1
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Zhang J, Li H, Niswander LA. m 5C methylated lncRncr3-MeCP2 interaction restricts miR124a-initiated neurogenesis. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5136. [PMID: 38879605 PMCID: PMC11180186 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49368-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Coordination of neuronal differentiation with expansion of the neuroepithelial/neural progenitor cell (NEPC/NPC) pool is essential in early brain development. Our in vitro and in vivo studies identify independent and opposing roles for two neural-specific and differentially expressed non-coding RNAs derived from the same locus: the evolutionarily conserved lncRNA Rncr3 and the embedded microRNA miR124a-1. Rncr3 regulates NEPC/NPC proliferation and controls the biogenesis of miR124a, which determines neuronal differentiation. Rncr3 conserved exons 2/3 are cytosine methylated and bound by methyl-CpG binding protein MeCP2, which restricts expression of miR124a embedded in exon 4 to prevent premature neuronal differentiation, and to orchestrate proper brain growth. MeCP2 directly binds cytosine-methylated Rncr3 through previously unrecognized lysine residues and suppresses miR124a processing by recruiting PTBP1 to block access of DROSHA-DGCR8. Thus, miRNA processing is controlled by lncRNA m5C methylation along with the defined m5C epitranscriptomic RNA reader protein MeCP2 to coordinate brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhang
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA.
| | - Huili Li
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Lee A Niswander
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA.
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2
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Barylko B, Taylor CA, Wang J, Hedde PN, Chen Y, Hur KH, Binns DD, Brautigam CA, DeMartino GN, Mueller JD, Jameson DM, Albanesi JP. Analysis of Arc/Arg3.1 Oligomerization In Vitro and in Living Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6454. [PMID: 38928159 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126454] [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: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Arc (also known as Arg3.1) is an activity-dependent immediate early gene product enriched in neuronal dendrites. Arc plays essential roles in long-term potentiation, long-term depression, and synaptic scaling. Although its mechanisms of action in these forms of synaptic plasticity are not completely well established, the activities of Arc include the remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton, the facilitation of AMPA receptor (AMPAR) endocytosis, and the regulation of the transcription of AMPAR subunits. In addition, Arc has sequence and structural similarity to retroviral Gag proteins and self-associates into virus-like particles that encapsulate mRNA and perhaps other cargo for intercellular transport. Each of these activities is likely to be influenced by Arc's reversible self-association into multiple oligomeric species. Here, we used mass photometry to show that Arc exists predominantly as monomers, dimers, and trimers at approximately 20 nM concentration in vitro. Fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy revealed that Arc is almost exclusively present as low-order (monomer to tetramer) oligomers in the cytoplasm of living cells, over a 200 nM to 5 μM concentration range. We also confirmed that an α-helical segment in the N-terminal domain contains essential determinants of Arc's self-association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Barylko
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6001 Forest Park, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Clinton A Taylor
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6001 Forest Park, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jason Wang
- Department of Physiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6001 Forest Park, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Per Niklas Hedde
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, 651 Ilalo St., BSB 222, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
- Laboratory for Fluorescence Dynamics, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Yan Chen
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Kwang-Ho Hur
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Derk D Binns
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6001 Forest Park, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Chad A Brautigam
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6001 Forest Park, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - George N DeMartino
- Department of Physiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6001 Forest Park, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Joachim D Mueller
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - David M Jameson
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, 651 Ilalo St., BSB 222, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | - Joseph P Albanesi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6001 Forest Park, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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3
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Sirois CL, Guo Y, Li M, Wolkoff NE, Korabelnikov T, Sandoval S, Lee J, Shen M, Contractor A, Sousa AMM, Bhattacharyya A, Zhao X. CGG repeats in the human FMR1 gene regulate mRNA localization and cellular stress in developing neurons. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114330. [PMID: 38865241 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The human genome has many short tandem repeats, yet the normal functions of these repeats are unclear. The 5' untranslated region (UTR) of the fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMR1) gene contains polymorphic CGG repeats, the length of which has differing effects on FMR1 expression and human health, including the neurodevelopmental disorder fragile X syndrome. We deleted the CGG repeats in the FMR1 gene (0CGG) in human stem cells and examined the effects on differentiated neurons. 0CGG neurons have altered subcellular localization of FMR1 mRNA and protein, and differential expression of cellular stress proteins compared with neurons with normal repeats (31CGG). In addition, 0CGG neurons have altered responses to glucocorticoid receptor (GR) activation, including FMR1 mRNA localization, GR chaperone HSP90α expression, GR localization, and cellular stress protein levels. Therefore, the CGG repeats in the FMR1 gene are important for the homeostatic responses of neurons to stress signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carissa L Sirois
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Yu Guo
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Meng Li
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Natalie E Wolkoff
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Tomer Korabelnikov
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Soraya Sandoval
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Jiyoun Lee
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Minjie Shen
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Amaya Contractor
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Andre M M Sousa
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Anita Bhattacharyya
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Xinyu Zhao
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
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4
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De Pace R, Ghosh S, Ryan VH, Sohn M, Jarnik M, Rezvan Sangsari P, Morgan NY, Dale RK, Ward ME, Bonifacino JS. Messenger RNA transport on lysosomal vesicles maintains axonal mitochondrial homeostasis and prevents axonal degeneration. Nat Neurosci 2024; 27:1087-1102. [PMID: 38600167 PMCID: PMC11156585 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-024-01619-1] [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: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
In neurons, RNA granules are transported along the axon for local translation away from the soma. Recent studies indicate that some of this transport involves hitchhiking of RNA granules on lysosome-related vesicles. In the present study, we leveraged the ability to prevent transport of these vesicles into the axon by knockout of the lysosome-kinesin adaptor BLOC-one-related complex (BORC) to identify a subset of axonal mRNAs that depend on lysosome-related vesicles for transport. We found that BORC knockout causes depletion of a large group of axonal mRNAs mainly encoding ribosomal and mitochondrial/oxidative phosphorylation proteins. This depletion results in mitochondrial defects and eventually leads to axonal degeneration in human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived and mouse neurons. Pathway analyses of the depleted mRNAs revealed a mechanistic connection of BORC deficiency with common neurodegenerative disorders. These results demonstrate that mRNA transport on lysosome-related vesicles is critical for the maintenance of axonal homeostasis and that its failure causes axonal degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaella De Pace
- Neurosciences and Cellular and Structural Biology Division, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Saikat Ghosh
- Neurosciences and Cellular and Structural Biology Division, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Veronica H Ryan
- Neurogenetics Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mira Sohn
- Bioinformatics and Scientific Programming Core, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michal Jarnik
- Neurosciences and Cellular and Structural Biology Division, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Paniz Rezvan Sangsari
- Biomedical Engineering and Physical Science Shared Resource, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nicole Y Morgan
- Biomedical Engineering and Physical Science Shared Resource, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ryan K Dale
- Bioinformatics and Scientific Programming Core, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michael E Ward
- Neurogenetics Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Juan S Bonifacino
- Neurosciences and Cellular and Structural Biology Division, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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5
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Simon JJ, Fowler DM, Maly DJ. Multiplexed, multimodal profiling of the intracellular activity, interactions, and druggability of protein variants using LABEL-seq. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.19.590094. [PMID: 38659825 PMCID: PMC11042325 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.19.590094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Multiplexed assays of variant effect are powerful tools for assessing the impact of protein sequence variation, but are limited to measuring a single protein property and often rely on indirect readouts of intracellular protein function. Here, we developed LAbeling with Barcodes and Enrichment for biochemicaL analysis by sequencing (LABEL-seq), a platform for the multimodal profiling of thousands of protein variants in cultured human cells. Multimodal measurement of ~20,000 variant effects for ~1,600 BRaf variants using LABEL-seq revealed that variation at positions that are frequently mutated in cancer had minimal effects on folding and intracellular abundance but could dramatically alter activity, protein-protein interactions, and druggability. Integrative analysis of our multimodal measurements identified networks of positions with similar roles in regulating BRaf's signaling properties and enabled predictive modeling of variant effects on complex processes such as cell proliferation and small molecule-promoted degradation. LABEL-seq provides a scalable approach for the direct measurement of multiple biochemical effects of protein variants in their native cellular context, yielding insight into protein function, disease mechanisms, and druggability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica J Simon
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Douglas M Fowler
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Co-corresponding authors: ,
| | - Dustin J Maly
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Co-corresponding authors: ,
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6
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Jia HY, Zhang XY, Ye BC, Yin BC. An Orthogonal CRISPR/dCas12a System for RNA Imaging in Live Cells. Anal Chem 2024; 96:5913-5921. [PMID: 38563119 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c05975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas technology has made great progress in the field of live-cell imaging beyond genome editing. However, effective and easy-to-use CRISPR systems for labeling multiple RNAs of interest are still needed. Here, we engineered a CRISPR/dCas12a system that enables the specific recognition of the target RNA under the guidance of a PAM-presenting oligonucleotide (PAMmer) to mimic the PAM recognition mechanism for DNA substrates. We demonstrated the feasibility and specificity of this system for specifically visualizing endogenous mRNA. By leveraging dCas12a-mediated precursor CRISPR RNA (pre-crRNA) processing and the orthogonality of dCas12a from different bacteria, we further demonstrated the proposed system as a simple and versatile molecular toolkit for multiplexed imaging of different types of RNA transcripts in live cells with high specificity. This programmable dCas12a system not only broadens the RNA imaging toolbox but also facilitates diverse applications for RNA manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Yan Jia
- Lab of Biosystem and Microanalysis, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing Technology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xin-Yue Zhang
- Lab of Biosystem and Microanalysis, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing Technology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Bang-Ce Ye
- Lab of Biosystem and Microanalysis, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing Technology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shihezi University, Xinjiang 832000, China
| | - Bin-Cheng Yin
- Lab of Biosystem and Microanalysis, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing Technology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shihezi University, Xinjiang 832000, China
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7
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Blake LA, Watkins L, Liu Y, Inoue T, Wu B. A rapid inducible RNA decay system reveals fast mRNA decay in P-bodies. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2720. [PMID: 38548718 PMCID: PMC10979015 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46943-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
RNA decay is vital for regulating mRNA abundance and gene expression. Existing technologies lack the spatiotemporal precision or transcript specificity to capture the stochastic and transient decay process. We devise a general strategy to inducibly recruit protein factors to modulate target RNA metabolism. Specifically, we introduce a Rapid Inducible Decay of RNA (RIDR) technology to degrade target mRNAs within minutes. The fast and synchronous induction enables direct visualization of mRNA decay dynamics in cells. Applying RIDR to endogenous ACTB mRNA reveals rapid formation and dissolution of RNA granules in pre-existing P-bodies. Time-resolved RNA distribution measurements demonstrate rapid RNA decay inside P-bodies, which is further supported by knocking down P-body constituent proteins. Light and oxidative stress modulate P-body behavior, potentially reconciling the contradictory literature about P-body function. This study reveals compartmentalized RNA decay kinetics, establishing RIDR as a pivotal tool for exploring the spatiotemporal RNA metabolism in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A Blake
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- The Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Leslie Watkins
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- The Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- The Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Takanari Inoue
- The Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Bin Wu
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- The Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- The Solomon H Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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8
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Pham TG, Wu J. Recent advances in methods for live-cell RNA imaging. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:5537-5545. [PMID: 38414383 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr00129j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
As one of the most fundamental building blocks of life, RNA plays critical roles in diverse biological processes, from X chromosome inactivation, genome stability maintenance, to embryo development. Being able to visualize the localization and dynamics of RNA can provide critical insights into these fundamental processes. In this review, we provide an overview of current methods for live-cell RNA imaging with a focus on methods for visualizing RNA in living mammalian cells with single-molecule resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tien G Pham
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA.
