Nucleic Acid Modifications in Regulation of Gene Expression

Methyltransferase DnmA is responsible for genome-wide N6-methyladenosine modifications at non-palindromic recognition sites in Bacillus subtilis

The genomes of organisms from all three domains of life harbor endogenous base modifications in the form of DNA methylation. In bacterial genomes, methylation occurs on adenosine and cytidine residues to include N6-methyladenine (m6A), 5-methylcytosine (m5C), and N4-methylcytosine (m4C). Bacterial DNA methylation has been well characterized in the context of restriction-modification (RM) systems, where methylation regulates DNA incision by the cognate restriction endonuclease. Relative to RM systems less is known about how m6A contributes to the epigenetic regulation of cellular functions in Gram-positive bacteria. Here, we characterize site-specific m6A modifications in the non-palindromic sequence GACGmAG within the genomes of Bacillus subtilis strains. We demonstrate that the yeeA gene is a methyltransferase responsible for the presence of m6A modifications. We show that methylation from YeeA does not function to limit DNA uptake during natural transformation. Instead, we identify a subset of promoters that contain the methylation consensus sequence and show that loss of methylation within promoter regions causes a decrease in reporter expression. Further, we identify a transcriptional repressor that preferentially binds an unmethylated promoter used in the reporter assays. With these results we suggest that m6A modifications in B. subtilis function to promote gene expression.

The Impact of Environmental Factors on 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine in the Brain

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The aims of this review are to evaluate the methods used to measure 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC), and then summarize the available data investigating the impact of environmental factors on 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC) in the brain.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent research has shown that some environmental factors, including exposure to exogenous chemicals, stress, altered diet, and exercise, are all associated with 5-hmC variation in the brain. However, due to a lack of specificity in the methods used to generate a majority of the available data, it cannot be determined whether environment-induced changes in 5-hmC occur in specific biological pathways. Environment appears to shape 5-hmC levels in the brain, but the available literature is hampered by limitations in measurement methods. The field of neuroepigenetics needs to adopt new tools to increase the specificity of its data and enhance biological interpretation of exposure-related changes in 5-hmC. This will help improve understanding of the potential roles for environmental factors and 5-hmC in neurological disease.

Adenine DNA methylation, 3D genome organization, and gene expression in the parasite Trichomonas vaginalis

Trichomonas vaginalis is a common sexually transmitted parasite that colonizes the human urogenital tract causing infections that range from asymptomatic to highly inflammatory. Recent works have highlighted the importance of histone modifications in the regulation of transcription and parasite pathogenesis. However, the nature of DNA methylation in the parasite remains unexplored. Using a combination of immunological techniques and ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC), we analyzed the abundance of DNA methylation in strains with differential pathogenicity demonstrating that N6-methyladenine (6mA), and not 5-methylcytosine (5mC), is the main DNA methylation mark in T. vaginalis Genome-wide distribution of 6mA reveals that this mark is enriched at intergenic regions, with a preference for certain superfamilies of DNA transposable elements. We show that 6mA in T. vaginalis is associated with silencing when present on genes. Interestingly, bioinformatics analysis revealed the presence of transcriptionally active or repressive intervals flanked by 6mA-enriched regions, and results from chromatin conformation capture (3C) experiments suggest these 6mA flanked regions are in close spatial proximity. These associations were disrupted when parasites were treated with the demethylation activator ascorbic acid. This finding revealed a role for 6mA in modulating three-dimensional (3D) chromatin structure and gene expression in this divergent member of the Excavata.

DNA N6-methyladenine modification in hypertension

DNA methylation has a role in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension. DNA N6-methyladenine (6mA) modification as a novel adenine methylation exists in human tissues, but whether it plays a role in hypertension development remains unclear. Here, we reported that the global 6mA DNA level in leukocytes was significantly reduced in patients with hypertension and was reversed with successful treatment. Age, systolic blood pressure, and serum total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein levels were associated with decreased leukocyte 6mA DNA level. Elevated ALKBH1 (AlkB homolog 1), a demethylase of 6mA, level mediated this dynamic change in 6mA level in leukocytes and vascular smooth muscle cells in hypertension mouse and rat models. Knockdown of ALKBH1 suppressed angiotensin II-induced vascular smooth muscle phenotype transformation, proliferation and migration. ALKBH1-6mA directly and negatively regulated hypoxia inducible factor 1 α (HIF1α), which responded to angiotensin II-induced vascular remodeling. Collectively, our results demonstrate a potential epigenetic role for ALKBH1-6mA regulation in hypertension development, diagnosis and treatment.

Mapping and editing of nucleic acid modifications

Modification on nucleic acid plays a pivotal role in controlling gene expression. Various kinds of modifications greatly increase the information-encoding capacity of DNA and RNA by introducing extra chemical group to existing bases instead of altering the genetic sequences. As a marker on DNA or RNA, nucleic acid modification can be recognized by specific proteins, leading to versatile regulation of gene expression. However, modified and regular bases are often indistinguishable by most conventional molecular methods, impeding detailed functional studies that require the information of genomic location. Recently, new technologies are emerging to resolve the positions of varied modifications on both DNA and RNA. Intriguingly, by integrating regional targeting tools and effector proteins, researchers begin to actively control the modification status of desired gene in vivo. In this review, we summarize the characteristics of DNA and RNA modifications, the available mapping and editing tools, and the potential application as well as deficiency of these technologies in basic and translational researches.

