1
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Lin G, Barnes CO, Weiss S, Dutagaci B, Qiu C, Feig M, Song J, Lyubimov A, Cohen AE, Kaplan CD, Calero G. Structural basis of transcription: RNA polymerase II substrate binding and metal coordination using a free-electron laser. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2318527121. [PMID: 39190355 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2318527121] [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: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Catalysis and translocation of multisubunit DNA-directed RNA polymerases underlie all cellular mRNA synthesis. RNA polymerase II (Pol II) synthesizes eukaryotic pre-mRNAs from a DNA template strand buried in its active site. Structural details of catalysis at near-atomic resolution and precise arrangement of key active site components have been elusive. Here, we present the free-electron laser (FEL) structures of a matched ATP-bound Pol II and the hyperactive Rpb1 T834P bridge helix (BH) mutant at the highest resolution to date. The radiation-damage-free FEL structures reveal the full active site interaction network, including the trigger loop (TL) in the closed conformation, bonafide occupancy of both site A and B Mg2+, and, more importantly, a putative third (site C) Mg2+ analogous to that described for some DNA polymerases but not observed previously for cellular RNA polymerases. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the structures indicate that the third Mg2+ is coordinated and stabilized at its observed position. TL residues provide half of the substrate binding pocket while multiple TL/BH interactions induce conformational changes that could allow translocation upon substrate hydrolysis. Consistent with TL/BH communication, a FEL structure and MD simulations of the T834P mutant reveal rearrangement of some active site interactions supporting potential plasticity in active site function and long-distance effects on both the width of the central channel and TL conformation, likely underlying its increased elongation rate at the expense of fidelity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guowu Lin
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
| | - Christopher O Barnes
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125
| | - Simon Weiss
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
| | - Bercem Dutagaci
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
| | - Chenxi Qiu
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Michael Feig
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
| | - Jihnu Song
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA 94025
| | - Artem Lyubimov
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA 94025
| | - Aina E Cohen
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA 94025
| | - Craig D Kaplan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
| | - Guillermo Calero
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
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2
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Kuldell JC, Kaplan CD. RNA Polymerase II activity control of gene expression and involvement in disease. J Mol Biol 2024:168770. [PMID: 39214283 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168770] [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: 07/23/2024] [Revised: 08/26/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Gene expression is dependent on RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) activity in eukaryotes. In addition to determining the rate of RNA synthesis for all protein coding genes, Pol II serves as a platform for the recruitment of factors and regulation of co-transcriptional events, from RNA processing to chromatin modification and remodeling. The transcriptome can be shaped by changes in Pol II kinetics affecting RNA synthesis itself or because of alterations to co-transcriptional events that are responsive to or coupled with transcription. Genetic, biochemical, and structural approaches to Pol II in model organisms have revealed critical insights into how Pol II works and the types of factors that regulate it. The complexity of Pol II regulation generally increases with organismal complexity. In this review, we describe fundamental aspects of how Pol II activity can shape gene expression, discuss recent advances in how Pol II elongation is regulated on genes, and how altered Pol II function is linked to human disease and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- James C Kuldell
- Department of Biological Sciences, 202A LSA, Fifth and Ruskin Avenues, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA 15260
| | - Craig D Kaplan
- Department of Biological Sciences, 202A LSA, Fifth and Ruskin Avenues, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA 15260.
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3
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Kubaczka MG, Godoy Herz MA, Chen WC, Zheng D, Petrillo E, Tian B, Kornblihtt AR. Light regulates widespread plant alternative polyadenylation through the chloroplast. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2405632121. [PMID: 39150783 PMCID: PMC11348263 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2405632121] [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: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Transcription of eukaryotic protein-coding genes generates immature mRNAs that are subjected to a series of processing events, including capping, splicing, cleavage, and polyadenylation (CPA), and chemical modifications of bases. Alternative polyadenylation (APA) greatly contributes to mRNA diversity in the cell. By determining the length of the 3' untranslated region, APA generates transcripts with different regulatory elements, such as miRNA and RBP binding sites, which can influence mRNA stability, turnover, and translation. In the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, APA is involved in the control of seed dormancy and flowering. In view of the physiological importance of APA in plants, we decided to investigate the effects of light/dark conditions and compare the underlying mechanisms to those elucidated for alternative splicing (AS). We found that light controls APA in approximately 30% of Arabidopsis genes. Similar to AS, the effect of light on APA requires functional chloroplasts, is not affected in mutants of the phytochrome and cryptochrome photoreceptor pathways, and is observed in roots only when the communication with the photosynthetic tissues is not interrupted. Furthermore, mitochondrial and TOR kinase activities are necessary for the effect of light. However, unlike AS, coupling with transcriptional elongation does not seem to be involved since light-dependent APA regulation is neither abolished in mutants of the TFIIS transcript elongation factor nor universally affected by chromatin relaxation caused by histone deacetylase inhibition. Instead, regulation seems to correlate with changes in the abundance of constitutive CPA factors, also mediated by the chloroplast.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Guillermina Kubaczka
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular and CONICET-UBA, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias, Buenos Aires1428, Argentina
| | - Micaela A. Godoy Herz
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular and CONICET-UBA, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias, Buenos Aires1428, Argentina
| | - Wei-Chun Chen
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ07103
| | - Dinghai Zheng
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ07103
| | - Ezequiel Petrillo
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular and CONICET-UBA, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias, Buenos Aires1428, Argentina
| | - Bin Tian
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ07103
- Gene Expression and Regulation Program, and Center for Systems and Computational Biology, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA19104
| | - Alberto R. Kornblihtt
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular and CONICET-UBA, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias, Buenos Aires1428, Argentina
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4
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Yustis JC, Devoucoux M, Côté J. The Functional Relationship Between RNA Splicing and the Chromatin Landscape. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168614. [PMID: 38762032 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168614] [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: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Chromatin is a highly regulated and dynamic structure that has been shown to play an essential role in transcriptional and co-transcriptional regulation. In the context of RNA splicing, early evidence suggested a loose connection between the chromatin landscape and splicing. More recently, it has been shown that splicing occurs in a co-transcriptional manner, meaning that the splicing process occurs in the context of chromatin. Experimental and computational evidence have also shown that chromatin dynamics can influence the splicing process and vice versa. However, much of this evidence provides mainly correlative relationships between chromatin and splicing with just a few concrete examples providing defined molecular mechanisms by which these two processes are functionally related. Nevertheless, it is clear that chromatin and RNA splicing are tightly interconnected to one another. In this review, we highlight the current state of knowledge of the relationship between chromatin and splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan-Carlos Yustis
- St-Patrick Research Group in Basic Oncology, Laval University Cancer Research Center, Oncology Division of the CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, Quebec City, Quebec G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Maëva Devoucoux
- St-Patrick Research Group in Basic Oncology, Laval University Cancer Research Center, Oncology Division of the CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, Quebec City, Quebec G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Jacques Côté
- St-Patrick Research Group in Basic Oncology, Laval University Cancer Research Center, Oncology Division of the CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, Quebec City, Quebec G1R 3S3, Canada.
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5
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Elvira-Blázquez D, Fernández-Justel JM, Arcas A, Statello L, Goñi E, González J, Ricci B, Zaccara S, Raimondi I, Huarte M. YTHDC1 m 6A-dependent and m 6A-independent functions converge to preserve the DNA damage response. EMBO J 2024; 43:3494-3522. [PMID: 38951610 PMCID: PMC11329685 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-024-00153-x] [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: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Cells have evolved a robust and highly regulated DNA damage response to preserve their genomic integrity. Although increasing evidence highlights the relevance of RNA regulation, our understanding of its impact on a fully efficient DNA damage response remains limited. Here, through a targeted CRISPR-knockout screen, we identify RNA-binding proteins and modifiers that participate in the p53 response. Among the top hits, we find the m6A reader YTHDC1 as a master regulator of p53 expression. YTHDC1 binds to the transcription start sites of TP53 and other genes involved in the DNA damage response, promoting their transcriptional elongation. YTHDC1 deficiency also causes the retention of introns and therefore aberrant protein production of key DNA damage factors. While YTHDC1-mediated intron retention requires m6A, TP53 transcriptional pause-release is promoted by YTHDC1 independently of m6A. Depletion of YTHDC1 causes genomic instability and aberrant cancer cell proliferation mediated by genes regulated by YTHDC1. Our results uncover YTHDC1 as an orchestrator of the DNA damage response through distinct mechanisms of co-transcriptional mRNA regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Elvira-Blázquez
- Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Institute of Health Research of Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - José Miguel Fernández-Justel
- Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Institute of Health Research of Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Aida Arcas
- Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Institute of Health Research of Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
- Clarivate, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luisa Statello
- Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Institute of Health Research of Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Enrique Goñi
- Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Institute of Health Research of Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Jovanna González
- Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Institute of Health Research of Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Benedetta Ricci
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sara Zaccara
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ivan Raimondi
- New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Maite Huarte
- Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
- Institute of Health Research of Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain.