| | - Jiahui Wu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA.
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9
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Holland KL, Plutkis SE, Daugird TA, Sau A, Grimm JB, English BP, Zheng Q, Dave S, Rahman F, Xie L, Dong P, Tkachuk AN, Brown TA, Singer RH, Liu Z, Galbraith CG, Musser SM, Legant WR, Lavis LD. A series of spontaneously blinking dyes for super-resolution microscopy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.23.581625. [PMID: 38766149 PMCID: PMC11101128 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.23.581625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Spontaneously blinking fluorophores permit the detection and localization of individual molecules without reducing buffers or caging groups, thus simplifying single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM). The intrinsic blinking properties of such dyes are dictated by molecular structure and modulated by environment, which can limit utility. We report a series of tuned spontaneously blinking dyes with duty cycles that span two orders of magnitude, allowing facile SMLM in cells and dense biomolecular structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie L. Holland
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Sarah E. Plutkis
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Timothy A. Daugird
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Medical School, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Abhishek Sau
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Texas A&M University, School of Medicine, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Jonathan B. Grimm
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Brian P. English
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Qinsi Zheng
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Sandeep Dave
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Texas A&M University, School of Medicine, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Fariha Rahman
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Liangqi Xie
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Peng Dong
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Ariana N. Tkachuk
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Timothy A. Brown
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Robert H. Singer
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Zhe Liu
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Catherine G. Galbraith
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Siegfried M. Musser
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Texas A&M University, School of Medicine, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Wesley R. Legant
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Medical School, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Luke D. Lavis
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
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10
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Tang AA, Afasizheva A, Cano CT, Plath K, Black D, Franco E. Optimization of RNA Pepper Sensors for the Detection of Arbitrary RNA Targets. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:498-508. [PMID: 38295291 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
The development of fluorescent light-up RNA aptamers (FLAPs) has paved the way for the creation of sensors to track RNA in live cells. A major challenge with FLAP sensors is their brightness and limited signal-to-background ratio both in vivo and in vitro. To address this, we develop sensors using the Pepper aptamer, which exhibits superior brightness and photostability when compared to other FLAPs. The sensors are designed to fold into a low fluorescence conformation and to switch to a high fluorescence conformation through toehold or loop-mediated interactions with their RNA target. Our sensors detect RNA targets as short as 20 nucleotides in length with a wide dynamic range over 300-fold in vitro, and we describe strategies for optimizing the sensor's performance for any given RNA target. To demonstrate the versatility of our design approach, we generated Pepper sensors for a range of specific, biologically relevant RNA sequences. Our design and optimization strategies are portable to other FLAPs and offer a promising foundation for future development of RNA sensors with high specificity and sensitivity for detecting RNA biomarkers with multiple applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anli A Tang
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Anna Afasizheva
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Clara T Cano
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Kathrin Plath
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Brain Research Institute, Graduate Program in the Biosciences, Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Douglas Black
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Brain Research Institute, Graduate Program in the Biosciences, Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Elisa Franco
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
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11
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Sarfraz N, Shafik LK, Stickelman ZR, Shankar U, Moscoso E, Braselmann E. Evaluating Riboglow-FLIM probes for RNA sensing. RSC Chem Biol 2024; 5:109-116. [PMID: 38333191 PMCID: PMC10849122 DOI: 10.1039/d3cb00197k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
We recently developed Riboglow-FLIM, where we genetically tag and track RNA molecules in live cells through measuring the fluorescence lifetime of a small molecule probe that binds the RNA tag. Here, we systematically and quantitatively evaluated key elements of Riboglow-FLIM that may serve as the foundation for Riboglow-FLIM applications and further tool development efforts. Our investigation focused on measuring changes in fluorescence lifetime of representative Riboglow-FLIM probes with different linkers and fluorophores in different environments. In vitro measurements revealed distinct lifetime differences among the probe variants as a result of different linker designs and fluorophore selections. To expand on the platform's versatility, probes in a wide variety of mammalian cell types were examined using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), and possible effects on cell physiology were evaluated by metabolomics. The results demonstrated that variations in lifetime were dependent on both probe and cell type. Interestingly, distinct differences in lifetime values were observed between cell lines, while no overall change in cell health was measured. These findings underscore the importance of probe selection and cellular environment when employing Riboglow-FLIM for RNA detection, serving as a foundation for future tool development and applications across diverse fields and biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Sarfraz
- Department of Chemistry, Georgetown University Washington District of Columbia USA
| | - Luke K Shafik
- Department of Chemistry, Georgetown University Washington District of Columbia USA
| | - Zachary R Stickelman
- Department of Chemistry, Georgetown University Washington District of Columbia USA
| | - Uma Shankar
- Department of Chemistry, Georgetown University Washington District of Columbia USA
| | - Emilia Moscoso
- Department of Chemistry, Georgetown University Washington District of Columbia USA
| | - Esther Braselmann
- Department of Chemistry, Georgetown University Washington District of Columbia USA
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12
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Eck E, Moretti B, Schlomann BH, Bragantini J, Lange M, Zhao X, VijayKumar S, Valentin G, Loureiro C, Soroldoni D, Royer LA, Oates AC, Garcia HG. Single-cell transcriptional dynamics in a living vertebrate. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.03.574108. [PMID: 38260569 PMCID: PMC10802376 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.03.574108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
The ability to quantify transcriptional dynamics in individual cells via live imaging has revolutionized our understanding of gene regulation. However, such measurements are lacking in the context of vertebrate embryos. We addressed this deficit by applying MS2-MCP mRNA labeling to the quantification of transcription in zebrafish, a model vertebrate. We developed a platform of transgenic organisms, light sheet fluorescence microscopy, and optimized image analysis that enables visualization and quantification of MS2 reporters. We used these tools to obtain the first single-cell, real-time measurements of transcriptional dynamics of the segmentation clock. Our measurements challenge the traditional view of smooth clock oscillations and instead suggest a model of discrete transcriptional bursts that are organized in space and time. Together, these results highlight how measuring single-cell transcriptional activity can reveal unexpected features of gene regulation and how this data can fuel the dialogue between theory and experiment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Eck
- Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, USA
| | - Bruno Moretti
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub – San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Brandon H. Schlomann
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | | | - Merlin Lange
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub – San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Xiang Zhao
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub – San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Loïc A. Royer
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub – San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Andrew C. Oates
- Institute of Bioengineering, EPFL; Lausanne, CH
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, UCL; London, UK
- The Francis Crick Institute; London, UK
| | - Hernan G. Garcia
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Institute for Quantitative Biosciences-QB3, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub – San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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13
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Westerich KJ, Tarbashevich K, Schick J, Gupta A, Zhu M, Hull K, Romo D, Zeuschner D, Goudarzi M, Gross-Thebing T, Raz E. Spatial organization and function of RNA molecules within phase-separated condensates in zebrafish are controlled by Dnd1. Dev Cell 2023; 58:1578-1592.e5. [PMID: 37463577 PMCID: PMC10528888 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Germ granules, condensates of phase-separated RNA and protein, are organelles that are essential for germline development in different organisms. The patterning of the granules and their relevance for germ cell fate are not fully understood. Combining three-dimensional in vivo structural and functional analyses, we study the dynamic spatial organization of molecules within zebrafish germ granules. We find that the localization of RNA molecules to the periphery of the granules, where ribosomes are localized, depends on translational activity at this location. In addition, we find that the vertebrate-specific Dead end (Dnd1) protein is essential for nanos3 RNA localization at the condensates' periphery. Accordingly, in the absence of Dnd1, or when translation is inhibited, nanos3 RNA translocates into the granule interior, away from the ribosomes, a process that is correlated with the loss of germ cell fate. These findings highlight the relevance of sub-granule compartmentalization for post-transcriptional control and its importance for preserving germ cell totipotency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Joana Westerich
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Katsiaryna Tarbashevich
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Jan Schick
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Antra Gupta
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Mingzhao Zhu
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and The Baylor Synthesis and Drug-Lead Discovery Laboratory, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA
| | - Kenneth Hull
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and The Baylor Synthesis and Drug-Lead Discovery Laboratory, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA
| | - Daniel Romo
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and The Baylor Synthesis and Drug-Lead Discovery Laboratory, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA
| | - Dagmar Zeuschner
- Electron Microscopy Facility, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Mohammad Goudarzi
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Theresa Gross-Thebing
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Erez Raz
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, 48149 Münster, Germany.