Identification of cross-talk between m6A and 5mC regulators associated with onco-immunogenic features and prognosis across 33 cancer types

Methylation of RNA and DNA, notably in the forms of N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) and 5-methylcytosine (5mC) respectively, plays crucial roles in diverse biological processes. Currently, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the cross-talk between m⁶A and 5mC regulators. Thus, we systematically performed a pan-cancer genomic analysis by depicting the molecular correlations between m⁶A and 5mC regulators across ~ 11,000 subjects representing 33 cancer types. For the first time, we identified cross-talk between m⁶A and 5mC methylation at the multiomic level. Then, we further established m⁶A/5mC epigenetic module eigengenes by combining hub m⁶A/5mC regulators and informed a comprehensive epigenetic state. The model reflected status of the tumor-immune-stromal microenvironment and was able to predict patient survival in the majority of cancer types. Our results lay a solid foundation for epigenetic regulation in human cancer and pave a new road for related therapeutic targets.

Cytoplasmic m1A reader YTHDF3 inhibits trophoblast invasion by downregulation of m1A-methylated IGF1R

N1-methyladenosine (m1A) is one of the important post-transcriptional modifications in RNA and plays an important role in promoting translation or decay of m1A-methylated messenger RNA (mRNA), but the "reader" protein and the exact biological role of m1A remain to be determined. Here, we identified that nine potential m1A "reader" proteins including YTH domain family and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein by mass spectrometry, and among them, YTH domain-containing protein 3 (YTHDF3), could bind directly to m1A-carrying RNA. YTHDF3 was then identified to negatively regulate invasion and migration of trophoblast. Mechanistically, we found that the m1A "reader" YTHDF3 bound to certain m1A-methylated transcripts, such as insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R), with the combination of iCLIP-seq (individual-nucleotide resolution ultraviolet crosslinking and immunoprecipitation high-throughput sequencing) and m1A-seq. Furthermore, YTHDF3 could promote IGF1R mRNA degradation and thus inhibit IGF1R protein expression along with its downstream matrix metallopeptidase 9 signaling pathway, consequently decreasing migration and invasion of trophoblast. Thus, we demonstrated that YTHDF3 as an m1A reader decreased invasion and migration of trophoblast by inhibiting IGF1R expression. Our study outlines a new m1A epigenetic way to regulate the trophoblast activity, which suggests a novel therapeutic target for trophoblast-associated pregnancy disorders.

METTL3 Promotes the Progression of Gastric Cancer via Targeting the MYC Pathway

Methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3), a major component of the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methyltransferase complex, has been suggested to function as an oncogene in several cancers. However, its biological mechanism and the involved pathways in gastric cancer (GC) remain unknown. Here, we reported that frequent upregulation of METTL3 was responsible for the aberrant m6A levels in gastric carcinoma. On the other hand, a high level of METTL3 was significantly associated with several clinicopathological features and poor survival in patients with GC. The knockdown of METTL3 effectively inhibited cell proliferation and migration and invasion capacity. Moreover, overexpression of METTL3 considerably augmented its oncogenic function. Integrated RNA-seq and m6A-seq analysis first indicated that several component molecules (e.g., MCM5, MCM6, etc.) of MYC target genes were mediated by METTL3 via altered m6A modification. Our work uncovers the oncogenic roles of METTL3 in GC and suggests a critical mechanism of GC progression.

DNA N6-Methyladenine Modification in Plant Genomes-A Glimpse into Emerging Epigenetic Code

N6-methyladenine (6mA) is a DNA base modification at the 6th nitrogen position; recently, it has been resurfaced as a potential reversible epigenetic mark in eukaryotes. Despite its existence, 6mA was considered to be absent due to its undetectable level. However, with the new advancements in methods, considerable 6mA distribution is identified across the plant genome. Unlike 5-methylcytosine (5mC) in the gene promoter, 6mA does not have a definitive role in repression but is exposed to have divergent regulation in gene expression. Though 6mA information is less known, the available evidences suggest its function in plant development, tissue differentiation, and regulations in gene expression. The current review article emphasizes the research advances in DNA 6mA modifications, identification, available databases, analysis tools and its significance in plant development, cellular functions and future perspectives of research.

Interplay of Guanine Oxidation and G-Quadruplex Folding in Gene Promoters

Living in an oxygen atmosphere demands an ability to thrive in the presence of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Aerobic organisms have successfully found solutions to the oxidative threats imposed by ROS by evolving an elaborate detoxification system, upregulating ROS during inflammation, and utilizing ROS as messenger molecules. In this Perspective, recent studies are discussed that demonstrate ROS as signaling molecules for gene regulation by combining two emergent properties of the guanine (G) heterocycle in DNA, namely, oxidation sensitivity and a propensity for G-quadruplex (G4) folding, both of which depend upon sequence context. In human gene promoters, this results from an elevated 5'-GG-3' dinucleotide frequency and GC enrichment near transcription start sites. Oxidation of DNA by ROS drives conversion of G to 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (OG) to mark target promoters for base excision repair initiated by OG-glycosylase I (OGG1). Sequence-dependent mechanisms for gene activation are available to OGG1 to induce transcription. Either OGG1 releases OG to yield an abasic site driving formation of a non-canonical fold, such as a G4, to be displayed to apurinic/apyrimidinic 1 (APE1) and stalling on the fold to recruit activating factors, or OGG1 binds OG and facilitates activator protein recruitment. The mechanisms described drive induction of stress response, DNA repair, or estrogen-induced genes, and these pathways are novel potential anticancer targets for therapeutic intervention. Chemical concepts provide a framework to discuss the regulatory or possible epigenetic potential of the OG modification in DNA, in which DNA "damage" and non-canonical folds collaborate to turn on or off gene expression. The next steps for scientific discovery in this growing field are discussed.

