1
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Sarapata K, Kania A. Revealing miRNAs patterns by employing matrix representations and energy analysis. J Mol Graph Model 2024; 132:108835. [PMID: 39106629 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2024.108835] [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: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/09/2024]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression. Despite their relatively short length (about 21 nucleotides), they can regulate thousands of transcripts within a cell. Due to their low complementarity to targets, studying their activity and binding region preferences (3'UTR, 5'UTR, or CDS) is challenging. In this paper, we analyzed a set of human miRNAs to uncover their general patterns. We began with a sequence logo to verify conservation at specific positions. To discover long-range correlations, we employed chaos game representation (CGR) and genomatrix, methods that enable both graphical and analytical analysis of sequence sets and are well-established in bioinformatics. Our results showed that miRNAs exhibit strongly non-random and characteristic patterns. To incorporate physicochemical properties into the analysis, we applied the electron-ion interaction potential (EIIP) parameter. An important part of our study was to validate the division of miRNAs into two parts-seed and puzzle. The seed region is responsible for target binding, while the puzzle region likely interacts with the RISC complex. We estimated duplex binding energy within the 3'UTR, 5'UTR, and CDS regions using the miRanda tool. Based on the median energy distribution, we divided the miRNAs into two subsets, reflecting different patterns in chaos game representation. Interestingly, one subset displayed significant similarity to conserved and highly confidential miRNAs. Our results confirm the low complementarity of miRNA/mRNA interactions and support the functional division of miRNA structure. Additionally, we present findings related to the localization of transcript target sites, which form the basis for further analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Sarapata
- Department of Computational Biophysics and Bioinformatics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Cracow, Poland
| | - Adrian Kania
- Department of Computational Biophysics and Bioinformatics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Cracow, Poland.
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2
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Wang J. Genome-Wide Identification of Stable RNA Secondary Structures Across Multiple Organisms Using Chemical Probing Data: Insights into Short Structural Motifs and RNA-Targeting Therapeutics. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.10.08.617329. [PMID: 39416040 PMCID: PMC11482745 DOI: 10.1101/2024.10.08.617329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2024]
Abstract
Small molecules targeting specific RNA binding sites, including stable and transient RNA structures, are emerging as effective pharmacological approaches for modulating gene expression. However, little is understood about how stable RNA secondary structures are shared across organisms, an important factor in controlling drug selectivity. In this study, I provide an analytical pipeline named RNA Secondary Structure Finder (R2S-Finder) to discover short, stable RNA structural motifs for humans, Escherichia coli ( E. coli ), SARS-CoV-2, and Zika virus by leveraging existing in vivo and in vitro genome-wide chemical RNA-probing datasets. I found several common features across organisms. For example, apart from the well-documented tetraloops, AU-rich tetraloops are widely present in different organisms. I also found that the 5' untranslated region (UTR) contains a higher proportion of stable structures than the coding sequences in humans, SARS-CoV-2, and Zika virus. In general, stable structures predicted from in vitro (protein-free) and in vivo datasets are consistent in humans, E. coli , and SARS-CoV-2, indicating that most stable structure formation were driven by RNA folding alone, while a larger variation was found between in vitro and in vivo data with certain RNA types, such as human long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs). Finally, I predicted stable three- and four-way RNA junctions that exist both in vivo and in vitro conditions, which can potentially serve as drug targets. All results of stable sequences, stem-loops, internal loops, bulges, and three- and four-way junctions have been collated in the R2S-Finder database ( https://github.com/JingxinWangLab/R2S-Finder ), which is coded in hyperlinked HTML pages and tabulated in CSV files.
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3
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Chauvier A, Walter NG. Beyond ligand binding: Single molecule observation reveals how riboswitches integrate multiple signals to balance bacterial gene regulation. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2024; 88:102893. [PMID: 39067113 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2024.102893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Riboswitches are specialized RNA structures that orchestrate gene expression in response to sensing specific metabolite or ion ligands, mostly in bacteria. Upon ligand binding, these conformationally dynamic RNA motifs undergo structural changes that control critical gene expression processes such as transcription termination and translation initiation, thereby enabling cellular homeostasis and adaptation. Because RNA folds rapidly and co-transcriptionally, riboswitches make use of the low complexity of RNA sequences to adopt alternative, transient conformations on the heels of the transcribing RNA polymerase (RNAP), resulting in kinetic partitioning that defines the regulatory outcome. This review summarizes single molecule microscopy evidence that has begun to unveil a sophisticated network of dynamic, kinetically balanced interactions between riboswitch architecture and the gene expression machinery that, together, integrate diverse cellular signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrien Chauvier
- Single Molecule Analysis Group and Center for RNA Biomedicine, Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. https://twitter.com/adrienchauvier
| | - Nils G Walter
- Single Molecule Analysis Group and Center for RNA Biomedicine, Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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4
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Cao X, Zhang Y, Ding Y, Wan Y. Identification of RNA structures and their roles in RNA functions. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024; 25:784-801. [PMID: 38926530 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-024-00748-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The development of high-throughput RNA structure profiling methods in the past decade has greatly facilitated our ability to map and characterize different aspects of RNA structures transcriptome-wide in cell populations, single cells and single molecules. The resulting high-resolution data have provided insights into the static and dynamic nature of RNA structures, revealing their complexity as they perform their respective functions in the cell. In this Review, we discuss recent technical advances in the determination of RNA structures, and the roles of RNA structures in RNA biogenesis and functions, including in transcription, processing, translation, degradation, localization and RNA structure-dependent condensates. We also discuss the current understanding of how RNA structures could guide drug design for treating genetic diseases and battling pathogenic viruses, and highlight existing challenges and future directions in RNA structure research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinang Cao
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Genome Institute of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yueying Zhang
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK
| | - Yiliang Ding
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK.
| | - Yue Wan
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Genome Institute of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
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5
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Parmar S, Bume DD, Connelly CM, Boer RE, Prestwood PR, Wang Z, Labuhn H, Sinnadurai K, Feri A, Ouellet J, Homan P, Numata T, Schneekloth JS. Mechanistic analysis of Riboswitch Ligand interactions provides insights into pharmacological control over gene expression. Nat Commun 2024; 15:8173. [PMID: 39289353 PMCID: PMC11408619 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-52235-3] [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: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 08/28/2024] [Indexed: 09/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Riboswitches are structured RNA elements that regulate gene expression upon binding to small molecule ligands. Understanding the mechanisms by which small molecules impact riboswitch activity is key to developing potent, selective ligands for these and other RNA targets. We report the structure-informed design of chemically diverse synthetic ligands for PreQ1 riboswitches. Multiple X-ray co-crystal structures of synthetic ligands with the Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis (Tte)-PreQ1 riboswitch confirm a common binding site with the cognate ligand, despite considerable chemical differences among the ligands. Structure probing assays demonstrate that one ligand causes conformational changes similar to PreQ1 in six structurally and mechanistically diverse PreQ1 riboswitch aptamers. Single-molecule force spectroscopy is used to demonstrate differential modes of riboswitch stabilization by the ligands. Binding of the natural ligand brings about the formation of a persistent, folded pseudoknot structure, whereas a synthetic ligand decreases the rate of unfolding through a kinetic mechanism. Single round transcription termination assays show the biochemical activity of the ligands, while a GFP reporter system reveals compound activity in regulating gene expression in live cells without toxicity. Taken together, this study reveals that diverse small molecules can impact gene expression in live cells by altering conformational changes in RNA structures through distinct mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaifaly Parmar
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Desta Doro Bume
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Colleen M Connelly
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Robert E Boer
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Peri R Prestwood
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Philip Homan
- Center for Cancer Research Collaborative Bioinformatics Resource, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Advanced Biomedical Computational Science, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Tomoyuki Numata
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - John S Schneekloth
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA.
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6
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Gemler BT, Warner BR, Bundschuh R, Fredrick K. Identification of leader-trailer helices of precursor ribosomal RNA in all phyla of bacteria and archaea. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2024; 30:1264-1276. [PMID: 39043438 PMCID: PMC11404451 DOI: 10.1261/rna.080091.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
Ribosomal RNAs are transcribed as part of larger precursor molecules. In Escherichia coli, complementary RNA segments flank each rRNA and form long leader-trailer (LT) helices, which are crucial for subunit biogenesis in the cell. A previous study of 15 representative species suggested that most but not all prokaryotes contain LT helices. Here, we use a combination of in silico folding and covariation methods to identify and characterize LT helices in 4464 bacterial and 260 archaeal organisms. Our results suggest that LT helices are present in all phyla, including Deinococcota, which had previously been suspected to lack LT helices. In very few organisms, our pipeline failed to detect LT helices for both 16S and 23S rRNA. However, a closer case-by-case look revealed that LT helices are indeed present but escaped initial detection. Over 3600 secondary structure models, many well supported by nucleotide covariation, were generated. These structures show a high degree of diversity. Yet, all exhibit extensive base-pairing between the leader and trailer strands, in line with a common and essential function.