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14
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Latallo MJ, Wang S, Dong D, Nelson B, Livingston NM, Wu R, Zhao N, Stasevich TJ, Bassik MC, Sun S, Wu B. Single-molecule imaging reveals distinct elongation and frameshifting dynamics between frames of expanded RNA repeats in C9ORF72-ALS/FTD. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5581. [PMID: 37696852 PMCID: PMC10495369 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41339-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
C9ORF72 hexanucleotide repeat expansion is the most common genetic cause of both amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). One pathogenic mechanism is the accumulation of toxic dipeptide repeat (DPR) proteins like poly-GA, GP and GR, produced by the noncanonical translation of the expanded RNA repeats. However, how different DPRs are synthesized remains elusive. Here, we use single-molecule imaging techniques to directly measure the translation dynamics of different DPRs. Besides initiation, translation elongation rates vary drastically between different frames, with GP slower than GA and GR the slowest. We directly visualize frameshift events using a two-color single-molecule translation assay. The repeat expansion enhances frameshifting, but the overall frequency is low. There is a higher chance of GR-to-GA shift than in the reversed direction. Finally, the ribosome-associated protein quality control (RQC) factors ZNF598 and Pelota modulate the translation dynamics, and the repeat RNA sequence is important for invoking the RQC pathway. This study reveals that multiple translation steps modulate the final DPR production. Understanding repeat RNA translation is critically important to decipher the DPR-mediated pathogenesis and identify potential therapeutic targets in C9ORF72-ALS/FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malgorzata J Latallo
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Shaopeng Wang
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Daoyuan Dong
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Blake Nelson
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Nathan M Livingston
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Rong Wu
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Ning Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Timothy J Stasevich
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Michael C Bassik
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Shuying Sun
- Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Bin Wu
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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15
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Westerich KJ, Tarbashevich K, Schick J, Gupta A, Zhu M, Hull K, Romo D, Zeuschner D, Goudarzi M, Gross-Thebing T, Raz E. Spatial organization and function of RNA molecules within phase-separated condensates are controlled by Dnd1. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.09.548244. [PMID: 37461638 PMCID: PMC10350045 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.09.548244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Germ granules, condensates of phase-separated RNA and protein, are organelles essential for germline development in different organisms The patterning of the granules and its relevance for germ cell fate are not fully understood. Combining three-dimensional in vivo structural and functional analyses, we study the dynamic spatial organization of molecules within zebrafish germ granules. We find that localization of RNA molecules to the periphery of the granules, where ribosomes are localized depends on translational activity at this location. In addition, we find that the vertebrate-specific Dead end (Dnd1) protein is essential for nanos3 RNA localization at the condensates' periphery. Accordingly, in the absence of Dnd1, or when translation is inhibited, nanos3 RNA translocates into the granule interior, away from the ribosomes, a process that is correlated with loss of germ cell fate. These findings highlight the relevance of sub-granule compartmentalization for posttranscriptional control, and its importance for preserving germ cell totipotency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Joana Westerich
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster; 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Katsiaryna Tarbashevich
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster; 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Jan Schick
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster; 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Antra Gupta
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster; 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Mingzhao Zhu
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and The Baylor Synthesis and Drug-Lead Discovery Laboratory, Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76706, United States
| | - Kenneth Hull
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and The Baylor Synthesis and Drug-Lead Discovery Laboratory, Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76706, United States
| | - Daniel Romo
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and The Baylor Synthesis and Drug-Lead Discovery Laboratory, Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76706, United States
| | - Dagmar Zeuschner
- Electron Microscopy Facility, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Mohammad Goudarzi
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster; 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Theresa Gross-Thebing
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster; 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Erez Raz
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster; 48149 Münster, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, 48149 Münster, Germany
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16
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Livingston NM, Kwon J, Valera O, Saba JA, Sinha NK, Reddy P, Nelson B, Wolfe C, Ha T, Green R, Liu J, Wu B. Bursting translation on single mRNAs in live cells. Mol Cell 2023; 83:2276-2289.e11. [PMID: 37329884 PMCID: PMC10330622 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Stochasticity has emerged as a mechanism of gene regulation. Much of this so-called "noise" has been attributed to bursting transcription. Although bursting transcription has been studied extensively, the role of stochasticity in translation has not been fully investigated due to the lack of enabling imaging technology. In this study, we developed techniques to track single mRNAs and their translation in live cells for hours, allowing the measurement of previously uncharacterized translation dynamics. We applied genetic and pharmacological perturbations to control translation kinetics and found that, like transcription, translation is not a constitutive process but instead cycles between inactive and active states, or "bursts." However, unlike transcription, which is largely frequency-modulated, complex structures in the 5'-untranslated region alter burst amplitudes. Bursting frequency can be controlled through cap-proximal sequences and trans-acting factors such as eIF4F. We coupled single-molecule imaging with stochastic modeling to quantitatively determine the kinetic parameters of translational bursting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan M Livingston
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jiwoong Kwon
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Oliver Valera
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - James A Saba
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Niladri K Sinha
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Pranav Reddy
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Blake Nelson
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Clara Wolfe
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Taekjip Ha
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
| | - Rachel Green
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
| | - Jian Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Bin Wu
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Solomon H Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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17
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Zhang YP, Wang ZG, Tian YF, Jiang LH, Zhao L, Kong DM, Li X, Pang DW, Liu SL. In Situ Self-Assembly of Fluorogenic RNA Nanozipper Enables Real-Time Imaging of Single Viral mRNA Translation. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202217230. [PMID: 37082873 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202217230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Real-time visualization of individual viral mRNA translation activities in live cells is essential to obtain critical details of viral mRNA dynamics and to detect its transient responses to environmental stress. Fluorogenic RNA aptamers are powerful tools for real-time imaging of mRNA in live cells, but monitoring the translation activity of individual mRNAs remains a challenge due to their intrinsic photophysical properties. Here, we develop a genetically encoded turn-on 3,5-difluoro-4-hydroxybenzylidene imidazolinone (DFHBI)-binding RNA nanozipper with superior brightness and high photostability by in situ self-assembly of multiple nanozippers along single mRNAs. The nanozipper enables real-time imaging of the mobility and dynamic translation of individual viral mRNAs in live cells, providing information on the spatial dynamics and translational elongation rate of viral mRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Peng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, and School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, P. R. China
| | - Zhi-Gang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, and School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, P. R. China
| | - Yi-Fan Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, and School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, P. R. China
| | - Lin-Han Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, and School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, P. R. China
| | - Liang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, and School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, P. R. China
| | - De-Ming Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, and School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, P. R. China
| | - Xing Li
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Dai-Wen Pang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, and School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, P. R. China
- Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, Tianjin, 300192, China
| | - Shu-Lin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, and School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, P. R. China
- Engineering Research Center of Nano Geomaterials of Ministry of Education, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, P. R. China
- Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, Tianjin, 300192, China
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18
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Blake LA, Liu Y, Inoue T, Wu B. A Rapid Inducible RNA Decay system reveals fast mRNA decay in P-bodies. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.26.538452. [PMID: 37162943 PMCID: PMC10168379 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.26.538452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
RNA decay plays a crucial role in regulating mRNA abundance and gene expression. Modulation of RNA degradation is imperative to investigate an RNA's function. However, information regarding where and how RNA decay occurs remains scarce, partially because existing technologies fail to initiate RNA decay with the spatiotemporal precision or transcript specificity required to capture this stochastic and transient process. Here, we devised a general method that employs inducible tethering of regulatory protein factors to target RNAs and modulate their metabolism. Specifically, we established a Rapid Inducible Decay of RNA (RIDR) technology to degrade target mRNA within minutes. The fast and synchronous induction enabled direct visualization of mRNA decay dynamics in cells with spatiotemporal precision previously unattainable. When applying RIDR to endogenous ACTB mRNA, we observed rapid formation and disappearance of RNA granules, which coincided with pre-existing processing bodies (P-bodies). We measured the time-resolved RNA distribution in P-bodies and cytoplasm after induction, and compared different models of P-body function. We determined that mRNAs rapidly decayed in P-bodies upon induction. Additionally, we validated the functional role of P-bodies by knocking down specific a P-body constituent protein and RNA degradation enzyme. This study determined compartmentalized RNA decay kinetics for the first time. Together, RIDR provides a valuable and generalizable tool to study the spatial and temporal RNA metabolism in cells.