Physicochemical Foundations of Life that Direct Evolution: Chance and Natural Selection are not Evolutionary Driving Forces

The current framework of evolutionary theory postulates that evolution relies on random mutations generating a diversity of phenotypes on which natural selection acts. This framework was established using a top-down approach as it originated from Darwinism, which is based on observations made of complex multicellular organisms and, then, modified to fit a DNA-centric view. In this article, it is argued that based on a bottom-up approach starting from the physicochemical properties of nucleic and amino acid polymers, we should reject the facts that (i) natural selection plays a dominant role in evolution and (ii) the probability of mutations is independent of the generated phenotype. It is shown that the adaptation of a phenotype to an environment does not correspond to organism fitness, but rather corresponds to maintaining the genome stability and integrity. In a stable environment, the phenotype maintains the stability of its originating genome and both (genome and phenotype) are reproduced identically. In an unstable environment (i.e., corresponding to variations in physicochemical parameters above a physiological range), the phenotype no longer maintains the stability of its originating genome, but instead influences its variations. Indeed, environment- and cellular-dependent physicochemical parameters define the probability of mutations in terms of frequency, nature, and location in a genome. Evolution is non-deterministic because it relies on probabilistic physicochemical rules, and evolution is driven by a bidirectional interplay between genome and phenotype in which the phenotype ensures the stability of its originating genome in a cellular and environmental physicochemical parameter-depending manner.

Genome-wide investigation and transcriptional analysis of cytosine-5 DNA methyltransferase and DNA demethylase gene families in tea plant (Camellia sinensis) under abiotic stress and withering processing

DNA methylation is a highly conserved epigenetic modification involved in many biological processes, including growth and development, stress response, and secondary metabolism. In the plant kingdom, cytosine-5 DNA methyltransferase (C5-MTase) and DNA demethylase (dMTase) genes have been identified in some plant species. However, to the best of our knowledge, no investigator has focused on the identification and analysis of C5-MTase and dMTase genes in tea plants (Camellia sinensis) based on genome-wide levels. In this study, eight CsC5-MTases and four dMTases were identified in tea plants. These CsC5-MTase genes were divided into four subfamilies, including CsMET, CsCMT, CsDRM and CsDNMT2. The CsdMTase genes can be classified into CsROS, CsDME and CsDML. Based on conserved domain analysis of these genes, the gene loss and duplication events occurred during the evolution of CsC5-MTase and CsdMTase. Furthermore, multiple cis-acting elements were observed in the CsC5-MTase and CsdMTase, including light responsiveness, phytohormone responsiveness, stress responsiveness, and plant growth and development-related elements. Then, we investigated the transcript abundance of CsC5-MTase and CsdMTase under abiotic stress (cold and drought) and withering processing (white tea and oolong tea). Notably, most CsC5-MTases, except for CsCMT1 and CsCMT2, were significantly downregulated under abiotic stress, while the transcript abundance of all four CsdMTase genes was significantly induced. Similarly, the same transcript abundance of CsC5-MTase and CsdMTase was found during withering processing of white tea and oolong tea, respectively. In total, our findings will provide a basis for the roles of CsC5-MTase and CsdMTase in response to abiotic stress and the potential functions of these two gene families in affecting tea flavor during tea withering processing.

Chemical tagging for sensitive determination of uridine modifications in RNA

The discovery of dynamic and reversible modifications in messenger RNA (mRNA) is opening new directions in RNA modification-mediated regulation of biological processes. Methylation is the most prevalent modification occurring in mRNA and the methyl group is mainly decorated in the adenine, cytosine, and guanine base or in the 2′-hydroxyl group of ribose. However, methylation of the uracil base (5-methyluridine, m⁵U) has not been discovered in mRNA of eukaryotes. In the current study, we established a method of N-cyclohexyl-N′-β-(4-methylmorpholinium) ethylcarbodiimide p-toluenesulfonate (CMCT) labelling coupled with liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) analysis for the sensitive determination of uridine modifications in RNA. Our results demonstrated that the detection sensitivities of uridine modifications in RNA increased up to 1408 fold upon CMCT labelling. Using the developed method, we identified the distinct existence of m⁵U in mRNA of various mammalian cells and tissues. In addition, the stable isotope tracing monitored by mass spectrometry revealed that the methyl group of m⁵U originated from S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM). Our study expanded the list of modifications occurring in mRNA of mammals. Future work on transcriptome-wide mapping of m⁵U will further uncover the functional roles of m⁵U in mRNA of mammals.

The discovery of dynamic and reversible modifications in messenger RNA is opening new directions in RNA modification-mediated regulation of biological processes.

Comprehensive biological function analysis of lncRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma

Thousands of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been discovered in human genomes by gene chip, next-generation sequencing, and/or other methods in recent years, which represent a significant subset of the universal genes involved in a wide range of biological functions. An abnormal expression of lncRNAs is associated with the growth, invasion, and metastasis of various types of human cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is an aggressive, highly malignant, and invasive tumor, and a poor prognosis in China. With a more in-depth understanding of lncRNA research for HCC and the emergence of new molecular-targeted therapies, the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of HCC will be considerably improved. Therefore, this review is expected to provide recommendations and directions for future lncRNA research for HCC.

