1
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Rodriguez A, Diehl JD, Wright GS, Bonar CD, Lundgren TJ, Moss MJ, Li J, Milenkovic T, Huber PW, Champion MM, Emrich SJ, Clark PL. Synonymous codon substitutions modulate transcription and translation of a divergent upstream gene by modulating antisense RNA production. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2405510121. [PMID: 39190361 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2405510121] [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: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Synonymous codons were originally viewed as interchangeable, with no phenotypic consequences. However, substantial evidence has now demonstrated that synonymous substitutions can perturb a variety of gene expression and protein homeostasis mechanisms, including translational efficiency, translational fidelity, and cotranslational folding of the encoded protein. To date, most studies of synonymous codon-derived perturbations have focused on effects within a single gene. Here, we show that synonymous codon substitutions made far within the coding sequence of Escherichia coli plasmid-encoded chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (cat) can significantly increase expression of the divergent upstream tetracycline resistance gene, tetR. In four out of nine synonymously recoded cat sequences tested, expression of the upstream tetR gene was significantly elevated due to transcription of a long antisense RNA (asRNA) originating from a transcription start site within cat. Surprisingly, transcription of this asRNA readily bypassed the native tet transcriptional repression mechanism. Even more surprisingly, accumulation of the TetR protein correlated with the level of asRNA, rather than total tetR RNA. These effects of synonymous codon substitutions on transcription and translation of a neighboring gene suggest that synonymous codon usage in bacteria may be under selection to both preserve the amino acid sequence of the encoded gene and avoid DNA sequence elements that can significantly perturb expression of neighboring genes. Avoiding such sequences may be especially important in plasmids and prokaryotic genomes, where genes and regulatory elements are often densely packed. Similar considerations may apply to the design of genetic circuits for synthetic biology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anabel Rodriguez
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556
| | - Jacob D Diehl
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556
| | - Gabriel S Wright
- Department of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556
| | - Christopher D Bonar
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556
| | - Taylor J Lundgren
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556
| | - McKenze J Moss
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556
| | - Tijana Milenkovic
- Department of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556
| | - Paul W Huber
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556
| | - Matthew M Champion
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556
| | - Scott J Emrich
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996
| | - Patricia L Clark
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556
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2
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Chan B, Rubinstein M. Theory of chromatin organization maintained by active loop extrusion. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2222078120. [PMID: 37253009 PMCID: PMC10266055 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2222078120] [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: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The active loop extrusion hypothesis proposes that chromatin threads through the cohesin protein complex into progressively larger loops until reaching specific boundary elements. We build upon this hypothesis and develop an analytical theory for active loop extrusion which predicts that loop formation probability is a nonmonotonic function of loop length and describes chromatin contact probabilities. We validate our model with Monte Carlo and hybrid Molecular Dynamics-Monte Carlo simulations and demonstrate that our theory recapitulates experimental chromatin conformation capture data. Our results support active loop extrusion as a mechanism for chromatin organization and provide an analytical description of chromatin organization that may be used to specifically modify chromatin contact probabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Chan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Michael Rubinstein
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Physics, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery (World Premier International Research Center Initiative-ICReDD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo001-0021, Japan
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3
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Dehingia B, Milewska M, Janowski M, Pękowska A. CTCF
shapes chromatin structure and gene expression in health and disease. EMBO Rep 2022; 23:e55146. [PMID: 35993175 PMCID: PMC9442299 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202255146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Bondita Dehingia