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19
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Hu Y, Xu J, Gao E, Fan X, Wei J, Ye B, Xu S, Ma W. Enhanced single RNA imaging reveals dynamic gene expression in live animals. eLife 2023; 12:82178. [PMID: 36867026 PMCID: PMC10032653 DOI: 10.7554/elife.82178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Imaging endogenous mRNAs in live animals is technically challenging. Here, we describe an MS2-based signal amplification with the Suntag system that enables live-cell RNA imaging of high temporal resolution and with 8xMS2 stem-loops, which overcomes the obstacle of inserting a 1300 nt 24xMS2 into the genome for the imaging of endogenous mRNAs. Using this tool, we were able to image the activation of gene expression and the dynamics of endogenous mRNAs in the epidermis of live C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yucen Hu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jingxiu Xu
- International Biomedicine-X research center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Erqing Gao
- International Biomedicine-X research center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xueyuan Fan
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jieli Wei
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bingcheng Ye
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Suhong Xu
- International Biomedicine-X research center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine and Department of Burn and wound repair of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weirui Ma
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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20
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Zhang L, Si Q, Yang K, Zhang W, Okita TW, Tian L. mRNA Localization to the Endoplasmic Reticulum in Plant Endosperm Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13511. [PMID: 36362297 PMCID: PMC9656906 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Subcellular mRNA localization is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism to spatially and temporally drive local translation and, in turn, protein targeting. Hence, this mechanism achieves precise control of gene expression and establishes functional and structural networks during cell growth and development as well as during stimuli response. Since its discovery in ascidian eggs, mRNA localization has been extensively studied in animal and yeast cells. Although our knowledge of subcellular mRNA localization in plant cells lags considerably behind other biological systems, mRNA localization to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) has also been well established since its discovery in cereal endosperm cells in the early 1990s. Storage protein mRNA targeting to distinct subdomains of the ER determines efficient accumulation of the corresponding proteins in different endosomal storage sites and, in turn, underlies storage organelle biogenesis in cereal grains. The targeting process requires the presence of RNA localization elements, also called zipcodes, and specific RNA-binding proteins that recognize and bind these zipcodes and recruit other factors to mediate active transport. Here, we review the current knowledge of the mechanisms and functions of mRNA localization to the ER in plant cells and address directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laining Zhang
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Efficient and Green Production of Agriculture in Mountainous Areas of Zhejiang Province, College of Horticulture Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 310007, China
| | - Qidong Si
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Efficient and Green Production of Agriculture in Mountainous Areas of Zhejiang Province, College of Horticulture Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 310007, China
| | - Kejie Yang
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Efficient and Green Production of Agriculture in Mountainous Areas of Zhejiang Province, College of Horticulture Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 310007, China
| | - Wenwei Zhang
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Efficient and Green Production of Agriculture in Mountainous Areas of Zhejiang Province, College of Horticulture Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 310007, China
| | - Thomas W. Okita
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Li Tian
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Efficient and Green Production of Agriculture in Mountainous Areas of Zhejiang Province, College of Horticulture Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 310007, China
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21
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Fu Y, Liu Y, Wen T, Fang J, Chen Y, Zhou Z, Gu X, Wu H, Sheng J, Xu Z, Zou W, Chen B. Real-time imaging of RNA polymerase I activity in living human cells. J Biophys Biochem Cytol 2022; 222:213608. [PMID: 36282216 PMCID: PMC9606689 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202202110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA polymerase I (Pol I) synthesizes about 60% of cellular RNA by transcribing multiple copies of the ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA). The transcriptional activity of Pol I controls the level of ribosome biogenesis and cell growth. However, there is currently a lack of methods for monitoring Pol I activity in real time. Here, we develop LiveArt (live imaging-based analysis of rDNA transcription) to visualize and quantify the spatiotemporal dynamics of endogenous ribosomal RNA (rRNA) synthesis. LiveArt reveals mitotic silencing and reactivation of rDNA transcription, as well as the transcriptional kinetics of interphase rDNA. Using LiveArt, we identify SRFBP1 as a potential regulator of rRNA synthesis. We show that rDNA transcription occurs in bursts and can be altered by modulating burst duration and amplitude. Importantly, LiveArt is highly effective in the screening application for anticancer drugs targeting Pol I transcription. These approaches pave the way for a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying nucleolar functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujuan Fu
- Department of Cell Biology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China,Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yaxin Liu
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, and Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tanye Wen
- Department of Cell Biology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jie Fang
- Department of Cell Biology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China,Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yalong Chen
- Department of Cell Biology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ziying Zhou
- Department of Cell Biology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinyi Gu
- Department of Cell Biology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Cell Biology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jinghao Sheng
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, and Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhengping Xu
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China,Institute of Environmental Medicine, and Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wei Zou
- The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China,Insititute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China,Wei Zou:
| | - Baohui Chen
- Department of Cell Biology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China,Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China,Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University and Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunotherapy, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Genetic & Developmental Disorders, Hangzhou, China,Correspondence to Baohui Chen:
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22
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Cheng S, Altmeppen G, So C, Welp LM, Penir S, Ruhwedel T, Menelaou K, Harasimov K, Stützer A, Blayney M, Elder K, Möbius W, Urlaub H, Schuh M. Mammalian oocytes store mRNAs in a mitochondria-associated membraneless compartment. Science 2022; 378:eabq4835. [PMID: 36264786 DOI: 10.1126/science.abq4835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Full-grown oocytes are transcriptionally silent and must stably maintain the messenger RNAs (mRNAs) needed for oocyte meiotic maturation and early embryonic development. However, where and how mammalian oocytes store maternal mRNAs is unclear. Here, we report that mammalian oocytes accumulate mRNAs in a mitochondria-associated ribonucleoprotein domain (MARDO). MARDO assembly around mitochondria was promoted by the RNA-binding protein ZAR1 and directed by an increase in mitochondrial membrane potential during oocyte growth. MARDO foci coalesced into hydrogel-like matrices that clustered mitochondria. Maternal mRNAs stored in the MARDO were translationally repressed. Loss of ZAR1 disrupted the MARDO, dispersed mitochondria, and caused a premature loss of MARDO-localized mRNAs. Thus, a mitochondria-associated membraneless compartment controls mitochondrial distribution and regulates maternal mRNA storage, translation, and decay to ensure fertility in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiya Cheng
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gerrit Altmeppen
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Chun So
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Luisa M Welp
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Group, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sarah Penir
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Torben Ruhwedel
- Electron Microscopy City Campus, Department of Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Katerina Menelaou
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany.,Bourn Hall Clinic, Cambridge, UK
| | - Katarina Harasimov
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alexandra Stützer
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Group, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | | | - Wiebke Möbius
- Electron Microscopy City Campus, Department of Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence "Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells" (MBExC), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Henning Urlaub
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Group, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany.,Bioanalytics Group, Institute for Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Melina Schuh
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence "Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells" (MBExC), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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23
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Guo Y, Kowalczyk GJ, Lee REC. Label and quantify mRNA molecules in live cell experiments using SunRISER and dNEMO. STAR Protoc 2022; 3:101630. [PMID: 36035802 PMCID: PMC9405536 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101630] [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: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Visualization of mRNA molecules in single cells has revealed their core mechanisms as well as sources of cell-to-cell and spatiotemporal heterogeneity. Here, we describe a protocol to label, visualize, and quantify mRNA molecules by time-lapse imaging with the capability of resolving mRNA molecules over durations of hours to days. We provide links to mRNA-labeling plasmids as well as free software for a semi-automated image analysis pipeline. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Guo and Lee (2022) and Kowalczyk et al. (2021). SunRISER is a toolbox optimized for single mRNA live-cell imaging experiments Rapid detection of labeled single mRNA molecules in fluorescence microscopy images Automated single-cell segmentation and mRNA quantification
Publisher’s note: Undertaking any experimental protocol requires adherence to local institutional guidelines for laboratory safety and ethics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Guo
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
| | - Gabriel J Kowalczyk
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Robin E C Lee
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA; Center for Systems Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
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24
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Lu Q, Hu Y, Yin Li C, Kuang Y. Aptamer‐Array‐Guided Protein Assembly Enhances Synthetic mRNA Switch Performance. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202207319. [PMID: 35703374 PMCID: PMC9544043 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202207319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic messenger RNA (mRNA) switches are powerful synthetic biological tools that can sense cellular molecules to manipulate cell fate. However, their performances are limited by high output signal noise due to leaky output protein expression. Here, we designed a readout control module that disables protein leakage from generating signal. Aptamer array on the switch guides the inactive output protein to self‐assemble into functional assemblies that generate output signal. Leaky protein expression fails to saturate the array, thus produces marginal signal. In this study, we demonstrated that switches with this module exhibit substantially lower signal noise and, consequently, higher input sensitivity and wider output range. Such switches are applicable for different types of input molecules and output proteins. The work here demonstrates a new type of spatially guided protein self‐assembly, affording novel synthetic mRNA switches that promise accurate cell manipulation for biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyu Lu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Hong Kong