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MESH Headings
- Nucleic Acid Conformation
- RNA, Archaeal/genetics
- RNA, Archaeal/chemistry
- RNA, Archaeal/metabolism
- Archaea/genetics
- RNA, Bacterial/genetics
- RNA, Bacterial/chemistry
- RNA, Bacterial/metabolism
- RNA, Ribosomal/genetics
- RNA, Ribosomal/chemistry
- RNA, Ribosomal/metabolism
- Bacteria/genetics
- RNA Precursors/genetics
- RNA Precursors/metabolism
- RNA Precursors/chemistry
- RNA, Ribosomal, 23S/genetics
- RNA, Ribosomal, 23S/chemistry
- RNA, Ribosomal, 23S/metabolism
- Base Sequence
- RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
- RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/chemistry
- Base Pairing
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan T Gemler
- Interdisciplinary Biophysics Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
- Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Benjamin R Warner
- Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Ralf Bundschuh
- Interdisciplinary Biophysics Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
- Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
- Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Kurt Fredrick
- Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
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7
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Hua C, Huang J, Sun Y, Wang T, Li Y, Cui Z, Deng X. Hfq mediates transcriptome-wide RNA structurome reprogramming under virulence-inducing conditions in a phytopathogen. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114544. [PMID: 39052478 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114544] [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: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Although RNA structures play important roles in regulating gene expression, the mechanism and function of mRNA folding in plant bacterial pathogens remain elusive. Therefore, we perform dimethyl sulfate sequencing (DMS-seq) on the Pseudomonas syringae under nutrition-rich and -deficient conditions, revealing that the mRNA structure changes substantially in the minimal medium (MM) that tunes global translation efficiency (TE), thereby inducing virulence. This process is led by the increased expression of hfq, which is directly activated by transcription regulators RpoS and CysB. The co-occurrence of Hfq and RpoS in diverse bacteria and the deep conservation of Hfq Y25 is critical for RNA-mediated regulation and implicates the wider biological importance of mRNA structure and feedback loops in the control of global gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Canfeng Hua
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jiadai Huang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yue Sun
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tingting Wang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Youyue Li
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zining Cui
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Integrative Microbiology Research Center, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin Deng
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Shenzhen Research Institute, City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China; Tung Biomedical Sciences Center, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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8
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Liu L, Luo D, Zhang Y, Liu D, Yin K, Tang Q, Chou SH, He J. Characterization of the dual regulation by a c-di-GMP riboswitch Bc1 with a long expression platform from Bacillus thuringiensis. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0045024. [PMID: 38819160 PMCID: PMC11218506 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00450-24] [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: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
A riboswitch generally regulates the expression of its downstream genes through conformational change in its expression platform (EP) upon ligand binding. The cyclic diguanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) class I riboswitch Bc1 is widespread and conserved among Bacillus cereus group species. In this study, we revealed that Bc1 has a long EP with two typical ρ-independent terminator sequences 28 bp apart. The upstream terminator T1 is dominant in vitro, while downstream terminator T2 is more efficient in vivo. Through mutation analysis, we elucidated that Bc1 exerts a rare and incoherent "transcription-translation" dual regulation with T2 playing a crucial role. However, we found that Bc1 did not respond to c-di-GMP under in vitro transcription conditions, and the expressions of downstream genes did not change with fluctuation in intracellular c-di-GMP concentration. To explore this puzzle, we conducted SHAPE-MaP and confirmed the interaction of Bc1 with c-di-GMP. This shows that as c-di-GMP concentration increases, T1 unfolds but T2 remains almost intact and functional. The presence of T2 masks the effect of T1 unwinding, resulting in no response of Bc1 to c-di-GMP. The high Shannon entropy values of EP region imply the potential alternative structures of Bc1. We also found that zinc uptake regulator can specifically bind to the dual terminator coding sequence and slightly trigger the response of Bc1 to c-di-GMP. This work will shed light on the dual-regulation riboswitch and enrich our understanding of the RNA world.IMPORTANCEIn nature, riboswitches are involved in a variety of metabolic regulation, most of which preferentially regulate transcription termination or translation initiation of downstream genes in specific ways. Alternatively, the same or different riboswitches can exist in tandem to enhance regulatory effects or respond to multiple ligands. However, many putative conserved riboswitches have not yet been experimentally validated. Here, we found that the c-di-GMP riboswitch Bc1 with a long EP could form a dual terminator and exhibit non-canonical and incoherent "transcription-translation" dual regulation. Besides, zinc uptake regulator specifically bound to the coding sequence of the Bc1 EP and slightly mediated the action of Bc1. The application of SHAPE-MaP to the dual regulation mechanism of Bc1 may establish the foundation for future studies of such complex untranslated regions in other bacterial genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology & Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Dehua Luo
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology & Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yongji Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology & Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Dingqi Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology & Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Kang Yin
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology & Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Qing Tang
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology & Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shan-Ho Chou
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology & Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jin He
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology & Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
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9
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Lee YH, Hass EP, Campodonico W, Lee YK, Lasda E, Shah J, Rinn J, Hwang T. Massively parallel dissection of RNA in RNA-protein interactions in vivo. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:e48. [PMID: 38726866 PMCID: PMC11162807 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Many of the biological functions performed by RNA are mediated by RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), and understanding the molecular basis of these interactions is fundamental to biology. Here, we present massively parallel RNA assay combined with immunoprecipitation (MPRNA-IP) for in vivo high-throughput dissection of RNA-protein interactions and describe statistical models for identifying RNA domains and parsing the structural contributions of RNA. By using custom pools of tens of thousands of RNA sequences containing systematically designed truncations and mutations, MPRNA-IP is able to identify RNA domains, sequences, and secondary structures necessary and sufficient for protein binding in a single experiment. We show that this approach is successful for multiple RNAs of interest, including the long noncoding RNA NORAD, bacteriophage MS2 RNA, and human telomerase RNA, and we use it to interrogate the hitherto unknown sequence or structural RNA-binding preferences of the DNA-looping factor CTCF. By integrating systematic mutation analysis with crosslinking immunoprecipitation, MPRNA-IP provides a novel high-throughput way to elucidate RNA-based mechanisms behind RNA-protein interactions in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Hsuan Lee
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Evan P Hass
- Department of Biochemistry and BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Will Campodonico
- Department of Biochemistry and BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Yong Kyu Lee
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Erika Lasda
- Department of Biochemistry and BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Jaynish S Shah
- Department of Biochemistry and BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - John L Rinn
- Department of Biochemistry and BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Taeyoung Hwang
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, 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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10
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von Löhneysen S, Spicher T, Varenyk Y, Yao HT, Lorenz R, Hofacker I, Stadler PF. Phylogenetic and Chemical Probing Information as Soft Constraints in RNA Secondary Structure Prediction. J Comput Biol 2024; 31:549-563. [PMID: 38935442 DOI: 10.1089/cmb.2024.0519] [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: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Extrinsic, experimental information can be incorporated into thermodynamics-based RNA folding algorithms in the form of pseudo-energies. Evolutionary conservation of RNA secondary structure elements is detectable in alignments of phylogenetically related sequences and provides evidence for the presence of certain base pairs that can also be converted into pseudo-energy contributions. We show that the centroid base pairs computed from a consensus folding model such as RNAalifold result in a substantial improvement of the prediction accuracy for single sequences. Evidence for specific base pairs turns out to be more informative than a position-wise profile for the conservation of the pairing status. A comparison with chemical probing data, furthermore, strongly suggests that phylogenetic base pairing data are more informative than position-specific data on (un)pairedness as obtained from chemical probing experiments. In this context we demonstrate, in addition, that the conversion of signal from probing data into pseudo-energies is possible using thermodynamic structure predictions as a reference instead of known RNA structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah von Löhneysen
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thomas Spicher
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- UniVie Doctoral School Computer Science (DoCS), University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Yuliia Varenyk
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and Medical, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Hua-Ting Yao
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ronny Lorenz
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ivo Hofacker
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter F Stadler
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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11
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Wilkinson P, Jackson B, Fermor H, Davies R. A new mRNA structure prediction based approach to identifying improved signal peptides for bone morphogenetic protein 2. BMC Biotechnol 2024; 24:34. [PMID: 38783306 PMCID: PMC11112908 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-024-00858-1] [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: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Signal peptide (SP) engineering has proven able to improve production of many proteins yet is a laborious process that still relies on trial and error. mRNA structure around the translational start site is important in translation initiation and has rarely been considered in this context, with recent improvements in in silico mRNA structure potentially rendering it a useful predictive tool for SP selection. Here we attempt to create a method to systematically screen candidate signal peptide sequences in silico based on both their nucleotide and amino acid sequences. Several recently released computational tools were used to predict signal peptide activity (SignalP), localization target (DeepLoc) and predicted mRNA structure (MXFold2). The method was tested with Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 (BMP2), an osteogenic growth factor used clinically for bone regeneration. It was hoped more effective BMP2 SPs could improve BMP2-based gene therapies and reduce the cost of recombinant BMP2 production. RESULTS Amino acid sequence analysis indicated 2,611 SPs from the TGF-β superfamily were predicted to function when attached to BMP2. mRNA structure prediction indicated structures at the translational start site were likely highly variable. The five sequences with the most accessible translational start sites, a codon optimized BMP2 SP variant and the well-established hIL2 SP sequence were taken forward to in vitro testing. The top five candidates showed non-significant improvements in BMP2 secretion in HEK293T cells. All showed reductions in secretion versus the native sequence in C2C12 cells, with several showing large and significant decreases. None of the tested sequences were able to increase alkaline phosphatase activity above background in C2C12s. The codon optimized control sequence and hIL2 SP showed reasonable activity in HEK293T but very poor activity in C2C12. CONCLUSIONS These results support the use of peptide sequence based in silico tools for basic predictions around signal peptide activity in a synthetic biology context. However, mRNA structure prediction requires improvement before it can produce reliable predictions for this application. The poor activity of the codon optimized BMP2 SP variant in C2C12 emphasizes the importance of codon choice, mRNA structure, and cellular context for SP activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piers Wilkinson
