-media thickness (mean thickness: beta = 5.22, P = 1.22 × 10-6, FDR = 0.004; maximum thickness: beta = 6.44, P = 1.12 × 10-6, FDR = 0.004). Two exonic repeats FNBP4-[GGT]N and BTN2A1-[CCT]N alter protein structure. In this work, we contribute clear and testable hypotheses of dose-dependent TR implications linking genetic variation and protein structure with health and disease outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank R Wendt
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Mississauga, ON, Canada.
- Biostatistics Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Forensic Science Program, University of Toronto, Mississauga, ON, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- VA CT Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Gita A Pathak
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- VA CT Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Renato Polimanti
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- VA CT Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
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Steely CJ, Watkins WS, Baird L, Jorde LB. The mutational dynamics of short tandem repeats in large, multigenerational families. Genome Biol 2022; 23:253. [PMID: 36510265 PMCID: PMC9743774 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-022-02818-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Short tandem repeats (STRs) compose approximately 3% of the genome, and mutations at STR loci have been linked to dozens of human diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Friedreich ataxia, Huntington disease, and fragile X syndrome. Improving our understanding of these mutations would increase our knowledge of the mutational dynamics of the genome and may uncover additional loci that contribute to disease. To estimate the genome-wide pattern of mutations at STR loci, we analyze blood-derived whole-genome sequencing data for 544 individuals from 29 three-generation CEPH pedigrees. These pedigrees contain both sets of grandparents, the parents, and an average of 9 grandchildren per family. RESULTS We use HipSTR to identify de novo STR mutations in the 2nd generation of these pedigrees and require transmission to the third generation for validation. Analyzing approximately 1.6 million STR loci, we estimate the empirical de novo STR mutation rate to be 5.24 × 10-5 mutations per locus per generation. Perfect repeats mutate about 2 × more often than imperfect repeats. De novo STRs are significantly enriched in Alu elements. CONCLUSIONS Approximately 30% of new STR mutations occur within Alu elements, which compose only 11% of the genome, but only 10% are found in LINE-1 insertions, which compose 17% of the genome. Phasing these mutations to the parent of origin shows that parental transmission biases vary among families. We estimate the average number of de novo genome-wide STR mutations per individual to be approximately 85, which is similar to the average number of observed de novo single nucleotide variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody J. Steely
- grid.223827.e0000 0001 2193 0096Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 USA
| | - W. Scott Watkins
- grid.223827.e0000 0001 2193 0096Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 USA
| | - Lisa Baird
- grid.223827.e0000 0001 2193 0096Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 USA
| | - Lynn B. Jorde
- grid.223827.e0000 0001 2193 0096Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 USA
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66
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Hamilton F, Mitchell R, Cunnington A, Ghazal P, Timpson NJ. HMOX1 STR polymorphism and malaria: an analysis of a large clinical dataset. Malar J 2022; 21:342. [PMID: 36397106 PMCID: PMC9670449 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-022-04352-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inducible expression of heme oxygenase-1 (encoded by the gene HMOX1) may determine protection from heme released during malaria infections. A variable length, short tandem GT(n) repeat (STR) in HMOX1 that may influence gene expression has been associated with outcomes of human malaria in some studies. In this study, an analysis of the association between variation at the STR in HMOX1 on severe malaria and severe malaria subtypes is presented in a large, prospectively collected dataset (MalariaGEN). METHODS The HMOX1 STR was imputed using a recently developed reference haplotype panel designed for STRs. The STR was classified by total length and split into three alleles based on an observed trimodal distribution of repeat lengths. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between this repeat on cases of severe malaria and severe malaria subtypes (cerebral malaria and severe malarial anaemia). Individual analyses were performed for each MalariaGEN collection site and combined for meta-analysis. One site (Kenya), had detailed clinical metadata, allowing the assessment of the effect of the STR on clinical variables (e.g. parasite count, platelet count) and regression analyses were performed to investigate whether the STR interacted with any clinical variables. RESULTS Data from 17,960 participants across 11 collection sites were analysed. In logistic regression, there was no strong evidence of association between STR length and severe malaria (Odds Ratio, OR: 0.96, 95% confidence intervals 0.91-1.02 per ten GT(n) repeats), although there did appear to be an association at some sites (e.g., Kenya, OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.82-0.99). There was no evidence of an interaction with any clinical variables. CONCLUSIONS Meta-analysis suggested that increasing HMOX1 STR length is unlikely to be reliably associated with severe malaria. It cannot be ruled out that repeat length may alter risk in specific populations, although whether this is due to chance variation, or true variation due to underlying biology (e.g., gene vs environment interaction) remains unanswered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fergus Hamilton
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK.
- Infection Sciences, North Bristol NHS Trust, Bristol, England, UK.
| | - Ruth Mitchell
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Aubrey Cunnington
- Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Centre for Paediatrics and Child Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Peter Ghazal
- System Immunity Research Institute, Division of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Nicholas J Timpson
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
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67
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Wang Y, Ling Y, Gong J, Zhao X, Zhou H, Xie B, Lou H, Zhuang X, Jin L, Fan S, Zhang G, Xu S. PGG.SV: a whole-genome-sequencing-based structural variant resource and data analysis platform. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 51:D1109-D1116. [PMID: 36243989 PMCID: PMC9825616 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Structural variations (SVs) play important roles in human evolution and diseases, but there is a lack of data resources concerning representative samples, especially for East Asians. Taking advantage of both next-generation sequencing and third-generation sequencing data at the whole-genome level, we developed the database PGG.SV to provide a practical platform for both regionally and globally representative structural variants. In its current version, PGG.SV archives 584 277 SVs obtained from whole-genome sequencing data of 6048 samples, including 1030 long-read sequencing genomes representing 177 global populations. PGG.SV provides (i) high-quality SVs with fine-scale and precise genomic locations in both GRCh37 and GRCh38, covering underrepresented SVs in existing sequencing and microarray data; (ii) hierarchical estimation of SV prevalence in geographical populations; (iii) informative annotations of SV-related genes, potential functions and clinical effects; (iv) an analysis platform to facilitate SV-based case-control association studies and (v) various visualization tools for understanding the SV structures in the human genome. Taken together, PGG.SV provides a user-friendly online interface, easy-to-use analysis tools and a detailed presentation of results. PGG.SV is freely accessible via https://www.biosino.org/pggsv.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Xiaohan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Center for Evolutionary Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China,Human Phenome Institute, Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Hanwen Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, National Genomics Data Center & Bio-Med Big Data Center, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Bo Xie
- Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, National Genomics Data Center & Bio-Med Big Data Center, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Haiyi Lou
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Center for Evolutionary Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Xinhao Zhuang
- Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, National Genomics Data Center & Bio-Med Big Data Center, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Li Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Center for Evolutionary Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China,Human Phenome Institute, Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | | | - Shaohua Fan
- Correspondence may also be addressed to Shaohua Fan.
| | - Guoqing Zhang
- Correspondence may also be addressed to Guoqing Zhang.