| | - Yaxin Hu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Hong Kong
| | - Cheuk Yin Li
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Hong Kong
| | - Yi Kuang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Hong Kong
- HKUST Shenzhen Research Institute Shenzhen Guangdong China
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25
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Lyu P, Lu B. New Advances in Using Virus-like Particles and Related Technologies for Eukaryotic Genome Editing Delivery. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23158750. [PMID: 35955895 PMCID: PMC9369418 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The designer nucleases, including Zinc Finger Nuclease (ZFN), Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nuclease (TALEN), and Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/CRISPR-associated (CRISPR/Cas), have been widely used for mechanistic studies, animal model generation, and gene therapy development. Clinical trials using designer nucleases to treat genetic diseases or cancers are showing promising results. Despite rapid progress, potential off-targets and host immune responses are challenges to be addressed for in vivo uses, especially in clinical applications. Short-term expression of the designer nucleases is necessary to reduce both risks. Currently, delivery methods enabling transient expression of designer nucleases are being pursued. Among these, virus-like particles as delivery vehicles for short-term designer nuclease expression have received much attention. This review will summarize recent developments in using virus-like particles (VLPs) for safe delivery of gene editing effectors to complement our last review on the same topic. First, we introduce some background information on how VLPs can be used for safe and efficient CRISPR/Cas9 delivery. Then, we summarize recently developed virus-like particles as genome editing vehicles. Finally, we discuss applications and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pin Lyu
- School of Physical Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Baisong Lu
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-336-713-7276; Fax: +1-336-713-7290
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26
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Cohen B, Altman T, Golani-Armon A, Savulescu AF, Ibraheem A, Mhlanga MM, Perlson E, Arava YS. The nuclear encoded Cox7c mRNA co-transport with mitochondria along axons via coding-region dependent mechanism. J Cell Sci 2022; 135:276008. [PMID: 35833493 PMCID: PMC9481926 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.259436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Nuclear-encoded mitochondrial protein mRNAs have been found to be localized and locally translated within neuronal processes. However, the mechanism of transport for those mRNAs to distal locations is not fully understood. Here, we describe axonal co-transport of Cox7c with mitochondria. Fractionation analysis and single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization (smFISH) assay revealed that endogenous mRNA encoding Cox7c was preferentially associated with mitochondria in a mouse neuronal cell line and within mouse primary motor neuron axons, whereas other mRNAs that do not encode mitochondrial protein were much less associated. Live-cell imaging of MS2-tagged Cox7c mRNA further confirmed the preferential colocalization and co-transport of Cox7c mRNA with mitochondria in motor neuron axons. Intriguingly, the coding region, rather than the 3′ untranslated region (UTR), was the key domain for the co-transport. Our results reveal that Cox7c mRNA can be transported with mitochondria along significant distances and that its coding region is a major recognition feature. This is consistent with the idea that mitochondria can play a vital role in spatial regulation of the axonal transcriptome at distant neuronal sites. Summary: Biochemical and live imaging analyses show that in mouse axons, Cox7c mRNA is associated and transported with mitochondria. Mutational analysis identifies mRNA domains essential for co-transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bar Cohen
- Faculty of Biology, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Israel
| | - Topaz Altman
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Adi Golani-Armon
- Faculty of Biology, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Israel.,Faculty of Nanosciences and Nanoengineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Israel
| | - Anca F Savulescu
- Division of Chemical, Systems & Synthetic Biology, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Infectious Disease & Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Amjd Ibraheem
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Musa M Mhlanga
- Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands.,Epigenomics & Single Cell Biophysics Group, Department of Cell Biology, FNWI, Radboud University, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands.,Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Eran Perlson
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Yoav S Arava
- Faculty of Biology, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Israel
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27
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Sun P, Zou W. Research progress of live-cell RNA imaging techniques. Zhejiang Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban 2022; 51:362-372. [PMID: 36207827 PMCID: PMC9511491 DOI: 10.3724/zdxbyxb-2022-0017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
RNA molecules play diverse roles in many physiological and pathological processes as they interact with various nucleic acids and proteins. The various biological processes of RNA are highly dynamic. Tracking RNA dynamics in living cells is crucial for a better understanding of the spatiotemporal control of gene expression and the regulatory roles of RNA. Genetically encoded RNA-tagging systems include MS2/MCP, PP7/PCP, boxB/λN22 and CRISPR-Cas. The MS2/MCP system is the most widely applied, and it has the advantages of stable binding and high signal-to-noise ratio, while the realization of RNA imaging requires gene editing of the target RNA, which may change the characteristics of the target RNA. Recently developed CRISPR-dCas13 system does not require RNA modification, but the uncertainty in CRISPR RNA (crRNA) efficiency and low signal-to-noise ratio are its limitations. Fluorescent dye-based RNA-tagging systems include molecular beacons and fluorophore-binding aptamers. The molecular beacons have high specificity and high signal-to-noise ratio; Mango and Peppers outperform the other RNA-tagging system in signal-to-noise, but they also need gene editing. Live-cell RNA imaging allows us to visualize critical steps of RNA activities, including transcription, splicing, transport, translation (for message RNA only) and subcellular localization. It will contribute to studying biological processes such as cell differentiation and the transcriptional regulation mechanism when cells adapt to the external environment, and it improves our understanding of the pathogenic mechanism of various diseases caused by abnormal RNA behavior and helps to find potential therapeutic targets. This review provides an overview of current progress of live-cell RNA imaging techniques and highlights their major strengths and limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pingping Sun
- 1. The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu 322000, Zhejiang Province, China
- 2. Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Wei Zou
- 1. The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu 322000, Zhejiang Province, China
- 2. Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
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28
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Guo Y, Lee RE. Long-term imaging of individual mRNA molecules in living cells. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2022; 2:100226. [PMID: 35784652 PMCID: PMC9243547 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2022.100226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Single-cell imaging of individual mRNAs has revealed core mechanisms of the central dogma. However, most approaches require cell fixation or have limited sensitivity for live-cell applications. Here, we describe SunRISER (SunTag-based reporter for imaging signal-enriched mRNA), a computationally and experimentally optimized approach for unambiguous detection of single mRNA molecules in living cells. When viewed by epifluorescence microscopy, SunRISER-labeled mRNAs show strong signal to background and resistance to photobleaching, which together enable long-term mRNA imaging studies. SunRISER variants, using 8× and 10× stem-loop arrays, demonstrate effective mRNA detection while significantly reducing alterations to target mRNA sequences. We characterize SunRISER to observe mRNA inheritance during mitosis and find that stressors enhance diversity among post-mitotic sister cells. Taken together, SunRISER enables a glimpse into living cells to observe aspects of the central dogma and the role of mRNAs in rare and dynamical trafficking events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Guo
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Robin E.C. Lee
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Center for Systems Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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29
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Lu Q, Hu Y, Li CY, Kuang Y. Aptamer‐Array‐Guided Protein Assembly Enhances Synthetic mRNA Switch Performance. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202207319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyu Lu
- Hong Kong University of Science and Technology School of Engineering Chemical and Biological Engineering HONG KONG
| | - Yaxin Hu
- Hong Kong University of Science and Technology School of Engineering Chemical and Biological Engineering HONG KONG
| | - Cheuk Yin Li
- Hong Kong University of Science and Technology School of Engineering Chemical and Biological Engineering HONG KONG
| | - Yi Kuang
- Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Chemical and Biological Engineering Room 5578, Academic Bldg,Clear Water Bay 000000 Kowloon HONG KONG
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30
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Cochard A, Garcia-Jove Navarro M, Piroska L, Kashida S, Kress M, Weil D, Gueroui Z. RNA at the surface of phase-separated condensates impacts their size and number. Biophys J 2022; 121:1675-1690. [PMID: 35364105 PMCID: PMC9117936 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.03.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
While it is now recognized that specific RNAs and protein families are critical for the biogenesis of ribonucleoprotein (RNP) condensates, how these molecular constituents determine condensate size and morphology is unknown. To circumvent the biochemical complexity of endogenous RNP condensates, the use of programmable tools to reconstitute condensate formation with minimal constituents can be instrumental. Here we report a methodology to form RNA-containing condensates in living cells programmed to specifically recruit a single RNA species. Our bioengineered condensates are made of ArtiGranule scaffolds composed of an orthogonal protein that can bind to a specific heterologously expressed RNA. These scaffolds undergo liquid-liquid phase separation in cells and can be chemically controlled to prevent condensation or to trigger condensate dissolution. We found that the targeted RNAs localize at the condensate surface, either as isolated RNA molecules or as a homogenous corona of RNA molecules around the condensate. The recruitment of RNA changes the material properties of condensates by hardening the condensate body. Moreover, the condensate size scales with RNA surface density; the higher the RNA density, the smaller and more frequent the condensates. These results suggest a mechanism based on physical constraints, provided by RNAs at the condensate surface, that limit condensate growth and coalescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Cochard
- PASTEUR, Department of Chemistry, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Marina Garcia-Jove Navarro
- PASTEUR, Department of Chemistry, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Leonard Piroska
- PASTEUR, Department of Chemistry, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Shunnichi Kashida
- PASTEUR, Department of Chemistry, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Michel Kress
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Dominique Weil
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement, F-75005 Paris, France.
| | - Zoher Gueroui
- PASTEUR, Department of Chemistry, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France.
