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Abstract
Eukaryotic genomes are rich in transcription units encoding "long noncoding RNAs" (lncRNAs). The purpose of all this transcription is unclear since most lncRNAs are quickly targeted for destruction during synthesis or shortly thereafter. As debates continue over the functional significance of many specific lncRNAs, support grows for the notion that the act of transcription rather than the RNA product itself is functionally important in many cases. Indeed, this alternative mechanism might better explain how low-abundance lncRNAs transcribed from noncoding DNA function in organisms. Here, we highlight some of the recently emerging features that distinguish coding from noncoding transcription and discuss how these differences might have important implications for the functional consequences of noncoding transcription.
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Chen L, Zhang YH, Huang G, Pan X, Wang S, Huang T, Cai YD. Discriminating cirRNAs from other lncRNAs using a hierarchical extreme learning machine (H-ELM) algorithm with feature selection. Mol Genet Genomics 2017; 293:137-149. [DOI: 10.1007/s00438-017-1372-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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53
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Steward CA, Parker APJ, Minassian BA, Sisodiya SM, Frankish A, Harrow J. Genome annotation for clinical genomic diagnostics: strengths and weaknesses. Genome Med 2017; 9:49. [PMID: 28558813 PMCID: PMC5448149 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-017-0441-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The Human Genome Project and advances in DNA sequencing technologies have revolutionized the identification of genetic disorders through the use of clinical exome sequencing. However, in a considerable number of patients, the genetic basis remains unclear. As clinicians begin to consider whole-genome sequencing, an understanding of the processes and tools involved and the factors to consider in the annotation of the structure and function of genomic elements that might influence variant identification is crucial. Here, we discuss and illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of approaches for the annotation and classification of important elements of protein-coding genes, other genomic elements such as pseudogenes and the non-coding genome, comparative-genomic approaches for inferring gene function, and new technologies for aiding genome annotation, as a practical guide for clinicians when considering pathogenic sequence variation. Complete and accurate annotation of structure and function of genome features has the potential to reduce both false-negative (from missing annotation) and false-positive (from incorrect annotation) errors in causal variant identification in exome and genome sequences. Re-analysis of unsolved cases will be necessary as newer technology improves genome annotation, potentially improving the rate of diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles A Steward
- Congenica Ltd, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1DR, UK. .,The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK.
| | | | - Berge A Minassian
- Department of Pediatrics (Neurology), University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA.,Program in Genetics and Genome Biology and Department of Paediatrics (Neurology), The Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Sanjay M Sisodiya
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Chesham Lane, Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire, SL9 0RJ, UK
| | - Adam Frankish
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK.,European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Jennifer Harrow
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK.,Illumina Inc, Great Chesterford, Essex, CB10 1XL, UK
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54
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Nejat N, Mantri N. Emerging roles of long non-coding RNAs in plant response to biotic and abiotic stresses. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2017; 38:93-105. [PMID: 28423944 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2017.1312270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Spectacular progress in high-throughput transcriptome sequencing and expression profiling using next-generation sequencing technologies have recently revolutionized molecular biology and allowed massive advances in identifying the genomic regions and molecular mechanisms underlying transcriptional regulation of growth, development, and stress response. Through recent research, non-coding RNAs, in particular long non-coding RNAs, have emerged as key regulators of transcription in eukaryotes. Long non-coding RNAs are vastly heterogeneous groups of RNAs that execute a broad range of essential roles in various biological processes at the epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional levels. They modulate transcription through diverse mechanisms. Recently, numerous lncRNAs have been identified to be associated with defense responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. These have been suggested to perform indispensable roles in plant immunity and adaptation to environmental conditions. However, only a few lncRNAs have been functionally characterized in plants. In this paper, we summarize the present knowledge of lncRNAs, review the recent advances in understanding regulatory functions of lncRNAs, and highlight the emerging roles of lncRNAs in regulating immune responses in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naghmeh Nejat
- a School of Science, Health Innovations Research Institute, RMIT University , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia
| | - Nitin Mantri
- a School of Science, Health Innovations Research Institute, RMIT University , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia
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55
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Bussotti G, Leonardi T, Clark MB, Mercer TR, Crawford J, Malquori L, Notredame C, Dinger ME, Mattick JS, Enright AJ. Improved definition of the mouse transcriptome via targeted RNA sequencing. Genome Res 2017; 26:705-16. [PMID: 27197243 PMCID: PMC4864457 DOI: 10.1101/gr.199760.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2015] [Accepted: 02/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Targeted RNA sequencing (CaptureSeq) uses oligonucleotide probes to capture RNAs for sequencing, providing enriched read coverage, accurate measurement of gene expression, and quantitative expression data. We applied CaptureSeq to refine transcript annotations in the current murine GRCm38 assembly. More than 23,000 regions corresponding to putative or annotated long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and 154,281 known splicing junction sites were selected for targeted sequencing across five mouse tissues and three brain subregions. The results illustrate that the mouse transcriptome is considerably more complex than previously thought. We assemble more complete transcript isoforms than GENCODE, expand transcript boundaries, and connect interspersed islands of mapped reads. We describe a novel filtering pipeline that identifies previously unannotated but high-quality transcript isoforms. In this set, 911 GENCODE neighboring genes are condensed into 400 expanded gene models. Additionally, 594 GENCODE lncRNAs acquire an open reading frame (ORF) when their structure is extended with CaptureSeq. Finally, we validate our observations using current FANTOM and Mouse ENCODE resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Bussotti