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6
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Shine M, Gordon J, Schärfen L, Zigackova D, Herzel L, Neugebauer KM. Co-transcriptional gene regulation in eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024; 25:534-554. [PMID: 38509203 PMCID: PMC11199108 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-024-00706-2] [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] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Many steps of RNA processing occur during transcription by RNA polymerases. Co-transcriptional activities are deemed commonplace in prokaryotes, in which the lack of membrane barriers allows mixing of all gene expression steps, from transcription to translation. In the past decade, an extraordinary level of coordination between transcription and RNA processing has emerged in eukaryotes. In this Review, we discuss recent developments in our understanding of co-transcriptional gene regulation in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes, comparing methodologies and mechanisms, and highlight striking parallels in how RNA polymerases interact with the machineries that act on nascent RNA. The development of RNA sequencing and imaging techniques that detect transient transcription and RNA processing intermediates has facilitated discoveries of transcription coordination with splicing, 3'-end cleavage and dynamic RNA folding and revealed physical contacts between processing machineries and RNA polymerases. Such studies indicate that intron retention in a given nascent transcript can prevent 3'-end cleavage and cause transcriptional readthrough, which is a hallmark of eukaryotic cellular stress responses. We also discuss how coordination between nascent RNA biogenesis and transcription drives fundamental aspects of gene expression in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Shine
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jackson Gordon
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Leonard Schärfen
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Dagmar Zigackova
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lydia Herzel
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Karla M Neugebauer
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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7
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Ottesen EW, Seo J, Luo D, Singh NN, Singh RN. A super minigene with a short promoter and truncated introns recapitulates essential features of transcription and splicing regulation of the SMN1 and SMN2 genes. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:3547-3571. [PMID: 38214229 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1259] [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: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Here we report a Survival Motor Neuron 2 (SMN2) super minigene, SMN2Sup, encompassing its own promoter, all exons, their flanking intronic sequences and the entire 3'-untranslated region. We confirm that the pre-mRNA generated from SMN2Sup undergoes splicing to produce a translation-competent mRNA. We demonstrate that mRNA generated from SMN2Sup produces more SMN than an identical mRNA generated from a cDNA clone. We uncover that overexpression of SMN triggers skipping of exon 3 of SMN1/SMN2. We define the minimal promoter and regulatory elements associated with the initiation and elongation of transcription of SMN2. The shortened introns within SMN2Sup preserved the ability of camptothecin, a transcription elongation inhibitor, to induce skipping of exons 3 and 7 of SMN2. We show that intron 1-retained transcripts undergo nonsense-mediated decay. We demonstrate that splicing factor SRSF3 and DNA/RNA helicase DHX9 regulate splicing of multiple exons in the context of both SMN2Sup and endogenous SMN1/SMN2. Prevention of SMN2 exon 7 skipping has implications for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). We validate the utility of the super minigene in monitoring SMN levels upon splicing correction. Finally, we demonstrate how the super minigene could be employed to capture the cell type-specific effects of a pathogenic SMN1 mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric W Ottesen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Joonbae Seo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Diou Luo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Natalia N Singh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Ravindra N Singh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
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8
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Stanković D, Tain LS, Uhlirova M. Xrp1 governs the stress response program to spliceosome dysfunction. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:2093-2111. [PMID: 38303573 PMCID: PMC10954486 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae055] [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: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Co-transcriptional processing of nascent pre-mRNAs by the spliceosome is vital to regulating gene expression and maintaining genome integrity. Here, we show that the deficiency of functional U5 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles (snRNPs) in Drosophila imaginal cells causes extensive transcriptome remodeling and accumulation of highly mutagenic R-loops, triggering a robust stress response and cell cycle arrest. Despite compromised proliferative capacity, the U5 snRNP-deficient cells increased protein translation and cell size, causing intra-organ growth disbalance before being gradually eliminated via apoptosis. We identify the Xrp1-Irbp18 heterodimer as the primary driver of transcriptional and cellular stress program downstream of U5 snRNP malfunction. Knockdown of Xrp1 or Irbp18 in U5 snRNP-deficient cells attenuated JNK and p53 activity, restored normal cell cycle progression and growth, and inhibited cell death. Reducing Xrp1-Irbp18, however, did not rescue the splicing defects, highlighting the requirement of accurate splicing for cellular and tissue homeostasis. Our work provides novel insights into the crosstalk between splicing and the DNA damage response and defines the Xrp1-Irbp18 heterodimer as a critical sensor of spliceosome malfunction and mediator of the stress-induced cellular senescence program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrije Stanković
- Institute for Genetics and Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne 50931, Germany
| | - Luke S Tain
- Institute for Genetics and Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne 50931, Germany
| | - Mirka Uhlirova
- Institute for Genetics and Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne 50931, Germany
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9
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Lewis BA. The role of O-GlcNAcylation in RNA polymerase II transcription. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105705. [PMID: 38311176 PMCID: PMC10906531 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.105705] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) is responsible for the transcription of the protein-coding genes in the cell. Enormous progress has been made in discovering the protein activities that are required for transcription to occur, but the effects of post-translational modifications (PTMs) on RNAPII transcriptional regulation are much less understood. Most of our understanding relates to the cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), which appear to act relatively early in transcription. However, it is becoming apparent that other PTMs play a crucial role in the transcriptional cycle, and it is doubtful that any sort of complete understanding of this regulation is attainable without understanding the spectra of PTMs that occur on the transcriptional machinery. Among these is O-GlcNAcylation. Recent experiments have shown that the O-GlcNAc PTM likely has a prominent role in transcription. This review will cover the role of the O-GlcNAcylation in RNAPII transcription during initiation, pausing, and elongation, which will hopefully be of interest to both O-GlcNAc and RNAPII transcription researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian A Lewis
- Gene Regulation Section/LP, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute/NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
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10
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Ying K, Liu H, Tarkhov AE, Sadler MC, Lu AT, Moqri M, Horvath S, Kutalik Z, Shen X, Gladyshev VN. Causality-enriched epigenetic age uncouples damage and adaptation. NATURE AGING 2024; 4:231-246. [PMID: 38243142 PMCID: PMC11070280 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-023-00557-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Machine learning models based on DNA methylation data can predict biological age but often lack causal insights. By harnessing large-scale genetic data through epigenome-wide Mendelian randomization, we identified CpG sites potentially causal for aging-related traits. Neither the existing epigenetic clocks nor age-related differential DNA methylation are enriched in these sites. These CpGs include sites that contribute to aging and protect against it, yet their combined contribution negatively affects age-related traits. We established a new framework to introduce causal information into epigenetic clocks, resulting in DamAge and AdaptAge-clocks that track detrimental and adaptive methylation changes, respectively. DamAge correlates with adverse outcomes, including mortality, while AdaptAge is associated with beneficial adaptations. These causality-enriched clocks exhibit sensitivity to short-term interventions. Our findings provide a detailed landscape of CpG sites with putative causal links to lifespan and healthspan, facilitating the development of aging biomarkers, assessing interventions, and studying reversibility of age-associated changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kejun Ying
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hanna Liu
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pharmacy, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andrei E Tarkhov
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marie C Sadler
- University Center for Primary Care and Public Health, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Computational Biology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ake T Lu
- Altos Labs, San Diego, CA, USA
- Departments of Human Genetics and Biostatistics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mahdi Moqri
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Steve Horvath
- Altos Labs, San Diego, CA, USA
- Departments of Human Genetics and Biostatistics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Zoltán Kutalik
- University Center for Primary Care and Public Health, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Computational Biology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Xia Shen
- Center for Intelligent Medicine Research, Greater Bay Area Institute of Precision Medicine (Guangzhou), Fudan University, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Center for Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Centre for Global Health Research, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Vadim N Gladyshev
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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11
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Bruno F, Coronel-Guisado C, González-Aguilera C. Collisions of RNA polymerases behind the replication fork promote alternative RNA splicing in newly replicated chromatin. Mol Cell 2024; 84:221-233.e6. [PMID: 38151016 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.11.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
DNA replication produces a global disorganization of chromatin structure that takes hours to be restored. However, how these chromatin rearrangements affect the regulation of gene expression and the maintenance of cell identity is not clear. Here, we use ChOR-seq and ChrRNA-seq experiments to analyze RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) activity and nascent RNA synthesis during the first hours after chromatin replication in human cells. We observe that transcription elongation is rapidly reactivated in nascent chromatin but that RNAPII abundance and distribution are altered, producing heterogeneous changes in RNA synthesis. Moreover, this first wave of transcription results in RNAPII blockages behind the replication fork, leading to changes in alternative splicing. Altogether, our results deepen our understanding of how transcriptional programs are regulated during cell division and uncover molecular mechanisms that explain why chromatin replication is an important source of gene expression variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Bruno
- Centro Andaluz de Biología Molecular y Medicina Regenerativa (CABIMER), Universidad de Sevilla, CSIC, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Cristóbal Coronel-Guisado
- Centro Andaluz de Biología Molecular y Medicina Regenerativa (CABIMER), Universidad de Sevilla, CSIC, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Cristina González-Aguilera
- Centro Andaluz de Biología Molecular y Medicina Regenerativa (CABIMER), Universidad de Sevilla, CSIC, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41092, Seville, Spain; Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, 41013, Seville, Spain.