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31
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Van de Vyver T, De Smedt SC, Raemdonck K. Modulating intracellular pathways to improve non-viral delivery of RNA therapeutics. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 181:114041. [PMID: 34763002 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.114041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
RNA therapeutics (e.g. siRNA, oligonucleotides, mRNA, etc.) show great potential for the treatment of a myriad of diseases. However, to reach their site of action in the cytosol or nucleus of target cells, multiple intra- and extracellular barriers have to be surmounted. Several non-viral delivery systems, such as nanoparticles and conjugates, have been successfully developed to meet this requirement. Unfortunately, despite these clear advances, state-of-the-art delivery agents still suffer from relatively low intracellular delivery efficiencies. Notably, our current understanding of the intracellular delivery process is largely oversimplified. Gaining mechanistic insight into how RNA formulations are processed by cells will fuel rational design of the next generation of delivery carriers. In addition, identifying which intracellular pathways contribute to productive RNA delivery could provide opportunities to boost the delivery performance of existing nanoformulations. In this review, we discuss both established as well as emerging techniques that can be used to assess the impact of different intracellular barriers on RNA transfection performance. Next, we highlight how several modulators, including small molecules but also genetic perturbation technologies, can boost RNA delivery by intervening at differing stages of the intracellular delivery process, such as cellular uptake, intracellular trafficking, endosomal escape, autophagy and exocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thijs Van de Vyver
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Stefaan C De Smedt
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Koen Raemdonck
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
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32
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Plasma Membrane Anchoring and Gag:Gag Multimerization on Viral RNA Are Critical Properties of HIV-1 Gag Required To Mediate Efficient Genome Packaging. mBio 2021; 12:e0325421. [PMID: 34872357 PMCID: PMC8649766 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03254-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Gag selects and packages the HIV RNA genome during virus assembly. However, HIV-1 RNA constitutes only a small fraction of the cellular RNA. Although Gag exhibits a slight preference to viral RNA, most of the cytoplasmic Gag proteins are associated with cellular RNAs. Thus, it is not understood how HIV-1 achieves highly efficient genome packaging. We hypothesize that besides RNA binding, other properties of Gag are important for genome packaging. Many Gag mutants have assembly defects that preclude analysis of their effects on genome packaging. To bypass this challenge, we established complementation systems that separate the particle-assembling and RNA-binding functions of Gag: we used a set of Gag proteins to drive particle assembly and an RNA-binding Gag to package HIV-1 RNA. We have developed two types of RNA-binding Gag in which packaging is mediated by the authentic nucleocapsid (NC) domain or by a nonviral RNA-binding domain. We found that in both cases, mutations that affect the multimerization or plasma membrane anchoring properties of Gag reduce or abolish RNA packaging. These mutant Gag can coassemble into particles but cannot package the RNA genome efficiently. Our findings indicate that HIV-1 RNA packaging occurs at the plasma membrane and RNA-binding Gag needs to multimerize on RNA to encapsidate the viral genome.
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33
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Christopher JA, Geladaki A, Dawson CS, Vennard OL, Lilley KS. SUBCELLULAR TRANSCRIPTOMICS & PROTEOMICS: A COMPARATIVE METHODS REVIEW. Mol Cell Proteomics 2021; 21:100186. [PMID: 34922010 PMCID: PMC8864473 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2021.100186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The internal environment of cells is molecularly crowded, which requires spatial organization via subcellular compartmentalization. These compartments harbor specific conditions for molecules to perform their biological functions, such as coordination of the cell cycle, cell survival, and growth. This compartmentalization is also not static, with molecules trafficking between these subcellular neighborhoods to carry out their functions. For example, some biomolecules are multifunctional, requiring an environment with differing conditions or interacting partners, and others traffic to export such molecules. Aberrant localization of proteins or RNA species has been linked to many pathological conditions, such as neurological, cancer, and pulmonary diseases. Differential expression studies in transcriptomics and proteomics are relatively common, but the majority have overlooked the importance of subcellular information. In addition, subcellular transcriptomics and proteomics data do not always colocate because of the biochemical processes that occur during and after translation, highlighting the complementary nature of these fields. In this review, we discuss and directly compare the current methods in spatial proteomics and transcriptomics, which include sequencing- and imaging-based strategies, to give the reader an overview of the current tools available. We also discuss current limitations of these strategies as well as future developments in the field of spatial -omics. Subcellular information of protein and RNA give insights into molecular function. This review discusses strategies available to measure subcellular information. Hybridization of methods shows promise for exploring the composition of organelles. Advances are aiding understanding of the organisation and dynamics of cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josie A Christopher
- Cambridge Centre for Proteomics, Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK; Milner Therapeutics Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge, CB2 0AW, UK
| | - Aikaterini Geladaki
- Cambridge Centre for Proteomics, Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK; Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, 20 Downing Place, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Charlotte S Dawson
- Cambridge Centre for Proteomics, Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK; Milner Therapeutics Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge, CB2 0AW, UK
| | - Owen L Vennard
- Cambridge Centre for Proteomics, Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK; Milner Therapeutics Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge, CB2 0AW, UK
| | - Kathryn S Lilley
- Cambridge Centre for Proteomics, Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK; Milner Therapeutics Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge, CB2 0AW, UK.
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Xist nucleates local protein gradients to propagate silencing across the X chromosome. Cell 2021; 184:6174-6192.e32. [PMID: 34813726 PMCID: PMC8671326 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.10.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The lncRNA Xist forms ∼50 diffraction-limited foci to transcriptionally silence one X chromosome. How this small number of RNA foci and interacting proteins regulate a much larger number of X-linked genes is unknown. We show that Xist foci are locally confined, contain ∼2 RNA molecules, and nucleate supramolecular complexes (SMACs) that include many copies of the critical silencing protein SPEN. Aggregation and exchange of SMAC proteins generate local protein gradients that regulate broad, proximal chromatin regions. Partitioning of numerous SPEN molecules into SMACs is mediated by their intrinsically disordered regions and essential for transcriptional repression. Polycomb deposition via SMACs induces chromatin compaction and the increase in SMACs density around genes, which propagates silencing across the X chromosome. Our findings introduce a mechanism for functional nuclear compartmentalization whereby crowding of transcriptional and architectural regulators enables the silencing of many target genes by few RNA molecules.
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Biswas J, Li W, Singer RH, Coleman RA. Imaging Organization of RNA Processing within the Nucleus. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2021; 13:a039453. [PMID: 34127450 PMCID: PMC8635003 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a039453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Within the nucleus, messenger RNA is generated and processed in a highly organized and regulated manner. Messenger RNA processing begins during transcription initiation and continues until the RNA is translated and degraded. Processes such as 5' capping, alternative splicing, and 3' end processing have been studied extensively with biochemical methods and more recently with single-molecule imaging approaches. In this review, we highlight how imaging has helped understand the highly dynamic process of RNA processing. We conclude with open questions and new technological developments that may further our understanding of RNA processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeetayu Biswas
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA
| | - Weihan Li
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA
| | - Robert H Singer
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA
| | - Robert A Coleman
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA
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36
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Chaudhary N, Im JK, Nho SH, Kim H. Visualizing Live Chromatin Dynamics through CRISPR-Based Imaging Techniques. Mol Cells 2021; 44:627-636. [PMID: 34588320 PMCID: PMC8490199 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2021.2254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The three-dimensional organization of chromatin and its time-dependent changes greatly affect virtually every cellular function, especially DNA replication, genome maintenance, transcription regulation, and cell differentiation. Sequencing-based techniques such as ChIP-seq, ATAC-seq, and Hi-C provide abundant information on how genomic elements are coupled with regulatory proteins and functionally organized into hierarchical domains through their interactions. However, visualizing the time-dependent changes of such organization in individual cells remains challenging. Recent developments of CRISPR systems for site-specific fluorescent labeling of genomic loci have provided promising strategies for visualizing chromatin dynamics in live cells. However, there are several limiting factors, including background signals, off-target binding of CRISPR, and rapid photobleaching of the fluorophores, requiring a large number of target-bound CRISPR complexes to reliably distinguish the target-specific foci from the background. Various modifications have been engineered into the CRISPR system to enhance the signal-to-background ratio and signal longevity to detect target foci more reliably and efficiently, and to reduce the required target size. In this review, we comprehensively compare the performances of recently developed CRISPR designs for improved visualization of genomic loci in terms of the reliability of target detection, the ability to detect small repeat loci, and the allowed time of live tracking. Longer observation of genomic loci allows the detailed identification of the dynamic characteristics of chromatin. The diffusion properties of chromatin found in recent studies are reviewed, which provide suggestions for the underlying biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narendra Chaudhary
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Korea
| | - Jae-Kyeong Im
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Korea
| | - Si-Hyeong Nho
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Korea
| | - Hajin Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Korea
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37
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Vinter DJ, Hoppe C, Minchington TG, Sutcliffe C, Ashe HL. Dynamics of hunchback translation in real-time and at single-mRNA resolution in the Drosophila embryo. Development 2021; 148:dev196121. [PMID: 33722899 PMCID: PMC8077512 DOI: 10.1242/dev.196121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The Hunchback (Hb) transcription factor is crucial for anterior-posterior patterning of the Drosophila embryo. The maternal hb mRNA acts as a paradigm for translational regulation due to its repression in the posterior of the embryo. However, little is known about the translatability of zygotically transcribed hb mRNAs. Here, we adapt the SunTag system, developed for imaging translation at single-mRNA resolution in tissue culture cells, to the Drosophila embryo to study the translation dynamics of zygotic hb mRNAs. Using single-molecule imaging in fixed and live embryos, we provide evidence for translational repression of zygotic SunTag-hb mRNAs. Whereas the proportion of SunTag-hb mRNAs translated is initially uniform, translation declines from the anterior over time until it becomes restricted to a posterior band in the expression domain. We discuss how regulated hb mRNA translation may help establish the sharp Hb expression boundary, which is a model for precision and noise during developmental patterning. Overall, our data show how use of the SunTag method on fixed and live embryos is a powerful combination for elucidating spatiotemporal regulation of mRNA translation in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Hilary L. Ashe
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
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38
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Abstract
