1
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Höfler S, Duss O. Interconnections between m 6A RNA modification, RNA structure, and protein-RNA complex assembly. Life Sci Alliance 2024; 7:e202302240. [PMID: 37935465 PMCID: PMC10629537 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202302240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein-RNA complexes exist in many forms within the cell, from stable machines such as the ribosome to transient assemblies like the spliceosome. All protein-RNA assemblies rely on spatially and temporally coordinated interactions between specific proteins and RNAs to achieve a functional form. RNA folding and structure are often critical for successful protein binding and protein-RNA complex formation. RNA modifications change the chemical nature of a given RNA and often alter its folding kinetics. Both these alterations can affect how and if proteins or other RNAs can interact with the modified RNA and assemble into complexes. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common base modification on mRNAs and regulatory noncoding RNAs and has been shown to impact RNA structure and directly modulate protein-RNA interactions. In this review, focusing on the mechanisms and available quantitative information, we discuss first how the METTL3/14 m6A writer complex is specifically targeted to RNA assisted by protein-RNA and other interactions to enable site-specific and co-transcriptional RNA modification and, once introduced, how the m6A modification affects RNA folding and protein-RNA interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Höfler
- https://ror.org/03mstc592 Structural and Computational Biology Unit, EMBL Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Olivier Duss
- https://ror.org/03mstc592 Structural and Computational Biology Unit, EMBL Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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2
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Araujo Tavares RDC, Mahadeshwar G, Wan H, Pyle AM. MRT-ModSeq - Rapid Detection of RNA Modifications with MarathonRT. J Mol Biol 2023; 435:168299. [PMID: 37802215 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168299] [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: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
Chemical modifications are essential regulatory elements that modulate the behavior and function of cellular RNAs. Despite recent advances in sequencing-based RNA modification mapping, methods combining accuracy and speed are still lacking. Here, we introduce MRT-ModSeq for rapid, simultaneous detection of multiple RNA modifications using MarathonRT. MRT-ModSeq employs distinct divalent cofactors to generate 2-D mutational profiles that are highly dependent on nucleotide identity and modification type. As a proof of concept, we use the MRT fingerprints of well-studied rRNAs to implement a general workflow for detecting RNA modifications. MRT-ModSeq rapidly detects positions of diverse modifications across a RNA transcript, enabling assignment of m1acp3Y, m1A, m3U, m7G and 2'-OMe locations through mutation-rate filtering and machine learning. m1A sites in sparsely modified targets, such as MALAT1 and PRUNE1 could also be detected. MRT-ModSeq can be trained on natural and synthetic transcripts to expedite detection of diverse RNA modification subtypes across targets of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gandhar Mahadeshwar
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA. https://twitter.com/gandzmakerdance
| | - Han Wan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA. https://twitter.com/HanWan19744358
| | - Anna Marie Pyle
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA.
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3
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Draycott AS, Schaening-Burgos C, Rojas-Duran MF, Gilbert WV. D-Seq: Genome-wide detection of dihydrouridine modifications in RNA. Methods Enzymol 2023; 692:3-22. [PMID: 37925185 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2023.09.001] [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] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
In addition to A, C, G and U, RNA contains over 100 additional chemically distinct residues. An abundant modified base frequently found in tRNAs, dihydrouridine (D) has recently been mapped to over 100 positions in mRNAs in yeast and human cells. Multiple highly conserved dihydrouridine synthases associate with and modify mRNA, suggesting there are many D sites yet to be found. Because D alters RNA structure, installation of D in mRNA is likely to effect multiple steps in mRNA metabolism including processing, trafficking, translation, and degradation. Here, we introduce D-seq, a method to chart the D landscape at single nucleotide resolution. The included protocols start with RNA isolation and carry through D-seq library preparation and data analysis. While the protocols below are tailored to map Ds in mRNA, the D-seq method is generalizable to any RNA type of interest, including non-coding RNAs, which have also recently been identified as dihydrouridine synthase targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin S Draycott
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry, New, Haven, CT, United States
| | | | - Maria F Rojas-Duran
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry, New, Haven, CT, United States
| | - Wendy V Gilbert
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry, New, Haven, CT, United States.