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12
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Gupta A, Kumar A, Singh N, Sudarshan N, Studitsky VM, Zhang KYJ, Akhtar MS. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae SR protein Npl3 interacts with hyperphosphorylated CTD of RNA Polymerase II. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:127541. [PMID: 37858651 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127541] [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: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
The catalytic subunit of RNA Polymerase II contains a highly conserved carboxy terminal domain (CTD) composed of multiple tandem heptad sequence Tyr1Ser2Pro3Thr4Ser5Pro6Ser7. The non-proline residues in CTD undergo posttranslational modifications, with Ser5 phosphorylation (Ser5P) predominating at the start of the transcription cycle and Ser2P at the end, while other phosphorylation levels are high all throughout. The differentially phosphorylated CTD is recognized by regulatory proteins, helpful during mRNA transcription and export. One such protein Npl3 is composed of two RNA binding domains and a C-terminus RGG/SR domain. The Ser411 of Npl3 is reported to make direct contact with Ser2P of CTD for its recruitment and function, while the Npl3 lacking of C-terminal 25 amino acids (Npl3Δ389-414) showed no apparent defects in mRNA synthesis. Here, we report that the RNA binding domains of Npl3 are separate folding units and interact also with the CTD. The interaction between Npl3 and CTD appears to involve not just Ser2P, but also the Ser5P and Ser7P. The Arg126 of the first RNA binding domain interacts with Ser2P whereas the Arg235 of the second RNA binding domain interacts with either Ser7P or Ser5P of another heptad. The finding provides new insight of Npl3 function for mRNA transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adity Gupta
- Biochemistry and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Ashutosh Kumar
- Laboratory for Structural Bioinformatics, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, 1-c7-22 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan
| | - Neha Singh
- Biochemistry and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, India
| | - Nikita Sudarshan
- Biochemistry and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Vasily M Studitsky
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Kam Y J Zhang
- Laboratory for Structural Bioinformatics, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, 1-c7-22 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan
| | - Md Sohail Akhtar
- Biochemistry and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
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13
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Ntini E, Budach S, Vang Ørom UA, Marsico A. Genome-wide measurement of RNA dissociation from chromatin classifies transcripts by their dynamics and reveals rapid dissociation of enhancer lncRNAs. Cell Syst 2023; 14:906-922.e6. [PMID: 37857083 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2023.09.005] [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: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in gene expression regulation in cis. Although enriched in the cell chromatin fraction, to what degree this defines their regulatory potential remains unclear. Furthermore, the factors underlying lncRNA chromatin tethering, as well as the molecular basis of efficient lncRNA chromatin dissociation and its impact on enhancer activity and target gene expression, remain to be resolved. Here, we developed chrTT-seq, which combines the pulse-chase metabolic labeling of nascent RNA with chromatin fractionation and transient transcriptome sequencing to follow nascent RNA transcripts from their transcription on chromatin to release and allows the quantification of dissociation dynamics. By incorporating genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenetic metrics, as well as RNA-binding protein propensities, in machine learning models, we identify features that define transcript groups of different chromatin dissociation dynamics. Notably, lncRNAs transcribed from enhancers display reduced chromatin retention, suggesting that, in addition to splicing, their chromatin dissociation may shape enhancer activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenia Ntini
- Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, IMBB-FORTH, 70013 Heraklio, Greece.
| | - Stefan Budach
- Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulf A Vang Ørom
- Aarhus University, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Annalisa Marsico
- Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Computational Health Center, Helmholtz Center Munich, Munich, Germany.
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14
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Dwivedi SL, Quiroz LF, Reddy ASN, Spillane C, Ortiz R. Alternative Splicing Variation: Accessing and Exploiting in Crop Improvement Programs. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15205. [PMID: 37894886 PMCID: PMC10607462 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015205] [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: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS) is a gene regulatory mechanism modulating gene expression in multiple ways. AS is prevalent in all eukaryotes including plants. AS generates two or more mRNAs from the precursor mRNA (pre-mRNA) to regulate transcriptome complexity and proteome diversity. Advances in next-generation sequencing, omics technology, bioinformatics tools, and computational methods provide new opportunities to quantify and visualize AS-based quantitative trait variation associated with plant growth, development, reproduction, and stress tolerance. Domestication, polyploidization, and environmental perturbation may evolve novel splicing variants associated with agronomically beneficial traits. To date, pre-mRNAs from many genes are spliced into multiple transcripts that cause phenotypic variation for complex traits, both in model plant Arabidopsis and field crops. Cataloguing and exploiting such variation may provide new paths to enhance climate resilience, resource-use efficiency, productivity, and nutritional quality of staple food crops. This review provides insights into AS variation alongside a gene expression analysis to select for novel phenotypic diversity for use in breeding programs. AS contributes to heterosis, enhances plant symbiosis (mycorrhiza and rhizobium), and provides a mechanistic link between the core clock genes and diverse environmental clues.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luis Felipe Quiroz
- Agriculture and Bioeconomy Research Centre, Ryan Institute, University of Galway, University Road, H91 REW4 Galway, Ireland
| | - Anireddy S N Reddy
- Department of Biology and Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Charles Spillane
- Agriculture and Bioeconomy Research Centre, Ryan Institute, University of Galway, University Road, H91 REW4 Galway, Ireland
| | - Rodomiro Ortiz
- Department of Plant Breeding, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 23053 Alnarp, SE, Sweden
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15
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Karlebach G, Steinhaus R, Danis D, Devoucoux M, Anczuków O, Sheynkman G, Seelow D, Robinson PN. Alternative splicing is coupled to gene expression in a subset of variably expressed genes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.13.544742. [PMID: 37398049 PMCID: PMC10312658 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.13.544742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Numerous factors regulate alternative splicing of human genes at a co-transcriptional level. However, how alternative splicing depends on the regulation of gene expression is poorly understood. We leveraged data from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project to show a significant association of gene expression and splicing for 6874 (4.9%) of 141,043 exons in 1106 (13.3%) of 8314 genes with substantially variable expression in ten GTEx tissues. About half of these exons demonstrate higher inclusion with higher gene expression, and half demonstrate higher exclusion, with the observed direction of coupling being highly consistent across different tissues and in external datasets. The exons differ with respect to sequence characteristics, enriched sequence motifs, RNA polymerase II binding, and inferred transcription rate of downstream introns. The exons were enriched for hundreds of isoform-specific Gene Ontology annotations, suggesting that the coupling of expression and alternative splicing described here may provide an important gene regulatory mechanism that might be used in a variety of biological contexts. In particular, higher inclusion exons could play an important role during cell division.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy Karlebach
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT 06032, USA
| | - Robin Steinhaus
- Exploratory Diagnostic Sciences, Berlin Institute of Health, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Human Genetics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universitat Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 13353 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Daniel Danis
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT 06032, USA
| | - Maeva Devoucoux
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT 06032, USA
| | - Olga Anczuków
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT 06032, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06032, USA
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT 06032, USA
| | - Gloria Sheynkman
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
| | - Dominik Seelow
- Exploratory Diagnostic Sciences, Berlin Institute of Health, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Human Genetics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universitat Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 13353 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Peter N Robinson
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT 06032, USA
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
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16
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Vorobeva MA, Skvortsov DA, Pervouchine DD. Cooperation and Competition of RNA Secondary Structure and RNA-Protein Interactions in the Regulation of Alternative Splicing. Acta Naturae 2023; 15:23-31. [PMID: 38234601 PMCID: PMC10790352 DOI: 10.32607/actanaturae.26826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The regulation of alternative splicing in eukaryotic cells is carried out through the coordinated action of a large number of factors, including RNA-binding proteins and RNA structure. The RNA structure influences alternative splicing by blocking cis-regulatory elements, or bringing them closer or farther apart. In combination with RNA-binding proteins, it generates transcript conformations that help to achieve the necessary splicing outcome. However, the binding of regulatory proteins depends on RNA structure and, vice versa, the formation of RNA structure depends on the interaction with regulators. Therefore, RNA structure and RNA-binding proteins are inseparable components of common regulatory mechanisms. This review highlights examples of alternative splicing regulation by RNA-binding proteins, the regulation through local and long-range RNA structures, as well as how these elements work together, cooperate, and compete.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. A. Vorobeva
- M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119192 Russian Federation
| | - D. A. Skvortsov