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
| | - Brian Jackson
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Hazel Fermor
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Robert Davies
- Oral Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
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12
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Koksaldi I, Park D, Atilla A, Kang H, Kim J, Seker UOS. RNA-Based Sensor Systems for Affordable Diagnostics in the Age of Pandemics. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:1026-1037. [PMID: 38588603 PMCID: PMC11036506 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00698] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
In the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, the significance of point-of-care (POC) diagnostic tools has become increasingly vital, driven by the need for quick and precise virus identification. RNA-based sensors, particularly toehold sensors, have emerged as promising candidates for POC detection systems due to their selectivity and sensitivity. Toehold sensors operate by employing an RNA switch that changes the conformation when it binds to a target RNA molecule, resulting in a detectable signal. This review focuses on the development and deployment of RNA-based sensors for POC viral RNA detection with a particular emphasis on toehold sensors. The benefits and limits of toehold sensors are explored, and obstacles and future directions for improving their performance within POC detection systems are presented. The use of RNA-based sensors as a technology for rapid and sensitive detection of viral RNA holds great potential for effectively managing (dealing/coping) with present and future pandemics in resource-constrained settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilkay
Cisil Koksaldi
- UNAM
− Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, National
Nanotechnology Research Center (UNAM), Bilkent
University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
| | - Dongwon Park
- Department
of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science
and Technology, Pohang 37673, South Korea
| | - Abdurahman Atilla
- UNAM
− Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, National
Nanotechnology Research Center (UNAM), Bilkent
University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
| | - Hansol Kang
- Department
of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science
and Technology, Pohang 37673, South Korea
| | - Jongmin Kim
- Department
of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science
and Technology, Pohang 37673, South Korea
| | - Urartu Ozgur Safak Seker
- UNAM
− Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, National
Nanotechnology Research Center (UNAM), Bilkent
University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
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13
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Sinzger-D'Angelo M, Hanst M, Reinhardt F, Koeppl H. Effects of mRNA conformational switching on translational noise in gene circuits. J Chem Phys 2024; 160:134108. [PMID: 38573847 DOI: 10.1063/5.0186927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Intragenic translational heterogeneity describes the variation in translation at the level of transcripts for an individual gene. A factor that contributes to this source of variation is the mRNA structure. Both the composition of the thermodynamic ensemble, i.e., the stationary distribution of mRNA structures, and the switching dynamics between those play a role. The effect of the switching dynamics on intragenic translational heterogeneity remains poorly understood. We present a stochastic translation model that accounts for mRNA structure switching and is derived from a Markov model via approximate stochastic filtering. We assess the approximation on various timescales and provide a method to quantify how mRNA structure dynamics contributes to translational heterogeneity. With our approach, we allow quantitative information on mRNA switching from biophysical experiments or coarse-grain molecular dynamics simulations of mRNA structures to be included in gene regulatory chemical reaction network models without an increase in the number of species. Thereby, our model bridges a gap between mRNA structure kinetics and gene expression models, which we hope will further improve our understanding of gene regulatory networks and facilitate genetic circuit design.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maleen Hanst
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Felix Reinhardt
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Heinz Koeppl
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
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14
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Zabolotskii AI, Riabkova NS. A new look at the fluorescent protein-based approach for identifying optimal coding sequence for recombinant protein expression in E. coli. Biotechnol J 2024; 19:e2300343. [PMID: 38622786 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202300343] [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: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Due to the degeneracy of the genetic code, most amino acids are encoded by several codons. The choice among synonymous codons at the N-terminus of genes has a profound effect on protein expression in Escherichia coli. This is often explained by the different contributions of synonymous codons to mRNA secondary structure formation. Strong secondary structures at the 5'-end of mRNA interfere with ribosome binding and affect the process of translation initiation. In silico optimization of the gene 5'-end can significantly increase the level of protein expression; however, this method is not always effective due to the uncertainty of the exact mechanism by which synonymous substitutions affect expression; thus, it may produce nonoptimal variants as well as miss some of the best producers. In this paper, an alternative approach is proposed based on screening a partially randomized library of expression constructs comprising hundreds of selected synonymous variants. The effect of such substitutions was evaluated using the gene of interest fused to the reporter gene of the fluorescent protein with subsequent screening for the most promising candidates according to the reporter's signal intensity. The power of the approach is demonstrated by a significant increase in the prokaryotic expression of three proteins: canine cystatin C, human BCL2-associated athanogene 3 and human cardiac troponin I. This simple approach was suggested which may provide an efficient, easy, and inexpensive optimization method for poorly expressed proteins in bacteria.
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15
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Aseev LV, Koledinskaya LS, Boni IV. Extraribosomal Functions of Bacterial Ribosomal Proteins-An Update, 2023. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2957. [PMID: 38474204 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Ribosomal proteins (r-proteins) are abundant, highly conserved, and multifaceted cellular proteins in all domains of life. Most r-proteins have RNA-binding properties and can form protein-protein contacts. Bacterial r-proteins govern the co-transcriptional rRNA folding during ribosome assembly and participate in the formation of the ribosome functional sites, such as the mRNA-binding site, tRNA-binding sites, the peptidyl transferase center, and the protein exit tunnel. In addition to their primary role in a cell as integral components of the protein synthesis machinery, many r-proteins can function beyond the ribosome (the phenomenon known as moonlighting), acting either as individual regulatory proteins or in complexes with various cellular components. The extraribosomal activities of r-proteins have been studied over the decades. In the past decade, our understanding of r-protein functions has advanced significantly due to intensive studies on ribosomes and gene expression mechanisms not only in model bacteria like Escherichia coli or Bacillus subtilis but also in little-explored bacterial species from various phyla. The aim of this review is to update information on the multiple functions of r-proteins in bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonid V Aseev
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Irina V Boni
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, 117997 Moscow, Russia
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16
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Parmar S, Bume DD, Conelly C, Boer R, Prestwood PR, Wang Z, Labuhn H, Sinnadurai K, Feri A, Ouellet J, Homan P, Numata T, Schneekloth JS. Mechanistic Analysis of Riboswitch Ligand Interactions Provides Insights into Pharmacological Control over Gene Expression. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.23.581746. [PMID: 38903087 PMCID: PMC11188086 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.23.581746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Riboswitches are structured RNA elements that regulate gene expression upon binding to small molecule ligands. Understanding the mechanisms by which small molecules impact riboswitch activity is key to developing potent, selective ligands for these and other RNA targets. We report the structure-informed design of chemically diverse synthetic ligands for PreQ1 riboswitches. Multiple X-ray co-crystal structures of synthetic ligands with the Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis (Tte)-PreQ1 riboswitch confirm a common binding site with the cognate ligand, despite considerable chemical differences among the ligands. Structure probing assays demonstrate that one ligand causes conformational changes similar to PreQ1 in six structurally and mechanistically diverse PreQ1 riboswitch aptamers. Single-molecule force spectroscopy is used to demonstrate differential modes of riboswitch stabilization by the ligands. Binding of the natural ligand brings about the formation of a persistent, folded pseudoknot structure, whereas a synthetic ligand decreases the rate of unfolding through a kinetic mechanism. Single round transcription termination assays show the biochemical activity of the ligands, while a GFP reporter system reveals compound activity in regulating gene expression in live cells without toxicity. Taken together, this study reveals that diverse small molecules can impact gene expression in live cells by altering conformational changes in RNA structures through distinct mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaifaly Parmar
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Desta Doro Bume
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Colleen Conelly
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Robert Boer
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Peri R. Prestwood
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Zhen Wang
- Depixus SAS, 3-5 Impasse Reille, 75014 Paris, France
| | | | | | - Adeline Feri
- Depixus SAS, 3-5 Impasse Reille, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Jimmy Ouellet
- Depixus SAS, 3-5 Impasse Reille, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Philip Homan
- Center for Cancer Research Collaborative Bioinformatics Resource, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
- Advanced Biomedical Computational Science, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Tomoyuki Numata
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - John S. Schneekloth
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
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17
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von Löhneysen S, Mörl M, Stadler PF. Limits of experimental evidence in RNA secondary structure prediction. FRONTIERS IN BIOINFORMATICS 2024; 4:1346779. [PMID: 38456157 PMCID: PMC10918467 DOI: 10.3389/fbinf.2024.1346779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah von Löhneysen
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mario Mörl
- Institute for Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Peter F. Stadler
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Competence Center for Scalable Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, School of Embedded and Compositive Artificial Intelligence (SECAI), Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Wien, Austria
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad National de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
- Center for Non-Coding RNA in Technology and Health, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM, United States
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18
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Li K, Xiao P, Yuan N, Yan S, Zhao P, Zuo G. Precise quantification of microRNAs based on proximity ligation of AuNPs-immobilized DNA probes. ANALYTICAL METHODS : ADVANCING METHODS AND APPLICATIONS 2024; 16:1281-1287. [PMID: 38327233 DOI: 10.1039/d3ay02136j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
MiRNAs are critical regulators of target gene expression in many biological processes and are considered promising biomarkers for diseases. In this study, we developed a simple, specific, and sensitive miRNA detection method based on proximity ligation reaction, which is easy to operate. The method uses a pair of target-specific DNA probes immobilized on the same gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), which hybridize to the target miRNA. Hybridization brings the probes close together, allowing the formation of a continuous DNA sequence that can be amplified by Quantitative Real-time PCR (qPCR). This method eliminates the need for complex reverse transcription design and achieves high specificity for discriminating single base mismatches between miRNAs through a simple procedure. This method can sensitively measure three different miRNAs with a detection limit of 20 aM, providing high versatility and sensitivity, even distinguishing single-base variations among members of the miR-200 family with high selectivity. Due to its high selectivity and sensitivity, this method has important implications for the investigation of miRNA biological functions and related biomedical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keyu Li
- Key Laboratory of Diagnostic Medicine Designated by the Chinese Ministry of Education, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
| | - Peng Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Diagnostic Medicine Designated by the Chinese Ministry of Education, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
| | - Ningning Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Diagnostic Medicine Designated by the Chinese Ministry of Education, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
| | - Shujuan Yan
- Prenatal Diagnostic Center, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510620, China.