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4
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Abstract
Chemical modifications on mRNA represent a critical layer of gene expression regulation. Research in this area has continued to accelerate over the last decade, as more modifications are being characterized with increasing depth and breadth. mRNA modifications have been demonstrated to influence nearly every step from the early phases of transcript synthesis in the nucleus through to their decay in the cytoplasm, but in many cases, the molecular mechanisms involved in these processes remain mysterious. Here, we highlight recent work that has elucidated the roles of mRNA modifications throughout the mRNA life cycle, describe gaps in our understanding and remaining open questions, and offer some forward-looking perspective on future directions in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy V Gilbert
- Department of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA;
| | - Sigrid Nachtergaele
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA;
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5
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Tavares RDCA, Mahadeshwar G, Wan H, Pyle AM. MRT-ModSeq - Rapid detection of RNA modifications with MarathonRT. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.25.542276. [PMID: 37292902 PMCID: PMC10245971 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.25.542276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Chemical modifications are essential regulatory elements that modulate the behavior and function of cellular RNAs. Despite recent advances in sequencing-based RNA modification mapping, methods combining accuracy and speed are still lacking. Here, we introduce MRT- ModSeq for rapid, simultaneous detection of multiple RNA modifications using MarathonRT. MRT-ModSeq employs distinct divalent cofactors to generate 2-D mutational profiles that are highly dependent on nucleotide identity and modification type. As a proof of concept, we use the MRT fingerprints of well-studied rRNAs to implement a general workflow for detecting RNA modifications. MRT-ModSeq rapidly detects positions of diverse modifications across a RNA transcript, enabling assignment of m1acp3Y, m1A, m3U, m7G and 2'-OMe locations through mutation-rate filtering and machine learning. m1A sites in sparsely modified targets, such as MALAT1 and PRUNE1 could also be detected. MRT-ModSeq can be trained on natural and synthetic transcripts to expedite detection of diverse RNA modification subtypes across targets of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gandhar Mahadeshwar
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Han Wan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Anna Marie Pyle
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815, USA
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6
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Mulroney L, Birney E, Leonardi T, Nicassio F. Using Nanocompore to Identify RNA Modifications from Direct RNA Nanopore Sequencing Data. Curr Protoc 2023; 3:e683. [PMID: 36840709 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/26/2023]
Abstract
RNA modifications can alter the behavior of RNA molecules depending on where they are located on the strands. Traditionally, RNA modifications have been detected and characterized by biophysical assays, mass spectrometry, or specific next-generation sequencing techniques, but are limited to specific modifications or are low throughput. Nanopore is a platform capable of sequencing RNA strands directly, which permits transcriptome-wide detection of RNA modifications. RNA modifications alter the nanopore raw signal relative to the canonical form of the nucleotide, and several software tools detect these signal alterations. One such tool is Nanocompore, which compares the ionic current features between two different experimental conditions (i.e., with and without RNA modifications) to detect RNA modifications. Nanocompore is not limited to a single type of RNA modification, has a high specificity for detecting RNA modifications, and does not require model training. To use Nanocompore, the following steps are needed: (i) the data must be basecalled and aligned to the reference transcriptome, then the raw ionic current signals are aligned to the sequences and transformed into a Nanocompore-compatible format; (ii) finally, the statistical testing is conducted on the transformed data and produces a table of p-value predictions for the positions of the RNA modifications. These steps can be executed with several different methods, and thus we have also included two alternative protocols for running Nanocompore. Once the positions of RNA modifications are determined by Nanocompore, users can investigate their function in various metabolic pathways. © 2023 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol: RNA modification detection by Nanocompore Alternate Protocol 1: RNA modification detection by Nanocompore with f5c Alternate Protocol 2: RNA modification detection by Nanocompore using Nextflow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan Mulroney
- Center for Genomic Science of IIT@SEMM, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Milano, Italy.,European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, U.K.,Epigenetics and Neurobiology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Rome, Italy