- EMBL, European Bioinformatics Institute, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, United Kingdom
| | - Tommaso Leonardi
- EMBL, European Bioinformatics Institute, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, United Kingdom
| | - Michael B Clark
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales 2010, Australia; MRC Functional Genomics Unit, Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, United Kingdom
| | - Tim R Mercer
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales 2010, Australia; St Vincent's Clinical School, UNSW Australia, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Joanna Crawford
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Lorenzo Malquori
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Cedric Notredame
- Comparative Bioinformatics, Bioinformatics and Genomics Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marcel E Dinger
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales 2010, Australia; St Vincent's Clinical School, UNSW Australia, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - John S Mattick
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales 2010, Australia; St Vincent's Clinical School, UNSW Australia, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Anton J Enright
- EMBL, European Bioinformatics Institute, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, United Kingdom
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56
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Muret K, Klopp C, Wucher V, Esquerré D, Legeai F, Lecerf F, Désert C, Boutin M, Jehl F, Acloque H, Giuffra E, Djebali S, Foissac S, Derrien T, Lagarrigue S. Long noncoding RNA repertoire in chicken liver and adipose tissue. Genet Sel Evol 2017; 49:6. [PMID: 28073357 PMCID: PMC5225574 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-016-0275-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Improving functional annotation of the chicken genome is a key challenge in bridging the gap between genotype and phenotype. Among all transcribed regions, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a major component of the transcriptome and its regulation, and whole-transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) has greatly improved their identification and characterization. We performed an extensive profiling of the lncRNA transcriptome in the chicken liver and adipose tissue by RNA-Seq. We focused on these two tissues because of their importance in various economical traits for which energy storage and mobilization play key roles and also because of their high cell homogeneity. To predict lncRNAs, we used a recently developed tool called FEELnc, which also classifies them with respect to their distance and strand orientation to the closest protein-coding genes. Moreover, to confidently identify the genes/transcripts expressed in each tissue (a complex task for weakly expressed molecules such as lncRNAs), we probed a particularly large number of biological replicates (16 per tissue) compared to common multi-tissue studies with a larger set of tissues but less sampling. RESULTS We predicted 2193 lncRNA genes, among which 1670 were robustly expressed across replicates in the liver and/or adipose tissue and which were classified into 1493 intergenic and 177 intragenic lncRNAs located between and within protein-coding genes, respectively. We observed similar structural features between chickens and mammals, with strong synteny conservation but without sequence conservation. As previously reported, we confirm that lncRNAs have a lower and more tissue-specific expression than mRNAs. Finally, we showed that adjacent lncRNA-mRNA genes in divergent orientation have a higher co-expression level when separated by less than 1 kb compared to more distant divergent pairs. Among these, we highlighted for the first time a novel lncRNA candidate involved in lipid metabolism, lnc_DHCR24, which is highly correlated with the DHCR24 gene that encodes a key enzyme of cholesterol biosynthesis. CONCLUSIONS We provide a comprehensive lncRNA repertoire in the chicken liver and adipose tissue, which shows interesting patterns of co-expression between mRNAs and lncRNAs. It contributes to improving the structural and functional annotation of the chicken genome and provides a basis for further studies on energy storage and mobilization traits in the chicken.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kévin Muret
- UMR PEGASE, INRA, 35042, Rennes, France.,UMR PEGASE, AGROCAMPUS OUEST, 35042, Rennes, France
| | | | - Valentin Wucher
- UMR6290 IGDR, CNRS, Université Rennes 1, 35000, Rennes, France
| | - Diane Esquerré
- Plateforme GENOTOUL, INRA, 31326, Castanet-Tolosan, France.,GenPhySE, INPT, ENVT, INRA, Université de Toulouse, 31326, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Fabrice Legeai
- UMR IGEPP, INRA, 35042, Rennes, France.,UMR IGEPP, AGROCAMPUS OUEST, 35042, Rennes, France
| | - Frédéric Lecerf
- UMR PEGASE, INRA, 35042, Rennes, France.,UMR PEGASE, AGROCAMPUS OUEST, 35042, Rennes, France
| | - Colette Désert
- UMR PEGASE, INRA, 35042, Rennes, France.,UMR PEGASE, AGROCAMPUS OUEST, 35042, Rennes, France
| | - Morgane Boutin
- UMR PEGASE, INRA, 35042, Rennes, France.,UMR PEGASE, AGROCAMPUS OUEST, 35042, Rennes, France
| | - Frédéric Jehl
- UMR PEGASE, INRA, 35042, Rennes, France.,UMR PEGASE, AGROCAMPUS OUEST, 35042, Rennes, France
| | - Hervé Acloque
- GenPhySE, INPT, ENVT, INRA, Université de Toulouse, 31326, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Elisabetta Giuffra
- GABI, AgroParisTech, INRA, Université Paris Saclay, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Sarah Djebali
- GenPhySE, INPT, ENVT, INRA, Université de Toulouse, 31326, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Sylvain Foissac
- GenPhySE, INPT, ENVT, INRA, Université de Toulouse, 31326, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Thomas Derrien
- UMR6290 IGDR, CNRS, Université Rennes 1, 35000, Rennes, France.
| | - Sandrine Lagarrigue
- UMR PEGASE, INRA, 35042, Rennes, France. .,UMR PEGASE, AGROCAMPUS OUEST, 35042, Rennes, France.