| | - Pei Zhao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang 050051, China.
| | - Guowei Zuo
- Key Laboratory of Diagnostic Medicine Designated by the Chinese Ministry of Education, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
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19
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Xiao L, Fang L, Kool ET. 2'-OH as a universal handle for studying intracellular RNAs. Cell Chem Biol 2024; 31:110-124. [PMID: 37992716 PMCID: PMC10841764 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.10.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
RNA plays pivotal roles in most cellular processes, serving as both the traditional carrier of genetic information and as a key regulator of cellular functions. The advent of chemical technologies has contributed critically to the analysis of cellular RNA structures, functions, and interactions. Many of these methods and molecules involve the utilization of chemically reactive handles in RNAs, either introduced externally or inherent within the polymer itself. Among these handles, the 2'-hydroxyl (2'-OH) group has emerged as an exceptionally well-suited and general chemical moiety for the modification and profiling of RNAs in intracellular studies. In this review, we provide an overview of the recent advancements in intracellular applications of acylation at the 2'-OH group of RNA. We outline progress made in probing RNA structure and interactomes, controlling RNA function, RNA imaging, and analyzing RNA-small molecule interactions, all achieved in living cells through this simple chemical handle on the biopolymer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Xiao
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Linglan Fang
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Eric T Kool
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Sarafan ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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20
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Bose R, Saleem I, Mustoe AM. Causes, functions, and therapeutic possibilities of RNA secondary structure ensembles and alternative states. Cell Chem Biol 2024; 31:17-35. [PMID: 38199037 PMCID: PMC10842484 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
RNA secondary structure plays essential roles in encoding RNA regulatory fate and function. Most RNAs populate ensembles of alternatively paired states and are continually unfolded and refolded by cellular processes. Measuring these structural ensembles and their contributions to cellular function has traditionally posed major challenges, but new methods and conceptual frameworks are beginning to fill this void. In this review, we provide a mechanism- and function-centric compendium of the roles of RNA secondary structural ensembles and minority states in regulating the RNA life cycle, from transcription to degradation. We further explore how dysregulation of RNA structural ensembles contributes to human disease and discuss the potential of drugging alternative RNA states to therapeutically modulate RNA activity. The emerging paradigm of RNA structural ensembles as central to RNA function provides a foundation for a deeper understanding of RNA biology and new therapeutic possibilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritwika Bose
- Therapeutic Innovation Center (THINC), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Irfana Saleem
- Therapeutic Innovation Center (THINC), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Anthony M Mustoe
- Therapeutic Innovation Center (THINC), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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21
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Zuber J, Mathews DH. Estimating RNA Secondary Structure Folding Free Energy Changes with efn2. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2726:1-13. [PMID: 38780725 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3519-3_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] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
A number of analyses require estimates of the folding free energy changes of specific RNA secondary structures. These predictions are often based on a set of nearest neighbor parameters that models the folding stability of a RNA secondary structure as the sum of folding stabilities of the structural elements that comprise the secondary structure. In the software suite RNAstructure, the free energy change calculation is implemented in the program efn2. The efn2 program estimates the folding free energy change and the experimental uncertainty in the folding free energy change. It can be run through the graphical user interface for RNAstructure, from the command line, or a web server. This chapter provides detailed protocols for using efn2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey Zuber
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics and Center for RNA Biology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - David H Mathews
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics and Center for RNA Biology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.
- Department of Biostatistics & Computational Biology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.
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22
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Ma J, Tsuboi T. Efficient Prediction Model of mRNA End-to-End Distance and Conformation: Three-Dimensional RNA Illustration Program (TRIP). Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2784:191-200. [PMID: 38502487 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3766-1_13] [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: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
The secondary and tertiary structures of RNA play a vital role in the regulation of biological reactions. These structures have been experimentally studied through in vivo and in vitro analyses, and in silico models have become increasingly accurate in predicting them. Recent technologies have diversified RNA structure predictions, from the earliest thermodynamic and molecular dynamic-based RNA structure predictions to deep learning-based conformation predictions in the past decade. While most research on RNA structure prediction has focused on short non-coding RNAs, there has been limited research on predicting the conformation of longer mRNAs. Our study introduces a computer simulation model called the Three-dimensional RNA Illustration Program (TRIP). TRIP is based on single-chain models and angle restriction of each bead component from previously reported single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization (smFISH) experiments. TRIP is a fast and efficient application that only requires up to three inputs to acquire outputs. It can also provide a rough visualization of the 3D conformation of RNA, making it a valuable tool for predicting RNA end-to-end distance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayun Ma
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, University Town of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Tatsuhisa Tsuboi
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, University Town of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
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23
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Rocca R, Grillone K, Citriniti EL, Gualtieri G, Artese A, Tagliaferri P, Tassone P, Alcaro S. Targeting non-coding RNAs: Perspectives and challenges of in-silico approaches. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 261:115850. [PMID: 37839343 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
The growing information currently available on the central role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) including microRNAs (miRNAS) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) for chronic and degenerative human diseases makes them attractive therapeutic targets. RNAs carry out different functional roles in human biology and are deeply deregulated in several diseases. So far, different attempts to therapeutically target the 3D RNA structures with small molecules have been reported. In this scenario, the development of computational tools suitable for describing RNA structures and their potential interactions with small molecules is gaining more and more interest. Here, we describe the most suitable strategies to study ncRNAs through computational tools. We focus on methods capable of predicting 2D and 3D ncRNA structures. Furthermore, we describe computational tools to identify, design and optimize small molecule ncRNA binders. This review aims to outline the state of the art and perspectives of computational methods for ncRNAs over the past decade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Rocca
- Department of Health Science, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy; Net4Science srl, Academic Spinoff, Magna Græcia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Katia Grillone
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | | | | | - Anna Artese
- Department of Health Science, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy; Net4Science srl, Academic Spinoff, Magna Græcia University, Catanzaro, Italy.
