1
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Limanówka P, Ochman B, Świętochowska E. PiRNA Obtained through Liquid Biopsy as a Possible Cancer Biomarker. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:diagnostics13111895. [PMID: 37296747 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13111895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) have gained the interest of scientists, mainly because of their possible implications in cancer. Many kinds of research showed how their expression can be linked to malignant diseases. However, most of them evaluated the expression of piRNAs in tumor tissues. It was shown how these non-coding RNAs can interfere with many signaling pathways involved in the regulation of proliferation or apoptosis. A comparison of piRNA expression in tumor tissue and adjacent healthy tissues has demonstrated they can be used as biomarkers. However, this way of obtaining samples has a significant drawback, which is the invasiveness of such a procedure. Liquid biopsy is an alternative for acquiring biological material with little to no harm to a patient. Several different piRNAs in various types of cancer were shown to be expressed in bodily fluids such as blood or urine. Furthermore, their expression significantly differed between cancer patients and healthy individuals. Hence, this review aimed to assess the possible use of liquid biopsy for cancer diagnosis with piRNAs as biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Limanówka
- Department of Medical and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 19 Jordana, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland
| | - Błażej Ochman
- Department of Medical and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 19 Jordana, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Świętochowska
- Department of Medical and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 19 Jordana, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland
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2
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Wang JY, Li HD, Ma PQ, Zhou Y, Yin BC, Ye BC. An miRISC-initiated DNA nanomachine for monitoring MicroRNA activity in living cells. Biosens Bioelectron 2023; 220:114828. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2022.114828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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3
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Zhang P, Frederick MI, Heinemann IU. Terminal Uridylyltransferases TUT4/7 Regulate microRNA and mRNA Homeostasis. Cells 2022; 11:cells11233742. [PMID: 36497000 PMCID: PMC9736393 DOI: 10.3390/cells11233742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The terminal nucleotidyltransferases TUT4 and TUT7 (TUT4/7) regulate miRNA and mRNA stability by 3' end uridylation. In humans, TUT4/7 polyuridylates both mRNA and pre-miRNA, leading to degradation by the U-specific exonuclease DIS3L2. We investigate the role of uridylation-dependent decay in maintaining the transcriptome by transcriptionally profiling TUT4/7 deleted cells. We found that while the disruption of TUT4/7 expression increases the abundance of a variety of miRNAs, the let-7 family of miRNAs is the most impacted. Eight let-7 family miRNAs were increased in abundance in TUT4/7 deleted cells, and many let-7 mRNA targets are decreased in abundance. The mRNAs with increased abundance in the deletion strain are potential direct targets of TUT4/7, with transcripts coding for proteins involved in cellular stress response, rRNA processing, ribonucleoprotein complex biogenesis, cell-cell signaling, and regulation of metabolic processes most affected in the TUT4/7 knockout cells. We found that TUT4/7 indirectly control oncogenic signaling via the miRNA let-7a, which regulates AKT phosphorylation status. Finally, we find that, similar to fission yeast, the disruption of uridylation-dependent decay leads to major rearrangements of the transcriptome and reduces cell proliferation and adhesion.