| | - Shuhua Xu
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +86 21 31246617; Fax: +86 21 31246617;
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68
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Bañuelos MM, Zavaleta YJA, Roldan A, Reyes RJ, Guardado M, Chavez Rojas B, Nyein T, Rodriguez Vega A, Santos M, Huerta-Sanchez E, Rohlfs RV. Associations between forensic loci and expression levels of neighboring genes may compromise medical privacy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2121024119. [PMID: 36166477 PMCID: PMC9546536 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2121024119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A set of 20 short tandem repeats (STRs) is used by the US criminal justice system to identify suspects and to maintain a database of genetic profiles for individuals who have been previously convicted or arrested. Some of these STRs were identified in the 1990s, with a preference for markers in putative gene deserts to avoid forensic profiles revealing protected medical information. We revisit that assumption, investigating whether forensic genetic profiles reveal information about gene-expression variation or potential medical information. We find six significant correlations (false discovery rate = 0.23) between the forensic STRs and the expression levels of neighboring genes in lymphoblastoid cell lines. We explore possible mechanisms for these associations, showing evidence compatible with forensic STRs causing expression variation or being in linkage disequilibrium with a causal locus in three cases and weaker or potentially spurious associations in the other three cases. Together, these results suggest that forensic genetic loci may reveal expression levels and, perhaps, medical information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayra M. Bañuelos
- Department of Mathematics, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
- Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912
- Center for Computational and Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912
| | | | - Alennie Roldan
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Rochelle-Jan Reyes
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Miguel Guardado
- Department of Mathematics, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | | | - Thet Nyein
- Department of Mathematics, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Ana Rodriguez Vega
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Maribel Santos
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Emilia Huerta-Sanchez
- Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912
- Center for Computational and Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912
| | - Rori V. Rohlfs
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
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69
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Lobanov SV, McAllister B, McDade-Kumar M, Landwehrmeyer GB, Orth M, Rosser AE, Paulsen JS, Lee JM, MacDonald ME, Gusella JF, Long JD, Ryten M, Williams NM, Holmans P, Massey TH, Jones L. Huntington's disease age at motor onset is modified by the tandem hexamer repeat in TCERG1. NPJ Genom Med 2022; 7:53. [PMID: 36064847 PMCID: PMC9445028 DOI: 10.1038/s41525-022-00317-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is caused by an expanded CAG tract in HTT. The length of the CAG tract accounts for over half the variance in age at onset of disease, and is influenced by other genetic factors, mostly implicating the DNA maintenance machinery. We examined a single nucleotide variant, rs79727797, on chromosome 5 in the TCERG1 gene, previously reported to be associated with Huntington's disease and a quasi-tandem repeat (QTR) hexamer in exon 4 of TCERG1 with a central pure repeat. We developed a method for calling perfect and imperfect repeats from exome-sequencing data, and tested association between the QTR in TCERG1 and residual age at motor onset (after correcting for the effects of CAG length in the HTT gene) in 610 individuals with Huntington's disease via regression analysis. We found a significant association between age at onset and the sum of the repeat lengths from both alleles of the QTR (p = 2.1 × 10-9), with each added repeat hexamer reducing age at onset by one year (95% confidence interval [0.7, 1.4]). This association explained that previously observed with rs79727797. The association with age at onset in the genome-wide association study is due to a QTR hexamer in TCERG1, translated to a glutamine/alanine tract in the protein. We could not distinguish whether this was due to cis-effects of the hexamer repeat on gene expression or of the encoded glutamine/alanine tract in the protein. These results motivate further study of the mechanisms by which TCERG1 modifies onset of HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey V Lobanov
- Medical Research Council Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Branduff McAllister
- Medical Research Council Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Mia McDade-Kumar
- Medical Research Council Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | | | - Michael Orth
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Bern University, Bern, Switzerland
- Swiss Huntington's Disease Centre, Siloah, Gümligen, Switzerland
| | - Anne E Rosser
- Medical Research Council Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Jane S Paulsen
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI53705, USA
| | - Jong-Min Lee
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Marcy E MacDonald
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - James F Gusella
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Long
- Departments of Psychiatry and Biostatistics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Mina Ryten
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, Genetics and Genomic Medicine, University, College London, London, UK
- NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, University College London, London, UK
| | - Nigel M Williams
- Medical Research Council Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Peter Holmans
- Medical Research Council Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Thomas H Massey
- Medical Research Council Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
| | - Lesley Jones
- Medical Research Council Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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70
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Marshall JNG, Fröhlich A, Li L, Pfaff AL, Middlehurst B, Spargo TP, Iacoangeli A, Lang B, Al-Chalabi A, Koks S, Bubb VJ, Quinn JP. A polymorphic transcriptional regulatory domain in the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis risk gene CFAP410 correlates with differential isoform expression. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:954928. [PMID: 36131690 PMCID: PMC9484465 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.954928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe the characterisation of a variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) domain within intron 1 of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) risk gene CFAP410 (Cilia and flagella associated protein 410) (previously known as C21orf2), providing insight into how this domain could support differential gene expression and thus be a modulator of ALS progression or risk. We demonstrated the VNTR was functional in a reporter gene assay in the HEK293 cell line, exhibiting both the properties of an activator domain and a transcriptional start site, and that the differential expression was directed by distinct repeat number in the VNTR. These properties embedded in the VNTR demonstrated the potential for this VNTR to modulate CFAP410 expression. We extrapolated these findings in silico by utilisation of tagging SNPs for the two most common VNTR alleles to establish a correlation with endogenous gene expression. Consistent with in vitro data, CFAP410 isoform expression was found to be variable in the brain. Furthermore, although the number of matched controls was low, there was evidence for one specific isoform being correlated with lower expression in those with ALS. To address if the genotype of the VNTR was associated with ALS risk, we characterised the variation of the CFAP410 VNTR in ALS cases and matched controls by PCR analysis of the VNTR length, defining eight alleles of the VNTR. No significant difference was observed between cases and controls, we noted, however, the cohort was unlikely to contain sufficient power to enable any firm conclusion to be drawn from this analysis. This data demonstrated that the VNTR domain has the potential to modulate CFAP410 expression as a regulatory element that could play a role in its tissue-specific and stimulus-inducible regulation that could impact the mechanism by which CFAP410 is involved in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack N. G. Marshall
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander Fröhlich
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Li Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Centre for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Abigail L. Pfaff
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Ben Middlehurst
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas P. Spargo
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alfredo Iacoangeli
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Bing Lang
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Centre for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Ammar Al-Chalabi
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Neurology, King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sulev Koks
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Vivien J. Bubb
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - John P. Quinn
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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71
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Blaj I, Tetens J, Bennewitz J, Thaller G, Falker-Gieske C. Structural variants and tandem repeats in the founder individuals of four F 2 pig crosses and implications to F 2 GWAS results. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:631. [PMID: 36057580 PMCID: PMC9440560 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08716-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Structural variants and tandem repeats are relevant sources of genomic variation that are not routinely analyzed in genome wide association studies mainly due to challenging identification and genotyping. Here, we profiled these variants via state-of-the-art strategies in the founder animals of four F2 pig crosses using whole-genome sequence data (20x coverage). The variants were compared at a founder level with the commonly screened SNPs and small indels. At the F2 level, we carried out an association study using imputed structural variants and tandem repeats with four growth and carcass traits followed by a comparison with a previously conducted SNPs and small indels based association study. RESULTS A total of 13,201 high confidence structural variants and 103,730 polymorphic tandem repeats (with a repeat length of 2-20 bp) were profiled in the founders. We observed a moderate to high (r from 0.48 to 0.57) level of co-localization between SNPs or small indels and structural variants or tandem repeats. In the association step 56.56% of the significant variants were not in high LD with significantly associated SNPs and small indels identified for the same traits in the earlier study and thus presumably not tagged in case of a standard association study. For the four growth and carcass traits investigated, many of the already proposed candidate genes in our previous studies were confirmed and additional ones were identified. Interestingly, a common pattern on how structural variants or tandem repeats regulate the phenotypic traits emerged. Many of the significant variants were embedded or nearby long non-coding RNAs drawing attention to their functional importance. Through which specific mechanisms the identified long non-coding RNAs and their associated structural variants or tandem repeats contribute to quantitative trait variation will need further investigation. CONCLUSIONS The current study provides insights into the characteristics of structural variants and tandem repeats and their role in association studies. A systematic incorporation of these variants into genome wide association studies is advised. While not of immediate interest for genomic prediction purposes, this will be particularly beneficial for elucidating biological mechanisms driving the complex trait variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iulia Blaj
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany.
| | - Jens Tetens
- Department of Animal Sciences, Georg-August-University, Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research, Georg-August-University, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jörn Bennewitz
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Breeding, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Georg Thaller
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
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High-throughput techniques enable advances in the roles of DNA and RNA secondary structures in transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene regulation. Genome Biol 2022; 23:159. [PMID: 35851062 PMCID: PMC9290270 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-022-02727-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The most stable structure of DNA is the canonical right-handed double helix termed B DNA. However, certain environments and sequence motifs favor alternative conformations, termed non-canonical secondary structures. The roles of DNA and RNA secondary structures in transcriptional regulation remain incompletely understood. However, advances in high-throughput assays have enabled genome wide characterization of some secondary structures. Here, we describe their regulatory functions in promoters and 3’UTRs, providing insights into key mechanisms through which they regulate gene expression. We discuss their implication in human disease, and how advances in molecular technologies and emerging high-throughput experimental methods could provide additional insights.