| | | | - Pierfrancesco Tassone
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Stefano Alcaro
- Department of Health Science, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy; Net4Science srl, Academic Spinoff, Magna Græcia University, Catanzaro, Italy
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24
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Zhu YJ, Liao ML, Dong YW. Exploring the adaptability of the secondary structure of mRNA to temperature in intertidal snails based on SHAPE experiments. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb246544. [PMID: 37767692 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246544] [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: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
RNA-based thermal regulation is an important strategy for organisms to cope with temperature changes. Inhabiting the intertidal rocky shore, a key interface of the ocean, atmosphere and terrestrial environments, intertidal species have developed variable thermal adaptation mechanisms; however, adaptions at the RNA level remain largely uninvestigated. To examine the relationship between mRNA structural stability and species distribution, in the present study, the secondary structure of cytosolic malate dehydrogenase (cMDH) mRNA of Echinolittorina malaccana, Echinolittorina radiata and Littorina brevicula was determined using selective 2'-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension (SHAPE), and the change in folding free energy of formation (ΔGfold) was calculated. The results showed that ΔGfold increased as the temperature increased. The difference in ΔGfold (ΔΔGfold) between two specific temperatures (25 versus 0°C, 37 versus 0°C and 57 versus 0°C) differed among the three species, and the ΔΔGfold value of E. malaccana was significantly lower than those of E. radiata and L. brevicula. The number of stems of cMDH mRNA of the snails decreased with increasing temperature, and the breakpoint temperature of E. malaccana was the highest among these. The number of loops was also reduced with increasing temperature, while the length of the loop structure increased accordingly. Consequently, these structural changes can potentially affect the translational efficiency of mRNA. These results imply that there were interspecific differences in the thermal stability of RNA secondary structures in intertidal snails, and these differences may be related to snail distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Jie Zhu
- The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Fisheries College, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China
| | - Ming-Ling Liao
- The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Fisheries College, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China
| | - Yun-Wei Dong
- The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Fisheries College, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China
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25
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Fang L, Velema WA, Lee Y, Xiao L, Mohsen MG, Kietrys AM, Kool ET. Pervasive transcriptome interactions of protein-targeted drugs. Nat Chem 2023; 15:1374-1383. [PMID: 37653232 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-023-01309-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
The off-target toxicity of drugs targeted to proteins imparts substantial health and economic costs. Proteome interaction studies can reveal off-target effects with unintended proteins; however, little attention has been paid to intracellular RNAs as potential off-targets that may contribute to toxicity. To begin to assess this, we developed a reactivity-based RNA profiling methodology and applied it to uncover transcriptome interactions of a set of Food and Drug Administration-approved small-molecule drugs in vivo. We show that these protein-targeted drugs pervasively interact with the human transcriptome and can exert unintended biological effects on RNA functions. In addition, we show that many off-target interactions occur at RNA loci associated with protein binding and structural changes, allowing us to generate hypotheses to infer the biological consequences of RNA off-target binding. The results suggest that rigorous characterization of drugs' transcriptome interactions may help assess target specificity and potentially avoid toxicity and clinical failures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linglan Fang
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Willem A Velema
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yujeong Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lu Xiao
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Anna M Kietrys
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Eric T Kool
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Sarafan ChEM-H Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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26
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Yu G, Liu Y, Li Z, Deng S, Wu Z, Zhang X, Chen W, Yang J, Chen X, Yang JR. Genome-wide probing of eukaryotic nascent RNA structure elucidates cotranscriptional folding and its antimutagenic effect. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5853. [PMID: 37730811 PMCID: PMC10511511 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41550-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The transcriptional intermediates of RNAs fold into secondary structures with multiple regulatory roles, yet the details of such cotranscriptional RNA folding are largely unresolved in eukaryotes. Here, we present eSPET-seq (Structural Probing of Elongating Transcripts in eukaryotes), a method to assess the cotranscriptional RNA folding in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Our study reveals pervasive structural transitions during cotranscriptional folding and overall structural similarities between nascent and mature RNAs. Furthermore, a combined analysis with genome-wide R-loop and mutation rate approximations provides quantitative evidence for the antimutator effect of nascent RNA folding through competitive inhibition of the R-loops, known to facilitate transcription-associated mutagenesis. Taken together, we present an experimental evaluation of cotranscriptional folding in eukaryotes and demonstrate the antimutator effect of nascent RNA folding. These results suggest genome-wide coupling between the processing and transmission of genetic information through RNA folding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gongwang Yu
- Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
- Department of Genetics and Biomedical Informatics, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Yao Liu
- Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
- Department of Genetics and Biomedical Informatics, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Zizhang Li
- Department of Genetics and Biomedical Informatics, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Shuyun Deng
- Department of Genetics and Biomedical Informatics, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Zhuoxing Wu
- Department of Genetics and Biomedical Informatics, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Xiaoyu Zhang
- Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
- Department of Genetics and Biomedical Informatics, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Wenbo Chen
- Department of Genetics and Biomedical Informatics, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Junnan Yang
- Department of Genetics and Biomedical Informatics, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Xiaoshu Chen
- Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
- Department of Genetics and Biomedical Informatics, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jian-Rong Yang
- Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
- Department of Genetics and Biomedical Informatics, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
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27
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Mitchell D, Cotter J, Saleem I, Mustoe AM. Mutation signature filtering enables high-fidelity RNA structure probing at all four nucleobases with DMS. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:8744-8757. [PMID: 37334863 PMCID: PMC10484685 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemical probing experiments have transformed RNA structure analysis, enabling high-throughput measurement of base-pairing in living cells. Dimethyl sulfate (DMS) is one of the most widely used structure probing reagents and has played a pivotal role in enabling next-generation single-molecule probing analyses. However, DMS has traditionally only been able to probe adenine and cytosine nucleobases. We previously showed that, using appropriate conditions, DMS can also be used to interrogate base-pairing of uracil and guanines in vitro at reduced accuracy. However, DMS remained unable to informatively probe guanines in cells. Here, we develop an improved DMS mutational profiling (MaP) strategy that leverages the unique mutational signature of N1-methylguanine DMS modifications to enable high-fidelity structure probing at all four nucleotides, including in cells. Using information theory, we show that four-base DMS reactivities convey greater structural information than current two-base DMS and SHAPE probing strategies. Four-base DMS experiments further enable improved direct base-pair detection by single-molecule PAIR analysis, and ultimately support RNA structure modeling at superior accuracy. Four-base DMS probing experiments are straightforward to perform and will broadly facilitate improved RNA structural analysis in living cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Mitchell
- Therapeutic Innovation Center, Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jennifer Cotter
- Therapeutic Innovation Center, Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Irfana Saleem
- Therapeutic Innovation Center, Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Anthony M Mustoe
- Therapeutic Innovation Center, Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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28
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Broglia L, Le Rhun A, Charpentier E. Methodologies for bacterial ribonuclease characterization using RNA-seq. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2023; 47:fuad049. [PMID: 37656885 PMCID: PMC10503654 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuad049] [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: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria adjust gene expression at the post-transcriptional level through an intricate network of small regulatory RNAs and RNA-binding proteins, including ribonucleases (RNases). RNases play an essential role in RNA metabolism, regulating RNA stability, decay, and activation. These enzymes exhibit species-specific effects on gene expression, bacterial physiology, and different strategies of target recognition. Recent advances in high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) approaches have provided a better understanding of the roles and modes of action of bacterial RNases. Global studies aiming to identify direct targets of RNases have highlighted the diversity of RNase activity and RNA-based mechanisms of gene expression regulation. Here, we review recent RNA-seq approaches used to study bacterial RNases, with a focus on the methods for identifying direct RNase targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Broglia
- Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
- Center for Human Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16152 Genova, Italy
| | - Anaïs Le Rhun
- Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INSERM, ARNA, UMR 5320, U1212, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Emmanuelle Charpentier
- Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt University, D-10115 Berlin, Germany
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29
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Xiang Y, Huang W, Tan L, Chen T, He Y, Irving PS, Weeks KM, Zhang QC, Dong X. Pervasive downstream RNA hairpins dynamically dictate start-codon selection. Nature 2023; 621:423-430. [PMID: 37674078 PMCID: PMC10499604 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06500-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Translational reprogramming allows organisms to adapt to changing conditions. Upstream start codons (uAUGs), which are prevalently present in mRNAs, have crucial roles in regulating translation by providing alternative translation start sites1-4. However, what determines this selective initiation of translation between conditions remains unclear. Here, by integrating transcriptome-wide translational and structural analyses during pattern-triggered immunity in Arabidopsis, we found that transcripts with immune-induced translation are enriched with upstream open reading frames (uORFs). Without infection, these uORFs are selectively translated owing to hairpins immediately downstream of uAUGs, presumably by slowing and engaging the scanning preinitiation complex. Modelling using deep learning provides unbiased support for these recognizable double-stranded RNA structures downstream of uAUGs (which we term uAUG-ds) being responsible for the selective translation of uAUGs, and allows the prediction and rational design of translating uAUG-ds. We found that uAUG-ds-mediated regulation can be generalized to human cells. Moreover, uAUG-ds-mediated start-codon selection is dynamically regulated. After immune challenge in plants, induced RNA helicases that are homologous to Ded1p in yeast and DDX3X in humans resolve these structures, allowing ribosomes to bypass uAUGs to translate downstream defence proteins. This study shows that mRNA structures dynamically regulate start-codon selection. The prevalence of this RNA structural feature and the conservation of RNA helicases across kingdoms suggest that mRNA structural remodelling is a general feature of translational reprogramming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yezi Xiang
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Wenze Huang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structures, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lianmei Tan
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke Medical Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Tianyuan Chen
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Yang He
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Patrick S Irving
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kevin M Weeks
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Qiangfeng Cliff Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structures, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xinnian Dong
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
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30
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Gabryelska MM, Conn SJ. The RNA interactome in the Hallmarks of Cancer. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2023; 14:e1786. [PMID: 37042179 PMCID: PMC10909452 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules are indispensable for cellular homeostasis in healthy and malignant cells. However, the functions of RNA extend well beyond that of a protein-coding template. Rather, both coding and non-coding RNA molecules function through critical interactions with a plethora of cellular molecules, including other RNAs, DNA, and proteins. Deconvoluting this RNA interactome, including the interacting partners, the nature of the interaction, and dynamic changes of these interactions in malignancies has yielded fundamental advances in knowledge and are emerging as a novel therapeutic strategy in cancer. Here, we present an RNA-centric review of recent advances in the field of RNA-RNA, RNA-protein, and RNA-DNA interactomic network analysis and their impact across the Hallmarks of Cancer. This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > RNA-Protein Complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta M Gabryelska