The structure of the Thermococcus gammatolerans McrB N-terminal domain reveals a new mode of substrate recognition and specificity among McrB homologs

McrBC is a two-component, modification-dependent restriction system that cleaves foreign DNA-containing methylated cytosines. Previous crystallographic studies have shown that Escherichia coli McrB uses a base-flipping mechanism to recognize these modified substrates with high affinity. The side chains stabilizing both the flipped base and the distorted duplex are poorly conserved among McrB homologs, suggesting that other mechanisms may exist for binding modified DNA. Here we present the structures of the Thermococcus gammatolerans McrB DNA-binding domain (TgΔ185) both alone and in complex with a methylated DNA substrate at 1.68 and 2.27 Å resolution, respectively. The structures reveal that TgΔ185 consists of a YT521-B homology (YTH) domain, which is commonly found in eukaryotic proteins that bind methylated RNA and is structurally unrelated to the E. coli McrB DNA-binding domain. Structural superposition and co-crystallization further show that TgΔ185 shares a conserved aromatic cage with other YTH domains, which forms the binding pocket for a flipped-out base. Mutational analysis of this aromatic cage supports its role in conferring specificity for the methylated adenines, whereas an extended basic surface present in TgΔ185 facilitates its preferential binding to duplex DNA rather than RNA. Together, these findings establish a new binding mode and specificity among McrB homologs and expand the biological roles of YTH domains.

i4mC-ROSE, a bioinformatics tool for the identification of DNA N4-methylcytosine sites in the Rosaceae genome

One of the most important epigenetic modifications is N4-methylcytosine, which regulates many biological processes including DNA replication and chromosome stability. Identification of N4-methylcytosine sites is pivotal to understand specific biological functions. Herein, we developed the first bioinformatics tool called i4mC-ROSE for identifying N4-methylcytosine sites in the genomes of Fragaria vesca and Rosa chinensis in the Rosaceae, which utilizes a random forest classifier with six encoding methods that cover various aspects of DNA sequence information. The i4mC-ROSE predictor achieves area under the curve scores of 0.883 and 0.889 for the two genomes during cross-validation. Moreover, the i4mC-ROSE outperforms other classifiers tested in this study when objectively evaluated on the independent datasets. The proposed i4mC-ROSE tool can serve users' demand for the prediction of 4mC sites in the Rosaceae genome. The i4mC-ROSE predictor and utilized datasets are publicly accessible at http://kurata14.bio.kyutech.ac.jp/i4mC-ROSE/.

4mCpred-EL: An Ensemble Learning Framework for Identification of DNA N4-methylcytosine Sites in the Mouse Genome

DNA N⁴-methylcytosine (4mC) is one of the key epigenetic alterations, playing essential roles in DNA replication, differentiation, cell cycle, and gene expression. To better understand 4mC biological functions, it is crucial to gain knowledge on its genomic distribution. In recent times, few computational studies, in particular machine learning (ML) approaches have been applied in the prediction of 4mC site predictions. Although ML-based methods are promising for 4mC identification in other species, none are available for detecting 4mCs in the mouse genome. Our novel computational approach, called 4mCpred-EL, is the first method for identifying 4mC sites in the mouse genome where four different ML algorithms with a wide range of seven feature encodings are utilized. Subsequently, those feature encodings predicted probabilistic values are used as a feature vector and are once again inputted to ML algorithms, whose corresponding models are integrated into ensemble learning. Our benchmarking results demonstrated that 4mCpred-EL achieved an accuracy and MCC values of 0.795 and 0.591, which significantly outperformed seven other classifiers by more than 1.5–5.9% and 3.2–11.7%, respectively. Additionally, 4mCpred-EL attained an overall accuracy of 79.80%, which is 1.8–5.1% higher than that yielded by seven other classifiers in the independent evaluation. We provided a user-friendly web server, namely 4mCpred-EL which could be implemented as a pre-screening tool for the identification of potential 4mC sites in the mouse genome.

Determination of RNA Hydroxylmethylation in Mammals by Mass Spectrometry Analysis

RNA molecules harbor diverse chemical modifications that play important regulatory roles in a variety of biological processes. Up to date, more than 150 modifications have been identified in various RNA species. Most of these modifications occurring in nucleic acids are the methylation of nucleic acids. It has been demonstrated that many of these methylation are reversible and undergo dynamic demethylation. Previous studies established that the demethylation of the two most important and prevalent modifications of 5-methylcytidine (m⁵C) and N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) in nucleic acids is through the hydroxylation of m⁵C and m⁶A, forming 5-hydroxymethylcytidine (hm⁵C) and N⁶-hydroxymethyladenosine (hm⁶A), respectively. This indicates the hydroxylation of the methylated nucleosides may be a general pathway for the demethylation of nucleic acid methylation. However, few other hydroxylmethylation modifications have yet to be reported in existence in mammals. In the current study, we developed a neutral enzymatic digestion method for the mild digestion of nucleic acids, followed by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) analysis. With the established method, we reported the existence of a new hydroxylmethylated nucleosides, N²-hydroxymethylguanosine (hm²G), in mammalian RNA. In addition, we found that the contents of hm²G, as well as N²-methylguanosine (m²G), showed significant differences between thyroid carcinoma tissues and tumor-adjacent normal tissues, indicating that m²G and hm²G in RNA may play certain roles in the carcinogenesis of thyroid carcinoma. Collectively, our study suggests that RNA hydroxylmethylation may be a new prevalent group of modifications existing in RNA, which expands the diversity of nucleic acid modifications and should exert regulatory functions in living organisms.

Positive-sense RNA viruses reveal the complexity and dynamics of the cellular and viral epitranscriptomes during infection

More than 140 post-transcriptional modifications (PTMs) are known to decorate cellular RNAs, but their incidence, identity and significance in viral RNA are still largely unknown. We have developed an agnostic analytical approach to comprehensively survey PTMs on viral and cellular RNAs. Specifically, we used mass spectrometry to analyze PTMs on total RNA isolated from cells infected with Zika virus, Dengue virus, hepatitis C virus (HCV), poliovirus and human immunodeficiency virus type 1. All five RNA viruses significantly altered global PTM landscapes. Examination of PTM profiles of individual viral genomes isolated by affinity capture revealed a plethora of PTMs on viral RNAs, which far exceeds the handful of well-characterized modifications. Direct comparison of viral epitranscriptomes identified common and virus-specific PTMs. In particular, specific dimethylcytosine modifications were only present in total RNA from virus-infected cells, and in intracellular HCV RNA, and viral RNA from Zika and HCV virions. Moreover, dimethylcytosine abundance during viral infection was modulated by the cellular DEAD-box RNA helicase DDX6. By opening the Pandora's box on viral PTMs, this report presents numerous questions and hypotheses on PTM function and strongly supports PTMs as a new tier of regulation by which RNA viruses subvert the host and evade cellular surveillance systems.