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73
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Fueyo R, Judd J, Feschotte C, Wysocka J. Roles of transposable elements in the regulation of mammalian transcription. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2022; 23:481-497. [PMID: 35228718 PMCID: PMC10470143 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-022-00457-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 64.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) comprise about half of the mammalian genome. TEs often contain sequences capable of recruiting the host transcription machinery, which they use to express their own products and promote transposition. However, the regulatory sequences carried by TEs may affect host transcription long after the TEs have lost the ability to transpose. Recent advances in genome analysis and engineering have facilitated systematic interrogation of the regulatory activities of TEs. In this Review, we discuss diverse mechanisms by which TEs contribute to transcription regulation. Notably, TEs can donate enhancer and promoter sequences that influence the expression of host genes, modify 3D chromatin architecture and give rise to novel regulatory genes, including non-coding RNAs and transcription factors. We discuss how TEs spur regulatory evolution and facilitate the emergence of genetic novelties in mammalian physiology and development. By virtue of their repetitive and interspersed nature, TEs offer unique opportunities to dissect the effects of mutation and genomic context on the function and evolution of cis-regulatory elements. We argue that TE-centric studies hold the key to unlocking general principles of transcription regulation and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Fueyo
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Julius Judd
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Cedric Feschotte
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
| | - Joanna Wysocka
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
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74
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Haws SA, Simandi Z, Barnett RJ, Phillips-Cremins JE. 3D genome, on repeat: Higher-order folding principles of the heterochromatinized repetitive genome. Cell 2022; 185:2690-2707. [PMID: 35868274 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.06.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Nearly half of the human genome is comprised of diverse repetitive sequences ranging from satellite repeats to retrotransposable elements. Such sequences are susceptible to stepwise expansions, duplications, inversions, and recombination events which can compromise genome function. In this review, we discuss the higher-order folding mechanisms of compartmentalization and loop extrusion and how they shape, and are shaped by, heterochromatin. Using primarily mammalian model systems, we contrast mechanisms governing H3K9me3-mediated heterochromatinization of the repetitive genome and highlight emerging links between repetitive elements and chromatin folding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spencer A Haws
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Zoltan Simandi
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - R Jordan Barnett
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jennifer E Phillips-Cremins
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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75
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Boldyreva LV, Andreyeva EN, Pindyurin AV. Position Effect Variegation: Role of the Local Chromatin Context in Gene Expression Regulation. Mol Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026893322030049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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76
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Berthold N, Pytte J, Bulik CM, Tschochner M, Medland SE, Akkari PA. Bridging the gap: Short structural variants in the genetics of anorexia nervosa. Int J Eat Disord 2022; 55:747-753. [PMID: 35470453 PMCID: PMC9545787 DOI: 10.1002/eat.23716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a devastating disorder with evidence of underexplored heritability. Twin and family studies estimate heritability (h2 ) to be 57%-64%, and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) reveal significant genetic correlations with psychiatric and anthropometric traits and a total of nine genome-wide significant loci. Whether significantly associated single nucleotide polymorphisms identified by GWAS are causal or tag true causal variants, remains to be elucidated. We propose a novel method for bridging this knowledge gap by fine-mapping short structural variants (SSVs) in and around GWAS-identified loci. SSV fine-mapping of loci associated with complex disorders such as schizophrenia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Alzheimer's disease has uncovered genetic risk markers, phenotypic variability between patients, new pathological mechanisms, and potential therapeutic targets. We analyze previous investigations' methods and propose utilizing an evaluation algorithm to prioritize 10 SSVs for each of the top two AN GWAS-identified loci followed by Sanger sequencing and fragment analysis via capillary electrophoresis to characterize these SSVs for case/control association studies. Success of previous SSV analyses in complex disorders and effective utilization of similar methodologies supports our proposed method. Furthermore, the structural and spatial properties of the 10 SSVs identified for each of the top two AN GWAS-associated loci, cell adhesion molecule 1 (CADM1) and NCK interacting protein with SH3 domain (NCKIPSD), are similar to previous studies. We propose SSV fine-mapping of AN-associated loci will identify causal genetic architecture. Deepening understandings of AN may lead to novel therapeutic targets and subsequently increase quality-of-life for individuals living with the illness. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Anorexia nervosa is a severe and complex illness, arising from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. Recent studies estimate the contribution of genetic variability; however, the specific DNA sequences and how they contribute remain unknown. We present a novel approach, arguing that the genetic variant class, short structural variants, could answer this knowledge gap and allow development of biologically targeted therapeutics, improving quality-of-life and patient outcomes for affected individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Berthold
- School of Nursing, Midwifery, Health Sciences & PhysiotherapyUniversity of Notre Dame AustraliaFremantleWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational ScienceNedlandsWestern AustraliaAustralia
- School of Human Sciences, University of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Julia Pytte
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational ScienceNedlandsWestern AustraliaAustralia
- School of Human Sciences, University of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Cynthia M. Bulik
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and BiostatisticsKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- Department of NutritionUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Monika Tschochner
- School of Nursing, Midwifery, Health Sciences & PhysiotherapyUniversity of Notre Dame AustraliaFremantleWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Sarah E. Medland
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Patrick Anthony Akkari
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational ScienceNedlandsWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative TherapeuticsMurdoch UniversityPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological DisordersUniversity of Western AustraliaNedlandsWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Department of NeurologyDuke UniversityDurhamNorth Carolina
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Mei H, Zhao T, Dong Z, Han J, Xu B, Chen R, Zhang J, Zhang J, Hu Y, Zhang T, Fang L. Population-Scale Polymorphic Short Tandem Repeat Provides an Alternative Strategy for Allele Mining in Cotton. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:916830. [PMID: 35599867 PMCID: PMC9120961 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.916830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Short tandem repeats (STRs), which vary in size due to featuring variable numbers of repeat units, are present throughout most eukaryotic genomes. To date, few population-scale studies identifying STRs have been reported for crops. Here, we constructed a high-density polymorphic STR map by investigating polymorphic STRs from 911 Gossypium hirsutum accessions. In total, we identified 556,426 polymorphic STRs with an average length of 21.1 bp, of which 69.08% were biallelic. Moreover, 7,718 (1.39%) were identified in the exons of 6,021 genes, which were significantly enriched in transcription, ribosome biogenesis, and signal transduction. Only 5.88% of those exonic STRs altered open reading frames, of which 97.16% were trinucleotide. An alternative strategy STR-GWAS analysis revealed that 824 STRs were significantly associated with agronomic traits, including 491 novel alleles that undetectable by previous SNP-GWAS methods. For instance, a novel polymorphic STR consisting of GAACCA repeats was identified in GH_D06G1697, with its (GAACCA)5 allele increasing fiber length by 1.96-4.83% relative to the (GAACCA)4 allele. The database CottonSTRDB was further developed to facilitate use of STR datasets in breeding programs. Our study provides functional roles for STRs in influencing complex traits, an alternative strategy STR-GWAS for allele mining, and a database serving the cotton community as a valuable resource.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Mei
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ting Zhao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zeyu Dong
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jin Han
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Biyu Xu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Rui Chen
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Juncheng Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yan Hu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Hainan Institute of Zhejiang University, Sanya, China
| | - Tianzhen Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Hainan Institute of Zhejiang University, Sanya, China
| | - Lei Fang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Hainan Institute of Zhejiang University, Sanya, China
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78
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Liu Z, Zhao G, Xiao Y, Zeng S, Yuan Y, Zhou X, Fang Z, He R, Li B, Zhao Y, Pan H, Wang Y, Yu G, Peng IF, Wang D, Meng Q, Xu Q, Sun Q, Yan X, Shen L, Jiang H, Xia K, Wang J, Guo J, Liang F, Li J, Tang B. Profiling the Genome-Wide Landscape of Short Tandem Repeats by Long-Read Sequencing. Front Genet 2022; 13:810595. [PMID: 35601492 PMCID: PMC9117641 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.810595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Short tandem repeats (STRs) are highly variable elements that play a pivotal role in multiple genetic diseases and the regulation of gene expression. Long-read sequencing (LRS) offers a potential solution to genome-wide STR analysis. However, characterizing STRs in human genomes using LRS on a large population scale has not been reported. Methods: We conducted the large LRS-based STR analysis in 193 unrelated samples of the Chinese population and performed genome-wide profiling of STR variation in the human genome. The repeat dynamic index (RDI) was introduced to evaluate the variability of STR. We sourced the expression data from the Genotype-Tissue Expression to explore the tissue specificity of highly variable STRs related genes across tissues. Enrichment analyses were also conducted to identify potential functional roles of the high variable STRs. Results: This study reports the large-scale analysis of human STR variation by LRS and offers a reference STR database based on the LRS dataset. We found that the disease-associated STRs (dSTRs) and STRs associated with the expression of nearby genes (eSTRs) were highly variable in the general population. Moreover, tissue-specific expression analysis showed that those highly variable STRs related genes presented the highest expression level in brain tissues, and enrichment pathways analysis found those STRs are involved in synaptic function-related pathways. Conclusion: Our study profiled the genome-wide landscape of STR using LRS and highlighted the highly variable STRs in the human genome, which provide a valuable resource for studying the role of STRs in human disease and complex traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenhua Liu