| | - Ewan Birney
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, U.K
| | - Tommaso Leonardi
- Center for Genomic Science of IIT@SEMM, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Milano, Italy
| | - Francesco Nicassio
- Center for Genomic Science of IIT@SEMM, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Milano, Italy
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7
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Nie F, Tang Q, Liu Y, Qin H, Liu S, Wu M, Feng P, Chen W. RNAME: a comprehensive database of RNA modification enzymes. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:6244-6249. [DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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8
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Nachtergaele S. Enzymes flying under the radar: Cryptic METTL3 can persist in knockout cells. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001717. [PMID: 35857761 PMCID: PMC9299351 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The presence of the RNA modification m6A in the mRNA of METTL3 knockout cells has long been a contentious point. This Primer explores the implications of a PLOS Biology study revealing that alternatively spliced, catalytically active METTL3 isoforms persist in cells previously thought to lack the enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sigrid Nachtergaele
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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9
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Chen SY, Chen KL, Ding LY, Yu CH, Wu HY, Chou YY, Chang CJ, Chang CH, Wu YN, Wu SR, Hou YC, Lee CT, Chen PC, Shan YS, Huang PH. RNA bisulfite sequencing reveals NSUN2-mediated suppression of epithelial differentiation in pancreatic cancer. Oncogene 2022; 41:3162-3176. [PMID: 35501460 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-022-02325-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Posttranscriptional modifications in RNA have been considered to contribute to disease pathogenesis and tumor progression. NOL1/NOP2/Sun domain family member 2 (NSUN2) is an RNA methyltransferase that promotes tumor progression in several cancers. Pancreatic cancer relapse inevitably occurs even in cases where primary tumors have been successfully treated. Associations of cancer progression due to reprogramming of the cancer methyl-metabolome and the cancer genome have been noted, but the effect of base modifications, namely 5-methylcytosine (m5C), in the transcriptome remains unclear. Aberrant regulation of 5-methylcytosine turnover in cancer may affect posttranscriptional modifications in coding and noncoding RNAs in disease pathogenesis. Mutations in NSUN2 have been reported as drivers of neurodevelopmental disorders in mice, and upregulated expression of NSUN2 in tumors of the breast, bladder, and pancreas has been reported. In this study, we conducted mRNA whole transcriptomic bisulfite sequencing to categorize NSUN2 target sites in the mRNA of human pancreatic cancer cells. We identified a total of 2829 frequent m5C sites in mRNA from pancreatic cancer cells. A total of 90.9% (2572/2829) of these m5C sites were mapped to annotated genes in autosomes and sex chromosomes X and Y. Immunohistochemistry staining confirmed that the NSUN2 expression was significantly upregulated in cancer lesions in the LSL-KrasG12D/+;Trp53fl/fl;Pdx1-Cre (KPC) spontaneous pancreatic cancer mouse model induced by Pdx1-driven Cre/lox system expressing mutant KrasG12D and p53 deletion. The in vitro phenotypic analysis of NSUN2 knockdown showed mild effects on pancreatic cancer cell 2D/3D growth, morphology and gemcitabine sensitivity in the early phase of tumorigenesis, but cumulative changes after multiple cell doubling passages over time were required for these mutations to accumulate. Syngeneic transplantation of NSUN2-knockdown KPC cells via subcutaneous injection showed decreased stromal fibrosis and restored differentiation of ductal epithelium in vivo. SIGNIFICANCE: Transcriptome-wide mRNA bisulfite sequencing identified candidate m5C sites of mRNAs in human pancreatic cancer cells. NSUN2-mediated m5C mRNA metabolism was observed in a mouse model of pancreatic cancer. NSUN2 regulates cancer progression and epithelial differentiation via mRNA methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szu-Ying Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Kuan-Lin Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Li-Yun Ding
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Hung Yu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Yi Wu
- Instrumentation Center, College of Science, National Taiwan University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Yi Chou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Jung Chang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Han Chang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Medical Device Innovation Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Center for Corporate Relations and Technology Transfer, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Na Wu
- International Institute for Macromolecular Analysis and Nanomedicine Innovations, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Shang-Rung Wu
- International Institute for Macromolecular Analysis and Nanomedicine Innovations, Tainan, Taiwan
- Institute of Oral Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Chin Hou