Metabolic and chemical regulation of tRNA modification associated with taurine deficiency and human disease

Modified uridine containing taurine, 5-taurinomethyluridine (τm5U), is found at the anticodon first position of mitochondrial (mt-)transfer RNAs (tRNAs). Previously, we reported that τm5U is absent in mt-tRNAs with pathogenic mutations associated with mitochondrial diseases. However, biogenesis and physiological role of τm5U remained elusive. Here, we elucidated τm5U biogenesis by confirming that 5,10-methylene-tetrahydrofolate and taurine are metabolic substrates for τm5U formation catalyzed by MTO1 and GTPBP3. GTPBP3-knockout cells exhibited respiratory defects and reduced mitochondrial translation. Very little τm5U34 was detected in patient's cells with the GTPBP3 mutation, demonstrating that lack of τm5U results in pathological consequences. Taurine starvation resulted in downregulation of τm5U frequency in cultured cells and animal tissues (cat liver and flatfish). Strikingly, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyluridine (cmnm5U), in which the taurine moiety of τm5U is replaced with glycine, was detected in mt-tRNAs from taurine-depleted cells. These results indicate that tRNA modifications are dynamically regulated via sensing of intracellular metabolites under physiological condition.

Enzymatic Synthesis of Base-Functionalized Nucleic Acids for Sensing, Cross-linking, and Modulation of Protein-DNA Binding and Transcription

Protein-DNA interactions are important in replication, transcription, repair, as well as epigenetic modifications of DNA, which involve methylation and demethylation of DNA resulting in regulation of gene expression. Understanding of these processes and chemical tools for studying and perhaps even modulating them could be of great relevance and importance not only in chemical biology but also in real diagnostics and treatment of diseases. In the past decade, we have been working on development of synthesis of base-modified 2'-deoxyribo- or ribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs or NTPs) and their use in enzymatic synthesis of modified nucleic acids using DNA or RNA polymerases. These synthetic and enzymatic methods are briefly summarized with focus on recent development and outlining of scope, limitations, and further challenges. The main focus of this Account is on applications of base-modified nucleic acids in sensing of protein-DNA interactions, in covalent cross-linking to DNA-binding proteins ,and in modulation of protein-DNA binding and transcription. Several environment-sensitive fluorescent nucleotides were incorporated to DNA probes which responded to protein binding by light-up, changing of color, or lifetime of fluorescence. Using a cyclodextrin-peptide transporter, fluorescent nucleotides can be transported through the cell membrane and incorporated to genomic DNA. Several dNTPs bearing reactive groups (i.e., vinylsulfonamide or chloroacetamide) were used for polymerase synthesis of DNA reactive probes which cross-link to Cys, His, or Lys in peptides or proteins. An attractive challenge is to use DNA modifications and bioorthogonal reactions in the major groove of DNA for modulation and switching of protein-DNA interactions. We have systematically explored the influence of major-groove modifications on recognition and cleavage of DNA by restriction endonucleases and constructed simple chemical switches of DNA cleavage. Systematic study of the influence of major-groove modifications on transcription with bacterial RNA polymerases revealed not only that some modified bases are tolerated, but also that the presence of 5-hydroxymethyluracil or -cytosine can even enhance the transcription (350 or 250% compared to native DNA). Based on these results, we have constructed the first chemical switch of transcription based on photocaging of hydroxymethylpyrimidines in DNA by 2-nitrobenzyl protection (transcription off), photochemical deprotection of the DNA (transcription on), and enzymatic phosphorylation (only for 5-hydroxymethyluracil, transcription off). Although it has been so far demonstrated only in vitro, it is the proof-of-principle first step toward chemical epigenetics.

The Diameter of Retinal Arterioles Is Unaffected by Intravascular Administration of the Adenosine A2A Receptor Agonist Regadenoson in Normal Persons

Background

The neurotransmitter adenosine has been proposed to be involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy, which may be due to the vasoactive properties of the compound. Previous studies have shown that adenosine can affect the tone of retinal arterioles in vitro to induce dilatation mediated by A_2A and A_2Breceptors and constriction mediated by A₁ and A₃ receptors.

Purpose

To investigate effects of intravenous administration of the adenosine A_2A receptor agonist regadenoson on the diameter of retinal vessels in vivo.

Method

The diameter responses of larger retinal arterioles and venules were evaluated using the dynamic vessel analyser in 20 normal persons (age 22–31 years) after intravenous administration of the adenosine A_2A receptor agonist regadenoson during exposure to systemic normoxia and hypoxia.

Results

The diameter of retinal arterioles and venules increased significantly during stimulation with flickering light (p < 0.0001). Regadenoson reduced the flicker-induced dilatation of venules during normoxia (p = 0.0006), but otherwise had no effect on vessel diameters (p > 0.08 for all comparisons).

Conclusions

Intravenous administration of the adenosine A_2A receptor agonist regadenoson had no significant effect on the diameter of retinal arterioles. Future studies should investigate differential effects of intra- and extravascular administration of adenosine receptor agonists on retinal vessels.