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Guihu Zhao
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | | | - Sheng Zeng
- Department of Geriatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yanchun Yuan
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xun Zhou
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhenghuan Fang
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Runcheng He
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Bin Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yuwen Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Hongxu Pan
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yige Wang
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | | | | | | | - Qingtuan Meng
- Multi-Omics Research Center for Brain Disorders, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Qian Xu
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Qiying Sun
- Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xinxiang Yan
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Lu Shen
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Hong Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Kun Xia
- Centre for Medical Genetics and Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Junling Wang
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jifeng Guo
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Fan Liang
- GrandOmics Biosciences, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Beisha Tang, ; Jinchen Li, ; Fan Liang,
| | - Jinchen Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Centre for Medical Genetics and Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
- *Correspondence: Beisha Tang, ; Jinchen Li, ; Fan Liang,
| | - Beisha Tang
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Multi-Omics Research Center for Brain Disorders, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders, Central South University, Changsha, China
- *Correspondence: Beisha Tang, ; Jinchen Li, ; Fan Liang,
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79
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Georgakopoulos-Soares I, Victorino J, Parada GE, Agarwal V, Zhao J, Wong HY, Umar MI, Elor O, Muhwezi A, An JY, Sanders SJ, Kwok CK, Inoue F, Hemberg M, Ahituv N. High-throughput characterization of the role of non-B DNA motifs on promoter function. CELL GENOMICS 2022; 2:100111. [PMID: 35573091 PMCID: PMC9105345 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2022.100111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
lternative DNA conformations, termed non-B DNA structures, can affect transcription, but the underlying mechanisms and their functional impact have not been systematically characterized. Here, we used computational genomic analyses coupled with massively parallel reporter assays (MPRAs) to show that certain non-B DNA structures have a substantial effect on gene expression. Genomic analyses found that non-B DNA structures at promoters harbor an excess of germline variants. Analysis of multiple MPRAs, including a promoter library specifically designed to perturb non-B DNA structures, functionally validated that Z-DNA can significantly affect promoter activity. We also observed that biophysical properties of non-B DNA motifs, such as the length of Z-DNA motifs and the orientation of G-quadruplex structures relative to transcriptional direction, have a significant effect on promoter activity. Combined, their higher mutation rate and functional effect on transcription implicate a subset of non-B DNA motifs as major drivers of human gene-expression-associated phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilias Georgakopoulos-Soares
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jesus Victorino
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Guillermo E. Parada
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton CB10 1SA, UK
- Wellcome Trust Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | | | - Jingjing Zhao
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Hei Yuen Wong
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Mubarak Ishaq Umar
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Orry Elor
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Allan Muhwezi
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Joon-Yong An
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- School of Biosystem and Biomedical Science, College of Health Science, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Stephan J. Sanders
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Chun Kit Kwok
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
| | - Fumitaka Inoue
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Martin Hemberg
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton CB10 1SA, UK
- Wellcome Trust Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Nadav Ahituv
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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80
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Herbert A, Fedorov A, Poptsova M. Mono a Mano: ZBP1’s Love–Hate Relationship with the Kissing Virus. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23063079. [PMID: 35328502 PMCID: PMC8955656 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Z-DNA binding protein (ZBP1) very much represents the nuclear option. By initiating inflammatory cell death (ICD), ZBP1 activates host defenses to destroy infectious threats. ZBP1 is also able to induce noninflammatory regulated cell death via apoptosis (RCD). ZBP1 senses the presence of left-handed Z-DNA and Z-RNA (ZNA), including that formed by expression of endogenous retroelements. Viruses such as the Epstein–Barr “kissing virus” inhibit ICD, RCD and other cell death signaling pathways to produce persistent infection. EBV undergoes lytic replication in plasma cells, which maintain detectable levels of basal ZBP1 expression, leading us to suggest a new role for ZBP1 in maintaining EBV latency, one of benefit for both host and virus. We provide an overview of the pathways that are involved in establishing latent infection, including those regulated by MYC and NF-κB. We describe and provide a synthesis of the evidence supporting a role for ZNA in these pathways, highlighting the positive and negative selection of ZNA forming sequences in the EBV genome that underscores the coadaptation of host and virus. Instead of a fight to the death, a state of détente now exists where persistent infection by the virus is tolerated by the host, while disease outcomes such as death, autoimmunity and cancer are minimized. Based on these new insights, we propose actionable therapeutic approaches to unhost EBV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Herbert
- InsideOutBio, 42 8th Street, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Computer Science, National Research University Higher School of Economics, 11 Pokrovsky Bulvar, 101000 Moscow, Russia; (A.F.); (M.P.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Aleksandr Fedorov
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Computer Science, National Research University Higher School of Economics, 11 Pokrovsky Bulvar, 101000 Moscow, Russia; (A.F.); (M.P.)
| | - Maria Poptsova
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Computer Science, National Research University Higher School of Economics, 11 Pokrovsky Bulvar, 101000 Moscow, Russia; (A.F.); (M.P.)
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81
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Kasai S, Nishizawa D, Hasegawa J, Fukuda KI, Ichinohe T, Nagashima M, Hayashida M, Ikeda K. Short Tandem Repeat Variation in the CNR1 Gene Associated With Analgesic Requirements of Opioids in Postoperative Pain Management. Front Genet 2022; 13:815089. [PMID: 35360861 PMCID: PMC8963810 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.815089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Short tandem repeats (STRs) and variable number of tandem repeats (VNTRs) that have been identified at approximately 0.7 and 0.5 million loci in the human genome, respectively, are highly multi-allelic variations rather than single-nucleotide polymorphisms. The number of repeats of more than a few thousand STRs was associated with the expression of nearby genes, indicating that STRs are influential genetic variations in human traits. Analgesics act on the central nervous system via their intrinsic receptors to produce analgesic effects. In the present study, we focused on STRs and VNTRs in the CNR1, GRIN2A, PENK, and PDYN genes and analyzed two peripheral pain sensation-related traits and seven analgesia-related traits in postoperative pain management. A total of 192 volunteers who underwent the peripheral pain sensation tests and 139 and 252 patients who underwent open abdominal and orthognathic cosmetic surgeries, respectively, were included in the study. None of the four STRs or VNTRs were associated with peripheral pain sensation. Short tandem repeats in the CNR1, GRIN2A, and PENK genes were associated with the frequency of fentanyl use, fentanyl dose, and visual analog scale pain scores 3 h after orthognathic cosmetic surgery (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient ρ = 0.199, p = 0.002, ρ = 0.174, p = 0.006, and ρ = 0.135, p = 0.033, respectively), analgesic dose, including epidural analgesics after open abdominal surgery (ρ = -0.200, p = 0.018), and visual analog scale pain scores 24 h after orthognathic cosmetic surgery (ρ = 0.143, p = 0.023), respectively. The associations between STRs in the CNR1 gene and the frequency of fentanyl use and fentanyl dose after orthognathic cosmetic surgery were confirmed by Holm's multiple-testing correction. These findings indicate that STRs in the CNR1 gene influence analgesia in the orofacial region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinya Kasai
- Addictive Substance Project, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Daisuke Nishizawa
- Addictive Substance Project, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Junko Hasegawa
- Addictive Substance Project, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ken-ichi Fukuda
- Department of Oral Health Science, Tokyo Dental College, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Ichinohe
- Department of Dental Anesthesiology, Tokyo Dental College, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Makoto Nagashima
- Department of Surgery, Toho University Sakura Medical Center, Sakura, Japan
| | - Masakazu Hayashida
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazutaka Ikeda
- Addictive Substance Project, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
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82
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Huang T, Li J, Wang SM. Etiological roles of core promoter variation in triple-negative breast cancer. Genes Dis 2022; 10:228-238. [PMID: 37013029 PMCID: PMC10066267 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2022.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal gene expression plays key role in cancer development. A core promoter is located around the transcriptional start site. Through interaction between core promoter sequences and transcriptional factors, core promoter controls transcriptional initiation. We hypothesized that in cancer, core promoter sequences could be mutated to interfere the interaction with transcriptional factors, resulting in altered transcriptional initiation and abnormal gene expression and cancer development. We used triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) as a model to test our hypothesis. We collected genome-wide core promoter variants from 279 TNBC genomes. After extensive filtering of normal genomic polymorphism, we identified 19,427 recurrent somatic variants in 1,238 core promoters of 1,274 genes and 1,694 recurrent germline variants in 272 core promoters of 294 genes. Many of the affected genes were oncogenes and tumor suppressors. Analysis of RNA-seq data from the same patient cohort identified increased or decreased gene expression in 439 somatic and 85 germline variants-affected genes, and the results were validated by luciferase reporter assay. By comparing with the core promoter variation data from 610 unclassified breast cancer, we observed that core promoter variants in TNBC were highly TNBC-specific. We further identified the drugs targeting the genes with core promoter variation. Our study demonstrates that core promoter is highly mutable in cancer, and can play etiological roles in TNBC and other types of cancer through influencing transcriptional initiation.