The imaging of chromatin, genomic loci, RNAs, and proteins is very important to study their localization, interaction, and coordinated regulation. Recently, several clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) based imaging methods have been established. The refurbished tool kits utilizing deactivated Cas9 (dCas9) and dCas13 have been established to develop applications of CRISPR-Cas technology beyond genome editing. Here, we review recent advancements in CRISPR-based methods that enable efficient imaging and visualization of chromatin, genomic loci, RNAs, and proteins. RNA aptamers, Pumilio, SuperNova tagging system, molecular beacons, halotag, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, RNA-guided endonuclease in situ labeling, and oligonucleotide-based imaging methods utilizing fluorescent proteins, organic dyes, or quantum dots have been developed to achieve improved fluorescence and signal-to-noise ratio for the imaging of chromatin or genomic loci. RNA-guided RNA targeting CRISPR systems (CRISPR/dCas13) and gene knock-in strategies based on CRISPR/Cas9 mediated site-specific cleavage and DNA repair mechanisms have been employed for efficient RNA and protein imaging, respectively. A few CRISPR-Cas-based methods to investigate the coordinated regulation of DNA-protein, DNA-RNA, or RNA-protein interactions for understanding chromatin dynamics, transcription, and protein function are also available. Overall, the CRISPR-based methods offer a significant improvement in elucidating chromatin organization and dynamics, RNA visualization, and protein imaging. The current and future advancements in CRISPR-based imaging techniques can revolutionize genome biology research for various applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikram Singh
- School of Computational & Integrative Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Mukesh Jain
- School of Computational & Integrative Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
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39
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Rombouts S, Nollmann M. RNA imaging in bacteria. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 45:5917984. [PMID: 33016325 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuaa051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The spatiotemporal regulation of gene expression plays an essential role in many biological processes. Recently, several imaging-based RNA labeling and detection methods, both in fixed and live cells, were developed and now enable the study of transcript abundance, localization and dynamics. Here, we review the main single-cell techniques for RNA visualization with fluorescence microscopy and describe their applications in bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Rombouts
- Centre de Biochimie Structurale, CNRS UMR 5048, INSERM U1054, Université de Montpellier, 60 Rue de Navacelles, 34090, Montpellier, France
| | - Marcelo Nollmann
- Centre de Biochimie Structurale, CNRS UMR 5048, INSERM U1054, Université de Montpellier, 60 Rue de Navacelles, 34090, Montpellier, France
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40
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Alamos S, Reimer A, Niyogi KK, Garcia HG. Quantitative imaging of RNA polymerase II activity in plants reveals the single-cell basis of tissue-wide transcriptional dynamics. NATURE PLANTS 2021; 7:1037-1049. [PMID: 34373604 PMCID: PMC8616715 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-021-00976-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The responses of plants to their environment are often dependent on the spatiotemporal dynamics of transcriptional regulation. While live-imaging tools have been used extensively to quantitatively capture rapid transcriptional dynamics in living animal cells, the lack of implementation of these technologies in plants has limited concomitant quantitative studies in this kingdom. Here, we applied the PP7 and MS2 RNA-labelling technologies for the quantitative imaging of RNA polymerase II activity dynamics in single cells of living plants as they respond to experimental treatments. Using this technology, we counted nascent RNA transcripts in real time in Nicotiana benthamiana (tobacco) and Arabidopsis thaliana. Examination of heat shock reporters revealed that plant tissues respond to external signals by modulating the proportion of cells that switch from an undetectable basal state to a high-transcription state, instead of modulating the rate of transcription across all cells in a graded fashion. This switch-like behaviour, combined with cell-to-cell variability in transcription rate, results in mRNA production variability spanning three orders of magnitude. We determined that cellular heterogeneity stems mainly from stochasticity intrinsic to individual alleles instead of variability in cellular composition. Together, our results demonstrate that it is now possible to quantitatively study the dynamics of transcriptional programs in single cells of living plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Alamos
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Armando Reimer
- Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Krishna K Niyogi
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - Hernan G Garcia
- Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Department of Physics, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Institute for Quantitative Biosciences-QB3, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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41
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Jansova D, Aleshkina D, Jindrova A, Iyyappan R, An Q, Fan G, Susor A. Single Molecule RNA Localization and Translation in the Mammalian Oocyte and Embryo. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167166. [PMID: 34293340 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
During oocyte growth the cell accumulates RNAs to contribute to oocyte and embryo development which progresses with ceased transcription. To investigate the subcellular distribution of specific RNAs and their translation we developed a technique revealing several instances of localized translation with distinctive regulatory implications. We analyzed the localization and expression of candidate non-coding and mRNAs in the mouse oocyte and embryo. Furthermore, we established simultaneous visualization of mRNA and in situ translation events validated with polysomal occupancy. We discovered that translationally dormant and abundant mRNAs CyclinB1 and Mos are localized in the cytoplasm of the fully grown GV oocyte forming cloud-like structures with consequent abundant translation at the center of the MII oocyte. Coupling detection of the localization of specific single mRNA molecules with their translation at the subcellular context is a valuable tool to quantitatively study temporal and spatial translation of specific target mRNAs to understand molecular processes in the developing cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denisa Jansova
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Libechov 277 21, Czech Republic.
| | - Daria Aleshkina
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Libechov 277 21, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Jindrova
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Libechov 277 21, Czech Republic
| | - Rajan Iyyappan
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Libechov 277 21, Czech Republic
| | - Qin An
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7088, USA
| | - Guoping Fan
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7088, USA
| | - Andrej Susor
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Libechov 277 21, Czech Republic.
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42
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Meher PK, Rai A, Rao AR. mLoc-mRNA: predicting multiple sub-cellular localization of mRNAs using random forest algorithm coupled with feature selection via elastic net. BMC Bioinformatics 2021; 22:342. [PMID: 34167457 PMCID: PMC8223360 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-021-04264-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Localization of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) plays a crucial role in the growth and development of cells. Particularly, it plays a major role in regulating spatio-temporal gene expression. The in situ hybridization is a promising experimental technique used to determine the localization of mRNAs but it is costly and laborious. It is also a known fact that a single mRNA can be present in more than one location, whereas the existing computational tools are capable of predicting only a single location for such mRNAs. Thus, the development of high-end computational tool is required for reliable and timely prediction of multiple subcellular locations of mRNAs. Hence, we develop the present computational model to predict the multiple localizations of mRNAs. RESULTS The mRNA sequences from 9 different localizations were considered. Each sequence was first transformed to a numeric feature vector of size 5460, based on the k-mer features of sizes 1-6. Out of 5460 k-mer features, 1812 important features were selected by the Elastic Net statistical model. The Random Forest supervised learning algorithm was then employed for predicting the localizations with the selected features. Five-fold cross-validation accuracies of 70.87, 68.32, 68.36, 68.79, 96.46, 73.44, 70.94, 97.42 and 71.77% were obtained for the cytoplasm, cytosol, endoplasmic reticulum, exosome, mitochondrion, nucleus, pseudopodium, posterior and ribosome respectively. With an independent test set, accuracies of 65.33, 73.37, 75.86, 72.99, 94.26, 70.91, 65.53, 93.60 and 73.45% were obtained for the respective localizations. The developed approach also achieved higher accuracies than the existing localization prediction tools. CONCLUSIONS This study presents a novel computational tool for predicting the multiple localization of mRNAs. Based on the proposed approach, an online prediction server "mLoc-mRNA" is accessible at http://cabgrid.res.in:8080/mlocmrna/ . The developed approach is believed to supplement the existing tools and techniques for the localization prediction of mRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prabina Kumar Meher
- ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India.
| | - Anil Rai
- ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India.
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43
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Popp AP, Hettich J, Gebhardt J. Altering transcription factor binding reveals comprehensive transcriptional kinetics of a basic gene. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:6249-6266. [PMID: 34060631 PMCID: PMC8216454 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription is a vital process activated by transcription factor (TF) binding. The active gene releases a burst of transcripts before turning inactive again. While the basic course of transcription is well understood, it is unclear how binding of a TF affects the frequency, duration and size of a transcriptional burst. We systematically varied the residence time and concentration of a synthetic TF and characterized the transcription of a synthetic reporter gene by combining single molecule imaging, single molecule RNA-FISH, live transcript visualisation and analysis with a novel algorithm, Burst Inference from mRNA Distributions (BIRD). For this well-defined system, we found that TF binding solely affected burst frequency and variations in TF residence time had a stronger influence than variations in concentration. This enabled us to device a model of gene transcription, in which TF binding triggers multiple successive steps before the gene transits to the active state and actual mRNA synthesis is decoupled from TF presence. We quantified all transition times of the TF and the gene, including the TF search time and the delay between TF binding and the onset of transcription. Our quantitative measurements and analysis revealed detailed kinetic insight, which may serve as basis for a bottom-up understanding of gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Achim P Popp
- Institute of Biophysics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Johannes Hettich
- Institute of Biophysics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - J Christof M Gebhardt
- Institute of Biophysics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
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44
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Liu J, Hansen D, Eck E, Kim YJ, Turner M, Alamos S, Garcia HG. Real-time single-cell characterization of the eukaryotic transcription cycle reveals correlations between RNA initiation, elongation, and cleavage. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1008999. [PMID: 34003867 PMCID: PMC8162642 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008999] [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: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The eukaryotic transcription cycle consists of three main steps: initiation, elongation, and cleavage of the nascent RNA transcript. Although each of these steps can be regulated as well as coupled with each other, their in vivo dissection has remained challenging because available experimental readouts lack sufficient spatiotemporal resolution to separate the contributions from each of these steps. Here, we describe a novel application of Bayesian inference techniques to simultaneously infer the effective parameters of the transcription cycle in real time and at the single-cell level using a two-color MS2/PP7 reporter gene and the developing fruit fly embryo as a case study. Our method enables detailed investigations into cell-to-cell variability in transcription-cycle parameters as well as single-cell correlations between these parameters. These measurements, combined with theoretical modeling, suggest a substantial variability in the elongation rate of individual RNA polymerase molecules. We further illustrate the power of this technique by uncovering a novel mechanistic connection between RNA polymerase density and nascent RNA cleavage efficiency. Thus, our approach makes it possible to shed light on the regulatory mechanisms in play during each step of the transcription cycle in individual, living cells at high spatiotemporal resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Liu
- Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Donald Hansen
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Elizabeth Eck
- Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Yang Joon Kim
- Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Meghan Turner
- Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Simon Alamos
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Hernan G. Garcia
- Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Institute for Quantitative Biosciences-QB3, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
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45
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Hoppe C, Ashe HL. Live imaging and quantitation of nascent transcription using the MS2/MCP system in the Drosophila embryo. STAR Protoc 2021; 2:100379. [PMID: 33778778 PMCID: PMC7982776 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Visualizing transcription live in Drosophila is providing important new insights into the spatiotemporal regulation of transcription. Here, we describe a protocol to visualize and quantitate transcription from gene loci that are tagged with MS2 stem-loop sequences in the Drosophila embryo. MS2 stem-loop sequences are recognized by a coat protein fused to a fluorescent protein and visualized with microscopy. We also describe an analysis pipeline to extract and subsequently quantify transcription dynamics. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Hoppe et al. (2020).