DNAmod: the DNA modification database

Covalent DNA modifications, such as 5-methylcytosine (5mC), are increasingly the focus of numerous research programs. In eukaryotes, both 5mC and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) are now recognized as stable epigenetic marks, with diverse functions. Bacteria, archaea, and viruses contain various other modified DNA nucleobases. Numerous databases describe RNA and histone modifications, but no database specifically catalogues DNA modifications, despite their broad importance in epigenetic regulation. To address this need, we have developed DNAmod: the DNA modification database. DNAmod is an open-source database ( https://dnamod.hoffmanlab.org ) that catalogues DNA modifications and provides a single source to learn about their properties. DNAmod provides a web interface to easily browse and search through these modifications. The database annotates the chemical properties and structures of all curated modified DNA bases, and a much larger list of candidate chemical entities. DNAmod includes manual annotations of available sequencing methods, descriptions of their occurrence in nature, and provides existing and suggested nomenclature. DNAmod enables researchers to rapidly review previous work, select mapping techniques, and track recent developments concerning modified bases of interest.

Epigenetic DNA Modification N6-Methyladenine Inhibits DNA Replication by DNA Polymerase of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Phage PaP1

N⁶-methyladenine (6mA), a newly identified epigenetic modification, plays important roles in regulation of various biological processes. However, the effect of 6mA on DNA replication has been little addressed. In this work, we investigated how 6mA affected DNA replication by DNA polymerase of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Phage PaP1 (gp90 exo^-). The presence of 6mA, as well as its intermediate hypoxanthine (Hyp), inhibited DNA replication by gp90 exo^-. The 6mA reduced dTTP incorporation efficiency by 10-fold and inhibited next-base extension efficiency by 100-fold. Differently, dCTP was preferentially incorporated opposite Hyp among four dNTPs. Gp90 exo^- reduced the extension priority beyond the 6mA:T pair rather than the 6mA:C mispair and preferred to extend beyond Hyp:C rather than the Hyp:T pair. Incorporation of dTTP opposite 6mA and dCTP opposite Hyp showed fast burst phases. The burst rate and burst amplitude were both reduced for 6mA compared with unmodified A. Moreover, the total incorporation efficiency ( k_pol/ K_d,dNTP) was decreased for dTTP incorporation opposite 6mA and dCTP incorporation opposite Hyp compared with dTTP incorporation opposite A. 6mA reduced the incorporation rate ( k_pol), and Hyp increased the dissociation constant ( K_d,dNTP). However, 6mA or Hyp on template did not affect the binding of DNA polymerase to DNA in binary or ternary complexes. This work provides new insight into the inhibited effects of epigenetic modification of 6mA on DNA replication in PaP1.

Mass Spectrometry for Investigating the Effects of Toxic Metals on Nucleic Acid Modifications

The extensive use of toxic metals in industry and agriculture leads to their wide distribution in the environment, which raises critical concerns over their toxic effects on human health. Many toxic metals are reported to be mildly mutagenic or non-mutagenic, indicating that genetic-based mechanisms may not be primarily responsible for toxic metal-induced carcinogenesis. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that exposure to toxic metals can alter epigenetic modifications, which may lead to the dysregulation of gene expression and disease susceptibility. It is now becoming clear that a full understanding of the effects of toxic metals on cellular toxicity and carcinogenesis will need to consider both genetic- and epigenetic-based mechanisms. Uncovering the effects of toxic metals on epigenetic modifications in nucleic acids relies on the detection and quantification of these modifications. Mass spectrometry (MS)-based methods for deciphering epigenetic modifications have substantially advanced over the past decade, and they are now becoming widely used and essential tools for evaluating the effects of toxic metals on nucleic acid modifications. This Review provides an overview of MS-based methods for analysis of nucleic acid modifications. In addition, we also review recent advances in understanding the effects of exposure to toxic metals on nucleic acid modifications.

Quantitative mapping of DNA phosphorothioatome reveals phosphorothioate heterogeneity of low modification frequency

Phosphorothioate (PT) modifications of the DNA backbone, widespread in prokaryotes, are first identified in bacterial enteropathogens Escherichia coli B7A more than a decade ago. However, methods for high resolution mapping of PT modification level are still lacking. Here, we developed the PT-IC-seq technique, based on iodine-induced selective cleavage at PT sites and high-throughput next generation sequencing, as a mean to quantitatively characterizing the genomic landscape of PT modifications. Using PT-IC-seq we foud that most PT sites are partially modified at a lower PT frequency (< 5%) in E. coli B7A and Salmonella enterica serovar Cerro 87, and both show a heterogeneity pattern of PT modification similar to those of the typical methylation modification. Combining the iodine-induced cleavage and absolute quantification by droplet digital PCR, we developed the PT-IC-ddPCR technique to further measure the PT modification level. Consistent with the PT-IC-seq measurements, PT-IC-ddPCR analysis confirmed the lower PT frequency in E. coli B7A. Our study has demonstrated the heterogeneity of PT modification in the bacterial population and we also established general tools for rigorous mapping and characterization of PT modification events at whole genome level. We describe to our knowledge the first genome-wide quantitative characterization of PT landscape and provides appropriate strategies for further functional studies of PT modification.

Epigenetically modified N6-methyladenine inhibits DNA replication by human DNA polymerase η

N⁶-methyladenine (6mA), as a newly reported epigenetic marker, plays significant roles in regulation of various biological processes in eukaryotes. However, the effect of 6mA on human DNA replication remain elusive. In this work, we used Y-family human DNA polymerase η as a model to investigate the kinetics of bypass of 6mA by hPol η. We found 6mA and its intermediate hypoxanthine (I) on template partially inhibited DNA replication by hPol η. dTMP incorporation opposite 6mA and dCMP incorporation opposite I can be considered as correct incorporation. However, both 6mA and I reduced correct incorporation efficiency, next-base extension efficiency, and the priority in extension beyond correct base pair. Both dTMP incorporation opposite 6mA and dCTP opposite I showed fast burst phases. However, 6mA and I reduced the burst incorporation rates (k_pol) and increased the dissociation constant (K_d,dNTP), compared with that of dTMP incorporation opposite unmodified A. Biophysical binding assays revealed that both 6mA and I on template reduced the binding affinity of hPol η to DNA in binary or ternary complex compared with unmodified A. All the results explain the inhibition effects of 6mA and I on DNA replication by hPol η, providing new insight in the effects of epigenetically modified 6mA on human DNA replication.