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia
| | - Simon J Conn
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia
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31
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Deng J, Fang X, Huang L, Li S, Xu L, Ye K, Zhang J, Zhang K, Zhang QC. RNA structure determination: From 2D to 3D. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 3:727-737. [PMID: 38933295 PMCID: PMC11197651 DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2023.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
RNA molecules serve a wide range of functions that are closely linked to their structures. The basic structural units of RNA consist of single- and double-stranded regions. In order to carry out advanced functions such as catalysis and ligand binding, certain types of RNAs can adopt higher-order structures. The analysis of RNA structures has progressed alongside advancements in structural biology techniques, but it comes with its own set of challenges and corresponding solutions. In this review, we will discuss recent advances in RNA structure analysis techniques, including structural probing methods, X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance, cryo-electron microscopy, and small-angle X-ray scattering. Often, a combination of multiple techniques is employed for the integrated analysis of RNA structures. We also survey important RNA structures that have been recently determined using various techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Deng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Xianyang Fang
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Lin Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Shanshan Li
- MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics and Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Lilei Xu
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Keqiong Ye
- Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jinsong Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology & Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Kaiming Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics and Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Qiangfeng Cliff Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology & Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
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32
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Shi B, An K, Wang Y, Fei Y, Guo C, Cliff Zhang Q, Yang YG, Tian X, Kan Q. RNA Structural Dynamics Modulate EGFR-TKI Resistance Through Controlling YRDC Translation in NSCLC Cells. GENOMICS, PROTEOMICS & BIOINFORMATICS 2023; 21:850-865. [PMID: 36435452 PMCID: PMC10787121 DOI: 10.1016/j.gpb.2022.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) positively affect the initial control of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Rapidly acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs is a major hurdle in successful treatment. However, the mechanisms that control the resistance of EGFR-TKIs remain largely unknown. RNA structures have widespread and crucial functions in many biological regulations; however, the functions of RNA structures in regulating cancer drug resistance remain unclear. Here, the psoralen analysis of RNA interactions and structures (PARIS) method is used to establish the higher-order RNA structure maps of EGFR-TKIs-resistant and -sensitive cells of NSCLC. Our results show that RNA structural regions are enriched in untranslated regions (UTRs) and correlate with translation efficiency (TE). Moreover, yrdC N6-threonylcarbamoyltransferase domain containing (YRDC) promotes resistance to EGFR-TKIs. RNA structure formation in YRDC 3' UTR suppresses embryonic lethal abnormal vision-like 1 (ELAVL1) binding, leading to EGFR-TKI sensitivity by impairing YRDC translation. A potential therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment is provided using antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) to perturb the interaction between RNA and protein. Our study reveals an unprecedented mechanism through which the RNA structure switch modulates EGFR-TKI resistance by controlling YRDC mRNA translation in an ELAVL1-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyang Shi
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Ke An
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yueqin Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Yuhan Fei
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Caixia Guo
- Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Qiangfeng Cliff Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yun-Gui Yang
- Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Xin Tian
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
| | - Quancheng Kan
- Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
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33
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Guo LT, Pyle AM. End-to-end RT-PCR of long RNA and highly structured RNA. Methods Enzymol 2023; 691:3-15. [PMID: 37914451 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2023.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
RNA molecules play important roles in numerous normal cellular processes and disease states, from protein coding to gene regulation. RT-PCR, applying the power of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to RNA by coupling reverse transcription with PCR, is one of the most important techniques to characterize RNA transcripts and monitor gene expression. The ability to analyze full-length RNA transcripts and detect their expression is critical to decipher their biological functions. However, due to the low processivity of retroviral reverse transcriptases (RTs), we can only monitor a small fraction of long RNA transcripts, especially those containing stable secondary and tertiary structures. The full-length sequences can only be deduced by computational analysis, which is often misleading. Group II intron-encoded RTs are a new type of RT enzymes. They have evolved specialized structural elements that unwind template structures and maintain close contact with the RNA template. Therefore, group II intron-encoded RTs are more processive than the retroviral RTs. The discovery, optimization and deployment of processive group II intron RTs provide us the opportunity to analyze RNA transcripts with single molecule resolution. MarathonRT, the most processive group II intron RT, has been extensively optimized for processive reverse transcription. In this chapter, we use MarathonRT to deliver a general protocol for long amplicon generation by RT-PCR, and also provide guidance for troubleshooting and further optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Tao Guo
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Anna Marie Pyle
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States; Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, United States.
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34
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Khorkova O, Stahl J, Joji A, Volmar CH, Wahlestedt C. Amplifying gene expression with RNA-targeted therapeutics. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2023; 22:539-561. [PMID: 37253858 PMCID: PMC10227815 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-023-00704-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Many diseases are caused by insufficient expression of mutated genes and would benefit from increased expression of the corresponding protein. However, in drug development, it has been historically easier to develop drugs with inhibitory or antagonistic effects. Protein replacement and gene therapy can achieve the goal of increased protein expression but have limitations. Recent discoveries of the extensive regulatory networks formed by non-coding RNAs offer alternative targets and strategies to amplify the production of a specific protein. In addition to RNA-targeting small molecules, new nucleic acid-based therapeutic modalities that allow highly specific modulation of RNA-based regulatory networks are being developed. Such approaches can directly target the stability of mRNAs or modulate non-coding RNA-mediated regulation of transcription and translation. This Review highlights emerging RNA-targeted therapeutics for gene activation, focusing on opportunities and challenges for translation to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Khorkova
- OPKO Health, Miami, FL, USA
- Center for Therapeutic Innovation, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Jack Stahl
- Center for Therapeutic Innovation, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Aswathy Joji
- Center for Therapeutic Innovation, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Claude-Henry Volmar
- Center for Therapeutic Innovation, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Claes Wahlestedt
- Center for Therapeutic Innovation, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
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35
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Kolberg T, von Löhneysen S, Ozerova I, Wellner K, Hartmann R, Stadler P, Mörl M. Led-Seq: ligation-enhanced double-end sequence-based structure analysis of RNA. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:e63. [PMID: 37114986 PMCID: PMC10287922 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Structural analysis of RNA is an important and versatile tool to investigate the function of this type of molecules in the cell as well as in vitro. Several robust and reliable procedures are available, relying on chemical modification inducing RT stops or nucleotide misincorporations during reverse transcription. Others are based on cleavage reactions and RT stop signals. However, these methods address only one side of the RT stop or misincorporation position. Here, we describe Led-Seq, a new approach based on lead-induced cleavage of unpaired RNA positions, where both resulting cleavage products are investigated. The RNA fragments carrying 2', 3'-cyclic phosphate or 5'-OH ends are selectively ligated to oligonucleotide adapters by specific RNA ligases. In a deep sequencing analysis, the cleavage sites are identified as ligation positions, avoiding possible false positive signals based on premature RT stops. With a benchmark set of transcripts in Escherichia coli, we show that Led-Seq is an improved and reliable approach based on metal ion-induced phosphodiester hydrolysis to investigate RNA structures in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Kolberg
- Institute for Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Brüderstr. 34, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sarah von Löhneysen
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, Leipzig University, Härtelstr. 16–18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Iuliia Ozerova
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, Leipzig University, Härtelstr. 16–18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Karolin Wellner
- Institute for Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Brüderstr. 34, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Roland K Hartmann
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps University Marburg, Marbacher Weg 6, 35037 Marburg, Germany
| | - Peter F Stadler
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, Leipzig University, Härtelstr. 16–18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Inselstraße 22, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währingerstraße 17, A-1090 Wien, Austria
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
- Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Rd., Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
| | - Mario Mörl
- Institute for Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Brüderstr. 34, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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36
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Khan D, Terenzi F, Liu G, Ghosh PK, Ye F, Nguyen K, China A, Ramachandiran I, Chakraborty S, Stefan J, Khan K, Vasu K, Dong F, Willard B, Karn J, Gack MU, Fox PL. A viral pan-end RNA element and host complex define a SARS-CoV-2 regulon. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3385. [PMID: 37296097 PMCID: PMC10250186 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39091-3] [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: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of COVID-19, generates multiple protein-coding, subgenomic RNAs (sgRNAs) from a longer genomic RNA, all bearing identical termini with poorly understood roles in regulating viral gene expression. Insulin and interferon-gamma, two host-derived, stress-related agents, and virus spike protein, induce binding of glutamyl-prolyl-tRNA synthetase (EPRS1), within an unconventional, tetra-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase complex, to the sgRNA 3'-end thereby enhancing sgRNA expression. We identify an EPRS1-binding sarbecoviral pan-end activating RNA (SPEAR) element in the 3'-end of viral RNAs driving agonist-induction. Translation of another co-terminal 3'-end feature, ORF10, is necessary for SPEAR-mediated induction, independent of Orf10 protein expression. The SPEAR element enhances viral programmed ribosomal frameshifting, thereby expanding its functionality. By co-opting noncanonical activities of a family of essential host proteins, the virus establishes a post-transcriptional regulon stimulating global viral RNA translation. A SPEAR-targeting strategy markedly reduces SARS-CoV-2 titer, suggesting a pan-sarbecoviral therapeutic modality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debjit Khan
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Fulvia Terenzi
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - GuanQun Liu
- Florida Research and Innovation Center, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Port St. Lucie, FL, 34987, USA
| | - Prabar K Ghosh
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Fengchun Ye
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Kien Nguyen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Arnab China
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Iyappan Ramachandiran
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Shruti Chakraborty
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Jennifer Stefan
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Krishnendu Khan
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Kommireddy Vasu
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Franklin Dong
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Belinda Willard
- Lerner Research Institute Proteomics and Metabolomics Core, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Jonathan Karn
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Michaela U Gack
- Florida Research and Innovation Center, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Port St. Lucie, FL, 34987, USA
| | - Paul L Fox
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.
