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Xu J, Pratt HE, Moore JE, Gerstein MB, Weng Z. Building integrative functional maps of gene regulation. Hum Mol Genet 2022; 31:R114-R122. [PMID: 36083269 PMCID: PMC9585680 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddac195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Every cell in the human body inherits a copy of the same genetic information. The three billion base pairs of DNA in the human genome, and the roughly 50 000 coding and non-coding genes they contain, must thus encode all the complexity of human development and cell and tissue type diversity. Differences in gene regulation, or the modulation of gene expression, enable individual cells to interpret the genome differently to carry out their specific functions. Here we discuss recent and ongoing efforts to build gene regulatory maps, which aim to characterize the regulatory roles of all sequences in a genome. Many researchers and consortia have identified such regulatory elements using functional assays and evolutionary analyses; we discuss the results, strengths and shortcomings of their approaches. We also discuss new techniques the field can leverage and emerging challenges it will face while striving to build gene regulatory maps of ever-increasing resolution and comprehensiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinrui Xu
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Henry E Pratt
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Jill E Moore
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Mark B Gerstein
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Statistics and Data Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Zhiping Weng
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
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Abstract
Neural crest cells (NCCs) are a dynamic, multipotent, vertebrate-specific population of embryonic stem cells. These ectodermally-derived cells contribute to diverse tissue types in developing embryos including craniofacial bone and cartilage, the peripheral and enteric nervous systems and pigment cells, among a host of other cell types. Due to their contribution to a significant number of adult tissue types, the mechanisms that drive their formation, migration and differentiation are highly studied. NCCs have a unique ability to transition from tightly adherent epithelial cells to mesenchymal and migratory cells by altering their polarity, expression of cell-cell adhesion molecules and gaining invasive abilities. In this Review, we discuss classical and emerging factors driving NCC epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and migration, highlighting the role of signaling and transcription factors, as well as novel modifying factors including chromatin remodelers, small RNAs and post-translational regulators, which control the availability and longevity of major NCC players.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Crystal D. Rogers
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Cell Biology, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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Gisselbrecht SS, Palagi A, Kurland JV, Rogers JM, Ozadam H, Zhan Y, Dekker J, Bulyk ML. Transcriptional Silencers in Drosophila Serve a Dual Role as Transcriptional Enhancers in Alternate Cellular Contexts. Mol Cell 2019; 77:324-337.e8. [PMID: 31704182 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2019.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2018] [Revised: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
A major challenge in biology is to understand how complex gene expression patterns are encoded in the genome. While transcriptional enhancers have been studied extensively, few transcriptional silencers have been identified, and they remain poorly understood. Here, we used a novel strategy to screen hundreds of sequences for tissue-specific silencer activity in whole Drosophila embryos. Almost all of the transcriptional silencers that we identified were also active enhancers in other cellular contexts. These elements are bound by more transcription factors than non-silencers. A subset of these silencers forms long-range contacts with promoters. Deletion of a silencer caused derepression of its target gene. Our results challenge the common practice of treating enhancers and silencers as separate classes of regulatory elements and suggest the possibility that thousands or more bifunctional CRMs remain to be discovered in Drosophila and 104-105 in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen S Gisselbrecht
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Alexandre Palagi
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Doctoral School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Nice Sophia Antipolis, 06560 Valbonne, France
| | - Jesse V Kurland
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Julia M Rogers
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Committee on Higher Degrees in Biophysics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Hakan Ozadam
- Program in Systems Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
| | - Ye Zhan
- Program in Systems Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
| | - Job Dekker
- Program in Systems Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
| | - Martha L Bulyk
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Committee on Higher Degrees in Biophysics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Wislet S, Vandervelden G, Rogister B. From Neural Crest Development to Cancer and Vice Versa: How p75 NTR and (Pro)neurotrophins Could Act on Cell Migration and Invasion? Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:244. [PMID: 30190671 PMCID: PMC6115613 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR), also known as low-affinity nerve growth factor, belongs to the tumor necrosis factor family of receptors. p75NTR is widely expressed in the nervous system during the development, as well as, in the neural crest population, since p75NTR has been described as ubiquitously expressed and considered as a neural crest marker. Neural crest cells (NCCs) constitute an transient population accurately migrating and invading, with precision, defined sites of the embryo. During migration, NCCs are guided along distinct migratory pathways by specialized molecules present in the extracellular matrix or on the surfaces of those cells. Two main processes direct NCC migration during the development: (1) an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and (2) a process known as contact inhibition of locomotion. In adults, p75NTR remains expressed by NCCs and has been identified in an increasing number of cancer cells. Nonetheless, the regulation of the expression of p75NTR and the underlying mechanisms in stem cell biology or cancer cells have not yet been sufficiently addressed. The main objective of this review is therefore to analyze elements of our actual knowledge regarding p75NTR roles during the development (mainly focusing on neural crest development) and see how we can transpose that information from development to cancer (and vice versa) to better understand the link between p75NTR and cell migration and invasion. In this review, we successively analyzed the molecular mechanisms of p75NTR when it interacts with several coreceptors and/or effectors. We then analyzed which signaling pathways are the most activated or linked to NCC migration during the development. Regarding cancer, we analyzed the described molecular pathways underlying cancer cell migration when p75NTR was correlated to cancer cell migration and invasion. From those diverse sources of information, we finally summarized potential molecular mechanisms underlying p75NTR activation in cell migration and invasion that could lead to new research areas to develop new therapeutic protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Wislet