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57
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Zhang G, Duan A, Zhang J, He C. Genome-wide analysis of long non-coding RNAs at the mature stage of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides Linn) fruit. Gene 2016; 596:130-136. [PMID: 27751814 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2016.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Revised: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 10/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are >200nt longer transcripts, potentially play important roles in almost all biological processes in plants and mammals. However, the functions and profiles of lncRNAs in fruit is less understood. Therefore, it is urgent and necessary to identify and analyze the functions of lncRNAs in sea buckthorns. Using RNA-sequencing, we synthetically identified lncRNAs in mature fruit from the red and yellow sea buckthorn. We obtained 567,778,938 clean reads from six samples and identified 3428 lncRNAs in mature fruit, including 2498 intergenic lncRNAs, 593 anti-sense lncRNAs, and 337 intronic lncRNAs. We also identified 3819 and 2295 circular RNAs in red and yellow sea buckthorn Fruit. In the aspects of gene architecture and expression, our results showed significant differences among the three lncRNA subtypes. We also investigated the effect of lncRNAs on its cis and trans target genes. Based on target genes analysis, we obtained 61 different expression lncRNAs (DE-lncRNAs) between these two sea buckthorns, including 23 special expression lncRNAs in red fruit and 22 special expression lncRNAs in yellow fruit. Importantly, we found a few DE-lncRNAs play cis and trans roles for genes in the Carotenoid biosynthesis, ascorbate and aldarate metabolism and fatty acid metabolism pathways. Our study provides a resource for lncRNA studies in mature fruit. It probably encourages researchers to deeply study fruit-coloring. It expands our knowledge about lncRNA biology and the annotation of the sea buckthorn genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoyun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding & Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China.
| | - Aiguo Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding & Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China.
| | - Jianguo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding & Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Caiyun He
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding & Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China.
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58
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Bouckenheimer J, Assou S, Riquier S, Hou C, Philippe N, Sansac C, Lavabre-Bertrand T, Commes T, Lemaître JM, Boureux A, De Vos J. Long non-coding RNAs in human early embryonic development and their potential in ART. Hum Reprod Update 2016; 23:19-40. [PMID: 27655590 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmw035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2016] [Revised: 07/20/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are an emerging category of transcripts with increasingly documented functional roles during development. LncRNAs and roles during human early embryo development have recently begun to be unravelled. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE This review summarizes the most recent knowledge on lncRNAs and focuses on their expression patterns and role during early human embryo development and in pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). Public mRNA sequencing (mRNA-seq) data were used to illustrate these expression signatures. SEARCH METHODS The PubMed and EMBASE databases were first interrogated using specific terms, such as 'lncRNAs', to get an extensive overview on lncRNAs up to February 2016, and then using 'human lncRNAs' and 'embryo', 'development', or 'PSCs' to focus on lncRNAs involved in human embryo development or in PSC.Recently published RNA-seq data from human oocytes and pre-implantation embryos (including single-cell data), PSC and a panel of normal and malignant adult tissues were used to describe the specific expression patterns of some lncRNAs in early human embryos. OUTCOMES The existence and the crucial role of lncRNAs in many important biological phenomena in each branch of the life tree are now well documented. The number of identified lncRNAs is rapidly increasing and has already outnumbered that of protein-coding genes. Unlike small non-coding RNAs, a variety of mechanisms of action have been proposed for lncRNAs. The functional role of lncRNAs has been demonstrated in many biological and developmental processes, including cell pluripotency induction, X-inactivation or gene imprinting. Analysis of RNA-seq data highlights that lncRNA abundance changes significantly during human early embryonic development. This suggests that lncRNAs could represent candidate biomarkers for developing non-invasive tests for oocyte or embryo quality. Finally, some of these lncRNAs are also expressed in human cancer tissues, suggesting that reactivation of an embryonic lncRNA program may contribute to human malignancies. WIDER IMPLICATIONS LncRNAs are emerging potential key players in gene expression regulation. Analysis of RNA-seq data from human pre-implantation embryos identified lncRNA signatures that are specific to this critical step. We anticipate that further studies will show that these new transcripts are major regulators of embryo development. These findings might also be used to develop new tests/treatments for improving the pregnancy success rate in IVF procedures or for regenerative medicine applications involving PSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Bouckenheimer
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy, CHU Montpellier, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France.,INSERM, U1183, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Université de Montpellier, Montpellier F 34000, France
| | - Said Assou
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy, CHU Montpellier, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France.,INSERM, U1183, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Université de Montpellier, Montpellier F 34000, France
| | - Sébastien Riquier
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy, CHU Montpellier, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France.,INSERM, U1183, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Université de Montpellier, Montpellier F 34000, France
| | - Cyrielle Hou
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy, CHU Montpellier, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France.,INSERM, U1183, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Université de Montpellier, Montpellier F 34000, France
| | - Nicolas Philippe
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy, CHU Montpellier, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France.,INSERM, U1183, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Université de Montpellier, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Coretec, Montpellier, France
| | - Caroline Sansac
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy, CHU Montpellier, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France.,INSERM, U1183, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Université de Montpellier, Montpellier F 34000, France
| | | | - Thérèse Commes
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy, CHU Montpellier, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France.,INSERM, U1183, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Université de Montpellier, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Institut de Biologie Computationnelle, Montpellier F 34000, France