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83
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Wu Z, Gong H, Zhou Z, Jiang T, Lin Z, Li J, Xiao S, Yang B, Huang L. Mapping short tandem repeats for liver gene expression traits helps prioritize potential causal variants for complex traits in pigs. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2022; 13:8. [PMID: 35034641 PMCID: PMC8762894 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-021-00658-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Short tandem repeats (STRs) were recently found to have significant impacts on gene expression and diseases in humans, but their roles on gene expression and complex traits in pigs remain unexplored. This study investigates the effects of STRs on gene expression in liver tissues based on the whole-genome sequences and RNA-Seq data of a discovery cohort of 260 F6 individuals and a validation population of 296 F7 individuals from a heterogeneous population generated from crosses among eight pig breeds. RESULTS We identified 5203 and 5868 significantly expression STRs (eSTRs, FDR < 1%) in the F6 and F7 populations, respectively, most of which could be reciprocally validated (π1 = 0.92). The eSTRs explained 27.5% of the cis-heritability of gene expression traits on average. We further identified 235 and 298 fine-mapped STRs through the Bayesian fine-mapping approach in the F6 and F7 pigs, respectively, which were significantly enriched in intron, ATAC peak, compartment A and H3K4me3 regions. We identified 20 fine-mapped STRs located in 100 kb windows upstream and downstream of published complex trait-associated SNPs, which colocalized with epigenetic markers such as H3K27ac and ATAC peaks. These included eSTR of the CLPB, PGLS, PSMD6 and DHDH genes, which are linked with genome-wide association study (GWAS) SNPs for blood-related traits, leg conformation, growth-related traits, and meat quality traits, respectively. CONCLUSIONS This study provides insights into the effects of STRs on gene expression traits. The identified eSTRs are valuable resources for prioritizing causal STRs for complex traits in pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongzi Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Huanfa Gong
- State Key Laboratory for Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Zhimin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Tao Jiang
- State Key Laboratory for Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Ziqi Lin
- State Key Laboratory for Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Jing Li
- State Key Laboratory for Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Shijun Xiao
- State Key Laboratory for Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Bin Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China.
| | - Lusheng Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China.
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84
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Han J, Munro JE, Kocoski A, Barry AE, Bahlo M. Population-level genome-wide STR discovery and validation for population structure and genetic diversity assessment of Plasmodium species. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1009604. [PMID: 35007277 PMCID: PMC8782505 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Short tandem repeats (STRs) are highly informative genetic markers that have been used extensively in population genetics analysis. They are an important source of genetic diversity and can also have functional impact. Despite the availability of bioinformatic methods that permit large-scale genome-wide genotyping of STRs from whole genome sequencing data, they have not previously been applied to sequencing data from large collections of malaria parasite field samples. Here, we have genotyped STRs using HipSTR in more than 3,000 Plasmodium falciparum and 174 Plasmodium vivax published whole-genome sequence data from samples collected across the globe. High levels of noise and variability in the resultant callset necessitated the development of a novel method for quality control of STR genotype calls. A set of high-quality STR loci (6,768 from P. falciparum and 3,496 from P. vivax) were used to study Plasmodium genetic diversity, population structures and genomic signatures of selection and these were compared to genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping data. In addition, the genome-wide information about genetic variation and other characteristics of STRs in P. falciparum and P. vivax have been available in an interactive web-based R Shiny application PlasmoSTR (https://github.com/bahlolab/PlasmoSTR).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiru Han
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jacob E. Munro
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Anthony Kocoski
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Alyssa E. Barry
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- IMPACT Institute for Innovation in Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Melanie Bahlo
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- * E-mail:
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85
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Zhu Z, Ge S, Cai Z, Wu Y, Lu C, Zhang Z, Fu P, Mao L, Wu X, Peng Y. Systematic identification and characterization of repeat sequences in African swine fever virus genomes. Vet Res 2022; 53:101. [PMID: 36461107 PMCID: PMC9717548 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-022-01119-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a large DNA virus that infects domestic pigs with high morbidity and mortality rates. Repeat sequences, which are DNA sequence elements that are repeated more than twice in the genome, play an important role in the ASFV genome. The majority of repeat sequences, however, have not been identified and characterized in a systematic manner. In this study, three types of repeat sequences, including microsatellites, minisatellites and short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs), were identified in the ASFV genome, and their distribution, structure, function, and evolutionary history were investigated. Most repeat sequences were observed in noncoding regions and at the 5' end of the genome. Noncoding repeat sequences tended to form enhancers, whereas coding repeat sequences had a lower ratio of alpha-helix and beta-sheet and a higher ratio of loop structure and surface amino acids than nonrepeat sequences. In addition, the repeat sequences tended to encode penetrating and antimicrobial peptides. Further analysis of the evolution of repeat sequences revealed that the pan-repeat sequences presented an open state, showing the diversity of repeat sequences. Finally, CpG islands were observed to be negatively correlated with repeat sequence occurrences, suggesting that they may affect the generation of repeat sequences. Overall, this study emphasizes the importance of repeat sequences in ASFVs, and these results can aid in understanding the virus's function and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaozhong Zhu
- grid.67293.39Bioinformatics Center, College of Biology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Virology, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082 China
| | - Shengqiang Ge
- grid.414245.20000 0004 6063 681XChina Animal Health and Epidemiology Center, Qingdao, 266032 China ,grid.418524.e0000 0004 0369 6250Key Laboratory of Animal Biosafety Risk Prevention and Control (South), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Qingdao, China
| | - Zena Cai
- grid.67293.39Bioinformatics Center, College of Biology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Virology, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082 China
| | - Yifan Wu
- grid.67293.39Bioinformatics Center, College of Biology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Virology, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082 China
| | - Congyu Lu
- grid.67293.39Bioinformatics Center, College of Biology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Virology, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082 China
| | - Zheng Zhang
- grid.67293.39Bioinformatics Center, College of Biology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Virology, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082 China
| | - Ping Fu
- grid.67293.39Bioinformatics Center, College of Biology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Virology, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082 China
| | - Longfei Mao
- grid.67293.39Bioinformatics Center, College of Biology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Virology, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082 China
| | - Xiaodong Wu
- grid.414245.20000 0004 6063 681XChina Animal Health and Epidemiology Center, Qingdao, 266032 China ,grid.418524.e0000 0004 0369 6250Key Laboratory of Animal Biosafety Risk Prevention and Control (South), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Qingdao, China
| | - Yousong Peng
- grid.67293.39Bioinformatics Center, College of Biology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Virology, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082 China
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86
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Gall-Duncan T, Sato N, Yuen RKC, Pearson CE. Advancing genomic technologies and clinical awareness accelerates discovery of disease-associated tandem repeat sequences. Genome Res 2022; 32:1-27. [PMID: 34965938 PMCID: PMC8744678 DOI: 10.1101/gr.269530.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Expansions of gene-specific DNA tandem repeats (TRs), first described in 1991 as a disease-causing mutation in humans, are now known to cause >60 phenotypes, not just disease, and not only in humans. TRs are a common form of genetic variation with biological consequences, observed, so far, in humans, dogs, plants, oysters, and yeast. Repeat diseases show atypical clinical features, genetic anticipation, and multiple and partially penetrant phenotypes among family members. Discovery of disease-causing repeat expansion loci accelerated through technological advances in DNA sequencing and computational analyses. Between 2019 and 2021, 17 new disease-causing TR expansions were reported, totaling 63 TR loci (>69 diseases), with a likelihood of more discoveries, and in more organisms. Recent and historical lessons reveal that properly assessed clinical presentations, coupled with genetic and biological awareness, can guide discovery of disease-causing unstable TRs. We highlight critical but underrecognized aspects of TR mutations. Repeat motifs may not be present in current reference genomes but will be in forthcoming gapless long-read references. Repeat motif size can be a single nucleotide to kilobases/unit. At a given locus, repeat motif sequence purity can vary with consequence. Pathogenic repeats can be "insertions" within nonpathogenic TRs. Expansions, contractions, and somatic length variations of TRs can have clinical/biological consequences. TR instabilities occur in humans and other organisms. TRs can be epigenetically modified and/or chromosomal fragile sites. We discuss the expanding field of disease-associated TR instabilities, highlighting prospects, clinical and genetic clues, tools, and challenges for further discoveries of disease-causing TR instabilities and understanding their biological and pathological impacts-a vista that is about to expand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terence Gall-Duncan