- M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119192 Russian Federation
| | - D. D. Pervouchine
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, 121205 Russian Federation
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17
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Liu K, Dai W, Ju J, Li W, Chen Q, Li J, Liu H. Depletion of TIAR impairs embryogenesis via inhibiting zygote genome transcribe. Reprod Domest Anim 2023; 58:1456-1467. [PMID: 37667420 DOI: 10.1111/rda.14461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
T cell intracellular antigen 1 related protein (TIAR), an RNA-binding protein (RBP), regulates pre-messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) alternative splicing, has been suggested to affect the maturation of primordial germ cells and early mouse embryo development. However, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we revealed that TIAR was primarily located in the nucleus at the 2-cell stage embryo, accompanied by highly active transcription. Using immunofluorescence staining and western blotting, we first described the localization and expression level of TIAR during the whole period of oocyte matured and embryogenesis. Knocked down of TIAR could significantly inhibit transcribed and blocked the early mouse embryo development. Combined with RNAP II inhibitor and pre-RNA splicing inhibitor treatment, we further supposed that TIAR might affect transcription at 2-cell via regulating pre-mRNA splicing, and then regulate early mouse embryo development. Collectively, our results provided a novel and potential understanding of TIAR in embryogenesis, suggesting TIAR is required for transcription and embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Liu
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Weilong Dai
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiaqian Ju
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Weijian Li
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qianqian Chen
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Juan Li
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Honglin Liu
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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18
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Lin G, Barnes CO, Weiss S, Dutagaci B, Qiu C, Feig M, Song J, Lyubimov A, Cohen AE, Kaplan CD, Calero G. Structural basis of transcription: RNA Polymerase II substrate binding and metal coordination at 3.0 Å using a free-electron laser. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.22.559052. [PMID: 37790421 PMCID: PMC10543002 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.22.559052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Catalysis and translocation of multi-subunit DNA-directed RNA polymerases underlie all cellular mRNA synthesis. RNA polymerase II (Pol II) synthesizes eukaryotic pre-mRNAs from a DNA template strand buried in its active site. Structural details of catalysis at near atomic resolution and precise arrangement of key active site components have been elusive. Here we present the free electron laser (FEL) structure of a matched ATP-bound Pol II, revealing the full active site interaction network at the highest resolution to date, including the trigger loop (TL) in the closed conformation, bonafide occupancy of both site A and B Mg2+, and a putative third (site C) Mg2+ analogous to that described for some DNA polymerases but not observed previously for cellular RNA polymerases. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the structure indicate that the third Mg2+ is coordinated and stabilized at its observed position. TL residues provide half of the substrate binding pocket while multiple TL/bridge helix (BH) interactions induce conformational changes that could propel translocation upon substrate hydrolysis. Consistent with TL/BH communication, a FEL structure and MD simulations of the hyperactive Rpb1 T834P bridge helix mutant reveals rearrangement of some active site interactions supporting potential plasticity in active site function and long-distance effects on both the width of the central channel and TL conformation, likely underlying its increased elongation rate at the expense of fidelity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guowu Lin
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh PA 15261 USA
| | - Christopher O Barnes
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena CA 91125 USA
| | - Simon Weiss
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh PA 15261 USA
| | - Bercem Dutagaci
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing MI 48824 USA
| | - Chenxi Qiu
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02115 USA
| | - Michael Feig
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing MI 48824 USA
| | - Jihnu Song
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Artem Lyubimov
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Aina E Cohen
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Craig D Kaplan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA 15260 USA
| | - Guillermo Calero
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh PA 15261 USA
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19
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Jiang Q, Miao J, Wu F, Li F, Zhang J, Jing X, Cai S, Ma X, Wang X, Zhao L, Huang C. RNF6 promotes gastric cancer progression by regulating CCNA1/CREBBP transcription. Cell Cycle 2023; 22:2018-2037. [PMID: 37904524 PMCID: PMC10761170 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2023.2275899] [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: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Ring finger protein 6 (RNF6) is a member of the E3 ubiquitin ligase family. Previous studies have reported the involvement of RNF6 as a ubiquitin ligase in the progression of gastric cancer (GC). However, this study found that RNF6 has a clear localization in the nucleus of GC, indicating a role other than ubiquitin ligase. Further chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) analysis revealed that RNF6 has DNA binding and transcriptional regulatory effects and is involved in important pathways such as tumor cell cycle and apoptosis. Cyclin A1 (CCNA1) and CREB binding protein (CREBBP) are downstream targets for RNF6 transcription regulation in GC. RNF6 binds to the promoter region of CCNA1/CREBBP and is actively regulating their expression in GC cells. Silencing CCNA1/CREBBP partially reversed the promoting effect of RNF6 overexpression on the biological function of GC cells. Our study suggests that RNF6 promotes the progression of GC by regulating CCNA1/CREBBP transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyu Jiang
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics/Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jiyu Miao
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Fei Wu
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Fang Li
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics/Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jinyuan Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics/Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xintao Jing
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics/Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shuang Cai
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics/Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiaoping Ma
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics/Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiaofei Wang
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics/Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Lingyu Zhao
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics/Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chen Huang
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics/Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
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20
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Mehta P, Chattopadhyay P, Ravi V, Tarai B, Budhiraja S, Pandey R. SARS-CoV-2 infection severity and mortality is modulated by repeat-mediated regulation of alternative splicing. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0135123. [PMID: 37604131 PMCID: PMC10580830 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01351-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Like single-stranded RNA viruses, SARS-CoV-2 hijacks the host transcriptional machinery for its own replication. Numerous traditional differential gene expression-based investigations have examined the diverse clinical symptoms caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. The virus, on the other hand, also affects the host splicing machinery, causing host transcriptional dysregulation, which can lead to diverse clinical outcomes. Hence, in this study, we performed host transcriptome sequencing of 125 hospital-admitted COVID-19 patients to understand the transcriptomic differences between the severity sub-phenotypes of mild, moderate, severe, and mortality. We performed transcript-level differential expression analysis, investigated differential isoform usage, looked at the splicing patterns within the differentially expressed transcripts (DET), and elucidated the possible genome regulatory features. Our DTE analysis showed evidence of diminished transcript length and diversity as well as altered promoter site usage in the differentially expressed protein-coding transcripts in the COVID-19 mortality patients. We also investigated the potential mechanisms driving the alternate splicing and discovered a compelling differential enrichment of repeats in the promoter region and a specific enrichment of SINE (Alu) near the splicing sites of differentially expressed transcripts. These findings suggested a repeat-mediated plausible regulation of alternative splicing as a potential modulator of COVID-19 disease severity. In this work, we emphasize the role of scarcely elucidated functional role of alternative splicing in influencing COVID-19 disease severity sub-phenotypes, clinical outcomes, and its putative mechanism. IMPORTANCE The wide range of clinical symptoms reported during the COVID-19 pandemic inherently highlights the numerous factors that influence the progression and prognosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. While several studies have investigated the host response and discovered immunological dysregulation during severe infection, most of them have the common theme of focusing only up to the gene level. Viruses, especially RNA viruses, are renowned for hijacking the host splicing machinery for their own proliferation, which inadvertently puts pressure on the host transcriptome, exposing another side of the host response to the pathogen challenge. Therefore, in this study, we examine host response at the transcript-level to discover a transcriptional difference that culminates in differential gene-level expression. Importantly, this study highlights diminished transcript diversity and possible regulation of transcription by differentially abundant repeat elements near the promoter region and splicing sites in COVID-19 mortality patients, which together with differentially expressed isoforms hold the potential to elaborate disease severity and outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Mehta
- Division of Immunology and Infectious Disease Biology, INtegrative GENomics of HOst-PathogEn (INGEN-HOPE) Laboratory, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), Delhi, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Partha Chattopadhyay
- Division of Immunology and Infectious Disease Biology, INtegrative GENomics of HOst-PathogEn (INGEN-HOPE) Laboratory, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), Delhi, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Varsha Ravi