| | - Jean-Marc Lemaître
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy, CHU Montpellier, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France .,INSERM, U1183, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Stem Cell Core Facility SAFE-iPSC, INGESTEM, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France
| | - Anthony Boureux
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy, CHU Montpellier, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France.,INSERM, U1183, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Université de Montpellier, Montpellier F 34000, France
| | - John De Vos
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy, CHU Montpellier, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France .,INSERM, U1183, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Université de Montpellier, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Institut de Biologie Computationnelle, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Stem Cell Core Facility SAFE-iPSC, INGESTEM, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Department of Cell and Tissue Engineering, CHU Montpellier, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France
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59
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Secondary structure impacts patterns of selection in human lncRNAs. BMC Biol 2016; 14:60. [PMID: 27457204 PMCID: PMC4960838 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-016-0283-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 07/04/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Metazoans transcribe many long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that are poorly conserved and whose function remains unknown. This has raised the questions of what fraction of the predicted lncRNAs is actually functional, and whether selection can effectively constrain lncRNAs in species with small effective population sizes such as human populations. Results Here we evaluate signatures of selection in human lncRNAs using inter-specific data and intra-specific comparisons from five major populations, as well as by assessing relationships between sequence variation and predictions of secondary structure. In all analyses we included a reference of functionally characterized lncRNAs. Altogether, our results show compelling evidence of recent purifying selection acting on both characterized and predicted lncRNAs. We found that RNA secondary structure constrains sequence variation in lncRNAs, so that polymorphisms are depleted in paired regions with low accessibility and tend to be neutral with respect to structural stability. Conclusions Important implications of our results are that secondary structure plays a role in the functionality of lncRNAs, and that the set of predicted lncRNAs contains a large fraction of functional ones that may play key roles that remain to be discovered. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12915-016-0283-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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60
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Nitsche A, Stadler PF. Evolutionary clues in lncRNAs. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2016; 8. [PMID: 27436689 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2016] [Revised: 06/06/2016] [Accepted: 06/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The diversity of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the human transcriptome is in stark contrast to the sparse exploration of their functions concomitant with their conservation and evolution. The pervasive transcription of the largely non-coding human genome makes the evolutionary age and conservation patterns of lncRNAs to a topic of interest. Yet it is a fairly unexplored field and not that easy to determine as for protein-coding genes. Although there are a few experimentally studied cases, which are conserved at the sequence level, most lncRNAs exhibit weak or untraceable primary sequence conservation. Recent studies shed light on the interspecies conservation of secondary structures among lncRNA homologs by using diverse computational methods. This highlights the importance of structure on functionality of lncRNAs as opposed to the poor impact of primary sequence changes. Further clues in the evolution of lncRNAs are given by selective constraints on non-coding gene structures (e.g., promoters or splice sites) as well as the conservation of prevalent spatio-temporal expression patterns. However, a rapid evolutionary turnover is observable throughout the heterogeneous group of lncRNAs. This still gives rise to questions about its functional meaning. WIREs RNA 2017, 8:e1376. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1376 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Nitsche
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, University Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg, Cedex, France
| | - Peter F Stadler
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, University Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Diagnostics, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology - IZI, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Non-Coding RNA in Technology and Health, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.,Department of Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Wien, Austria.,Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM, USA
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61
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Schmitz SU, Grote P, Herrmann BG. Mechanisms of long noncoding RNA function in development and disease. Cell Mol Life Sci 2016; 73:2491-509. [PMID: 27007508 PMCID: PMC4894931 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-016-2174-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 749] [Impact Index Per Article: 93.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Revised: 02/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Since decades it has been known that non-protein-coding RNAs have important cellular functions. Deep sequencing recently facilitated the discovery of thousands of novel transcripts, now classified as long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), in many vertebrate and invertebrate species. LncRNAs are involved in a wide range of cellular mechanisms, from almost all aspects of gene expression to protein translation and stability. Recent findings implicate lncRNAs as key players of cellular differentiation, cell lineage choice, organogenesis and tissue homeostasis. Moreover, lncRNAs are involved in pathological conditions such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, and therefore provide novel biomarkers and pharmaceutical targets. Here we discuss examples illustrating the versatility of lncRNAs in gene control, development and differentiation, as well as in human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra U Schmitz
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Ihnestr. 63-73, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Phillip Grote
- Institute of Cardiovascular Regeneration, Center for Molecular Medicine, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Bernhard G Herrmann
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Ihnestr. 63-73, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
- Institute for Medical Genetics, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charite-University Medicine Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203, Berlin, Germany.