- Program of Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Nozomu Sato
- Program of Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Ryan K C Yuen
- Program of Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Christopher E Pearson
- Program of Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
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87
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Xiao X, Zhang CY, Zhang Z, Hu Z, Li M, Li T. Revisiting tandem repeats in psychiatric disorders from perspectives of genetics, physiology, and brain evolution. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:466-475. [PMID: 34650204 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01329-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have revealed substantial genetic components comprised of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the heritable risk of psychiatric disorders. However, genetic risk factors not covered by GWAS also play pivotal roles in these illnesses. Tandem repeats, which are likely functional but frequently overlooked by GWAS, may account for an important proportion in the "missing heritability" of psychiatric disorders. Despite difficulties in characterizing and quantifying tandem repeats in the genome, studies have been carried out in an attempt to describe impact of tandem repeats on gene regulation and human phenotypes. In this review, we have introduced recent research progress regarding the genomic distribution and regulatory mechanisms of tandem repeats. We have also summarized the current knowledge of the genetic architecture and biological underpinnings of psychiatric disorders brought by studies of tandem repeats. These findings suggest that tandem repeats, in candidate psychiatric risk genes or in different levels of linkage disequilibrium (LD) with psychiatric GWAS SNPs and haplotypes, may modulate biological phenotypes related to psychiatric disorders (e.g., cognitive function and brain physiology) through regulating alternative splicing, promoter activity, enhancer activity and so on. In addition, many tandem repeats undergo tight natural selection in the human lineage, and likely exert crucial roles in human brain evolution. Taken together, the putative roles of tandem repeats in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders is strongly implicated, and using examples from previous literatures, we wish to call for further attention to tandem repeats in the post-GWAS era of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Chu-Yi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Zhuohua Zhang
- Institute of Molecular Precision Medicine and Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Center for Medical Genetics and Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhonghua Hu
- Institute of Molecular Precision Medicine and Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,Center for Medical Genetics and Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,Department of Critical Care Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,Hunan Key Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital and Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Ming Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China. .,CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China. .,KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
| | - Tao Li
- Affiliated Mental Health Center & Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. .,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangzhou, China.
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88
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Rajabi F, Jabalameli N, Rezaei N. The Concept of Immunogenetics. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1367:1-17. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-92616-8_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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89
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Schröder C, Horsthemke B, Depienne C. GC-rich repeat expansions: associated disorders and mechanisms. MED GENET-BERLIN 2021; 33:325-335. [PMID: 38835438 PMCID: PMC11006399 DOI: 10.1515/medgen-2021-2099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Noncoding repeat expansions are a well-known cause of genetic disorders mainly affecting the central nervous system. Missed by most standard technologies used in routine diagnosis, pathogenic noncoding repeat expansions have to be searched for using specific techniques such as repeat-primed PCR or specific bioinformatics tools applied to genome data, such as ExpansionHunter. In this review, we focus on GC-rich repeat expansions, which represent at least one third of all noncoding repeat expansions described so far. GC-rich expansions are mainly located in regulatory regions (promoter, 5' untranslated region, first intron) of genes and can lead to either a toxic gain-of-function mediated by RNA toxicity and/or repeat-associated non-AUG (RAN) translation, or a loss-of-function of the associated gene, depending on their size and their methylation status. We herein review the clinical and molecular characteristics of disorders associated with these difficult-to-detect expansions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Schröder
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Bernhard Horsthemke
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Christel Depienne
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
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90
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Saridakis E. The genetic informational network: how DNA conveys semantic information. HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF THE LIFE SCIENCES 2021; 43:112. [PMID: 34734317 DOI: 10.1007/s40656-021-00470-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The question of whether "genetic information" is a merely causal factor in development or can be made sense of semantically, in a way analogous to a language or other type of representation, has generated a long debate in the philosophy of biology. It is intimately connected with another intense debate, concerning the limits of genetic determinism. In this paper I argue that widespread attempts to draw analogies between genetic information and information contained in books, blueprints or computer programs, are fundamentally inadequate. In development, gene exons are the central part of an intricate and densely ramified semantic Genetic Informational Network. DNA in the entire genome is in a state of continuous positive and negative feedback with itself and with its 'environment', and is 'read' and acted upon by the cell in various alternative and complementary ways. The linear combinatorial coding relation between codons and amino acids is but one aspect of semantic genetic information, which is, when considered in its entirety, a far wider and richer concept.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Saridakis
- Laboratory of Structural and Supramolecular Chemistry, Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, National Centre for Scientific Research "DEMOKRITOS", 15310, Athens, Greece.
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91
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Huo X, Feng D, Zhang S, Li Z, Li X, Li C, Guo M, Wang J, Zhang Z, Lu Q, Du X, Bai Z, Chen Z. Characterization and clinical evaluation of microsatellite instability and loss of heterozygosity within tumor-related genes in colorectal cancer. BMC Med Genomics 2021; 14:235. [PMID: 34563193 PMCID: PMC8466986 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-021-01051-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Microsatellite instability (MSI) is a biomarker for better outcomes in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, this conclusion is controversial. In addition, MSs can be a useful marker for loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of genes, but this finding has not been well studied. Here, we aimed to clarify the predictive value of MSI/LOH within tumor-related genes in CRC. Methods We detected MSI/LOH of MSs in tumor-related genes and the Bethesda (B5) panel by STR scanning and cloning/sequencing. We further analyzed the relationship between MSI/LOH status and clinical features or outcomes by Pearson’s Chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test and the Kaplan–Meier method. Results The findings indicated that the MSI rates of B5 loci were all higher than those of loci in tumor-related genes. Interestingly, MSI/LOH of 2 loci in the B5 panel and 12 loci in tumor-related genes were associated with poorer outcomes, while MSI/LOH of the B5 panel failed to predict outcomes in CRC. MSI of BAT25, MSI/LOH of BAT26 and MSI of the B5 panel showed closer relationships with mucinous carcinoma. In addition, LOH-H of the B5 panel was associated with increased lymphatic metastasis. Conclusions In summary, MSI/LOH of certain loci or the whole panel of B5 is related to clinical features, and several loci within tumor-related genes showed prognostic value in the outcomes of CRC. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12920-021-01051-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyun Huo
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion & Metastasis Research, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Dandan Feng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion & Metastasis Research, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Shuangyue Zhang
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical Collage, Beijing, 100021 , China
| | - Zhenkun Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion & Metastasis Research, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Xiaohong Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion & Metastasis Research, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Changlong Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion & Metastasis Research, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Meng Guo
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion & Metastasis Research, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Jin Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion & Metastasis Research & National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Zhongtao Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion & Metastasis Research & National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Qingxian Lu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Xiaoyan Du
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion & Metastasis Research, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Zhigang Bai
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion & Metastasis Research & National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing, 100050, China.
| | - Zhenwen Chen
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion & Metastasis Research, Beijing, 100069, China.