- Division of Immunology and Infectious Disease Biology, INtegrative GENomics of HOst-PathogEn (INGEN-HOPE) Laboratory, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), Delhi, India
| | - Bansidhar Tarai
- Max Super Speciality Hospital (A Unit of Devki Devi Foundation), Max Healthcare, Delhi, India
| | - Sandeep Budhiraja
- Max Super Speciality Hospital (A Unit of Devki Devi Foundation), Max Healthcare, Delhi, India
| | - Rajesh Pandey
- Division of Immunology and Infectious Disease Biology, INtegrative GENomics of HOst-PathogEn (INGEN-HOPE) Laboratory, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), Delhi, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
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21
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Ottesen EW, Singh NN, Luo D, Kaas B, Gillette B, Seo J, Jorgensen H, Singh RN. Diverse targets of SMN2-directed splicing-modulating small molecule therapeutics for spinal muscular atrophy. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:5948-5980. [PMID: 37026480 PMCID: PMC10325915 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Designing an RNA-interacting molecule that displays high therapeutic efficacy while retaining specificity within a broad concentration range remains a challenging task. Risdiplam is an FDA-approved small molecule for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the leading genetic cause of infant mortality. Branaplam is another small molecule which has undergone clinical trials. The therapeutic merit of both compounds is based on their ability to restore body-wide inclusion of Survival Motor Neuron 2 (SMN2) exon 7 upon oral administration. Here we compare the transcriptome-wide off-target effects of these compounds in SMA patient cells. We captured concentration-dependent compound-specific changes, including aberrant expression of genes associated with DNA replication, cell cycle, RNA metabolism, cell signaling and metabolic pathways. Both compounds triggered massive perturbations of splicing events, inducing off-target exon inclusion, exon skipping, intron retention, intron removal and alternative splice site usage. Our results of minigenes expressed in HeLa cells provide mechanistic insights into how these molecules targeted towards a single gene produce different off-target effects. We show the advantages of combined treatments with low doses of risdiplam and branaplam. Our findings are instructive for devising better dosing regimens as well as for developing the next generation of small molecule therapeutics aimed at splicing modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric W Ottesen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Natalia N Singh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Diou Luo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Bailey Kaas
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Benjamin J Gillette
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Joonbae Seo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Hannah J Jorgensen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Ravindra N Singh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
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22
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Leung CS, Rosenzweig SJ, Yoon B, Marinelli NA, Hollingsworth EW, Maguire AM, Cowen MH, Schmidt M, Imitola J, Gamsiz Uzun ED, Lizarraga SB. Dysregulation of the chromatin environment leads to differential alternative splicing as a mechanism of disease in a human model of autism spectrum disorder. Hum Mol Genet 2023; 32:1634-1646. [PMID: 36621967 PMCID: PMC10162432 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddad002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects 1 in 44 children. Chromatin regulatory proteins are overrepresented among genes that contain high risk variants in ASD. Disruption of the chromatin environment leads to widespread dysregulation of gene expression, which is traditionally thought of as a mechanism of disease pathogenesis associated with ASD. Alternatively, alterations in chromatin dynamics could also lead to dysregulation of alternative splicing, which is understudied as a mechanism of ASD pathogenesis. The anticonvulsant valproic acid (VPA) is a well-known environmental risk factor for ASD that acts as a class I histone deacetylase inhibitor. However, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying defects in human neuronal development associated with exposure to VPA are understudied. To dissect how VPA exposure and subsequent chromatin hyperacetylation influence molecular signatures involved in ASD pathogenesis, we conducted RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) in human cortical neurons that were treated with VPA. We observed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched for mRNA splicing, mRNA processing, histone modification and metabolism related gene sets. Furthermore, we observed widespread increases in the number and the type of alternative splicing events. Analysis of differential transcript usage (DTU) showed that exposure to VPA induces extensive alterations in transcript isoform usage across neurodevelopmentally important genes. Finally, we find that DEGs and genes that display DTU overlap with known ASD-risk genes. Altogether, these findings suggest that, in addition to differential gene expression, changes in alternative splicing correlated with alterations in the chromatin environment could act as an additional mechanism of disease in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calvin S Leung
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Carney Institute for Brain Science and Brown Institute for Translational Science (BITS), Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Shoshana J Rosenzweig
- Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital and Lifespan Academic Medical Center, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Brian Yoon
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Nicholas A Marinelli
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Ethan W Hollingsworth
- UCONN Health Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Center, Department of Neurology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
- Division of Multiple Sclerosis and Translational Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Abbie M Maguire
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Carney Institute for Brain Science and Brown Institute for Translational Science (BITS), Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Mara H Cowen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Michael Schmidt
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Carney Institute for Brain Science and Brown Institute for Translational Science (BITS), Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Jaime Imitola
- UCONN Health Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Center, Department of Neurology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
- Division of Multiple Sclerosis and Translational Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Ece D Gamsiz Uzun
- Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital and Lifespan Academic Medical Center, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Sofia B Lizarraga
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Carney Institute for Brain Science and Brown Institute for Translational Science (BITS), Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
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23
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Debès C, Papadakis A, Grönke S, Karalay Ö, Tain LS, Mizi A, Nakamura S, Hahn O, Weigelt C, Josipovic N, Zirkel A, Brusius I, Sofiadis K, Lamprousi M, Lu YX, Huang W, Esmaillie R, Kubacki T, Späth MR, Schermer B, Benzing T, Müller RU, Antebi A, Partridge L, Papantonis A, Beyer A. Ageing-associated changes in transcriptional elongation influence longevity. Nature 2023; 616:814-821. [PMID: 37046086 PMCID: PMC10132977 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05922-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Physiological homeostasis becomes compromised during ageing, as a result of impairment of cellular processes, including transcription and RNA splicing1-4. However, the molecular mechanisms leading to the loss of transcriptional fidelity are so far elusive, as are ways of preventing it. Here we profiled and analysed genome-wide, ageing-related changes in transcriptional processes across different organisms: nematodes, fruitflies, mice, rats and humans. The average transcriptional elongation speed (RNA polymerase II speed) increased with age in all five species. Along with these changes in elongation speed, we observed changes in splicing, including a reduction of unspliced transcripts and the formation of more circular RNAs. Two lifespan-extending interventions, dietary restriction and lowered insulin-IGF signalling, both reversed most of these ageing-related changes. Genetic variants in RNA polymerase II that reduced its speed in worms5 and flies6 increased their lifespan. Similarly, reducing the speed of RNA polymerase II by overexpressing histone components, to counter age-associated changes in nucleosome positioning, also extended lifespan in flies and the division potential of human cells. Our findings uncover fundamental molecular mechanisms underlying animal ageing and lifespan-extending interventions, and point to possible preventive measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cédric Debès
- Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Antonios Papadakis
- Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Özlem Karalay
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | - Luke S Tain
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | - Athanasia Mizi
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Centre Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Shuhei Nakamura
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | - Oliver Hahn
- Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | - Carina Weigelt
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | - Natasa Josipovic
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Centre Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Anne Zirkel
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Isabell Brusius
- Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Konstantinos Sofiadis
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Centre Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Mantha Lamprousi
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Centre Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Yu-Xuan Lu
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | - Wenming Huang
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | - Reza Esmaillie
- Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department II of Internal Medicine, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Torsten Kubacki
- Department II of Internal Medicine, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Martin R Späth
- Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department II of Internal Medicine, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Bernhard Schermer
- Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department II of Internal Medicine, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Thomas Benzing
- Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department II of Internal Medicine, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Roman-Ulrich Müller
- Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department II of Internal Medicine, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Adam Antebi
- Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Linda Partridge
- Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany.
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing, UCL, London, UK.