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4
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Balaratnam S, Hoque ME, West N, Basu S. Decay of Piwi-Interacting RNAs in Human Cells Is Primarily Mediated by 5' to 3' Exoribonucleases. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:1723-1732. [PMID: 35687865 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a group of small noncoding RNA molecules that regulate the activity of transposons and control gene expression. The cellular concentration of RNAs is generally maintained by their rates of biogenesis and degradation. Although the biogenesis pathways of piRNAs have been well defined, their degradation mechanism is still unknown. Here, we show that degradation of human piRNAs is mostly dependent on the 5'-3' exoribonuclease pathway. The presence of 3'-end 2'-O-methylation in piRNAs significantly reduced their degradation through the exosome-mediated decay pathway. The accumulation of piRNAs in XRN1 and XRN2 exoribonuclease-depleted cells further supports the 5'-3' exoribonuclease-mediated decay of piRNAs. Moreover, formation of stable secondary structures in piRNAs slows the rate of XRN1-mediated degradation. Our findings establish a framework for the piRNA degradation mechanism in cells and thus provide crucial information about how the basal level concentration of piRNAs is maintained in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumirtha Balaratnam
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242, United States.,Chemical Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - Mohammed Enamul Hoque
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242, United States
| | - Nicole West
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242, United States
| | - Soumitra Basu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242, United States
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5
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Chung CZ, Balasuriya N, Siddika T, Frederick MI, Heinemann IU. Gld2 activity and RNA specificity is dynamically regulated by phosphorylation and interaction with QKI-7. RNA Biol 2021; 18:397-408. [PMID: 34288801 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2021.1952540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In the cell, RNA abundance is dynamically controlled by transcription and decay rates. Posttranscriptional nucleotide addition at the RNA 3' end is a means of regulating mRNA and RNA stability and activity, as well as marking RNAs for degradation. The human nucleotidyltransferase Gld2 polyadenylates mRNAs and monoadenylates microRNAs, leading to an increase in RNA stability. The broad substrate range of Gld2 and its role in controlling RNA stability make the regulation of Gld2 activity itself imperative. Gld2 activity can be regulated by post-translational phosphorylation via the oncogenic kinase Akt1 and other kinases, leading to either increased or almost abolished enzymatic activity, and here we confirm that Akt1 phosphorylates Gld2 in a cellular context. Another means to control Gld2 RNA specificity and activity is the interaction with RNA binding proteins. Known interactors are QKI-7 and CPEB, which recruit Gld2 to specific miRNAs and mRNAs. We investigate the interplay between five phosphorylation sites in the N-terminal domain of Gld2 and three RNA binding proteins. We found that the activity and RNA specificity of Gld2 is dynamically regulated by this network. Binding of QKI-7 or phosphorylation at S62 relieves the autoinhibitory function of the Gld2 N-terminal domain. Binding of QKI-7 to a short peptide sequence within the N-terminal domain can also override the deactivation caused by Akt1 phosphorylation at S116. Our data revealed that Gld2 substrate specificity and activity can be dynamically regulated to match the cellular need of RNA stabilization and turnover.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Z Chung
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, the University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Nileeka Balasuriya
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, the University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Tarana Siddika
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, the University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Mallory I Frederick
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, the University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Ilka U Heinemann
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, the University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
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6
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Terminal uridyltransferase 7 regulates TLR4-triggered inflammation by controlling Regnase-1 mRNA uridylation and degradation. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3878. [PMID: 34188032 PMCID: PMC8241994 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24177-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Different levels of regulatory mechanisms, including posttranscriptional regulation, are needed to elaborately regulate inflammatory responses to prevent harmful effects. Terminal uridyltransferase 7 (TUT7) controls RNA stability by adding uridines to its 3′ ends, but its function in innate immune response remains obscure. Here we reveal that TLR4 activation induces TUT7, which in turn selectively regulates the production of a subset of cytokines, including Interleukin 6 (IL-6). TUT7 regulates IL-6 expression by controlling ribonuclease Regnase-1 mRNA (encoded by Zc3h12a gene) stability. Mechanistically, TLR4 activation causes TUT7 to bind directly to the stem-loop structure on Zc3h12a 3′-UTR, thereby promotes Zc3h12a uridylation and degradation. Zc3h12a from LPS-treated TUT7-sufficient macrophages possesses increased oligo-uridylated ends with shorter poly(A) tails, whereas oligo-uridylated Zc3h12a is significantly reduced in Tut7-/- cells after TLR4 activation. Together, our findings reveal the functional role of TUT7 in sculpting TLR4-driven responses by modulating mRNA stability of a selected set of inflammatory mediators. Terminal uridyltransferase 7 (TUT7) adds U-tails on diverse RNAs to promote degradation. Here the authors show that TUT7 is induced upon LPS treatment in macrophages and promotes decay of Regnase-1, thereby regulating the expression of a subset of cytokines, including IL-6.