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Ta Lee
- Department of Pathology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Peng-Chieh Chen
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yan-Shen Shan
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
| | - Po-Hsien Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
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10
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Martinez NM, Su A, Burns MC, Nussbacher JK, Schaening C, Sathe S, Yeo GW, Gilbert WV. Pseudouridine synthases modify human pre-mRNA co-transcriptionally and affect pre-mRNA processing. Mol Cell 2022; 82:645-659.e9. [PMID: 35051350 PMCID: PMC8859966 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Pseudouridine is a modified nucleotide that is prevalent in human mRNAs and is dynamically regulated. Here, we investigate when in their life cycle mRNAs become pseudouridylated to illuminate the potential regulatory functions of endogenous mRNA pseudouridylation. Using single-nucleotide resolution pseudouridine profiling on chromatin-associated RNA from human cells, we identified pseudouridines in nascent pre-mRNA at locations associated with alternatively spliced regions, enriched near splice sites, and overlapping hundreds of binding sites for RNA-binding proteins. In vitro splicing assays establish a direct effect of individual endogenous pre-mRNA pseudouridines on splicing efficiency. We validate hundreds of pre-mRNA sites as direct targets of distinct pseudouridine synthases and show that PUS1, PUS7, and RPUSD4-three pre-mRNA-modifying pseudouridine synthases with tissue-specific expression-control widespread changes in alternative pre-mRNA splicing and 3' end processing. Our results establish a vast potential for cotranscriptional pre-mRNA pseudouridylation to regulate human gene expression via alternative pre-mRNA processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M Martinez
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Amanda Su
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Margaret C Burns
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Stem Cell Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Julia K Nussbacher
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Stem Cell Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Cassandra Schaening
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Shashank Sathe
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Stem Cell Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Gene W Yeo
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Stem Cell Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| | - Wendy V Gilbert
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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11
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Thompson MG, Sacco MT, Horner SM. How RNA modifications regulate the antiviral response. Immunol Rev 2021; 304:169-180. [PMID: 34405413 PMCID: PMC8616813 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Induction of the antiviral innate immune response is highly regulated at the RNA level, particularly by RNA modifications. Recent discoveries have revealed how RNA modifications play key roles in cellular surveillance of nucleic acids and in controlling gene expression in response to viral infection. These modifications have emerged as being essential for a functional antiviral response and maintaining cellular homeostasis. In this review, we will highlight these and other discoveries that describe how the antiviral response is controlled by modifications to both viral and cellular RNA, focusing on how mRNA cap modifications, N6-methyladenosine, and RNA editing all contribute to coordinating an efficient response that properly controls viral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew G Thompson
- Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Matthew T Sacco
- Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Stacy M Horner
- Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
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12
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Wood S, Willbanks A, Cheng JX. The Role of RNA Modifications and RNA-modifying Proteins in Cancer Therapy and Drug Resistance. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2021; 21:326-352. [PMID: 33504307 DOI: 10.2174/1568009621666210127092828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The advent of new genome-wide sequencing technologies has uncovered abnormal RNA modifications and RNA editing in a variety of human cancers. The discovery of reversible RNA N6-methyladenosine (RNA: m6A) by fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) demethylase has led to exponential publications on the pathophysiological functions of m6A and its corresponding RNA modifying proteins (RMPs) in the past decade. Some excellent reviews have summarized the recent progress in this field. Compared to the extent of research into RNA: m6A and DNA 5-methylcytosine (DNA: m5C), much less is known about other RNA modifications and their associated RMPs, such as the role of RNA: m5C and its RNA cytosine methyltransferases (RCMTs) in cancer therapy and drug resistance. In this review, we will summarize the recent progress surrounding the function, intramolecular distribution and subcellular localization of several major RNA modifications, including 5' cap N7-methylguanosine (m7G) and 2'-O-methylation (Nm), m6A, m5C, A-to-I editing, and the associated RMPs. We will then discuss dysregulation of those RNA modifications and RMPs in cancer and their role in cancer therapy and drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaun Wood