| | - Argyris Papantonis
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Centre Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Andreas Beyer
- Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
- Institute for Genetics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
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24
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Ullah F, Jabeen S, Salton M, Reddy ASN, Ben-Hur A. Evidence for the role of transcription factors in the co-transcriptional regulation of intron retention. Genome Biol 2023; 24:53. [PMID: 36949544 PMCID: PMC10031921 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-02885-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alternative splicing is a widespread regulatory phenomenon that enables a single gene to produce multiple transcripts. Among the different types of alternative splicing, intron retention is one of the least explored despite its high prevalence in both plants and animals. The recent discovery that the majority of splicing is co-transcriptional has led to the finding that chromatin state affects alternative splicing. Therefore, it is plausible that transcription factors can regulate splicing outcomes. RESULTS We provide evidence for the hypothesis that transcription factors are involved in the regulation of intron retention by studying regions of open chromatin in retained and excised introns. Using deep learning models designed to distinguish between regions of open chromatin in retained introns and non-retained introns, we identified motifs enriched in IR events with significant hits to known human transcription factors. Our model predicts that the majority of transcription factors that affect intron retention come from the zinc finger family. We demonstrate the validity of these predictions using ChIP-seq data for multiple zinc finger transcription factors and find strong over-representation for their peaks in intron retention events. CONCLUSIONS This work opens up opportunities for further studies that elucidate the mechanisms by which transcription factors affect intron retention and other forms of splicing. AVAILABILITY Source code available at https://github.com/fahadahaf/chromir.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahad Ullah
- Department of Computer Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Saira Jabeen
- Department of Computer Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Maayan Salton
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Anireddy S N Reddy
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, The Hebrew University Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Asa Ben-Hur
- Department of Computer Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
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25
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Fackenthal JD. Alternative mRNA Splicing and Promising Therapies in Cancer. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13030561. [PMID: 36979496 PMCID: PMC10046298 DOI: 10.3390/biom13030561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is among the leading causes of mortality worldwide. While considerable attention has been given to genetic and epigenetic sources of cancer-specific cellular activities, the role of alternative mRNA splicing has only recently received attention as a major contributor to cancer initiation and progression. The distribution of alternate mRNA splicing variants in cancer cells is different from their non-cancer counterparts, and cancer cells are more sensitive than non-cancer cells to drugs that target components of the splicing regulatory network. While many of the alternatively spliced mRNAs in cancer cells may represent "noise" from splicing dysregulation, certain recurring splicing variants have been shown to contribute to tumor progression. Some pathogenic splicing disruption events result from mutations in cis-acting splicing regulatory sequences in disease-associated genes, while others may result from shifts in balance among naturally occurring alternate splicing variants among mRNAs that participate in cell cycle progression and the regulation of apoptosis. This review provides examples of cancer-related alternate splicing events resulting from each step of mRNA processing and the promising therapies that may be used to address them.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D Fackenthal
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Health, Benedictine University, Lisle, IL 60532, USA
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26
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Appel LM, Benedum J, Engl M, Platzer S, Schleiffer A, Strobl X, Slade D. SPOC domain proteins in health and disease. Genes Dev 2023; 37:140-170. [PMID: 36927757 PMCID: PMC10111866 DOI: 10.1101/gad.350314.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Since it was first described >20 yr ago, the SPOC domain (Spen paralog and ortholog C-terminal domain) has been identified in many proteins all across eukaryotic species. SPOC-containing proteins regulate gene expression on various levels ranging from transcription to RNA processing, modification, export, and stability, as well as X-chromosome inactivation. Their manifold roles in controlling transcriptional output implicate them in a plethora of developmental processes, and their misregulation is often associated with cancer. Here, we provide an overview of the biophysical properties of the SPOC domain and its interaction with phosphorylated binding partners, the phylogenetic origin of SPOC domain proteins, the diverse functions of mammalian SPOC proteins and their homologs, the mechanisms by which they regulate differentiation and development, and their roles in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa-Marie Appel
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical University of Vienna, Max Perutz Laboratories, Vienna Biocenter, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Johannes Benedum
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical University of Vienna, Max Perutz Laboratories, Vienna Biocenter, 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Biocenter PhD Program, a Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Magdalena Engl
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical University of Vienna, Max Perutz Laboratories, Vienna Biocenter, 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Biocenter PhD Program, a Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Sebastian Platzer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical University of Vienna, Max Perutz Laboratories, Vienna Biocenter, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander Schleiffer
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Xué Strobl
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical University of Vienna, Max Perutz Laboratories, Vienna Biocenter, 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Biocenter PhD Program, a Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Dea Slade
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria;
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical University of Vienna, Max Perutz Laboratories, Vienna Biocenter, 1030 Vienna, Austria
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27
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Montez M, Majchrowska M, Krzyszton M, Bokota G, Sacharowski S, Wrona M, Yatusevich R, Massana F, Plewczynski D, Swiezewski S. Promoter-pervasive transcription causes RNA polymerase II pausing to boost DOG1 expression in response to salt. EMBO J 2023; 42:e112443. [PMID: 36705062 PMCID: PMC9975946 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022112443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic genomes are pervasively transcribed by RNA polymerase II. Yet, the molecular and biological implications of such a phenomenon are still largely puzzling. Here, we describe noncoding RNA transcription upstream of the Arabidopsis thaliana DOG1 gene, which governs salt stress responses and is a key regulator of seed dormancy. We find that expression of the DOG1 gene is induced by salt stress, thereby causing a delay in seed germination. We uncover extensive transcriptional activity on the promoter of the DOG1 gene, which produces a variety of lncRNAs. These lncRNAs, named PUPPIES, are co-directionally transcribed and extend into the DOG1 coding region. We show that PUPPIES RNAs respond to salt stress and boost DOG1 expression, resulting in delayed germination. This positive role of pervasive PUPPIES transcription on DOG1 gene expression is associated with augmented pausing of RNA polymerase II, slower transcription and higher transcriptional burst size. These findings highlight the positive role of upstream co-directional transcription in controlling transcriptional dynamics of downstream genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Montez
- Laboratory of Seeds Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and BiophysicsPolish Academy of SciencesWarsawPoland
| | - Maria Majchrowska
- Laboratory of Seeds Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and BiophysicsPolish Academy of SciencesWarsawPoland
| | - Michal Krzyszton
- Laboratory of Seeds Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and BiophysicsPolish Academy of SciencesWarsawPoland
| | - Grzegorz Bokota
- Laboratory of Functional and Structural Genomics, Centre of New TechnologiesUniversity of WarsawWarsawPoland
| | - Sebastian Sacharowski
- Laboratory of Seeds Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and BiophysicsPolish Academy of SciencesWarsawPoland
| | - Magdalena Wrona
- Laboratory of Seeds Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and BiophysicsPolish Academy of SciencesWarsawPoland
| | - Ruslan Yatusevich
- Laboratory of Seeds Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and BiophysicsPolish Academy of SciencesWarsawPoland
| | - Ferran Massana
- Laboratory of Seeds Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and BiophysicsPolish Academy of SciencesWarsawPoland
| | - Dariusz Plewczynski
- Laboratory of Functional and Structural Genomics, Centre of New TechnologiesUniversity of WarsawWarsawPoland
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Computational Genomics, Faculty of Mathematics and Information ScienceWarsaw University of TechnologyWarsawPoland
| | - Szymon Swiezewski
- Laboratory of Seeds Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and BiophysicsPolish Academy of SciencesWarsawPoland
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28
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Boumpas P, Merabet S, Carnesecchi J. Integrating transcription and splicing into cell fate: Transcription factors on the block. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2023; 14:e1752. [PMID: 35899407 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Transcription factors (TFs) are present in all life forms and conserved across great evolutionary distances in eukaryotes. From yeast to complex multicellular organisms, they are pivotal players of cell fate decision by orchestrating gene expression at diverse molecular layers. Notably, TFs fine-tune gene expression by coordinating RNA fate at both the expression and splicing levels. They regulate alternative splicing, an essential mechanism for cell plasticity, allowing the production of many mRNA and protein isoforms in precise cell and tissue contexts. Despite this apparent role in splicing, how TFs integrate transcription and splicing to ultimately orchestrate diverse cell functions and cell fate decisions remains puzzling. We depict substantial studies in various model organisms underlining the key role of TFs in alternative splicing for promoting tissue-specific functions and cell fate. Furthermore, we emphasize recent advances describing the molecular link between the transcriptional and splicing activities of TFs. As TFs can bind both DNA and/or RNA to regulate transcription and splicing, we further discuss their flexibility and compatibility for DNA and RNA substrates. Finally, we propose several models integrating transcription and splicing activities of TFs in the coordination and diversification of cell and tissue identities. This article is categorized under: RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein-RNA Interactions: Functional Implications RNA Processing > Splicing Mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Boumpas
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, UMR5242, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Samir Merabet
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, UMR5242, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Julie Carnesecchi
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, UMR5242, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon 1, Lyon, France
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29