- Dioscuri Centre for Chromatin Biology and Epigenomics, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology Polish Academy of Sciences Warsaw Poland
| | - Małgorzata Milewska
- Dioscuri Centre for Chromatin Biology and Epigenomics, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology Polish Academy of Sciences Warsaw Poland
| | - Marcin Janowski
- Dioscuri Centre for Chromatin Biology and Epigenomics, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology Polish Academy of Sciences Warsaw Poland
| | - Aleksandra Pękowska
- Dioscuri Centre for Chromatin Biology and Epigenomics, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology Polish Academy of Sciences Warsaw Poland
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4
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Starr CH, Bryant Z, Spakowitz AJ. Coarse-grained modeling reveals the impact of supercoiling and loop length in DNA looping kinetics. Biophys J 2022; 121:1949-1962. [PMID: 35421389 PMCID: PMC9199097 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Measurements of protein-mediated DNA looping reveal that in vivo conditions favor the formation of loops shorter than those that occur in vitro, yet the precise physical mechanisms underlying this shift remain unclear. To understand the extent to which in vivo supercoiling may explain these shifts, we develop a theoretical model based on coarse-grained molecular simulation and analytical transition state theory, enabling us to map out looping energetics and kinetics as a function of two key biophysical parameters: superhelical density and loop length. We show that loops on the scale of a persistence length respond to supercoiling over a much wider range of superhelical densities and to a larger extent than longer loops. This effect arises from a tendency for loops to be centered on the plectonemic end region, which bends progressively more tightly with superhelical density. This trend reveals a mechanism by which supercoiling favors shorter loop lengths. In addition, our model predicts a complex kinetic response to supercoiling for a given loop length, governed by a competition between an enhanced rate of looping due to torsional buckling and a reduction in looping rate due to chain straightening as the plectoneme tightens at higher superhelical densities. Together, these effects lead to a flattening of the kinetic response to supercoiling within the physiological range for all but the shortest loops. Using experimental estimates for in vivo superhelical densities, we discuss our model's ability to explain available looping data, highlighting both the importance of supercoiling as a regulatory force in genetics and the additional complexities of looping phenomena in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles H Starr
- Biophysics Program, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Zev Bryant
- Biophysics Program, Stanford University, Stanford, California; Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Andrew J Spakowitz
- Biophysics Program, Stanford University, Stanford, California; Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California; Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California.
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5
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Deng S, Feng Y, Pauklin S. 3D chromatin architecture and transcription regulation in cancer. J Hematol Oncol 2022; 15:49. [PMID: 35509102 PMCID: PMC9069733 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-022-01271-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromatin has distinct three-dimensional (3D) architectures important in key biological processes, such as cell cycle, replication, differentiation, and transcription regulation. In turn, aberrant 3D structures play a vital role in developing abnormalities and diseases such as cancer. This review discusses key 3D chromatin structures (topologically associating domain, lamina-associated domain, and enhancer-promoter interactions) and corresponding structural protein elements mediating 3D chromatin interactions [CCCTC-binding factor, polycomb group protein, cohesin, and Brother of the Regulator of Imprinted Sites (BORIS) protein] with a highlight of their associations with cancer. We also summarise the recent development of technologies and bioinformatics approaches to study the 3D chromatin interactions in gene expression regulation, including crosslinking and proximity ligation methods in the bulk cell population (ChIA-PET and HiChIP) or single-molecule resolution (ChIA-drop), and methods other than proximity ligation, such as GAM, SPRITE, and super-resolution microscopy techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siwei Deng
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Botnar Research Centre, University of Oxford, Old Road, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK
| | - Yuliang Feng
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Botnar Research Centre, University of Oxford, Old Road, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK
| | - Siim Pauklin
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Botnar Research Centre, University of Oxford, Old Road, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK.