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62
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Hou J, Zhou C, Long H, Zheng S, Guo T, Wu Q, Wu H, Zhong T, Wang T. Long noncoding RNAs: Novel molecules in cardiovascular biology, disease and regeneration. Exp Mol Pathol 2016; 100:493-501. [PMID: 27180105 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexmp.2016.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2016] [Revised: 04/19/2016] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Remarkable breakthroughs made in genomic technologies have facilitated the discovery of thousands of novel transcripts that do not template protein synthesis. Numerous RNAs termed as long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) generated from this pervasive transcription function vividly in gene regulatory networks and a variety of biological and cellular processes. Here, we make a brief description of the known and putative functions of lncRNAs in cardiovascular biology and disease. The association between lncRNAs and stem cells mediated cardiomyocytes differentiation and neovascularization is discussed then. It will provide a new clue for further studies on these novel molecules in cardiovascular disease and bring bright prospects for their future applications in cardiac regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingying Hou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang Xi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Department of Emergency, The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang Xi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Changqing Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang Xi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Department of Emergency, The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang Xi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Huibao Long
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang Xi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Department of Emergency, The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang Xi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Shaoxin Zheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang Xi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, 107 Yanjiang Xi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Tianzhu Guo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang Xi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Department of Emergency, The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang Xi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Quanhua Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang Xi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Department of Emergency, The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang Xi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang Xi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Department of Emergency, The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang Xi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Tingting Zhong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang Xi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Department of Emergency, The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang Xi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Tong Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang Xi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, 107 Yanjiang Xi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Department of Emergency, The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang Xi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
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Ren H, Wang G, Chen L, Jiang J, Liu L, Li N, Zhao J, Sun X, Zhou P. Genome-wide analysis of long non-coding RNAs at early stage of skin pigmentation in goats (Capra hircus). BMC Genomics 2016; 17:67. [PMID: 26785828 PMCID: PMC4719336 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-2365-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Accepted: 01/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play roles in almost all biological processes; however, their function and profile in skin development and pigmentation is less understood. In addition, because lncRNAs are species-specific, their function in goats has not been established. Result We systematically identified lncRNAs in 100-day-old fetal skin by deep RNA-sequencing using the Youzhou dark goat (dark skin) and Yudong white goat (white skin) as a model of skin pigmentation. A total of 841,895,634 clean reads were obtained from six libraries (samples). We identified 1336 specific lncRNAs in fetal skin that belonged to three subtypes, including 999 intergenic lncRNAs (lincRNAs), 218 anti-sense lncRNAs, and 119 intronic lncRNAs. Our results demonstrated significant differences in gene architecture and expression among the three lncRNA subtypes, particularly in terms of density and position bias of transpose elements near the transcription start site. We also investigated the impact of lncRNAs on its target genes in cis and trans, indicating that these lncRNAs have a strict tissue specificity and functional conservation during skin development and pigmentation. Conclusion The present study provides a resource for lncRNA studies in diseases involved in pigmentation and skin development. It expands our knowledge about lncRNA biology as well as contributes to the annotation of the goat genome. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-2365-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hangxing Ren
- Chongqing Academy of Animal Sciences, Chongqing, 402460, China. .,Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Goats, Chongqing, 402460, China.
| | - Gaofu Wang
- Chongqing Academy of Animal Sciences, Chongqing, 402460, China. .,Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Goats, Chongqing, 402460, China.
| | - Lei Chen
- Chongqing Academy of Animal Sciences, Chongqing, 402460, China.
| | - Jing Jiang
- Chongqing Academy of Animal Sciences, Chongqing, 402460, China. .,Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Goats, Chongqing, 402460, China.
| | - Liangjia Liu
- Chongqing Academy of Animal Sciences, Chongqing, 402460, China. .,Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Goats, Chongqing, 402460, China.
| | - Nianfu Li
- Chongqing Academy of Animal Sciences, Chongqing, 402460, China. .,Youyang Animal Husbandry Bureau, Chongqing, 409800, China.
| | - Jinhong Zhao
- Chongqing Academy of Animal Sciences, Chongqing, 402460, China. .,Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Goats, Chongqing, 402460, China.
| | - Xiaoyan Sun
- Chongqing Academy of Animal Sciences, Chongqing, 402460, China. .,Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Goats, Chongqing, 402460, China.
| | - Peng Zhou
- Chongqing Academy of Animal Sciences, Chongqing, 402460, China. .,Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Goats, Chongqing, 402460, China.