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7
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Frederick MI, Heinemann IU. Regulation of RNA stability at the 3' end. Biol Chem 2021; 402:425-431. [PMID: 33938180 PMCID: PMC10884531 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2020-0325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
RNA homeostasis is regulated by a multitude of cellular pathways. Although the addition of untemplated adenine residues to the 3' end of mRNAs has long been known to affect RNA stability, newly developed techniques for 3'-end sequencing of RNAs have revealed various unexpected RNA modifications. Among these, uridylation is most recognized for its role in mRNA decay but is also a key regulator of numerous RNA species, including miRNAs and tRNAs, with dual roles in both stability and maturation of miRNAs. Additionally, low levels of untemplated guanidine and cytidine residues have been observed as parts of more complex tailing patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mallory I Frederick
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London ON, Canada
| | - Ilka U Heinemann
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London ON, Canada
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8
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Siddika T, Heinemann IU. Bringing MicroRNAs to Light: Methods for MicroRNA Quantification and Visualization in Live Cells. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 8:619583. [PMID: 33537295 PMCID: PMC7848212 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.619583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
MiRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that interact with their target mRNAs for posttranscriptional gene regulation. Finely controlled miRNA biogenesis, target recognition and degradation indicate that maintaining miRNA homeostasis is essential for regulating cell proliferation, growth, differentiation and apoptosis. Increasingly, miRNAs have been recognized as a potential biomarker for disease diagnosis. MiRNAs can be found in blood, plasma, and tissues, and miRNA expression and activity differ in developmental stages, tissues and in response to external stimuli. MiRNA transcripts are matured from pri-miRNA over pre-miRNA to mature miRNA, a process that includes multiple steps and enzymes. Many tools are available to identify and quantify specific miRNAs, ranging from measuring total miRNA, specific miRNA activity, miRNA arrays and miRNA localization. The various miRNA assays differ in accuracy, cost, efficiency and convenience of monitoring miRNA dynamics. To acknowledge the significance and increasing research interest in miRNAs, we summarize the traditional as well as novel methods of miRNA quantification with strengths and limitations of various techniques in biochemical and medical research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ilka U. Heinemann
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
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9
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Aphasizheva I, Alfonzo J, Carnes J, Cestari I, Cruz-Reyes J, Göringer HU, Hajduk S, Lukeš J, Madison-Antenucci S, Maslov DA, McDermott SM, Ochsenreiter T, Read LK, Salavati R, Schnaufer A, Schneider A, Simpson L, Stuart K, Yurchenko V, Zhou ZH, Zíková A, Zhang L, Zimmer S, Aphasizhev R. Lexis and Grammar of Mitochondrial RNA Processing in Trypanosomes. Trends Parasitol 2020; 36:337-355. [PMID: 32191849 PMCID: PMC7083771 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 01/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosoma brucei spp. cause African human and animal trypanosomiasis, a burden on health and economy in Africa. These hemoflagellates are distinguished by a kinetoplast nucleoid containing mitochondrial DNAs of two kinds: maxicircles encoding ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) and proteins and minicircles bearing guide RNAs (gRNAs) for mRNA editing. All RNAs are produced by a phage-type RNA polymerase as 3' extended precursors, which undergo exonucleolytic trimming. Most pre-mRNAs proceed through 3' adenylation, uridine insertion/deletion editing, and 3' A/U-tailing. The rRNAs and gRNAs are 3' uridylated. Historically, RNA editing has attracted major research effort, and recently essential pre- and postediting processing events have been discovered. Here, we classify the key players that transform primary transcripts into mature molecules and regulate their function and turnover.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inna Aphasizheva
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Medical Campus, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
| | - Juan Alfonzo
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Jason Carnes
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Igor Cestari
- Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, 21,111 Lakeshore Road, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, H9X3V9, Québec, Canada
| | - Jorge Cruz-Reyes
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - H Ulrich Göringer
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Darmstadt University of Technology, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stephen Hajduk
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences and Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Susan Madison-Antenucci
- Parasitology Laboratory, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12201, USA
| | - Dmitri A Maslov
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California - Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Suzanne M McDermott
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Torsten Ochsenreiter
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 4, Bern CH-3012, Switzerland
| | - Laurie K Read
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University at Buffalo, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Reza Salavati
- Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, 21,111 Lakeshore Road, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, H9X3V9, Québec, Canada
| | - Achim Schnaufer
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - André Schneider
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Bern CH-3012, Switzerland
| | - Larry Simpson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095, USA
| | - Kenneth Stuart
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic; Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Z Hong Zhou