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6
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Dugar G, Hofmann A, Heermann DW, Hamoen LW. A chromosomal loop anchor mediates bacterial genome organization. Nat Genet 2022; 54:194-201. [PMID: 35075232 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-021-00988-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Nucleoprotein complexes play an integral role in genome organization of both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Apart from their role in locally structuring and compacting DNA, several complexes are known to influence global organization by mediating long-range anchored chromosomal loop formation leading to spatial segregation of large sections of DNA. Such megabase-range interactions are ubiquitous in eukaryotes, but have not been demonstrated in prokaryotes. Here, using a genome-wide sedimentation-based approach, we found that a transcription factor, Rok, forms large nucleoprotein complexes in the bacterium Bacillus subtilis. Using chromosome conformation capture and live-imaging of DNA loci, we show that these complexes robustly interact with each other over large distances. Importantly, these Rok-dependent long-range interactions lead to anchored chromosomal loop formation, thereby spatially isolating large sections of DNA, as previously observed for insulator proteins in eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Dugar
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Andreas Hofmann
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dieter W Heermann
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Leendert W Hamoen
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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7
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Hao N, Chen Q, Dodd IB, Shearwin KE. The pIT5 Plasmid Series, an Improved Toolkit for Repeated Genome Integration in E. coli. ACS Synth Biol 2021; 10:1633-1639. [PMID: 34190535 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We describe a new set of tools for inserting DNA into the bacterial chromosome. The system uses site-specific recombination reactions carried out by bacteriophage integrases to integrate plasmids at up to eight phage attachment sites in E. coli MG1655. The introduction of mutant loxP sites in the integrating plasmids allows repeated removal of antibiotic resistance genes and other plasmid sequences without danger of inducing chromosomal rearrangements. The protocol for Cre-mediated antibiotic resistance gene removal is greatly simplified by introducing the Cre plasmid by phage infection. Finally, we have also developed a set of four independently inducible expression modules with tight control and high dynamic range which can be inserted at specific chromosomal locations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Hao
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
- CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Qinqin Chen
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Ian B. Dodd
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Keith E. Shearwin
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
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8
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Shakiba N, Jones RD, Weiss R, Del Vecchio D. Context-aware synthetic biology by controller design: Engineering the mammalian cell. Cell Syst 2021; 12:561-592. [PMID: 34139166 PMCID: PMC8261833 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2021.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The rise of systems biology has ushered a new paradigm: the view of the cell as a system that processes environmental inputs to drive phenotypic outputs. Synthetic biology provides a complementary approach, allowing us to program cell behavior through the addition of synthetic genetic devices into the cellular processor. These devices, and the complex genetic circuits they compose, are engineered using a design-prototype-test cycle, allowing for predictable device performance to be achieved in a context-dependent manner. Within mammalian cells, context effects impact device performance at multiple scales, including the genetic, cellular, and extracellular levels. In order for synthetic genetic devices to achieve predictable behaviors, approaches to overcome context dependence are necessary. Here, we describe control systems approaches for achieving context-aware devices that are robust to context effects. We then consider cell fate programing as a case study to explore the potential impact of context-aware devices for regenerative medicine applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nika Shakiba
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Ross D Jones
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Ron Weiss
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Domitilla Del Vecchio
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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9
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Hao N, Sullivan AE, Shearwin KE, Dodd IB. The loopometer: a quantitative in vivo assay for DNA-looping proteins. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:e39. [PMID: 33511418 PMCID: PMC8053113 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa1284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteins that can bring together separate DNA sites, either on the same or on different DNA molecules, are critical for a variety of DNA-based processes. However, there are no general and technically simple assays to detect proteins capable of DNA looping in vivo nor to quantitate their in vivo looping efficiency. Here, we develop a quantitative in vivo assay for DNA-looping proteins in Escherichia coli that requires only basic DNA cloning techniques and a LacZ assay. The assay is based on loop assistance, where two binding sites for the candidate looping protein are inserted internally to a pair of operators for the E. coli LacI repressor. DNA looping between the sites shortens the effective distance between the lac operators, increasing LacI looping and strengthening its repression of a lacZ reporter gene. Analysis based on a general model for loop assistance enables quantitation of the strength of looping conferred by the protein and its binding sites. We use this ‘loopometer’ assay to measure DNA looping for a variety of bacterial and phage proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Hao
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.,CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Adrienne E Sullivan
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Keith E Shearwin
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Ian B Dodd
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
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10