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92
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Huo Y, Zhao Y, Xu L, Yi H, Zhang Y, Jia X, Zhao H, Zhao J, Wang F. An integrated strategy for target SSR genotyping with toleration of nucleotide variations in the SSRs and flanking regions. BMC Bioinformatics 2021; 22:429. [PMID: 34496768 PMCID: PMC8424866 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-021-04351-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With the broad application of high-throughput sequencing and its reduced cost, simple sequence repeat (SSR) genotyping by sequencing (SSR-GBS) has been widely used for interpreting genetic data across different fields, including population genetic diversity and structure analysis, the construction of genetic maps, and the investigation of intraspecies relationships. The development of accurate and efficient typing strategies for SSR-GBS is urgently needed and several tools have been published. However, to date, no suitable accurate genotyping method can tolerate single nucleotide variations (SNVs) in SSRs and flanking regions. These SNVs may be caused by PCR and sequencing errors or SNPs among varieties, and they directly affect sequence alignment and genotyping accuracy. RESULTS Here, we report a new integrated strategy named the accurate microsatellite genotyping tool based on targeted sequencing (AMGT-TS) and provide a user-friendly web-based platform and command-line version of AMGT-TS. To handle SNVs in the SSRs or flanking regions, we developed a broad matching algorithm (BMA) that can quickly and accurately achieve SSR typing for ultradeep coverage and high-throughput analysis of loci with SNVs compatibility and grouping of typed reads for further in-depth information mining. To evaluate this tool, we tested 21 randomly sampled loci in eight maize varieties, accompanied by experimental validation on actual and simulated sequencing data. Our evaluation showed that, compared to other tools, AMGT-TS presented extremely accurate typing results with single base resolution for both homozygous and heterozygous samples. CONCLUSION This integrated strategy can achieve accurate SSR genotyping based on targeted sequencing, and it can tolerate single nucleotide variations in the SSRs and flanking regions. This method can be readily applied to divergent sequencing platforms and species and has excellent application prospects in genetic and population biology research. The web-based platform and command-line version of AMGT-TS are available at https://amgt-ts.plantdna.site:8445 and https://github.com/plantdna/amgt-ts , respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongxue Huo
- Maize Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forest Sciences (BAAFS)/Beijing Key Laboratory of Maize DNA Fingerprinting and Molecular Breeding, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Yikun Zhao
- Maize Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forest Sciences (BAAFS)/Beijing Key Laboratory of Maize DNA Fingerprinting and Molecular Breeding, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Liwen Xu
- Maize Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forest Sciences (BAAFS)/Beijing Key Laboratory of Maize DNA Fingerprinting and Molecular Breeding, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Hongmei Yi
- Maize Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forest Sciences (BAAFS)/Beijing Key Laboratory of Maize DNA Fingerprinting and Molecular Breeding, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Yunlong Zhang
- Maize Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forest Sciences (BAAFS)/Beijing Key Laboratory of Maize DNA Fingerprinting and Molecular Breeding, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Xianqing Jia
- Maize Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forest Sciences (BAAFS)/Beijing Key Laboratory of Maize DNA Fingerprinting and Molecular Breeding, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Han Zhao
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Agrobiology, Institute of Crop Germplasm and Biotechnology, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiuran Zhao
- Maize Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forest Sciences (BAAFS)/Beijing Key Laboratory of Maize DNA Fingerprinting and Molecular Breeding, Beijing, 100097, China.
| | - Fengge Wang
- Maize Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forest Sciences (BAAFS)/Beijing Key Laboratory of Maize DNA Fingerprinting and Molecular Breeding, Beijing, 100097, China.
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93
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Voicu AA, Krützen M, Bilgin Sonay T. Short Tandem Repeats as a High-Resolution Marker for Capturing Recent Orangutan Population Evolution. FRONTIERS IN BIOINFORMATICS 2021; 1:695784. [PMID: 36303734 PMCID: PMC9581056 DOI: 10.3389/fbinf.2021.695784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Pongo is ideal to study population genetics adaptation, given its remarkable phenotypic divergence and the highly contrasting environmental conditions it’s been exposed to. Studying its genetic variation bears the promise to reveal a motion picture of these great apes’ evolutionary and adaptive history, and also helps us expand our knowledge of the patterns of adaptation and evolution. In this work, we advance the understanding of the genetic variation among wild orangutans through a genome-wide study of short tandem repeats (STRs). Their elevated mutation rate makes STRs ideal markers for the study of recent evolution within a given population. Current technological and algorithmic advances have rendered their sequencing and discovery more accurate, therefore their potential can be finally leveraged in population genetics studies. To study patterns of population variation within the wild orangutan population, we genotyped the short tandem repeats in a population of 21 individuals spanning four Sumatran and Bornean (sub-) species and eight Southeast Asian regions. We studied the impact of sequencing depth on our ability to genotype STRs and found that the STR copy number changes function as a powerful marker, correctly capturing the demographic history of these populations, even the divergences as recent as 10 Kya. Moreover, gene ontology enrichments for genes close to STR variants are aligned with local adaptations in the two islands. Coupled with more advanced STR-compatible population models, and selection tests, genomic studies based on STRs will be able to reduce the gap caused by the missing heritability for species with recent adaptations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael Krützen
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tugce Bilgin Sonay
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Tugce Bilgin Sonay,
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94
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Reinar WB, Lalun VO, Reitan T, Jakobsen KS, Butenko MA. Length variation in short tandem repeats affects gene expression in natural populations of Arabidopsis thaliana. THE PLANT CELL 2021; 33:2221-2234. [PMID: 33848350 PMCID: PMC8364236 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koab107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The genetic basis for the fine-tuned regulation of gene expression is complex and ultimately influences the phenotype and thus the local adaptation of natural populations. Short tandem repeats (STRs) consisting of repetitive DNA motifs have been shown to regulate gene expression. STRs are variable in length within a population and serve as a heritable, but semi-reversible, reservoir of standing genetic variation. For sessile organisms, such as plants, STRs could be of major importance in fine-tuning gene expression as a response to a shifting local environment. Here, we used a transcriptome dataset from natural accessions of Arabidopsis thaliana to investigate population-wide gene expression patterns in light of genome-wide STR variation. We empirically modeled gene expression as a response to the STR length within and around the gene and demonstrated that an association between gene expression and STR length variation is unequivocally present in the sampled population. To support our model, we explored the promoter activity in a transcriptional regulator involved in root hair formation and provided experimentally determined causality between coding sequence length variation and promoter activity. Our results support a general link between gene expression variation and STR length variation in A. thaliana.