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095, USA
| | - Alena Zíková
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences and Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Liye Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Sara Zimmer
- University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth campus, Duluth, MN 55812, USA
| | - Ruslan Aphasizhev
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Medical Campus, Boston, MA 02118, USA
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10
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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: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [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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11
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Chung CZ, Jaramillo JE, Ellis MJ, Bour DYN, Seidl LE, Jo DHS, Turk MA, Mann MR, Bi Y, Haniford DB, Duennwald ML, Heinemann IU. RNA surveillance by uridylation-dependent RNA decay in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:3045-3057. [PMID: 30715470 PMCID: PMC6451125 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Uridylation-dependent RNA decay is a widespread eukaryotic pathway modulating RNA homeostasis. Terminal uridylyltransferases (Tutases) add untemplated uridyl residues to RNA 3'-ends, marking them for degradation by the U-specific exonuclease Dis3L2. In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Cid1 uridylates a variety of RNAs. In this study, we investigate the prevalence and impact of uridylation-dependent RNA decay in S. pombe by transcriptionally profiling cid1 and dis3L2 deletion strains. We found that the exonuclease Dis3L2 represents a bottleneck in uridylation-dependent mRNA decay, whereas Cid1 plays a redundant role that can be complemented by other Tutases. Deletion of dis3L2 elicits a cellular stress response, upregulating transcription of genes involved in protein folding and degradation. Misfolded proteins accumulate in both deletion strains, yet only trigger a strong stress response in dis3L2 deficient cells. While a deletion of cid1 increases sensitivity to protein misfolding stress, a dis3L2 deletion showed no increased sensitivity or was even protective. We furthermore show that uridylyl- and adenylyltransferases cooperate to generate a 5'-NxAUUAAAA-3' RNA motif on dak2 mRNA. Our studies elucidate the role of uridylation-dependent RNA decay as part of a global mRNA surveillance, and we found that perturbation of this pathway leads to the accumulation of misfolded proteins and elicits cellular stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Z Chung
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Julia E Jaramillo
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Michael J Ellis
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Daniel Y N Bour
- Department of Pathology, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Lauren E Seidl
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - David H S Jo
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Matthew A Turk
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Mitchell R Mann
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Yumin Bi
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - David B Haniford
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Martin L Duennwald
- Department of Pathology, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Ilka U Heinemann
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada
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12
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Cheng L, Li F, Jiang Y, Yu H, Xie C, Shi Y, Gong Q. Structural insights into a unique preference for 3' terminal guanine of mirtron in Drosophila TUTase tailor. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:495-508. [PMID: 30407553 PMCID: PMC6326804 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky1116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Terminal uridylyl transferase (TUTase) is one type of enzyme that modifies RNA molecules by facilitating the post-transcriptional addition of uridyl ribonucleotides to their 3' ends. Recent researches have reported that Drosophila TUTase, Tailor, exhibits an intrinsic preference for RNA substrates ending in 3'G, distinguishing it from any other known TUTases. Through this unique feature, Tailor plays a crucial role as the repressor in the biogenesis pathway of splicing-derived mirtron pre-miRNAs. Here we describe crystal structures of core catalytic domain of Tailor and its complexes with RNA stretches 5'-AGU-3' and 5'-AGUU-3'. We demonstrate that R327 and N347 are two key residues contributing cooperatively to Tailor's preference for 3'G, and R327 may play an extra role in facilitating the extension of polyuridylation chain. We also demonstrate that conformational stability of the exit of RNA-binding groove also contributes significantly to Tailor's activity. Overall, our work reveals useful insights to explain why Drosophila Tailor can preferentially select RNA substrates ending in 3'G and provides important values for further understanding the biological significances of biogenesis pathway of mirtron in flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Cheng
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Science at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Fudong Li
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Science at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Yiyang Jiang
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Science at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Hailong Yu
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Science at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Changlin Xie
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Science at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China.,High Magnet Field Laboratory, Chinese Academy of Science, 50 Shushanhu Road, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
| | - Yunyu Shi
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Science at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Qingguo Gong
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Science at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
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13