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Zhang D, Lam J, Blobel GA. Engineering three-dimensional genome folding. Nat Genet 2021; 53:602-611. [PMID: 33958782 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-021-00860-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Animal genomes are partitioned and folded at various scales that contribute distinctly to nuclear processes. While structural features have been disrupted either globally or at select loci in loss-of-function studies, gain-of-function studies that probe the role of genome architecture have lagged behind. Here we examine recent advances in experimentally creating chromatin loops, contact domains, boundaries and compartments. Furthermore, we explore parallels between this emerging theme and natural evolution of mammalian genomes with increasing architectural complexity. Finally, we provide a perspective on how insights arising from recent gain-of-function studies may inform future endeavors toward engineering the three-dimensional genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Zhang
- Division of Hematology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jessica Lam
- Division of Hematology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gerd A Blobel
- Division of Hematology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA. .,Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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11
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Espinola SM, Götz M, Bellec M, Messina O, Fiche JB, Houbron C, Dejean M, Reim I, Cardozo Gizzi AM, Lagha M, Nollmann M. Cis-regulatory chromatin loops arise before TADs and gene activation, and are independent of cell fate during early Drosophila development. Nat Genet 2021; 53:477-486. [PMID: 33795867 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-021-00816-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Acquisition of cell fate is thought to rely on the specific interaction of remote cis-regulatory modules (CRMs), for example, enhancers and target promoters. However, the precise interplay between chromatin structure and gene expression is still unclear, particularly within multicellular developing organisms. In the present study, we employ Hi-M, a single-cell spatial genomics approach, to detect CRM-promoter looping interactions within topologically associating domains (TADs) during early Drosophila development. By comparing cis-regulatory loops in alternate cell types, we show that physical proximity does not necessarily instruct transcriptional states. Moreover, multi-way analyses reveal that multiple CRMs spatially coalesce to form hubs. Loops and CRM hubs are established early during development, before the emergence of TADs. Moreover, CRM hubs are formed, in part, via the action of the pioneer transcription factor Zelda and precede transcriptional activation. Our approach provides insight into the role of CRM-promoter interactions in defining transcriptional states, as well as distinct cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Martin Espinola
- Centre de Biologie Structurale, CNRS UMR 5048, INSERM U1054, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Markus Götz
- Centre de Biologie Structurale, CNRS UMR 5048, INSERM U1054, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Olivier Messina
- Centre de Biologie Structurale, CNRS UMR 5048, INSERM U1054, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,IGMM, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Bernard Fiche
- Centre de Biologie Structurale, CNRS UMR 5048, INSERM U1054, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Christophe Houbron
- Centre de Biologie Structurale, CNRS UMR 5048, INSERM U1054, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Ingolf Reim
- Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Andrés M Cardozo Gizzi
- Centro de Investigación en Medicina Traslacional Severo Amuchastegui, Instituto Universitario de Ciencias Biomédicas de Córdoba, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Mounia Lagha
- IGMM, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
| | - Marcelo Nollmann
- Centre de Biologie Structurale, CNRS UMR 5048, INSERM U1054, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
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12
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English MA, Gayet RV, Collins JJ. Designing Biological Circuits: Synthetic Biology Within the Operon Model and Beyond. Annu Rev Biochem 2021; 90:221-244. [PMID: 33784178 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biochem-013118-111914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
In 1961, Jacob and Monod proposed the operon model of gene regulation. At the model's core was the modular assembly of regulators, operators, and structural genes. To illustrate the composability of these elements, Jacob and Monod linked phenotypic diversity to the architectures of regulatory circuits. In this review, we examine how the circuit blueprints imagined by Jacob and Monod laid the foundation for the first synthetic gene networks that launched the field of synthetic biology in 2000. We discuss the influences of the operon model and its broader theoretical framework on the first generation of synthetic biological circuits, which were predominantly transcriptional and posttranscriptional circuits. We also describe how recent advances in molecular biology beyond the operon model-namely, programmable DNA- and RNA-binding molecules as well as models of epigenetic and posttranslational regulation-are expanding the synthetic biology toolkit and enabling the design of more complex biological circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max A English
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA; .,Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.,Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Raphaël V Gayet
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA; .,Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.,Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.,Microbiology Graduate Program, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - James J Collins
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA; .,Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.,Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.,Synthetic Biology Center, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA.,Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
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13
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Abstract
Cancers and developmental disorders are associated with alterations in the 3D genome architecture in space and time (the fourth dimension). Mammalian 3D genome organization is complex and dynamic and plays an essential role in regulating gene expression and cellular function. To study the causal relationship between genome function and its spatio-temporal organization in the nucleus, new technologies for engineering and manipulating the 3D organization of the genome have been developed. In particular, CRISPR-Cas technologies allow programmable manipulation at specific genomic loci, enabling unparalleled opportunities in this emerging field of 3D genome engineering. We review advances in mammalian 3D genome engineering with a focus on recent manipulative technologies using CRISPR-Cas and related technologies.