- Department of Pathology, Hematopathology Section, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL60637, United States
| | - Amber Willbanks
- Department of Pathology, Hematopathology Section, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL60637, United States
| | - Jason X Cheng
- Department of Pathology, Hematopathology Section, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL60637, United States
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13
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Destefanis E, Avşar G, Groza P, Romitelli A, Torrini S, Pir P, Conticello SG, Aguilo F, Dassi E. A mark of disease: how mRNA modifications shape genetic and acquired pathologies. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2021; 27:367-389. [PMID: 33376192 PMCID: PMC7962492 DOI: 10.1261/rna.077271.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
RNA modifications have recently emerged as a widespread and complex facet of gene expression regulation. Counting more than 170 distinct chemical modifications with far-reaching implications for RNA fate, they are collectively referred to as the epitranscriptome. These modifications can occur in all RNA species, including messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). In mRNAs the deposition, removal, and recognition of chemical marks by writers, erasers and readers influence their structure, localization, stability, and translation. In turn, this modulates key molecular and cellular processes such as RNA metabolism, cell cycle, apoptosis, and others. Unsurprisingly, given their relevance for cellular and organismal functions, alterations of epitranscriptomic marks have been observed in a broad range of human diseases, including cancer, neurological and metabolic disorders. Here, we will review the major types of mRNA modifications and editing processes in conjunction with the enzymes involved in their metabolism and describe their impact on human diseases. We present the current knowledge in an updated catalog. We will also discuss the emerging evidence on the crosstalk of epitranscriptomic marks and what this interplay could imply for the dynamics of mRNA modifications. Understanding how this complex regulatory layer can affect the course of human pathologies will ultimately lead to its exploitation toward novel epitranscriptomic therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliana Destefanis
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy
- The EPITRAN COST Action Consortium, COST Action CA16120
| | - Gülben Avşar
- The EPITRAN COST Action Consortium, COST Action CA16120
- Department of Bioengineering, Gebze Technical University, 41400 Kocaeli, Turkey
| | - Paula Groza
- The EPITRAN COST Action Consortium, COST Action CA16120
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Antonia Romitelli
- The EPITRAN COST Action Consortium, COST Action CA16120
- Core Research Laboratory, ISPRO-Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network, 50139 Firenze, Italy
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, Università di Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Serena Torrini
- The EPITRAN COST Action Consortium, COST Action CA16120
- Core Research Laboratory, ISPRO-Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network, 50139 Firenze, Italy
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, Università di Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Pınar Pir
- The EPITRAN COST Action Consortium, COST Action CA16120
- Department of Bioengineering, Gebze Technical University, 41400 Kocaeli, Turkey
| | - Silvestro G Conticello
- The EPITRAN COST Action Consortium, COST Action CA16120
- Core Research Laboratory, ISPRO-Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network, 50139 Firenze, Italy
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesca Aguilo
- The EPITRAN COST Action Consortium, COST Action CA16120
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Erik Dassi
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy
- The EPITRAN COST Action Consortium, COST Action CA16120
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Elcheva IA, Spiegelman VS. Targeting RNA-binding proteins in acute and chronic leukemia. Leukemia 2021; 35:360-376. [PMID: 33149266 PMCID: PMC7868134 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-020-01066-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play a crucial role in cellular physiology by regulating RNA processing, translation, and turnover. In neoplasms, RBP support of cancer-relevant expression of alternatively spliced, modified, and stabilized mRNA transcripts is essential to self-renewal, proliferation, and adaptation to stress. In this review, we assess the impact of key families of RBPs in leukemogenesis, review progress in targeting those proteins with small molecules, and discuss how multilevel composition of posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression could be used for potential therapies in acute and chronic leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina A Elcheva
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA.