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Kroupova A, Ivascu A, Reimão-Pinto MM, Ameres SL, Jinek M. Structural basis for acceptor RNA substrate selectivity of the 3' terminal uridylyl transferase Tailor. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:1030-1042. [PMID: 30462292 PMCID: PMC6344859 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky1164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-templated 3′-uridylation of RNAs has emerged as an important mechanism for regulating the processing, stability and biological function of eukaryotic transcripts. In Drosophila, oligouridine tailing by the terminal uridylyl transferase (TUTase) Tailor of numerous RNAs induces their degradation by the exonuclease Dis3L2, which serves functional roles in RNA surveillance and mirtron RNA biogenesis. Tailor preferentially uridylates RNAs terminating in guanosine or uridine nucleotides but the structural basis underpinning its RNA substrate selectivity is unknown. Here, we report crystal structures of Tailor bound to a donor substrate analog or mono- and oligouridylated RNA products. These structures reveal specific amino acid residues involved in donor and acceptor substrate recognition, and complementary biochemical assays confirm the critical role of an active site arginine in conferring selectivity toward 3′-guanosine terminated RNAs. Notably, conservation of these active site features suggests that other eukaryotic TUTases, including mammalian TUT4 and TUT7, might exhibit similar, hitherto unknown, substrate selectivity. Together, these studies provide critical insights into the specificity of 3′-uridylation in eukaryotic post-transcriptional gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alena Kroupova
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Anastasia Ivascu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Madalena M Reimão-Pinto
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, IMBA, Vienna Biocenter Campus (VBC), Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Stefan L Ameres
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, IMBA, Vienna Biocenter Campus (VBC), Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Martin Jinek
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
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14
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Chung CZ, Balasuriya N, Manni E, Liu X, Li SSC, O'Donoghue P, Heinemann IU. Gld2 activity is regulated by phosphorylation in the N-terminal domain. RNA Biol 2019; 16:1022-1033. [PMID: 31057087 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2019.1608754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The de-regulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) is associated with multiple human diseases, yet cellular mechanisms governing miRNA abundance remain largely elusive. Human miR-122 is required for Hepatitis C proliferation, and low miR-122 abundance is associated with hepatic cancer. The adenylyltransferase Gld2 catalyses the post-transcriptional addition of a single adenine residue (A + 1) to the 3'-end of miR-122, enhancing its stability. Gld2 activity is inhibited by binding to the Hepatitis C virus core protein during HepC infection, but no other mechanisms of Gld2 regulation are known. We found that Gld2 activity is regulated by site-specific phosphorylation in its disordered N-terminal domain. We identified two phosphorylation sites (S62, S110) where phosphomimetic substitutions increased Gld2 activity and one site (S116) that markedly reduced activity. Using mass spectrometry, we confirmed that HEK 293 cells readily phosphorylate the N-terminus of Gld2. We identified protein kinase A (PKA) and protein kinase B (Akt1) as the kinases that site-specifically phosphorylate Gld2 at S116, abolishing Gld2-mediated nucleotide addition. The data demonstrate a novel phosphorylation-dependent mechanism to regulate Gld2 activity, revealing tumour suppressor miRNAs as a previously unknown target of Akt1-dependent signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Z Chung
- a Department of Biochemistry , The University of Western Ontario , London , Canada
| | - Nileeka Balasuriya
- a Department of Biochemistry , The University of Western Ontario , London , Canada
| | - Emad Manni
- a Department of Biochemistry , The University of Western Ontario , London , Canada
| | - Xuguang Liu
- a Department of Biochemistry , The University of Western Ontario , London , Canada
| | - Shawn Shun-Cheng Li
- a Department of Biochemistry , The University of Western Ontario , London , Canada.,b Department of Oncology and Child Health Research Institute , The University of Western Ontario , London , Canada
| | - Patrick O'Donoghue
- a Department of Biochemistry , The University of Western Ontario , London , Canada.,c Department of Chemistry , The University of Western Ontario , London , Canada
| | - Ilka U Heinemann
- a Department of Biochemistry , The University of Western Ontario , London , Canada
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15
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MiRAR-miRNA Activity Reporter for Living Cells. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9060305. [PMID: 29921790 PMCID: PMC6027049 DOI: 10.3390/genes9060305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2018] [Revised: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
microRNA (miRNA) activity and regulation are of increasing interest as new therapeutic targets. Traditional approaches to assess miRNA levels in cells rely on RNA sequencing or quantitative PCR. While useful, these approaches are based on RNA extraction and cannot be applied in real-time to observe miRNA activity with single-cell resolution. We developed a green fluorescence protein (GFP)-based reporter system that allows for a direct, real-time readout of changes in miRNA activity in live cells. The miRNA activity reporter (MiRAR) consists of GFP fused to a 3′ untranslated region containing specific miRNA binding sites, resulting in miRNA activity-dependent GFP expression. Using qPCR, we verified the inverse relationship of GFP fluorescence and miRNA levels. We demonstrated that this novel optogenetic reporter system quantifies cellular levels of the tumor suppressor miRNA let-7 in real-time in single Human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK 293) cells. Our data shows that the MiRAR can be applied to detect changes in miRNA levels upon disruption of miRNA degradation pathways. We further show that the reporter could be adapted to monitor another disease-relevant miRNA, miR-122. With trivial modifications, this approach could be applied across the miRNome for quantification of many specific miRNA in cell cultures, tissues, or transgenic animal models.