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14
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Rovirosa L, Ramos-Morales A, Javierre BM. The Genome in a Three-Dimensional Context: Deciphering the Contribution of Noncoding Mutations at Enhancers to Blood Cancer. Front Immunol 2020; 11:592087. [PMID: 33117405 PMCID: PMC7575776 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.592087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Associations between blood cancer and genetic predisposition, including both inherited variants and acquired mutations and epimutations, have been well characterized. However, the majority of these variants affect noncoding regions, making their mechanisms difficult to hypothesize and hindering the translation of these insights into patient benefits. Fueled by unprecedented progress in next-generation sequencing and computational integrative analysis, studies have started applying combinations of epigenetic, genome architecture, and functional assays to bridge the gap between noncoding variants and blood cancer. These complementary tools have not only allowed us to understand the potential malignant role of these variants but also to differentiate key variants, cell-types, and conditions from misleading ones. Here, we briefly review recent studies that have provided fundamental insights into our understanding of how noncoding mutations at enhancers predispose and promote blood malignancies in the context of spatial genome architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Llorenç Rovirosa
- 3D Chromatin Organization Group, Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain
| | - Alberto Ramos-Morales
- 3D Chromatin Organization Group, Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain
| | - Biola M Javierre
- 3D Chromatin Organization Group, Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain.,Institute for Health Science Research Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Badalona, Spain
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15
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Bylino OV, Ibragimov AN, Shidlovskii YV. Evolution of Regulated Transcription. Cells 2020; 9:E1675. [PMID: 32664620 PMCID: PMC7408454 DOI: 10.3390/cells9071675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The genomes of all organisms abound with various cis-regulatory elements, which control gene activity. Transcriptional enhancers are a key group of such elements in eukaryotes and are DNA regions that form physical contacts with gene promoters and precisely orchestrate gene expression programs. Here, we follow gradual evolution of this regulatory system and discuss its features in different organisms. In eubacteria, an enhancer-like element is often a single regulatory element, is usually proximal to the core promoter, and is occupied by one or a few activators. Activation of gene expression in archaea is accompanied by the recruitment of an activator to several enhancer-like sites in the upstream promoter region. In eukaryotes, activation of expression is accompanied by the recruitment of activators to multiple enhancers, which may be distant from the core promoter, and the activators act through coactivators. The role of the general DNA architecture in transcription control increases in evolution. As a whole, it can be seen that enhancers of multicellular eukaryotes evolved from the corresponding prototypic enhancer-like regulatory elements with the gradually increasing genome size of organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg V. Bylino
- Laboratory of Gene Expression Regulation in Development, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 34/5 Vavilov St., 119334 Moscow, Russia; (O.V.B.); (A.N.I.)
| | - Airat N. Ibragimov
- Laboratory of Gene Expression Regulation in Development, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 34/5 Vavilov St., 119334 Moscow, Russia; (O.V.B.); (A.N.I.)
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 34/5 Vavilov St., 119334 Moscow, Russia
| | - Yulii V. Shidlovskii
- Laboratory of Gene Expression Regulation in Development, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 34/5 Vavilov St., 119334 Moscow, Russia; (O.V.B.); (A.N.I.)