| | - Vladimir S Spiegelman
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
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15
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Borchardt EK, Martinez NM, Gilbert WV. Regulation and Function of RNA Pseudouridylation in Human Cells. Annu Rev Genet 2020; 54:309-336. [PMID: 32870730 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-112618-043830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in pseudouridine detection reveal a complex pseudouridine landscape that includes messenger RNA and diverse classes of noncoding RNA in human cells. The known molecular functions of pseudouridine, which include stabilizing RNA conformations and destabilizing interactions with varied RNA-binding proteins, suggest that RNA pseudouridylation could have widespread effects on RNA metabolism and gene expression. Here, we emphasize how much remains to be learned about the RNA targets of human pseudouridine synthases, their basis for recognizing distinct RNA sequences, and the mechanisms responsible for regulated RNA pseudouridylation. We also examine the roles of noncoding RNA pseudouridylation in splicing and translation and point out the potential effects of mRNA pseudouridylation on protein production, including in the context of therapeutic mRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin K Borchardt
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA; , ,
| | - Nicole M Martinez
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA; , ,
| | - Wendy V Gilbert
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA; , ,
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16
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Reichel M, Köster T, Staiger D. Marking RNA: m6A writers, readers, and functions in Arabidopsis. J Mol Cell Biol 2020; 11:899-910. [PMID: 31336387 PMCID: PMC6884701 DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjz085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Revised: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) emerges as an important modification in eukaryotic mRNAs. m6A has first been reported in 1974, and its functional significance in mammalian gene regulation and importance for proper development have been well established. An arsenal of writer, eraser, and reader proteins accomplish deposition, removal, and interpretation of the m6A mark, resulting in dynamic function. This led to the concept of an epitranscriptome, the compendium of RNA species with chemical modification of the nucleobases in the cell, in analogy to the epigenome. While m6A has long been known to also exist in plant mRNAs, proteins involved in m6A metabolism have only recently been detected by mutant analysis, homology search, and mRNA interactome capture in the reference plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Dysregulation of the m6A modification causes severe developmental abnormalities of leaves and roots and altered timing of reproductive development. Furthermore, m6A modification affects viral infection. Here, we discuss recent progress in identifying m6A sites transcriptome-wide, in identifying the molecular players involved in writing, removing, and reading the mark, and in assigning functions to this RNA modification in A. thaliana. We highlight similarities and differences to m6A modification in mammals and provide an outlook on important questions that remain to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Reichel
- RNA Biology and Molecular Physiology, Faculty of Biology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Tino Köster
- RNA Biology and Molecular Physiology, Faculty of Biology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Dorothee Staiger
- RNA Biology and Molecular Physiology, Faculty of Biology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
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17
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Gao C, Wang Y. mRNA Metabolism in Cardiac Development and Disease: Life After Transcription. Physiol Rev 2020; 100:673-694. [PMID: 31751167 PMCID: PMC7327233 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00007.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The central dogma of molecular biology illustrates the importance of mRNAs as critical mediators between genetic information encoded at the DNA level and proteomes/metabolomes that determine the diverse functional outcome at the cellular and organ levels. Although the total number of protein-producing (coding) genes in the mammalian genome is ~20,000, it is evident that the intricate processes of cardiac development and the highly regulated physiological regulation in the normal heart, as well as the complex manifestation of pathological remodeling in a diseased heart, would require a much higher degree of complexity at the transcriptome level and beyond. Indeed, in addition to an extensive regulatory scheme implemented at the level of transcription, the complexity of transcript processing following transcription is dramatically increased. RNA processing includes post-transcriptional modification, alternative splicing, editing and transportation, ribosomal loading, and degradation. While transcriptional control of cardiac genes has been a major focus of investigation in recent decades, a great deal of progress has recently been made in our understanding of how post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA contributes to transcriptome complexity. In this review, we highlight some of the key molecular processes and major players in RNA maturation and post-transcriptional regulation. In addition, we provide an update to the recent progress made in the discovery of RNA processing regulators implicated in cardiac development and disease. While post-transcriptional modulation is a complex and challenging problem to study, recent technological advancements are paving the way for a new era of exciting discoveries and potential clinical translation in the context of cardiac biology and heart disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Gao
- Departments of Anesthesiology, Medicine, and Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Yibin Wang
- Departments of Anesthesiology, Medicine, and Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
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18
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Wang Y, Bao Y, Zhang S, Wang Z. Splicing dysregulation in cancer: from mechanistic understanding to a new class of therapeutic targets. SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES 2020; 63:469-484. [PMID: 32086672 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-019-1605-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