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16
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Trontti K, Väänänen J, Sipilä T, Greco D, Hovatta I. Strong conservation of inbred mouse strain microRNA loci but broad variation in brain microRNAs due to RNA editing and isomiR expression. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2018; 24:643-655. [PMID: 29445025 PMCID: PMC5900563 DOI: 10.1261/rna.064881.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Diversity in the structure and expression of microRNAs, important regulators of gene expression, arises from SNPs, duplications followed by divergence, production of isomiRs, and RNA editing. Inbred mouse strains and crosses using them are important reference populations for genetic mapping, and as models of human disease. We determined the nature and extent of interstrain miRNA variation by (i) identifying miRNA SNPs in whole-genome sequence data from 36 strains, and (ii) examining miRNA editing and expression in hippocampus (Hpc) and frontal cortex (FCx) of six strains, to facilitate the study of miRNAs in neurobehavioral phenotypes. miRNA loci were strongly conserved among the 36 strains, but even the highly conserved seed region contained 16 SNPs. In contrast, we identified RNA editing in 58.9% of miRNAs, including 11 consistent editing events in the seed region. We confirmed the functional significance of three conserved edits in the miR-379/410 cluster, demonstrating that edited miRNAs gained novel target mRNAs not recognized by the unedited miRNAs. We found significant interstrain differences in miRNA and isomiR expression: Of 779 miRNAs expressed in Hpc and 719 in FCx, 262 were differentially expressed (190 in Hpc, 126 in FCx, 54 in both). We also identified 32 novel miRNA candidates using miRNA prediction tools. Our studies provide the first comprehensive analysis of SNP, isomiR, and RNA editing variation in miRNA loci across inbred mouse strains, and a detailed catalog of expressed miRNAs in Hpc and FCx in six commonly used strains. These findings will facilitate the molecular analysis of neurological and behavioral phenotypes in this model organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalevi Trontti
- Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FI-00790, Finland
| | - Juho Väänänen
- Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FI-00790, Finland
| | - Tessa Sipilä
- Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FI-00790, Finland
| | - Dario Greco
- Insitute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FI-00790, Finland
| | - Iiris Hovatta
- Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FI-00790, Finland
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17
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De Almeida C, Scheer H, Zuber H, Gagliardi D. RNA uridylation: a key posttranscriptional modification shaping the coding and noncoding transcriptome. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2017; 9. [PMID: 28984054 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Revised: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 08/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
RNA uridylation is a potent and widespread posttranscriptional regulator of gene expression. RNA uridylation has been detected in a range of eukaryotes including trypanosomes, animals, plants, and fungi, but with the noticeable exception of budding yeast. Virtually all classes of eukaryotic RNAs can be uridylated and uridylation can also tag viral RNAs. The untemplated addition of a few uridines at the 3' end of a transcript can have a decisive impact on RNA's fate. In rare instances, uridylation is an intrinsic step in the maturation of noncoding RNAs like for the U6 spliceosomal RNA or mitochondrial guide RNAs in trypanosomes. Uridylation can also switch specific miRNA precursors from a degradative to a processing mode. This switch depends on the number of uridines added which is regulated by the cellular context. Yet, the typical consequence of uridylation on mature noncoding RNAs or their precursors is to accelerate decay. Importantly, mRNAs are also tagged by uridylation. In fact, the advent of novel high throughput sequencing protocols has recently revealed the pervasiveness of mRNA uridylation, from plants to humans. As for noncoding RNAs, the main function to date for mRNA uridylation is to promote degradation. Yet, additional roles begin to be ascribed to U-tailing such as the control of mRNA deadenylation, translation control and possibly storage. All these new findings illustrate that we are just beginning to appreciate the diversity of roles played by RNA uridylation and its full temporal and spatial implication in regulating gene expression. WIREs RNA 2018, 9:e1440. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1440 This article is categorized under: RNA Processing > 3' End Processing RNA Processing > RNA Editing and Modification RNA Turnover and Surveillance > Turnover/Surveillance Mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline De Almeida
- Institut de Biologie Moleculaire des Plantes (IBMP), CNRS, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Hélène Scheer
- Institut de Biologie Moleculaire des Plantes (IBMP), CNRS, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Hélène Zuber
- Institut de Biologie Moleculaire des Plantes (IBMP), CNRS, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Dominique Gagliardi
- Institut de Biologie Moleculaire des Plantes (IBMP), CNRS, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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