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Akcan TS, Vilov S, Heinig M. Predictive model of transcriptional elongation control identifies trans regulatory factors from chromatin signatures. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:1608-1624. [PMID: 36727445 PMCID: PMC9976927 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac1272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Promoter-proximal Polymerase II (Pol II) pausing is a key rate-limiting step for gene expression. DNA and RNA-binding trans-acting factors regulating the extent of pausing have been identified. However, we lack a quantitative model of how interactions of these factors determine pausing, therefore the relative importance of implicated factors is unknown. Moreover, previously unknown regulators might exist. Here we address this gap with a machine learning model that accurately predicts the extent of promoter-proximal Pol II pausing from large-scale genome and transcriptome binding maps and gene annotation and sequence composition features. We demonstrate high accuracy and generalizability of the model by validation on an independent cell line which reveals the model's cell line agnostic character. Model interpretation in light of prior knowledge about molecular functions of regulatory factors confirms the interconnection of pausing with other RNA processing steps. Harnessing underlying feature contributions, we assess the relative importance of each factor, quantify their predictive effects and systematically identify previously unknown regulators of pausing. We additionally identify 16 previously unknown 7SK ncRNA interacting RNA-binding proteins predictive of pausing. Our work provides a framework to further our understanding of the regulation of the critical early steps in transcriptional elongation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toray S Akcan
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.,Department of Computer Science, TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Sergey Vilov
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Matthias Heinig
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.,Department of Computer Science, TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany.,DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Munich Heart Association, Partner Site Munich, 10785 Berlin, Germany
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30
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Song E, Hwang S, Munasingha PR, Seo YS, Kang J, Kang C, Hohng S. Transcriptional pause extension benefits the stand-by rather than catch-up Rho-dependent termination. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:2778-2789. [PMID: 36762473 PMCID: PMC10085680 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad051] [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: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcriptional pause is essential for all types of termination. In this single-molecule study on bacterial Rho factor-dependent terminators, we confirm that the three Rho-dependent termination routes operate compatibly together in a single terminator, and discover that their termination efficiencies depend on the terminational pauses in unexpected ways. Evidently, the most abundant route is that Rho binds nascent RNA first and catches up with paused RNA polymerase (RNAP) and this catch-up Rho mediates simultaneous releases of transcript RNA and template DNA from RNAP. The fastest route is that the catch-up Rho effects RNA-only release and leads to 1D recycling of RNAP on DNA. The slowest route is that the RNAP-prebound stand-by Rho facilitates only the simultaneous rather than sequential releases. Among the three routes, only the stand-by Rho's termination efficiency positively correlates with pause duration, contrary to a long-standing speculation, invariably in the absence or presence of NusA/NusG factors, competitor RNAs or a crowding agent. Accordingly, the essential terminational pause does not need to be long for the catch-up Rho's terminations, and long pauses benefit only the stand-by Rho's terminations. Furthermore, the Rho-dependent termination of mgtA and ribB riboswitches is controlled mainly by modulation of the stand-by rather than catch-up termination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunho Song
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute of Applied Physics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Seungha Hwang
- Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Palinda Ruvan Munasingha
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeon-Soo Seo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Young Kang
- Correspondence may also be addressed to Jin Young Kang. Tel: +82 42 350 2831;
| | - Changwon Kang
- Correspondence may also be addressed to Changwon Kang. Tel: +82 42 350 2610;
| | - Sungchul Hohng
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +82 2 880 6593;
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31
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Iannone C, Kainov Y, Zhuravskaya A, Hamid F, Nojima T, Makeyev EV. PTBP1-activated co-transcriptional splicing controls epigenetic status of pluripotent stem cells. Mol Cell 2023; 83:203-218.e9. [PMID: 36626906 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2022.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Many spliceosomal introns are excised from nascent transcripts emerging from RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II). The extent of cell-type-specific regulation and possible functions of such co-transcriptional events remain poorly understood. We examined the role of the RNA-binding protein PTBP1 in this process using an acute depletion approach followed by the analysis of chromatin- and RNA Pol II-associated transcripts. We show that PTBP1 activates the co-transcriptional excision of hundreds of introns, a surprising effect given that this protein is known to promote intron retention. Importantly, some co-transcriptionally activated introns fail to complete their splicing without PTBP1. In a striking example, retention of a PTBP1-dependent intron triggers nonsense-mediated decay of transcripts encoding DNA methyltransferase DNMT3B. We provide evidence that this regulation facilitates the natural decline in DNMT3B levels in developing neurons and protects differentiation-specific genes from ectopic methylation. Thus, PTBP1-activated co-transcriptional splicing is a widespread phenomenon mediating epigenetic control of cellular identity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Iannone
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Yaroslav Kainov
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Anna Zhuravskaya
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Fursham Hamid
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Takayuki Nojima
- Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Eugene V Makeyev
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK.
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32
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Barraza SJ, Bhattacharyya A, Trotta CR, Woll MG. Targeting strategies for modulating pre-mRNA splicing with small molecules: Recent advances. Drug Discov Today 2023; 28:103431. [PMID: 36356786 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.103431] [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: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The concept of using small molecules to therapeutically modulate pre-mRNA splicing was validated with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Evrysdi® (risdiplam) in 2020. Since then, efforts have continued unabated toward the discovery of new splicing-modulating drugs. However, the drug development world has evolved in the 10 years since risdiplam precursors were first identified in high-throughput screening (HTS). Now, new mechanistic insights into RNA-processing pathways and regulatory networks afford increasingly feasible targeted approaches. In this review, organized into classes of biological target, we compile and summarize small molecules discovered, devised, and developed since 2020 to alter pre-mRNA splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott J Barraza
- PTC Therapeutics, Inc., 100 Corporate Court, South Plainfield, NJ, USA.
| | | | | | - Matthew G Woll
- PTC Therapeutics, Inc., 100 Corporate Court, South Plainfield, NJ, USA
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33
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Li Y, Arce A, Lucci T, Rasmussen RA, Lucks JB. Dynamic RNA synthetic biology: new principles, practices and potential. RNA Biol 2023; 20:817-829. [PMID: 38044595 PMCID: PMC10730207 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2023.2269508] [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: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
An increased appreciation of the role of RNA dynamics in governing RNA function is ushering in a new wave of dynamic RNA synthetic biology. Here, we review recent advances in engineering dynamic RNA systems across the molecular, circuit and cellular scales for important societal-scale applications in environmental and human health, and bioproduction. For each scale, we introduce the core concepts of dynamic RNA folding and function at that scale, and then discuss technologies incorporating these concepts, covering new approaches to engineering riboswitches, ribozymes, RNA origami, RNA strand displacement circuits, biomaterials, biomolecular condensates, extracellular vesicles and synthetic cells. Considering the dynamic nature of RNA within the engineering design process promises to spark the next wave of innovation that will expand the scope and impact of RNA biotechnologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueyi Li
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Anibal Arce
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Tyler Lucci
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Rebecca A. Rasmussen
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Graduate Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Julius B. Lucks
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Graduate Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Center for Water Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Center for Engineering Sustainability and Resilience, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
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34
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Eischer N, Arnold M, Mayer A. Emerging roles of BET proteins in transcription and co-transcriptional RNA processing. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2023; 14:e1734. [PMID: 35491403 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Transcription by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) gives rise to all nuclear protein-coding and a large set of non-coding RNAs, and is strictly regulated and coordinated with RNA processing. Bromodomain and extraterminal (BET) family proteins including BRD2, BRD3, and BRD4 have been implicated in the regulation of Pol II transcription in mammalian cells. However, only recent technological advances have allowed the analysis of direct functions of individual BET proteins with high precision in cells. These studies shed new light on the molecular mechanisms of transcription control by BET proteins challenging previous longstanding views. The most studied BET protein, BRD4, emerges as a master regulator of transcription elongation with roles also in coupling nascent transcription with RNA processing. In contrast, BRD2 is globally required for the formation of transcriptional boundaries to restrict enhancer activity to nearby genes. Although these recent findings suggest non-redundant functions of BRD4 and BRD2 in Pol II transcription, more research is needed for further clarification. Little is known about the roles of BRD3. Here, we illuminate experimental work that has initially linked BET proteins to Pol II transcription in mammalian cells, outline main methodological breakthroughs that have strongly advanced the understanding of BET protein functions, and discuss emerging roles of individual BET proteins in transcription and transcription-coupled RNA processing. Finally, we propose an updated model for the function of BRD4 in transcription and co-transcriptional RNA maturation. This article is categorized under: RNA Processing > 3' End Processing RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Eischer
- Otto-Warburg-Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mirjam Arnold
- Otto-Warburg-Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Mayer
- Otto-Warburg-Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
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35
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Zeng Y, Fair BJ, Zeng H, Krishnamohan A, Hou Y, Hall JM, Ruthenburg AJ, Li YI, Staley JP. Profiling lariat intermediates reveals genetic determinants of early and late co-transcriptional splicing. Mol Cell 2022; 82:4681-4699.e8. [PMID: 36435176 PMCID: PMC10448999 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2022.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Long introns with short exons in vertebrate genes are thought to require spliceosome assembly across exons (exon definition), rather than introns, thereby requiring transcription of an exon to splice an upstream intron. Here, we developed CoLa-seq (co-transcriptional lariat sequencing) to investigate the timing and determinants of co-transcriptional splicing genome wide. Unexpectedly, 90% of all introns, including long introns, can splice before transcription of a downstream exon, indicating that exon definition is not obligatory for most human introns. Still, splicing timing varies dramatically across introns, and various genetic elements determine this variation. Strong U2AF2 binding to the polypyrimidine tract predicts early splicing, explaining exon definition-independent splicing. Together, our findings question the essentiality of exon definition and reveal features beyond intron and exon length that are determinative for splicing timing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zeng
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Benjamin J Fair
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Huilin Zeng
- 855 Jefferson Ave. Redwood City, CA 94063, USA
| | - Aiswarya Krishnamohan
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Yichen Hou
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Johnathon M Hall
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Alexander J Ruthenburg