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Mechanisms of Long Non-coding RNAs in Mammalian Nervous System Development, Plasticity, Disease, and Evolution. Neuron 2015; 88:861-877. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2015.09.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 303] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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65
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Lai J, An J, Seim I, Walpole C, Hoffman A, Moya L, Srinivasan S, Perry-Keene JL, Wang C, Lehman ML, Nelson CC, Clements JA, Batra J. Fusion transcript loci share many genomic features with non-fusion loci. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:1021. [PMID: 26626734 PMCID: PMC4667522 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-2235-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2015] [Accepted: 11/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fusion transcripts are found in many tissues and have the potential to create novel functional products. Here, we investigate the genomic sequences around fusion junctions to better understand the transcriptional mechanisms mediating fusion transcription/splicing. We analyzed data from prostate (cancer) cells as previous studies have shown extensively that these cells readily undergo fusion transcription. RESULTS We used the FusionMap program to identify high-confidence fusion transcripts from RNAseq data. The RNAseq datasets were from our (N = 8) and other (N = 14) clinical prostate tumors with adjacent non-cancer cells, and from the LNCaP prostate cancer cell line that were mock-, androgen- (DHT), and anti-androgen- (bicalutamide, enzalutamide) treated. In total, 185 fusion transcripts were identified from all RNAseq datasets. The majority (76%) of these fusion transcripts were 'read-through chimeras' derived from adjacent genes in the genome. Characterization of sequences at fusion loci were carried out using a combination of the FusionMap program, custom Perl scripts, and the RNAfold program. Our computational analysis indicated that most fusion junctions (76%) use the consensus GT-AG intron donor-acceptor splice site, and most fusion transcripts (85%) maintained the open reading frame. We assessed whether parental genes of fusion transcripts have the potential to form complementary base pairing between parental genes which might bring them into physical proximity. Our computational analysis of sequences flanking fusion junctions at parental loci indicate that these loci have a similar propensity as non-fusion loci to hybridize. The abundance of repetitive sequences at fusion and non-fusion loci was also investigated given that SINE repeats are involved in aberrant gene transcription. We found few instances of repetitive sequences at both fusion and non-fusion junctions. Finally, RT-qPCR was performed on RNA from both clinical prostate tumors and adjacent non-cancer cells (N = 7), and LNCaP cells treated as above to validate the expression of seven fusion transcripts and their respective parental genes. We reveal that fusion transcript expression is similar to the expression of parental genes. CONCLUSIONS Fusion transcripts maintain the open reading frame, and likely use the same transcriptional machinery as non-fusion transcripts as they share many genomic features at splice/fusion junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Lai
- Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre - Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia. .,Cancer and Molecular Medicine Program, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. .,Current address: Genetic Technologies, 60-66 Hanover Street, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Jiyuan An
- Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre - Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia. .,Cancer and Molecular Medicine Program, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Inge Seim
- Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre - Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia. .,Cancer and Molecular Medicine Program, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. .,Comparative and Endocrine Biology Laboratory, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Brisbane, Australia. .,Ghrelin Research Group, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Carina Walpole
- Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre - Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia. .,Cancer and Molecular Medicine Program, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Andrea Hoffman
- Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre - Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia. .,Cancer and Molecular Medicine Program, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Leire Moya
- Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre - Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia. .,Cancer and Molecular Medicine Program, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Srilakshmi Srinivasan
- Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre - Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia. .,Cancer and Molecular Medicine Program, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
| | | | | | - Chenwei Wang
- Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre - Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia. .,Cancer and Molecular Medicine Program, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Melanie L Lehman
- Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre - Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia. .,Cancer and Molecular Medicine Program, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Colleen C Nelson
- Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre - Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia. .,Cancer and Molecular Medicine Program, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Judith A Clements
- Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre - Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia. .,Cancer and Molecular Medicine Program, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Jyotsna Batra
- Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre - Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia. .,Cancer and Molecular Medicine Program, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
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A Dual Model for Prioritizing Cancer Mutations in the Non-coding Genome Based on Germline and Somatic Events. PLoS Comput Biol 2015; 11:e1004583. [PMID: 26588488 PMCID: PMC4654583 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1004583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 10/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We address here the issue of prioritizing non-coding mutations in the tumoral genome. To this aim, we created two independent computational models. The first (germline) model estimates purifying selection based on population SNP data. The second (somatic) model estimates tumor mutation density based on whole genome tumor sequencing. We show that each model reflects a different set of constraints acting either on the normal or tumor genome, and we identify the specific genome features that most contribute to these constraints. Importantly, we show that the somatic mutation model carries independent functional information that can be used to narrow down the non-coding regions that may be relevant to cancer progression. On this basis, we identify positions in non-coding RNAs and the non-coding parts of mRNAs that are both under purifying selection in the germline and protected from mutation in tumors, thus introducing a new strategy for future detection of cancer driver elements in the expressed non-coding genome. Cancer cells undergo a mutation/selection process that resembles that of any living cell. Most mutations in cancer cell DNA occur in the so-called "non-coding" regions that represent 98.5% of the genome length. Pinning down which of these mutations contribute to the fitness of cancer cells would be important for identifying new "cancer drivers", which may in turn lead to future treatments. Unfortunately, predicting the impact of a non-coding DNA alteration remains extremely difficult. In this study, we analyze millions of non-coding cancer mutations and show cancer-specific mutational patterns can be used to predict non-coding regions that are preserved from mutations and may thus be important for cancer cell survival. Combining this information with population data, we propose a new scoring system that should help prioritize important non-coding mutations in future studies.