Direct observation of an intramolecular charge transfer state in epigenetic nucleobase N6-methyladenine

N6-Methyladenine (6MeAde), the most abundant internal modification in mRNA, has proved to be an important epigenetic biomarker for gene regulation just like 5-methylcytosine in DNA. Recently, a unique UV-induced response of 6MeAde was reported, which makes it instructive and intriguing to reveal the excited state relaxation mechanism in this methylated adenine and its derivatives. In this work, we investigated 6MeAde and its ribose species N6-methyladenosine (6MeAdo) by using femtosecond time-resolved fluorescence up-conversion (FUC) and broadband transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy. Both 6MeAde and 6MeAdo exhibit a hundreds of femtoseconds lifetime, which originates from the efficient depletion of the ππ* (La) state. A several picoseconds lifetime is also observed and it should be attributed to the ππ* (Lb) state. Surprisingly, dual peak fluorescence emission is observed in 6MeAde and the long wavelength emission is ascribed to an intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) state. The lifetime of this ICT state is determined to be 107 ps. The kinetic isotope effect shows that the ICT state is closely associated with the solute-solvent H-bonding in aqueous solution. In 6MeAdo, the ICT state is apparently quenched and adenine-like excited state dynamics suggests that DNA/RNA containing such modification could still possess excellent photostability under UV irradiation. Our results contain an important insight for understanding excited state properties in epigenetic modified DNA/RNA.

Oxidative Modification of Guanine in a Potential Z-DNA-Forming Sequence of a Gene Promoter Impacts Gene Expression

One response to oxidation of guanine (G) to 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (OG) in a gene promoter is regulation of mRNA expression suggesting an epigenetic-like role for OG. A proposed mechanism involves G oxidation within a potential G-quadruplex-forming sequence (PQS) in the promoter, enabling a structural shift from B-DNA to a G-quadruplex fold (G4). When OG was located in the coding vs template strand, base excision repair led to an on/off transcriptional switch. Herein, a G-rich, potential Z-DNA-forming sequence (PZS) comprised of a d(GC) _n repeat was explored to determine whether oxidation in this motif was also a transcriptional switch. Bioinformatic analysis found 1650 PZSs of length >10 nts in the human genome that were overrepresented in promoters and 5'-UTRs. Studies in human cells transfected with a luciferase reporter plasmid in which OG was synthesized in a PZS context in the promoter found that a coding strand OG increased expression and a template strand OG decreased expression. The initial base excision repair product of OG, an abasic site (AP), was also found to yield similar expression changes as OG. Biophysical studies on model Z-DNA strands found OG favored a shift in the equilibrium to Z-DNA from B-DNA, while an AP disrupted Z-DNA to favor a hairpin, placing AP in the loop where it is a poor substrate for the endonuclease APE1. Overall, the impact of OG and AP in a PZS on gene expression was similar to that in a PQS but reduced in magnitude.

Switching transcription with bacterial RNA polymerase through photocaging, photorelease and phosphorylation reactions in the major groove of DNA

We report proof of principle biomimetic switching of transcription in vitro through non-natural chemical reactions in the major groove of DNA templates. Photocaged DNA templates containing nitrobenzyl-protected 5-hydroxymethyluracil or - cytosine permitted no transcription with E. coli RNA polymerase (OFF state). Their irradiation with 400 nm light resulted in DNA templates containing hydroxymethylpyrimidines, which switched transcription ON with a higher yield (250-350%) compared to non-modified DNA. Phosphorylation of templates containing 5-hydroxymethyluracil (but not 5-hydroxymethylcytosine) then turned transcription OFF again. It is the first step towards artificial bioorthogonal chemical epigenetics.

Detection of ribonucleoside modifications by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry

A small set of ribonucleoside modifications have been found in different regions of mRNA including the open reading frame. Accurate detection of these specific modifications is critical to understanding their modulatory roles in facilitating mRNA maturation, translation and degradation. While transcriptome-wide next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques could provide exhaustive information about the sites of one specific or class of modifications at a time, recent investigations strongly indicate cautionary interpretation due to the appearance of false positives. Therefore, it is suggested that NGS-based modification data can only be treated as predicted sites and their existence need to be validated by orthogonal methods. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is an analytical technique that can yield accurate and reproducible information about the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of ribonucleoside modifications. Here, we review the recent advancements in LC-MS/MS technology that could help in securing accurate, gold-standard quality information about the resident post-transcriptional modifications of mRNA.

Human ALKBH3-induced m1A demethylation increases the CSF-1 mRNA stability in breast and ovarian cancer cells

In ovarian and breast cancers, the actions of the cytokine CSF-1 lead to poor prognosis. CSF-1 expression can be regulated post-transcriptionally. RNA methylation is another layer of posttranscriptional regulation. The methylation of N¹ atom of adenine (m¹A) results in a conformational change of RNA which regulates translational efficiency. Our study indicates that the m¹A is also involved in the CSF-1 mRNA decay. The alteration of ALKBH3 expression, an m¹A demethylase, regulates the CSF-1 mRNA stability. Demethylation of m¹A by ALKBH3 increases the half-life of CSF-1 mRNA without affecting the translation efficiency. The m¹A in CSF-1 mRNA is mapped in the 5'UTR near the translation initiation site. YTHDF2, a known m⁶A reader which interacts with the CCR4-NOT deadenylation complex, is not the reader of m¹A-containing CSF-1 mRNA. Overexpression of ALKBH3 increases CSF-1 expression and the degree of cancer cell invasiveness without affecting cell proliferation or migration. Collectively, we showed that CSF-1 mRNA decay can be regulated at an epigenetic level, and that alteration of the N¹‑methylation status leads to phenotypic changes in cancer cell behavior.