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Warner BR, Bundschuh R, Fredrick K. Roles of the leader-trailer helix and antitermination complex in biogenesis of the 30S ribosomal subunit. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:5242-5254. [PMID: 37102690 PMCID: PMC10250234 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Ribosome biogenesis occurs co-transcriptionally and entails rRNA folding, ribosomal protein binding, rRNA processing, and rRNA modification. In most bacteria, the 16S, 23S and 5S rRNAs are co-transcribed, often with one or more tRNAs. Transcription involves a modified RNA polymerase, called the antitermination complex, which forms in response to cis-acting elements (boxB, boxA and boxC) in the nascent pre-rRNA. Sequences flanking the rRNAs are complementary and form long helices known as leader-trailer helices. Here, we employed an orthogonal translation system to interrogate the functional roles of these RNA elements in 30S subunit biogenesis in Escherichia coli. Mutations that disrupt the leader-trailer helix caused complete loss of translation activity, indicating that this helix is absolutely essential for active subunit formation in the cell. Mutations of boxA also reduced translation activity, but by only 2- to 3-fold, suggesting a smaller role for the antitermination complex. Similarly modest drops in activity were seen upon deletion of either or both of two leader helices, termed here hA and hB. Interestingly, subunits formed in the absence of these leader features exhibited defects in translational fidelity. These data suggest that the antitermination complex and precursor RNA elements help to ensure quality control during ribosome biogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin R Warner
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Ralf Bundschuh
- Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus,OH 43210, USA
| | - Kurt Fredrick
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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38
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Ghosh A, Bharmal MHM, Ghaleb AM, Nandana V, Schrader JM. Initiator AUGs Are Discriminated from Elongator AUGs Predominantly through mRNA Accessibility in C. crescentus. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0042022. [PMID: 37092987 PMCID: PMC10210977 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00420-22] [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: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The initiation of translation in bacteria is thought to occur upon base pairing between the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) site in the mRNA and the anti-SD site in the rRNA. However, in many bacterial species, such as Caulobacter crescentus, a minority of mRNAs have SD sites. To examine the functional importance of SD sites in C. crescentus, we analyzed the transcriptome and found that more SD sites exist in the coding sequence than in the preceding start codons. To examine the function of SD sites in initiation, we designed a series of mutants with altered ribosome accessibility and SD content in translation initiation regions (TIRs) and in elongator AUG regions (EARs). A lack of mRNA structure content is required for initiation in TIRs, and, when introduced into EARs, can stimulate initiation, thereby suggesting that low mRNA structure content is a major feature that is required for initiation. SD sites appear to stimulate initiation in TIRs, which generally lack structure content, but SD sites only stimulate initiation in EARs if RNA secondary structures are destabilized. Taken together, these results suggest that the difference in secondary structure between TIRs and EARs directs ribosomes to start codons where SD base pairing can tune the efficiency of initiation, but SDs in EARs do not stimulate initiation, as they are blocked by stable secondary structures. This highlights the importance of studying translation initiation mechanisms in diverse bacterial species. IMPORTANCE Start codon selection is an essential process that is thought to occur via the base pairing of the rRNA to the SD site in the mRNA. This model is based on studies in E. coli, yet whole-genome sequencing revealed that SD sites are absent at start codons in many species. By examining the transcriptome of C. crescentus, we found more SD-AUG pairs in the CDS of mRNAs than preceding start codons, yet these internal sites do not initiate. Instead, start codon regions have lower mRNA secondary structure content than do internal SD-AUG regions. Therefore, we find that start codon selection is not controlled by the presence of SD sites, which tune initiation efficiency, but by lower mRNA structure content surrounding the start codon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aishwarya Ghosh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Amar M. Ghaleb
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Vidhyadhar Nandana
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Jared M. Schrader
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
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39
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Monroy-Eklund A, Taylor C, Weidmann CA, Burch C, Laederach A. Structural analysis of MALAT1 long noncoding RNA in cells and in evolution. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2023; 29:691-704. [PMID: 36792358 PMCID: PMC10159000 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079388.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Although not canonically polyadenylated, the long noncoding RNA MALAT1 (metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1) is stabilized by a highly conserved 76-nt triple helix structure on its 3' end. The entire MALAT1 transcript is over 8000 nt long in humans. The strongest structural conservation signal in MALAT1 (as measured by covariation of base pairs) is in the triple helix structure. Primary sequence analysis of covariation alone does not reveal the degree of structural conservation of the entire full-length transcript, however. Furthermore, RNA structure is often context dependent; RNA binding proteins that are differentially expressed in different cell types may alter structure. We investigate here the in-cell and cell-free structures of the full-length human and green monkey (Chlorocebus sabaeus) MALAT1 transcripts in multiple tissue-derived cell lines using SHAPE chemical probing. Our data reveal levels of uniform structural conservation in different cell lines, in cells and cell-free, and even between species, despite significant differences in primary sequence. The uniformity of the structural conservation across the entire transcript suggests that, despite seeing covariation signals only in the triple helix junction of the lncRNA, the rest of the transcript's structure is remarkably conserved, at least in primates and across multiple cell types and conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anais Monroy-Eklund
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
| | - Colin Taylor
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
| | - Chase A Weidmann
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan Medical School, Center for RNA Biomedicine, Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Christina Burch
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
| | - Alain Laederach
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
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40
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Mitchell D, Cotter J, Saleem I, Mustoe AM. Mutation signature filtering enables high-fidelity RNA structure probing at all four nucleobases with DMS. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.10.536308. [PMID: 37090560 PMCID: PMC10120657 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.10.536308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Chemical probing experiments have transformed RNA structure analysis, enabling high-throughput measurement of base-pairing in living cells. Dimethyl sulfate (DMS) is one of the most widely used structure probing reagents and has played a prominent role in enabling next-generation single-molecule probing analyses. However, DMS has traditionally only been able to probe adenine and cytosine nucleobases. We previously showed that, using appropriate conditions, DMS can also be used to interrogate base-pairing of uracil and guanines in vitro at reduced accuracy. However, DMS remained unable to informatively probe guanines in cells. Here, we develop an improved DMS mutational profiling (MaP) strategy that leverages the unique mutational signature of N 1 -methylguanine DMS modifications to enable robust, high-fidelity structure probing at all four nucleotides, including in cells. Using information theory, we show that four-base DMS reactivities convey greater structural information than comparable two-base DMS and SHAPE probing strategies. Four-base DMS experiments further enable improved direct base-pair detection by single-molecule PAIR analysis, and ultimately support RNA structure modeling at superior accuracy. Four-base DMS probing experiments are easily performed and will broadly facilitate improved RNA structural analysis in living cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Mitchell
- Therapeutic Innovation Center, and Verna and Marrs Mclean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Jennifer Cotter
- Therapeutic Innovation Center, and Verna and Marrs Mclean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Irfana Saleem
- Therapeutic Innovation Center, and Verna and Marrs Mclean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Anthony M. Mustoe
- Therapeutic Innovation Center, and Verna and Marrs Mclean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
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41
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Boerneke MA, Gokhale NS, Horner SM, Weeks KM. Structure-first identification of RNA elements that regulate dengue virus genome architecture and replication. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2217053120. [PMID: 37011200 PMCID: PMC10104495 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2217053120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The genomes of RNA viruses encode the information required for replication in host cells both in their linear sequence and in complex higher-order structures. A subset of these RNA genome structures show clear sequence conservation, and have been extensively described for well-characterized viruses. However, the extent to which viral RNA genomes contain functional structural elements-unable to be detected by sequence alone-that nonetheless are critical to viral fitness is largely unknown. Here, we devise a structure-first experimental strategy and use it to identify 22 structure-similar motifs across the coding sequences of the RNA genomes for the four dengue virus serotypes. At least 10 of these motifs modulate viral fitness, revealing a significant unnoticed extent of RNA structure-mediated regulation within viral coding sequences. These viral RNA structures promote a compact global genome architecture, interact with proteins, and regulate the viral replication cycle. These motifs are also thus constrained at the levels of both RNA structure and protein sequence and are potential resistance-refractory targets for antivirals and live-attenuated vaccines. Structure-first identification of conserved RNA structure enables efficient discovery of pervasive RNA-mediated regulation in viral genomes and, likely, other cellular RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A. Boerneke
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC27599-3290
| | - Nandan S. Gokhale
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC27710
| | - Stacy M. Horner
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC27710
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC27710
| | - Kevin M. Weeks
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC27599-3290
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42
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Chatterjee S, Shioi R, Kool ET. Sulfonylation of RNA 2'-OH groups. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2023; 9:531-539. [PMID: 36968531 PMCID: PMC10037496 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.2c01237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The nucleophilic reactivity of RNA 2'-OH groups in water has proven broadly useful in probing, labeling, and conjugating RNA. To date, reactions selective to ribose 2'-OH have been limited to bond formation with short-lived carbonyl electrophiles. Here we report that many activated small-molecule sulfonyl species can exhibit extended lifetimes in water and retain 2'-OH reactivity. The data establish favorable aqueous solubility for selected reagents and successful RNA-selective reactions at stoichiometric and superstoichiometric yields, particularly for aryl sulfonyltriazole species. We report that the latter are considerably more stable than most prior carbon electrophiles in aqueous environments and tolerate silica chromatography. Furthermore, an azide-substituted sulfonyltriazole reagent is developed to introduce labels into RNA via click chemistry. In addition to high-yield reactions, we find that RNA sulfonylation can also be performed under conditions that give trace yields necessary for structure mapping. Like acylation, the reaction occurs with selectivity for unpaired nucleotides over those in the duplex structure, and a sulfonate adduct causes reverse transcriptase stops, suggesting potential use in RNA structure analysis. Probing of rRNA is demonstrated in human cells, indicating possible cell permeability. The sulfonyl reagent class enables a new level of control, selectivity, versatility, and ease of preparation for RNA applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayantan Chatterjee
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford
University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Ryuta Shioi
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford
University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Eric T. Kool
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford
University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
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43