- I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 8, bldg. 2 Trubetskaya St., 119048 Moscow, Russia
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16
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Li M, Gan J, Sun Y, Xu Z, Yang J, Sun Y, Li C. Architectural proteins for the formation and maintenance of the 3D genome. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2020; 63:795-810. [PMID: 32249389 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-019-1613-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic genomes are densely packaged into hierarchical three-dimensional (3D) structures that contain information about gene regulation and many other biological processes. With the development of imaging and sequencing-based technologies, 3D genome studies have revealed that the high-order chromatin structure is composed of hierarchical levels, including chromosome territories, A/B compartments, topologically associated domains, and chromatin loops. However, how this chromatin architecture is formed and maintained is not completely clear. In this review, we introduce experimental methods to investigate the 3D genome, review major architectural proteins that regulate 3D chromatin organization in mammalian cells, such as CTCF (CCCTC-binding factor), cohesin, lamins, and transcription factors, and discuss relevant mechanisms such as phase separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengfan Li
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies; School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Jingbo Gan
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies; School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yuao Sun
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies; School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences; Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Zihan Xu
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies; School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Junsheng Yang
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies; School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences; Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yujie Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences; Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Cheng Li
- Center for Statistical Science, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
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17
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Ghosh SK, Jost D. Genome organization via loop extrusion, insights from polymer physics models. Brief Funct Genomics 2020; 19:119-127. [PMID: 31711163 DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elz023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding how genomes fold and organize is one of the main challenges in modern biology. Recent high-throughput techniques like Hi-C, in combination with cutting-edge polymer physics models, have provided access to precise information on 3D chromosome folding to decipher the mechanisms driving such multi-scale organization. In particular, structural maintenance of chromosome (SMC) proteins play an important role in the local structuration of chromatin, putatively via a loop extrusion process. Here, we review the different polymer physics models that investigate the role of SMCs in the formation of topologically associated domains (TADs) during interphase via the formation of dynamic loops. We describe the main physical ingredients, compare them and discuss their relevance against experimental observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surya K Ghosh
- Univ Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, TIMC-IMAG, F-38000 Grenoble, France.,Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, 603203, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Daniel Jost
- Univ Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, TIMC-IMAG, F-38000 Grenoble, France.,Laboratory of Biology and Modelling of the Cell, Univ Lyon, ENS de Lyon, Univ Claude Bernard, CNRS UMR 5239, Inserm U1210, F-69007 Lyon, France
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18
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McCord RP, Kaplan N, Giorgetti L. Chromosome Conformation Capture and Beyond: Toward an Integrative View of Chromosome Structure and Function. Mol Cell 2020; 77:688-708. [PMID: 32001106 PMCID: PMC7134573 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2019.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Rapidly developing technologies have recently fueled an exciting era of discovery in the field of chromosome structure and nuclear organization. In addition to chromosome conformation capture (3C) methods, new alternative techniques have emerged to study genome architecture and biological processes in the nucleus, often in single or living cells. This sets an unprecedented stage for exploring the mechanisms that link chromosome structure and biological function. Here we review popular as well as emerging approaches to study chromosome organization, focusing on the contribution of complementary methodologies to our understanding of structures revealed by 3C methods and their biological implications, and discuss the next technical and conceptual frontiers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Patton McCord
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Noam Kaplan
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Luca Giorgetti
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.
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19
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Begolli R, Sideris N, Giakountis A. LncRNAs as Chromatin Regulators in Cancer: From Molecular Function to Clinical Potential. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:E1524. [PMID: 31658672 PMCID: PMC6826483 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11101524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 09/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
During the last decade, high-throughput sequencing efforts in the fields of transcriptomics and epigenomics have shed light on the noncoding part of the transcriptome and its potential role in human disease. Regulatory noncoding RNAs are broadly divided into short and long noncoding transcripts. The latter, also known as lncRNAs, are defined as transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides with low or no protein-coding potential. LncRNAs form a diverse group of transcripts that regulate vital cellular functions through interactions with proteins, chromatin, and even RNA itself. Notably, an important regulatory aspect of these RNA species is their association with the epigenetic machinery and the recruitment of its regulatory apparatus to specific loci, resulting in DNA methylation and/or post-translational modifications of histones. Such epigenetic modifications play a pivotal role in maintaining the active or inactive transcriptional state of chromatin and are crucial regulators of normal cellular development and tissue-specific gene expression. Evidently, aberrant expression of lncRNAs that interact with epigenetic modifiers can cause severe epigenetic disruption and is thus is closely associated with altered gene function, cellular dysregulation, and malignant transformation. Here, we survey the latest breakthroughs concerning the role of lncRNAs interacting with the epigenetic machinery in various forms of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodiola Begolli
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41500 Larissa, Greece.
| | - Nikos Sideris
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41500 Larissa, Greece.
| | - Antonis Giakountis
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41500 Larissa, Greece.
- B.S.R.C "Alexander Fleming", 34 Fleming str, 16672 Vari, Greece.
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