Integrative analysis identified mediation effects of lncRNAs on the correlations between methylation and mRNA

The aim of this study was to construct DNA methylation-lncRNA-mRNA interaction trios in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. We first conducted eQTL analyses using genome-wide methylation, lncRNA and mRNA expression data from 43 Chinese females. Next, causal inference test (CIT) was used to detect the lncRNA mediation effects on methylation and mRNA. Methylation-lncRNA cis-eQTL analysis identified 11 significant cis-methylation-lncRNA pairs. Combined with the results from the next lncRNA-mRNA eQTL and methylation-mRNA eQTL analyses, the 11 significant pairs and their corresponding 11,204 target e-mRNAs formed 12,245 trios. Further CIT identified six lncRNAs as mediators in regulating the corresponding pairs between methylation and mRNA. This study detected lncRNAs with mediation effects on the correlations between DNA methylations and a large number of mRNAs.

DNA methylation on N6-adenine in lepidopteran Bombyx mori

Increasing knowledge of DNA methylation that occurs on the sixth position of adenine (N6-methyladenine, 6 mA) has emerged as a novel epigenetic mark in eukaryotes and plays an important role in regulating gene transcription, DNA replication and repair, transposable activities, and others. Here, we show DNA 6 mA methylation is present in Bombyx mori, a lepidopteran model insect, and identify the 6 mA methyltransferase, METTL4, and 6 mA demethylase, NMAD, which regulate the levels of 6 mA in embryogenesis and cultured cells of B. mori. Importantly, RNAi knockdown of METTL4 and NMAD not only induce cell cycle arrest at G1 phase but also result in defects of chromosome alignments at metaphase. We further demonstrate that 6 mA methylation is widely distributed across the genome of B. mori by 6 mA-Seq and primarily enriched in the regulatory regions as well as gene bodies. Integrated analysis of 6 mA-Seq and RNA-Seq reveals that 6 mA methylation in B. mori is preferentially related with lowly expressed genes and negatively correlated with active gene transcription, which provides a novel regulatory mechanism of DNA 6 mA methylation on target genes. Altogether, these data identify 6 mA methylation in B. mori and demonstrate a crucial role of 6 mA signaling in controlling cell cycle progression.

Excited State Decay Pathways of 2'-Deoxy-5-methylcytidine and Deoxycytidine Revisited in Solution: A Comprehensive Kinetic Study by Femtosecond Transient Absorption

Methylated cytosine is proved to have an important role as an epigenetic signal in gene regulation and is often referred to "the fifth base of DNA". A comprehensive understanding of the electronic excited state relaxation in cytosine and its methylated derivatives is crucial for revealing UV-induced photodamage to the biological genome. Because of the existence of multiple closely lying "bright" and "dark" excited states, the decay pathways in these DNA nucleosides are the most complex and the least understood so far. In this study, femtosecond transient absorption with different excitation wavelengths (240-296 nm) was used to study the relaxation of excited electronic states of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and 2'-deoxy-5-methylcytidine (5mdCyd) in phosphate buffered aqueous solution and in acetonitrile solution. Two distinct nonradiative decay channels were directly observed. The first one is a several picosecond internal conversion channel that involves two bright ππ* states (ππ*₂ and ππ*₁) when ππ*₂ state is initially populated. The second channel contains the lower energy ππ*₁ state and a so far experimental unidentified long-lived state which exhibits a several nanosecond lifetime. The long-lived state can only be accessed by the initially excited ππ*₁ state. Inspired by this new discovery in 5mC and 5mdCyd, we revisited the decay of excited state of 2'-deoxycytidine (dCyd), revealing very similar decay pathways. Additionally, a well-known dark n_Oπ* state (carbonyl lone pair) with ∼30 ps lifetime is present in both decay channels in dCyd. With our detailed experimental results, we successfully reconcile the long history debate of cytosine excited state relaxation mechanism by pointing out that the reason for the complex dynamics under traditional 266 nm excitation is mixed signals from the above-mentioned two distinct decay pathways. Our findings lead to a dramatically different and new picture of electronic energy relaxation in 5mdCyd/dCyd and could help to understand photostability as well as UV-induced photodamage of these nucleotides and related DNAs.

Osmium Tag for Post-transcriptionally Modified RNA

5-Methylcytidine (m⁵ C) and 5-methyluridine (m⁵ U) are highly abundant post-transcriptionally modified nucleotides that are observed in various natural RNAs. Such nucleotides were labeled through a chemical approach, as both underwent oxidation at the C5=C6 double bond, leading to the formation of osmium-bipyridine complexes, which could be identified by mass spectrometry. This osmium tag made it possible to distinguished m⁵ C and m⁵ U from their isomers, 2'-O-methylcytidine and 2'-O-methyluridine, respectively. Queuosine and 2-methylthio-N⁶ -isopentenyladenosine in tRNA were also tagged through complex formation.

Turning Off Transcription with Bacterial RNA Polymerase through CuAAC Click Reactions of DNA Containing 5-Ethynyluracil

Copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) click reaction in the major groove of DNA containing 5-ethynyluracil (U^E ) with azides was used for turning off sequence-specific protein-DNA interactions. The concept was first demonstrated on switching off cleavage of short modified DNA by restriction endonuclease BamHI-HF. Finally, DNA template containing U^E was used for in vitro transcription with E. coli RNA polymerase and the transcription was turned off by CuAAC with 3-azidopropane-1,2-diol or 3-azido-7-hydroxycoumarin.