RNA splicing dysregulation is widespread in cancer. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that splicing defects resulting from splicing dysregulation play critical roles in cancer pathogenesis and can serve as new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cancer intervention. These findings have greatly deepened the mechanistic understandings of the regulation of alternative splicing in cancer cells, leading to rapidly growing interests in targeting cancer-related splicing defects as new therapies. Here we summarize the current research progress on splicing dysregulation in cancer and highlight the strategies available or under development for targeting RNA splicing defects in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongbo Wang
- Department of Cellular and Genetic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Yufang Bao
- Department of Cellular and Genetic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Sirui Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, CAS-MPG Partner Institute for Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Zefeng Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, CAS-MPG Partner Institute for Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
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19
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Liu L, Lei X, Meng J, Wei Z. WITMSG: Large-scale Prediction of Human Intronic m 6A RNA Methylation Sites from Sequence and Genomic Features. Curr Genomics 2020; 21:67-76. [PMID: 32655300 PMCID: PMC7324894 DOI: 10.2174/1389202921666200211104140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION N 6-methyladenosine (m6A) is one of the most widely studied epigenetic modifications. It plays important roles in various biological processes, such as splicing, RNA localization and degradation, many of which are related to the functions of introns. Although a number of computational approaches have been proposed to predict the m6A sites in different species, none of them were optimized for intronic m6A sites. As existing experimental data overwhelmingly relied on polyA selection in sample preparation and the intronic RNAs are usually underrepresented in the captured RNA library, the accuracy of general m6A sites prediction approaches is limited for intronic m6A sites prediction task. METHODOLOGY A computational framework, WITMSG, dedicated to the large-scale prediction of intronic m6A RNA methylation sites in humans has been proposed here for the first time. Based on the random forest algorithm and using only known intronic m6A sites as the training data, WITMSG takes advantage of both conventional sequence features and a variety of genomic characteristics for improved prediction performance of intron-specific m6A sites. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION It has been observed that WITMSG outperformed competing approaches (trained with all the m6A sites or intronic m6A sites only) in 10-fold cross-validation (AUC: 0.940) and when tested on independent datasets (AUC: 0.946). WITMSG was also applied intronome-wide in humans to predict all possible intronic m6A sites, and the prediction results are freely accessible at http://rnamd.com/intron/.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiujuan Lei
- Address correspondence to these authors at the School of Computer Sciences, Shannxi Normal University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710119, China; E-mail: ; and Department of Biological Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China; E-mail:
| | | | - Zhen Wei
- Address correspondence to these authors at the School of Computer Sciences, Shannxi Normal University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710119, China; E-mail: ; and Department of Biological Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China; E-mail:
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Xu B, Shi Y, Wu Y, Meng Y, Jin Y. Role of RNA secondary structures in regulating Dscam alternative splicing. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2019; 1862:194381. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2019.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Revised: 04/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Fleming AM, Alenko A, Kitt JP, Orendt AM, Flynn PF, Harris JM, Burrows CJ. Structural Elucidation of Bisulfite Adducts to Pseudouridine That Result in Deletion Signatures during Reverse Transcription of RNA. J Am Chem Soc 2019; 141:16450-16460. [PMID: 31538776 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b08630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The recent report of RBS-Seq to map simultaneously the epitranscriptomic modifications N1-methyladenosine, 5-methylcytosine, and pseudouridine (Ψ) via bisulfite treatment of RNA provides a key advance to locate these important modifications. The locations of Ψ were found by a deletion signature generated during cDNA synthesis after bisulfite treatment for which the chemical details of the reaction are poorly understood. In the present work, the bisulfite reaction with Ψ was explored to identify six isomers of bisulfite adducted to Ψ. We found four of these adducts involved the heterocyclic ring, similar to the reaction with other pyrimidines. The remaining two adducts were bonded to the 1' carbon, which resulted in opening of the ribose ring. The utilization of complementary 1D- and 2D-NMR, Raman, and electronic circular dichroism spectroscopies led to the assignment of the two ribose adducts being the constitutional isomers of an S- and an O-adduct of bisulfite to the ribose, and these are the final products after heating. A mechanistic proposal is provided to rationalize chemically the formation and stereochemistries of all six isomeric bisulfite adducts to Ψ; conversion of intermediate adducts to the two final products is proposed to involve E2, SN2', and [2,3]-sigmatropic shift reactions. Lastly, a synthetic RNA template with Ψ at a known location was treated with bisulfite, leading to a deletion signature after reverse transcription, supporting the RBS-Seq report. This classical bisulfite reaction used for epigenomic and epitranscriptomic sequencing diverges from the C nucleoside Ψ to form stable bisulfite end products that yield signatures for next-generation sequencing.
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