- GIGA-Neurosciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | | | - Bernard Rogister
- GIGA-Neurosciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.,Department of Neurology, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
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5
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Taneyhill LA, Schiffmacher AT. Cadherin dynamics during neural crest cell ontogeny. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2013; 116:291-315. [PMID: 23481200 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-394311-8.00013-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Cell membrane-associated junctional complexes mediate cell-cell adhesion, intercellular interactions, and other fundamental processes required for proper embryo morphogenesis. Cadherins are calcium-dependent transmembrane proteins at the core of adherens junctions and are expressed in distinct spatiotemporal patterns throughout the development of an important vertebrate cell type, the neural crest. Multipotent neural crest cells arise from the ectoderm as epithelial cells under the influence of inductive cues, undergo an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, migrate throughout the embryonic body, and then differentiate into multiple derivatives at predetermined destinations. Neural crest cells change their expressed cadherin repertoires as they undergo each new morphogenetic transition, providing insight into distinct functions of expressed cadherins that are essential for proper completion of each specific stage. Cadherins modulate neural crest cell morphology, segregation, migration, and tissue formation. This chapter reviews the knowledge base of cadherin regulation, expression, and function during the ontogeny of the neural crest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa A Taneyhill
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, 1405 Animal Sciences Center, College Park, Maryland, USA
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6
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Chittoor G, Farook VS, Puppala S, Fowler SP, Schneider J, Dyer TD, Cole SA, Lynch JL, Curran JE, Almasy L, Maccluer JW, Comuzzie AG, Hale DE, Ramamurthy RS, Dudley DJ, Moses EK, Arya R, Lehman DM, Jenkinson CP, Bradshaw BS, Defronzo RA, Blangero J, Duggirala R. Localization of a major susceptibility locus influencing preterm birth. Mol Hum Reprod 2013; 19:687-96. [PMID: 23689979 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gat036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Preterm birth (PTB) is a complex trait, but little is known regarding its major genetic determinants. The objective of this study is to localize genes that influence susceptibility to PTB in Mexican Americans (MAs), a minority population in the USA, using predominantly microfilmed birth certificate-based data obtained from the San Antonio Family Birth Weight Study. Only 1302 singleton births from 288 families with information on PTB and significant covariates were considered for genetic analysis. PTB is defined as a childbirth that occurs at <37 completed weeks of gestation, and the prevalence of PTB in this sample was 6.4%. An ∼10 cM genetic map was used to conduct a genome-wide linkage analysis using the program SOLAR. The heritability of PTB was high (h(2) ± SE: 0.75 ± 0.20) and significant (P = 4.5 × 10(-5)), after adjusting for the significant effects of birthweight and birth order. We found significant evidence for linkage of PTB (LOD = 3.6; nominal P = 2.3 × 10(-5); empirical P = 1.0 × 10(-5)) on chromosome 18q between markers D18S1364 and D18S541. Several other chromosomal regions (2q, 9p, 16q and 20q) were also potentially linked with PTB. A strong positional candidate gene in the 18q linked region is SERPINB2 or PAI-2, a member of the plasminogen activator system that is associated with various reproductive processes. In conclusion, to our knowledge, perhaps for the first time in MAs or US populations, we have localized a major susceptibility locus for PTB on chromosome 18q21.33-q23.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Chittoor
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78245-0549, USA
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Paulson AF, Prasad MS, Thuringer AH, Manzerra P. Regulation of cadherin expression in nervous system development. Cell Adh Migr 2013; 8:19-28. [PMID: 24526207 DOI: 10.4161/cam.27839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
This review addresses our current understanding of the regulatory mechanisms for classical cadherin expression during development of the vertebrate nervous system. The complexity of the spatial and temporal expression patterns is linked to morphogenic and functional roles in the developing nervous system. While the regulatory networks controlling cadherin expression are not well understood, it is likely that the multiple signaling pathways active in the development of particular domains also regulate the specific cadherins expressed at that time and location. With the growing understanding of the broader roles of cadherins in cell-cell adhesion and non-adhesion processes, it is important to understand both the upstream regulation of cadherin expression and the downstream effects of specific cadherins within their cellular context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia F Paulson
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences; Sanford School of Medicine of The University of South Dakota; Vermillion, SD USA
| | - Maneeshi S Prasad
- Department of Molecular Biosciences; Northwestern University; Evanston, IL USA
| | | | - Pasquale Manzerra
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences; Sanford School of Medicine of The University of South Dakota; Vermillion, SD USA
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Streit A, Tambalo M, Chen J, Grocott T, Anwar M, Sosinsky A, Stern CD. Experimental approaches for gene regulatory network construction: the chick as a model system. Genesis 2012; 51:296-310. [PMID: 23174848 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.22359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2012] [Revised: 11/09/2012] [Accepted: 11/11/2012] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Setting up the body plan during embryonic development requires the coordinated action of many signals and transcriptional regulators in a precise temporal sequence and spatial pattern. The last decades have seen an explosion of information describing the molecular control of many developmental processes. The next challenge is to integrate this information into logic "wiring diagrams" that visualize gene actions and outputs, have predictive power and point to key control nodes. Here, we provide an experimental workflow on how to construct gene regulatory networks using the chick as model system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Streit
- Department of Craniofacial Development and Stem Cell Biology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
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