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Welsh IC, Kwak H, Chen FL, Werner M, Shopland LS, Danko CG, Lis JT, Zhang M, Martin JF, Kurpios NA. Chromatin Architecture of the Pitx2 Locus Requires CTCF- and Pitx2-Dependent Asymmetry that Mirrors Embryonic Gut Laterality. Cell Rep 2015; 13:337-49. [PMID: 26411685 PMCID: PMC4617833 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.08.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2015] [Revised: 07/20/2015] [Accepted: 08/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Expression of Pitx2 on the left side of the embryo patterns left-right (LR) organs including the dorsal mesentery (DM), whose asymmetric cell behavior directs gut looping. Despite the importance of organ laterality, chromatin-level regulation of Pitx2 remains undefined. Here, we show that genes immediately neighboring Pitx2 in chicken and mouse, including a long noncoding RNA (Pitx2 locus-asymmetric regulated RNA or Playrr), are expressed on the right side and repressed by Pitx2. CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing of Playrr, 3D fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), and variations of chromatin conformation capture (3C) demonstrate that mutual antagonism between Pitx2 and Playrr is coordinated by asymmetric chromatin interactions dependent on Pitx2 and CTCF. We demonstrate that transcriptional and morphological asymmetries driving gut looping are mirrored by chromatin architectural asymmetries at the Pitx2 locus. We propose a model whereby Pitx2 auto-regulation directs chromatin topology to coordinate LR transcription of this locus essential for LR organogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian C Welsh
- Department of Molecular Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Hojoong Kwak
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Frances L Chen
- Department of Molecular Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Melissa Werner
- Department of Molecular Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Lindsay S Shopland
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, 04609, USA; Eastern Maine Medical Center Cancer Care, 33 Whiting Hill Road, Brewer, ME 04412, USA
| | - Charles G Danko
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, The Baker Institute for Animal Health, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - John T Lis
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Min Zhang
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - James F Martin
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Texas Heart Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Natasza A Kurpios
- Department of Molecular Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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Carnero E, Fortes P. HCV infection, IFN response and the coding and non-coding host cell genome. Virus Res 2015; 212:85-102. [PMID: 26454190 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2015.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2015] [Accepted: 10/01/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
HCV is an ideal model to study how the infected cell is altered to allow the establishment of a chronic infection. After infection, the transcriptome of the cell changes in response to the virus or to the antiviral pathways induced by infection. The cell has evolved to sense HCV soon after infection and to activate antiviral pathways. In turn, HCV has evolved to block the antiviral pathways induced by the cell and, at the same time, to use some for its own benefit. In this review, we summarize the proviral and antiviral factors induced in HCV infected cells. These factors can be proteins and microRNAs, but also long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) that are induced by infection. Interestingly, several of the lncRNAs upregulated after HCV infection have oncogenic functions, suggesting that upregulation of lncRNAs could explain, at least in part, the increased rate of liver tumors observed in HCV-infected patients. Other lncRNAs induced by HCV infection may regulate the expression of coding genes required for replication or control genes involved in the cellular antiviral response. Given the evolutionary pressure imposed by viral infections and that lncRNAs are specially targeted by evolution, we believe that the study of proviral and antiviral lncRNAs may lead to unexpected discoveries that may have a strong impact on basic science and translational research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Carnero
- Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA) and Navarra Institute for Health Research (IdiSNA), Department of Gene Therapy and Hepatology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Puri Fortes
- Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA) and Navarra Institute for Health Research (IdiSNA), Department of Gene Therapy and Hepatology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
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Abstract
Transcriptional and epigenetic regulation is critical for proper heart development, cardiac homeostasis, and pathogenesis. Long noncoding RNAs have emerged as key components of the transcriptional regulatory pathways that govern cardiac development as well as stress response, signaling, and remodeling in cardiac pathologies. Within the past few years, studies have identified many long noncoding RNAs in the context of cardiovascular biology and have begun to reveal the key functions of these transcripts. In this review, we discuss the growing roles of long noncoding RNAs in different aspects of cardiovascular development as well as pathological responses during injury or disease. In addition, we discuss diverse mechanisms by which long noncoding RNAs orchestrate cardiac transcriptional programs. Finally, we explore the exciting potential of this novel class of transcripts as biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets for cardiovascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gizem Rizki
- From the Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
| | - Laurie A Boyer
- From the Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge.