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Yazdani K, Jordan D, Yang M, Fullenkamp CR, Calabrese DR, Boer R, Hilimire T, Allen TEH, Khan RT, Schneekloth JS. Machine Learning Informs RNA-Binding Chemical Space. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202211358. [PMID: 36584293 PMCID: PMC9992102 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202211358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Small molecule targeting of RNA has emerged as a new frontier in medicinal chemistry, but compared to the protein targeting literature our understanding of chemical matter that binds to RNA is limited. In this study, we reported Repository Of BInders to Nucleic acids (ROBIN), a new library of nucleic acid binders identified by small molecule microarray (SMM) screening. The complete results of 36 individual nucleic acid SMM screens against a library of 24 572 small molecules were reported (including a total of 1 627 072 interactions assayed). A set of 2 003 RNA-binding small molecules was identified, representing the largest fully public, experimentally derived library of its kind to date. Machine learning was used to develop highly predictive and interpretable models to characterize RNA-binding molecules. This work demonstrates that machine learning algorithms applied to experimentally derived sets of RNA binders are a powerful method to inform RNA-targeted chemical space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamyar Yazdani
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Deondre Jordan
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Mo Yang
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Christopher R. Fullenkamp
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - David R. Calabrese
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Robert Boer
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Thomas Hilimire
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | | | | | - John S. Schneekloth
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
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44
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Abstract
RNA is a key regulator of almost every cellular process, and the structures adopted by RNA molecules are thought to be central to their functions. The recent fast-paced evolution of high-throughput sequencing-based RNA structure mapping methods has enabled the rapid in vivo structural interrogation of entire cellular transcriptomes. Collectively, these studies are shedding new light on the long underestimated complexity of the structural organization of the transcriptome - the RNA structurome. Moreover, recent analyses are challenging the view that the RNA structurome is a static entity by revealing how RNA molecules establish intricate networks of alternative intramolecular and intermolecular interactions and that these ensembles of RNA structures are dynamically regulated to finely tune RNA functions in living cells. This new understanding of how RNA can shape cell phenotypes has important implications for the development of RNA-targeted therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert C Spitale
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
| | - Danny Incarnato
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute (GBB), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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45
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Velema WA, Lu Z. Chemical RNA Cross-Linking: Mechanisms, Computational Analysis, and Biological Applications. JACS AU 2023; 3:316-332. [PMID: 36873678 PMCID: PMC9975857 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.2c00625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, RNA has emerged as a multifaceted biomolecule that is involved in virtually every function of the cell and is critical for human health. This has led to a substantial increase in research efforts to uncover the many chemical and biological aspects of RNA and target RNA for therapeutic purposes. In particular, analysis of RNA structures and interactions in cells has been critical for understanding their diverse functions and druggability. In the last 5 years, several chemical methods have been developed to achieve this goal, using chemical cross-linking combined with high-throughput sequencing and computational analysis. Applications of these methods resulted in important new insights into RNA functions in a variety of biological contexts. Given the rapid development of new chemical technologies, a thorough perspective on the past and future of this field is provided. In particular, the various RNA cross-linkers and their mechanisms, the computational analysis and challenges, and illustrative examples from recent literature are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willem A. Velema
- Institute
for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6500 HC, The Netherlands
| | - Zhipeng Lu
- Department
of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033, United States
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46
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Magnus M, Miao Z. RNA 3D Structure Comparison Using RNA-Puzzles Toolkit. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2586:263-285. [PMID: 36705910 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2768-6_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Computational modeling of RNA three-dimensional (3D) structure may help in unrevealing the molecular mechanisms of RNA molecules and in designing molecules with novel functions. An unbiased blind assessment to benchmark the computational modeling is required to understand the achievements and bottlenecks of the prediction, while a standard structure comparison protocol is necessary. RNA-Puzzles is a community-wide effort on the assessment of blind prediction of RNA tertiary structures. And RNA-Puzzles toolkit is a computational resource derived from RNA-Puzzles, which includes (i) decoy sets generated by different RNA 3D structure prediction methods; (ii) 3D structure normalization, analysis, manipulation, and visualization tools; and (iii) 3D structure comparison metric tools. In this chapter, we illustrate a standard RNA 3D structure prediction assessment protocol using the selected tools from RNA-Puzzles toolkit: rna-tools and RNA_assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Magnus
- ReMedy-International Research Agenda Unit, Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Zhichao Miao
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, UK. .,Department of Anesthesiology, Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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47
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Bai H, Ata G, Sun Q, Rahman SU, Tao S. Natural selection pressure exerted on "Silent" mutations during the evolution of SARS-CoV-2: Evidence from codon usage and RNA structure. Virus Res 2023; 323:198966. [PMID: 36244617 PMCID: PMC9561399 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2022.198966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
From the first emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) till now, multiple mutations that caused synonymous and nonsynonymous substitutions have accumulated. Among them, synonymous substitutions were regarded as "silent" mutations that received less attention than nonsynonymous substitutions that cause amino acid variations. However, the importance of synonymous substitutions can not be neglected. This research focuses on synonymous substitutions on SARS-CoV-2 and proves that synonymous substitutions were under purifying selection in its evolution. The evidence of purifying selection is provided by comparing the mutation number per site in coding and non-coding regions. We then study the two forces of purifying selection: synonymous codon usage and RNA secondary structure. Results show that the codon usage optimization leads to an adapted codon usage towards humans. Furthermore, our results show that the maintenance of RNA secondary structure causes the purifying of synonymous substitutions in the structural region. These results explain the selection pressure on synonymous substitutions during the evolution of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoxiang Bai
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China; Bioinformatics Center, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Galal Ata
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China; Bioinformatics Center, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Qing Sun
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China; Bioinformatics Center, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Siddiq Ur Rahman
- Department of Computer Science and Bioinformatics, Khushal Khan Khattak University, Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Shiheng Tao
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China; Bioinformatics Center, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.
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48
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Saha K, Ghosh G. Chemical Probing of RNA Structure In Vivo Using SHAPE-MaP and DMS-MaP. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2666:81-93. [PMID: 37166658 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3191-1_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The functional roles of RNAs are often regulated by their structure. Selective 2' hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension (SHAPE) and dimethyl sulfate (DMS) base reactivity can be employed to investigate the flexibility of nucleotides and correlate it to the constraints imparted by base-pairing and/or protein-binding. In vivo, a multitude of proteins could bind an RNA molecule, regulating its structure and function. Hence, to obtain a more comprehensive view of the RNA structure-function relationship in vivo, it may be required to characterize both the RNA structure and the RNA-protein interaction network. In this chapter, we describe methods for characterizing the in vivo nucleotide flexibility of RNA in cells by SHAPE-MaP (SHAPE by Mutational Profiling) and DMS-MaP. In another chapter, we will discuss the characterization of RNA-protein interaction network by RNP-MaP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaushik Saha
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Gourisankar Ghosh
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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Zabolotskii AI, Kozlovskiy SV, Katrukha AG. The Influence of the Nucleotide Composition of Genes and Gene Regulatory Elements on the Efficiency of Protein Expression in Escherichia coli. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2023; 88:S176-S191. [PMID: 37069120 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297923140109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant proteins expressed in Escherichia coli are widely used in biochemical research and industrial processes. At the same time, achieving higher protein expression levels and correct protein folding still remains the key problem, since optimization of nutrient media, growth conditions, and methods for induction of protein synthesis do not always lead to the desired result. Often, low protein expression is determined by the sequences of the expressed genes and their regulatory regions. The genetic code is degenerated; 18 out of 20 amino acids are encoded by more than one codon. Choosing between synonymous codons in the coding sequence can significantly affect the level of protein expression and protein folding due to the influence of the gene nucleotide composition on the probability of formation of secondary mRNA structures that affect the ribosome binding at the translation initiation phase, as well as the ribosome movement along the mRNA during elongation, which, in turn, influences the mRNA degradation and the folding of the nascent protein. The nucleotide composition of the mRNA untranslated regions, in particular the promoter and Shine-Dalgarno sequences, also affects the efficiency of mRNA transcription, translation, and degradation. In this review, we describe the genetic principles that determine the efficiency of protein production in Escherichia coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artur I Zabolotskii
- Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | | | - Alexey G Katrukha
- Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
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Li X, Dai X, Pan Y, Sun Y, Yang B, Chen K, Wang Y, Xu JF, Dong Y, Yang YR, Yan LT, Liu D. Studies on the Synergistic Effect of Tandem Semi-Stable Complementary Domains on Sequence-Defined DNA Block Copolymers. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:21267-21277. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c08930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- Engineering Research Center of Advanced Rare Earth Materials (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xiaobin Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yufan Pan
- Engineering Research Center of Advanced Rare Earth Materials (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yawei Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, College of Chemical Engineering, China University of Petroleum (Huadong), Qingdao 258000, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Engineering Research Center of Advanced Rare Earth Materials (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Kun Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, China
| | - You Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Advanced Rare Earth Materials (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jiang-Fei Xu
- Key Lab of Organic Optoelectronics & Molecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yuanchen Dong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Colloid Interface and Chemical Thermodynamics, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P.R. China
| | - Yuhe Renee Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Li-Tang Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Dongsheng Liu
- Engineering Research Center of Advanced Rare Earth Materials (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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