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Hoppe
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Hilary L. Ashe
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
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46
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Jing Y, Lv Y, Ye J, Yao L, Chen L, Mi L, Fei Y, Yu Y, Dong B, Lv H, Ma J. Quantifying tagged mRNA export flux via nuclear pore complexes in single live cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 545:138-144. [PMID: 33548627 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.01.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The mRNA export flux through nuclear pore complexes (NPC) changes under DNA manipulation and hence affects protein translation. However, monitoring the flux of a specific mRNA in single live cell is beyond reach of traditional techniques. We developed a fluorescence-based detection method for measuring the export flux of mRNA through NPC in single live cell using a snapshot image, which had been tested on exogenous genes' expression in HeLa cells, with transfection or infection, and endogenous genes' expression in yeast cells, during incubation and carbon catabolite repression. With its speediness, explicitness and noninvasiveness, we believe that it would be valuable in direct monitoring of gene behavior, and the understanding of gene regulation at a single cell level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueyue Jing
- Department of Optical Science and Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Ultra-Precision Optical Manufacturing, Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Photonic Structures (Ministry of Education), Green Photoelectron Platform, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yilin Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Jingya Ye
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Longfang Yao
- Department of Optical Science and Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Ultra-Precision Optical Manufacturing, Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Photonic Structures (Ministry of Education), Green Photoelectron Platform, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liwen Chen
- Department of Optical Science and Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Ultra-Precision Optical Manufacturing, Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Photonic Structures (Ministry of Education), Green Photoelectron Platform, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lan Mi
- Department of Optical Science and Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Ultra-Precision Optical Manufacturing, Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Photonic Structures (Ministry of Education), Green Photoelectron Platform, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiyan Fei
- Department of Optical Science and Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Ultra-Precision Optical Manufacturing, Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Photonic Structures (Ministry of Education), Green Photoelectron Platform, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yao Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Biao Dong
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan, 610041, China.
| | - Hong Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Shanghai, 200438, China.
| | - Jiong Ma
- Department of Optical Science and Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Ultra-Precision Optical Manufacturing, Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Photonic Structures (Ministry of Education), Green Photoelectron Platform, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Academy for Engineer and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Multiscale Research Institute of Complex Systems (MRICS), School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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47
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Xu H, Wang J, Liang Y, Fu Y, Li S, Huang J, Xu H, Zou W, Chen B. TriTag: an integrative tool to correlate chromatin dynamics and gene expression in living cells. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 48:e127. [PMID: 33104788 PMCID: PMC7736787 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
A wealth of single-cell imaging studies have contributed novel insights into chromatin organization and gene regulation. However, a comprehensive understanding of spatiotemporal gene regulation requires developing tools to combine multiple monitoring systems in a single study. Here, we report a versatile tag, termed TriTag, which integrates the functional capabilities of CRISPR-Tag (DNA labeling), MS2 aptamer (RNA imaging) and fluorescent protein (protein tracking). Using this tag, we correlate changes in chromatin dynamics with the progression of endogenous gene expression, by recording both transcriptional bursting and protein production. This strategy allows precise measurements of gene expression at single-allele resolution across the cell cycle or in response to stress. TriTag enables capturing an integrated picture of gene expression, thus providing a powerful tool to study transcriptional heterogeneity and regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyue Xu
- Department of Cell Biology, and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Junyan Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Ying Liang
- Department of Cell Biology, and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yujuan Fu
- Department of Cell Biology, and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Sihui Li
- Department of Cell Biology, and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jinghan Huang
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Heng Xu
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.,Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Wei Zou
- The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu 322000, China.,Insititute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Baohui Chen
- Department of Cell Biology, and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China.,Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University & Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunotherapy, Hangzhou 310058, China.,Zhejiang Laboratory for Systems & Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China.,Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Genetic & Developmental Disorders, Hangzhou 310058, China
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48
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Peña EJ, Robles Luna G, Heinlein M. In vivo imaging of tagged mRNA in plant tissues using the bacterial transcriptional antiterminator BglG. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 105:271-282. [PMID: 33098198 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
RNA transport and localization represent important post-transcriptional mechanisms to determine the subcellular localization of protein synthesis. Plants have the capacity to transport messenger (m)RNA molecules beyond the cell boundaries through plasmodesmata and over long distances in the phloem. RNA viruses exploit these transport pathways to disseminate their infections and represent important model systems to investigate RNA transport in plants. Here, we present an in vivo plant RNA-labeling system based on the Escherichia coli RNA-binding protein BglG. Using the detection of RNA in mobile RNA particles formed by viral movement protein (MP) as a model, we demonstrate the efficiency and specificity of mRNA detection by the BglG system as compared with MS2 and λN systems. Our observations show that MP mRNA is specifically associated with MP in mobile MP particles but hardly with MP localized at plasmodesmata. MP mRNA is clearly absent from MP accumulating along microtubules. We show that the in vivo BglG labeling of the MP particles depends on the presence of the BglG-binding stem-loop aptamers within the MP mRNA and that the aptamers enhance the coprecipitation of BglG by MP, thus demonstrating the presence of an MP:MP mRNA complex. The BglG system also allowed us to monitor the cell-to-cell transport of the MP mRNA, thus linking the observation of mobile MP mRNA granules with intercellular MP mRNA transport. Given its specificity demonstrated here, the BglG system may be widely applicable for studying mRNA transport and localization in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo J Peña
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IBMP UPR 2357, Strasbourg, F-67000, France
- Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular (IBBM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, CONICET UNLP, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Gabriel Robles Luna
- Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular (IBBM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, CONICET UNLP, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Manfred Heinlein
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IBMP UPR 2357, Strasbourg, F-67000, France
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49
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Lyu P, Wang L, Lu B. Virus-Like Particle Mediated CRISPR/Cas9 Delivery for Efficient and Safe Genome Editing. Life (Basel) 2020; 10:366. [PMID: 33371215 PMCID: PMC7766694 DOI: 10.3390/life10120366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of designer nucleases has made genome editing much more efficient than before. The designer nucleases have been widely used for mechanistic studies, animal model generation and gene therapy development. However, potential off-targets and host immune responses are issues still need to be addressed for in vivo uses, especially clinical applications. Short term expression of the designer nucleases is necessary to reduce both risks. Currently, various delivery methods are being developed for transient expression of designer nucleases including Zinc Finger Nuclease (ZNF), Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nuclease (TALEN) and Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/CRISPR-associated (CRISPR/Cas). Recently, virus-like particles are being used for gene editing. In this review, we will talk through commonly used genome editing nucleases, discuss gene editing delivery tools and review the latest literature using virus-like particles to deliver gene editing effectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pin Lyu
- School of Physical Education and Health, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China;
| | - Luxi Wang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA;
| | - Baisong Lu
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
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50
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Mao S, Ying Y, Wu R, Chen AK. Recent Advances in the Molecular Beacon Technology for Live-Cell Single-Molecule Imaging. iScience 2020; 23:101801. [PMID: 33299972 PMCID: PMC7702005 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acids, aside from being best known as the carrier of genetic information, are versatile biomaterials for constructing nanoscopic devices for biointerfacing, owing to their unique properties such as specific base pairing and predictable structure. For live-cell analysis of native RNA transcripts, the most widely used nucleic acid-based nanodevice has been the molecular beacon (MB), a class of stem-loop-forming probes that is activated to fluoresce upon hybridization with target RNA. Here, we overview efforts that have been made in developing MB-based bioassays for sensitive intracellular analysis, particularly at the single-molecule level. We also describe challenges that are currently limiting the widespread use of MBs and provide possible solutions. With continued refinement of MBs in terms of labeling specificity and detection accuracy, accompanied by new development in imaging platforms with unprecedented sensitivity, the application of MBs is envisioned to expand in various biological research fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiqi Mao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, No. 5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yachen Ying
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, No. 5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Ruonan Wu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, No. 5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Antony K. Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, No. 5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, China
- Corresponding author
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