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70
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Engelhardt J, Stadler PF. Evolution of the unspliced transcriptome. BMC Evol Biol 2015; 15:166. [PMID: 26289325 PMCID: PMC4546029 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-015-0437-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2015] [Accepted: 07/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite their abundance, unspliced EST data have received little attention as a source of information on non-coding RNAs. Very little is know, therefore, about the genomic distribution of unspliced non-coding transcripts and their relationship with the much better studied regularly spliced products. In particular, their evolution has remained virtually unstudied. RESULTS We systematically study the evidence on unspliced transcripts available in EST annotation tracks for human and mouse, comprising 104,980 and 66,109 unspliced EST clusters, respectively. Roughly one third of these are located totally inside introns of known genes (TINs) and another third overlaps exonic regions (PINs). Eleven percent are "intergenic", far away from any annotated gene. Direct evidence for the independent transcription of many PINs and TINs is obtained from CAGE tag and chromatin data. We predict more than 2000 3'UTR-associated RNA candidates for each human and mouse. Fifteen to twenty percent of the unspliced EST cluster are conserved between human and mouse. With the exception of TINs, the sequences of unspliced EST clusters evolve significantly slower than genomic background. Furthermore, like spliced lincRNAs, they show highly tissue-specific expression patterns. CONCLUSIONS Unspliced long non-coding RNAs are an important, rapidly evolving, component of mammalian transcriptomes. Their analysis is complicated by their preferential association with complex transcribed loci that usually also harbor a plethora of spliced transcripts. Unspliced EST data, although typically disregarded in transcriptome analysis, can be used to gain insights into this rarely investigated transcriptome component. The frequently postulated connection between lack of splicing and nuclear retention and the surprising overlap of chromatin-associated transcripts suggests that this class of transcripts might be involved in chromatin organization and possibly other mechanisms of epigenetic control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Engelhardt
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Haertelstraße 16-18, Leipzig, D-04107, Germany.
| | - Peter F Stadler
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Haertelstraße 16-18, Leipzig, D-04107, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Inselstraße 22, Leipzig, D-04103, Germany.
- Fraunhofer Institut for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Perlickstraße 1, Leipzig, D-04103, Germany.
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währingerstrasse 17, Vienna, A-1090, Austria.
- Center for non-coding RNA in Technology and Health, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 3, Frederiksberg, 1870, Denmark.
- Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Rd., Santa Fe, 87501, NM, USA.
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Gloss BS, Dinger ME. The specificity of long noncoding RNA expression. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2015; 1859:16-22. [PMID: 26297315 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2015.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Revised: 08/12/2015] [Accepted: 08/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Over the last decade, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as a fundamental molecular class whose members play pivotal roles in the regulation of the genome. The observation of pervasive transcription of mammalian genomes in the early 2000s sparked a revolution in the understanding of information flow in eukaryotic cells and the incredible flexibility and dynamic nature of the transcriptome. As a molecular class, distinct loci yielding lncRNAs are set to outnumber those yielding mRNAs. However, like many important discoveries, the road leading to uncovering this diverse class of molecules that act through a remarkable repertoire of mechanisms, was not a straight one. The same characteristic that most distinguishes lncRNAs from mRNAs, i.e. their developmental-stage, tissue-, and cell-specific expression, was one of the major impediments to their discovery and recognition as potentially functional regulatory molecules. With growing numbers of lncRNAs being assigned to biological functions, the specificity of lncRNA expression is now increasingly recognized as a characteristic that imbues lncRNAs with great potential as biomarkers and for the development of highly targeted therapeutics. Here we review the history of lncRNA research and how technological advances and insight into biological complexity have gone hand-in-hand in shaping this revolution. We anticipate that as increasing numbers of these molecules, often described as the dark matter of the genome, are characterized and the structure-function relationship of lncRNAs becomes better understood, it may ultimately be feasible to decipher what these non-(protein)-coding genes encode. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Clues to long noncoding RNA taxonomy1, edited by Dr. Tetsuro Hirose and Dr. Shinichi Nakagawa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian S Gloss
- Division of Genomics and Epigenetics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia; St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Australia
| | - Marcel E Dinger
- Division of Genomics and Epigenetics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia; St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Australia.
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Khorkova O, Hsiao J, Wahlestedt C. Basic biology and therapeutic implications of lncRNA. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2015; 87:15-24. [PMID: 26024979 PMCID: PMC4544752 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2015.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 246] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Revised: 05/11/2015] [Accepted: 05/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA), a class of non-coding RNA molecules recently identified largely due to the efforts of FANTOM, and later GENCODE and ENCODE consortia, have been a subject of intense investigation in the past decade. Extensive efforts to get deeper understanding of lncRNA biology have yielded evidence of their diverse structural and regulatory roles in protecting chromosome integrity, maintaining genomic architecture, X chromosome inactivation, imprinting, transcription, translation and epigenetic regulation. Here we will briefly review the recent studies in the field of lncRNA biology focusing mostly on mammalian species and discuss their therapeutic implications.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Chromosomal Instability
- Epigenesis, Genetic
- Evolution, Molecular
- Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects
- Gene Expression Regulation/genetics
- Genetic Diseases, Inborn/diagnosis
- Genetic Diseases, Inborn/genetics
- Genetic Diseases, Inborn/therapy
- Humans
- Neoplasms/diagnosis
- Neoplasms/genetics
- Neoplasms/therapy
- Oligonucleotides, Antisense/administration & dosage
- Oligonucleotides, Antisense/therapeutic use
- RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional
- RNA, Long Noncoding/blood
- RNA, Long Noncoding/genetics
- RNA, Long Noncoding/urine
- Species Specificity
- Telomere/genetics
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Affiliation(s)
- O Khorkova
- OPKO Health Inc., 10320 USA Today Way, Miramar, FL 33025, USA
| | - J Hsiao
- OPKO Health Inc., 10320 USA Today Way, Miramar, FL 33025, USA
| | - C Wahlestedt
- Center for Therapeutic Innovation and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1501 NW 10th Avenue, Miami 33136, FL, USA.
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