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Affiliation(s)
- William B. Reinar
- Section for Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Vilde O. Lalun
- Section for Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Trond Reitan
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Kjetill S. Jakobsen
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Melinka A. Butenko
- Section for Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
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95
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Herbert A. The Simple Biology of Flipons and Condensates Enhances the Evolution of Complexity. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26164881. [PMID: 34443469 PMCID: PMC8400190 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26164881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The classical genetic code maps nucleotide triplets to amino acids. The associated sequence composition is complex, representing many elaborations during evolution of form and function. Other genomic elements code for the expression and processing of RNA transcripts. However, over 50% of the human genome consists of widely dispersed repetitive sequences. Among these are simple sequence repeats (SSRs), representing a class of flipons, that under physiological conditions, form alternative nucleic acid conformations such as Z-DNA, G4 quartets, I-motifs, and triplexes. Proteins that bind in a structure-specific manner enable the seeding of condensates with the potential to regulate a wide range of biological processes. SSRs also encode the low complexity peptide repeats to patch condensates together, increasing the number of combinations possible. In situations where SSRs are transcribed, SSR-specific, single-stranded binding proteins may further impact condensate formation. Jointly, flipons and patches speed evolution by enhancing the functionality of condensates. Here, the focus is on the selection of SSR flipons and peptide patches that solve for survival under a wide range of environmental contexts, generating complexity with simple parts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Herbert
- Unit 3412, Discovery, InsideOutBio 42 8th Street, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
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96
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Ibrahim A, Papin C, Mohideen-Abdul K, Le Gras S, Stoll I, Bronner C, Dimitrov S, Klaholz BP, Hamiche A. MeCP2 is a microsatellite binding protein that protects CA repeats from nucleosome invasion. Science 2021; 372:372/6549/eabd5581. [PMID: 34324427 DOI: 10.1126/science.abd5581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The Rett syndrome protein MeCP2 was described as a methyl-CpG-binding protein, but its exact function remains unknown. Here we show that mouse MeCP2 is a microsatellite binding protein that specifically recognizes hydroxymethylated CA repeats. Depletion of MeCP2 alters chromatin organization of CA repeats and lamina-associated domains and results in nucleosome accumulation on CA repeats and genome-wide transcriptional dysregulation. The structure of MeCP2 in complex with a hydroxymethylated CA repeat reveals a characteristic DNA shape, with considerably modified geometry at the 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, which is recognized specifically by Arg133, a key residue whose mutation causes Rett syndrome. Our work identifies MeCP2 as a microsatellite DNA binding protein that targets the 5hmC-modified CA-rich strand and maintains genome regions nucleosome-free, suggesting a role for MeCP2 dysfunction in Rett syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdulkhaleg Ibrahim
- Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology (IGBMC), 67400 Illkirch, France.,Department of Functional Genomics and Cancer, IGBMC, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR 7104, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), U964, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Biotechnology Research Center (BTRC), 30303 Tripoli, Libya
| | - Christophe Papin
- Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology (IGBMC), 67400 Illkirch, France.,Department of Functional Genomics and Cancer, IGBMC, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR 7104, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), U964, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | - Kareem Mohideen-Abdul
- Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology (IGBMC), 67400 Illkirch, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR 7104, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), U964, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Centre for Integrative Biology (CBI), Department of Integrated Structural Biology, IGBMC, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | - Stéphanie Le Gras
- Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology (IGBMC), 67400 Illkirch, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR 7104, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), U964, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | - Isabelle Stoll
- Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology (IGBMC), 67400 Illkirch, France.,Department of Functional Genomics and Cancer, IGBMC, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR 7104, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), U964, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | - Christian Bronner
- Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology (IGBMC), 67400 Illkirch, France.,Department of Functional Genomics and Cancer, IGBMC, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR 7104, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), U964, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | - Stefan Dimitrov
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS UMR 5309, INSERM U1209, Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Site Santé - Allée des Alpes, 38700 La Tronche, France. .,Roumen Tsanev Institute of Molecular Biology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia 1113, Bulgaria
| | - Bruno P Klaholz
- Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology (IGBMC), 67400 Illkirch, France. .,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR 7104, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), U964, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Centre for Integrative Biology (CBI), Department of Integrated Structural Biology, IGBMC, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | - Ali Hamiche
- Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology (IGBMC), 67400 Illkirch, France. .,Department of Functional Genomics and Cancer, IGBMC, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR 7104, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), U964, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Centre for Integrative Biology (CBI), Department of Integrated Structural Biology, IGBMC, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Center of Excellence in Bionanoscience Research, King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
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97
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Lu TY, Chaisson MJP. Profiling variable-number tandem repeat variation across populations using repeat-pangenome graphs. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4250. [PMID: 34253730 PMCID: PMC8275641 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24378-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Variable number tandem repeats (VNTRs) are composed of consecutive repetitive DNA with hypervariable repeat count and composition. They include protein coding sequences and associations with clinical disorders. It has been difficult to incorporate VNTR analysis in disease studies that use short-read sequencing because the traditional approach of mapping to the human reference is less effective for repetitive and divergent sequences. In this work, we solve VNTR mapping for short reads with a repeat-pangenome graph (RPGG), a data structure that encodes both the population diversity and repeat structure of VNTR loci from multiple haplotype-resolved assemblies. We develop software to build a RPGG, and use the RPGG to estimate VNTR composition with short reads. We use this to discover VNTRs with length stratified by continental population, and expression quantitative trait loci, indicating that RPGG analysis of VNTRs will be critical for future studies of diversity and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsung-Yu Lu
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mark J P Chaisson
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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98
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Verbiest MA, Delucchi M, Bilgin Sonay T, Anisimova M. Beyond Microsatellite Instability: Intrinsic Disorder as a Potential Link Between Protein Short Tandem Repeats and Cancer. FRONTIERS IN BIOINFORMATICS 2021; 1:685844. [DOI: 10.3389/fbinf.2021.685844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Short tandem repeats (STRs) are abundant in genomic sequences and are known for comparatively high mutation rates; STRs therefore are thought to be a potent source of genetic diversity. In protein-coding sequences STRs primarily encode disorder-promoting amino acids and are often located in intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs). STRs are frequently studied in the scope of microsatellite instability (MSI) in cancer, with little focus on the connection between protein STRs and IDRs. We believe, however, that this relationship should be explicitly included when ascertaining STR functionality in cancer. Here we explore this notion using all canonical human proteins from SwissProt, wherein we detected 3,699 STRs. Over 80% of these consisted completely of disorder promoting amino acids. 62.1% of amino acids in STR sequences were predicted to also be in an IDR, compared to 14.2% for non-repeat sequences. Over-representation analysis showed STR-containing proteins to be primarily located in the nucleus where they perform protein- and nucleotide-binding functions and regulate gene expression. They were also enriched in cancer-related signaling pathways. Furthermore, we found enrichments of STR-containing proteins among those correlated with patient survival for cancers derived from eight different anatomical sites. Intriguingly, several of these cancer types are not known to have a MSI-high (MSI-H) phenotype, suggesting that protein STRs play a role in cancer pathology in non MSI-H settings. Their intrinsic link with IDRs could therefore be an attractive topic of future research to further explore the role of STRs and IDRs in cancer. We speculate that our observations may be linked to the known dosage-sensitivity of disordered proteins, which could hint at a concentration-dependent gain-of-function mechanism in cancer for proteins containing STRs and IDRs.
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99
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Discovery of widespread transcription initiation at microsatellites predictable by sequence-based deep neural network. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3297. [PMID: 34078885 PMCID: PMC8172540 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23143-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Using the Cap Analysis of Gene Expression (CAGE) technology, the FANTOM5 consortium provided one of the most comprehensive maps of transcription start sites (TSSs) in several species. Strikingly, ~72% of them could not be assigned to a specific gene and initiate at unconventional regions, outside promoters or enhancers. Here, we probe these unassigned TSSs and show that, in all species studied, a significant fraction of CAGE peaks initiate at microsatellites, also called short tandem repeats (STRs). To confirm this transcription, we develop Cap Trap RNA-seq, a technology which combines cap trapping and long read MinION sequencing. We train sequence-based deep learning models able to predict CAGE signal at STRs with high accuracy. These models unveil the importance of STR surrounding sequences not only to distinguish STR classes, but also to predict the level of transcription initiation. Importantly, genetic variants linked to human diseases are preferentially found at STRs with high transcription initiation level, supporting the biological and clinical relevance of transcription initiation at STRs. Together, our results extend the repertoire of non-coding transcription associated with DNA tandem repeats and complexify STR polymorphism.
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100
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Microsatellites as Agents of Adaptive Change: An RNA-Seq-Based Comparative Study of Transcriptomes from Five Helianthus Species. Symmetry (Basel) 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/sym13060933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations that provide environment-dependent selective advantages drive adaptive divergence among species. Many phenotypic differences among related species are more likely to result from gene expression divergence rather than from non-synonymous mutations. In this regard, cis-regulatory mutations play an important part in generating functionally significant variation. Some proposed mechanisms that explore the role of cis-regulatory mutations in gene expression divergence involve microsatellites. Microsatellites exhibit high mutation rates achieved through symmetric or asymmetric mutation processes and are abundant in both coding and non-coding regions in positions that could influence gene function and products. Here we tested the hypothesis that microsatellites contribute to gene expression divergence among species with 50 individuals from five closely related Helianthus species using an RNA-seq approach. Differential expression analyses of the transcriptomes revealed that genes containing microsatellites in non-coding regions (UTRs and introns) are more likely to be differentially expressed among species when compared to genes with microsatellites in the coding regions and transcripts lacking microsatellites. We detected a greater proportion of shared microsatellites in 5′UTRs and coding regions compared to 3′UTRs and non-coding transcripts among Helianthus spp. Furthermore, allele frequency differences measured by pairwise FST at single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), indicate greater genetic divergence in transcripts containing microsatellites compared to those lacking microsatellites. A gene ontology (GO) analysis revealed that microsatellite-containing differentially expressed genes are significantly enriched for GO terms associated with regulation of transcription and transcription factor activity. Collectively, our study provides compelling evidence to support the role of microsatellites in gene expression divergence.
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