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Yang I Li
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
| | - Jonathan P Staley
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
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36
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Kerschbamer E, Arnoldi M, Tripathi T, Pellegrini M, Maturi S, Erdin S, Salviato E, Di Leva F, Sebestyén E, Dassi E, Zarantonello G, Benelli M, Campos E, Basson M, Gusella J, Gustincich S, Piazza S, Demichelis F, Talkowski M, Ferrari F, Biagioli M. CHD8 suppression impacts on histone H3 lysine 36 trimethylation and alters RNA alternative splicing. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:12809-12828. [PMID: 36537238 PMCID: PMC9825192 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac1134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Disruptive mutations in the chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 8 gene (CHD8) have been recurrently associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Here we investigated how chromatin reacts to CHD8 suppression by analyzing a panel of histone modifications in induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural progenitors. CHD8 suppression led to significant reduction (47.82%) in histone H3K36me3 peaks at gene bodies, particularly impacting on transcriptional elongation chromatin states. H3K36me3 reduction specifically affects highly expressed, CHD8-bound genes and correlates with altered alternative splicing patterns of 462 genes implicated in 'regulation of RNA splicing' and 'mRNA catabolic process'. Mass spectrometry analysis uncovered a novel interaction between CHD8 and the splicing regulator heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein L (hnRNPL), providing the first mechanistic insights to explain the CHD8 suppression-derived splicing phenotype, partly implicating SETD2, a H3K36me3 methyltransferase. In summary, our results point toward broad molecular consequences of CHD8 suppression, entailing altered histone deposition/maintenance and RNA processing regulation as important regulatory processes in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuela Kerschbamer
- NeuroEpigenetics laboratory, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, (CIBIO) University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Michele Arnoldi
- NeuroEpigenetics laboratory, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, (CIBIO) University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Takshashila Tripathi
- NeuroEpigenetics laboratory, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, (CIBIO) University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Miguel Pellegrini
- NeuroEpigenetics laboratory, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, (CIBIO) University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Samuele Maturi
- NeuroEpigenetics laboratory, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, (CIBIO) University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Serkan Erdin
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Elisa Salviato
- IFOM, the FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Di Leva
- NeuroEpigenetics laboratory, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, (CIBIO) University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Endre Sebestyén
- IFOM, the FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy
| | - Erik Dassi
- Laboratory of RNA Regulatory Networks, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Giulia Zarantonello
- NeuroEpigenetics laboratory, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, (CIBIO) University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Matteo Benelli
- Bioinformatics Unit, Hospital of Prato, Istituto Toscano Tumori, Prato, Italy
| | - Eric Campos
- Genetics & Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - M Albert Basson
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology and MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
| | - James F Gusella
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stefano Gustincich
- Central RNA Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Genova, Italy
| | - Silvano Piazza
- Bioinformatic facility, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO) University of Trento, Italy
| | - Francesca Demichelis
- Laboratory of Computational and Functional Oncology, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Michael E Talkowski
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Francesco Ferrari
- IFOM, the FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy
- CNR Institute of Molecular Genetics ‘Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza’, Pavia, Italy
| | - Marta Biagioli
- NeuroEpigenetics laboratory, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, (CIBIO) University of Trento, Trento, Italy
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37
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Histone deacetylase inhibitors improve antisense-mediated exon-skipping efficacy in mdx mice. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2022; 30:606-620. [PMID: 36514350 PMCID: PMC9722397 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2022.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Antisense-mediated exon skipping is one of the most promising therapeutic strategies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), and some antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) drugs have already been approved by the US FDA despite their low efficacy. The potential of this therapy is still limited by several challenges, including the reduced expression of the dystrophin transcript and the strong 5'-3' imbalance in mutated transcripts. We therefore hypothesize that increasing histone acetylation using histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) could correct the transcript imbalance, offering more available pre-mRNA target and ultimately increasing dystrophin rescue. Here, we evaluated the impact of such a combined therapy on the Dmd transcript imbalance phenomenon and on dystrophin restoration levels in mdx mice. Analysis of the Dmd transcript levels at different exon-exon junctions revealed a tendency to correct the 5'-3' imbalance phenomenon following treatment with HDACi. Significantly higher levels of dystrophin restoration (up to 74% increase) were obtained with givinostat and valproic acid compared with mice treated with ASO alone. Additionally, we demonstrate an increase in H3K9 acetylation in human myocytes after treatment with valproic acid. These findings indicate that HDACi can improve the therapeutic potential of exon-skipping approaches, offering promising perspectives for the treatment of DMD.
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38
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Petrova V, Song R, Nordström KJV, Walter J, Wong JJL, Armstrong N, Rasko JEJ, Schmitz U. Increased chromatin accessibility facilitates intron retention in specific cell differentiation states. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:11563-11579. [PMID: 36354002 PMCID: PMC9723627 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Dynamic intron retention (IR) in vertebrate cells is of widespread biological importance. Aberrant IR is associated with numerous human diseases including several cancers. Despite consistent reports demonstrating that intrinsic sequence features can help introns evade splicing, conflicting findings about cell type- or condition-specific IR regulation by trans-regulatory and epigenetic mechanisms demand an unbiased and systematic analysis of IR in a controlled experimental setting. We integrated matched mRNA sequencing (mRNA-Seq), whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS), nucleosome occupancy methylome sequencing (NOMe-Seq) and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-Seq) data from primary human myeloid and lymphoid cells. Using these multi-omics data and machine learning, we trained two complementary models to determine the role of epigenetic factors in the regulation of IR in cells of the innate immune system. We show that increased chromatin accessibility, as revealed by nucleosome-free regions, contributes substantially to the retention of introns in a cell-specific manner. We also confirm that intrinsic characteristics of introns are key for them to evade splicing. This study suggests an important role for chromatin architecture in IR regulation. With an increasing appreciation that pathogenic alterations are linked to RNA processing, our findings may provide useful insights for the development of novel therapeutic approaches that target aberrant splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Petrova
- Computational BioMedicine Laboratory Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown 2050, Australia,Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown 2050, Australia
| | - Renhua Song
- Epigenetics and RNA Biology Program Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown 2050, Australia,Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown 2050, Australia
| | | | - Karl J V Nordström
- Laboratory of EpiGenetics, Saarland University, Campus A2 4, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Jörn Walter
- Laboratory of EpiGenetics, Saarland University, Campus A2 4, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Justin J L Wong
- Epigenetics and RNA Biology Program Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown 2050, Australia,Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown 2050, Australia
| | - Nicola J Armstrong
- Mathematics and Statistics, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
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39
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Hadar S, Meller A, Saida N, Shalgi R. Stress-induced transcriptional readthrough into neighboring genes is linked to intron retention. iScience 2022; 25:105543. [PMID: 36505935 PMCID: PMC9732411 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to certain stresses leads to readthrough transcription. Using polyA-selected RNA-seq in mouse fibroblasts subjected to heat shock, oxidative, or osmotic stress, we found that readthrough transcription can proceed into proximal downstream genes, in a phenomenon previously termed "read-in." We found that read-in genes share distinctive genomic characteristics; they are GC-rich and extremely short , with genomic features conserved in human. Using ribosome profiling, we found that read-in genes show significantly reduced translation. Strikingly, read-in genes demonstrate marked intron retention, mostly in their first introns, which could not be explained solely by their short introns and GC-richness, features often associated with intron retention. Finally, we revealed H3K36me3 enrichment upstream to read-in genes. Moreover, demarcation of exon-intron junctions by H3K36me3 was absent in read-in first introns. Our data portray a relationship between read-in and intron retention, suggesting they may have co-evolved to facilitate reduced translation of read-in genes during stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shani Hadar
- Department of Biochemistry, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 31096, Israel
| | - Anatoly Meller
- Department of Biochemistry, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 31096, Israel
| | - Naseeb Saida
- Department of Biochemistry, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 31096, Israel
| | - Reut Shalgi
- Department of Biochemistry, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 31096, Israel,Corresponding author
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40
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Wan L, Deng M, Zhang H. SR Splicing Factors Promote Cancer via Multiple Regulatory Mechanisms. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:1659. [PMID: 36140826 PMCID: PMC9498594 DOI: 10.3390/genes13091659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Substantial emerging evidence supports that dysregulated RNA metabolism is associated with tumor initiation and development. Serine/Arginine-Rich proteins (SR) are a number of ultraconserved and structurally related proteins that contain a characteristic RS domain rich in arginine and serine residues. SR proteins perform a critical role in spliceosome assembling and conformational transformation, contributing to precise alternative RNA splicing. Moreover, SR proteins have been reported to participate in multiple other RNA-processing-related mechanisms than RNA splicing, such as genome stability, RNA export, and translation. The dysregulation of SR proteins has been reported to contribute to tumorigenesis through multiple mechanisms. Here we reviewed the different biological roles of SR proteins and strategies for functional rectification of SR proteins that may serve as potential therapeutic approaches for cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ledong Wan
- Department of Pathology, Research Unit of Intelligence Classification of Tumor Pathology and Precision Therapy of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU042), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Min Deng
- Department of Pathology, First Peoples Hospital Fuyang, Hangzhou 311400, China
| | - Honghe Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Research Unit of Intelligence Classification of Tumor Pathology and Precision Therapy of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU042), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
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41
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Abstract
Transcription elongation by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) has emerged as a regulatory hub in gene expression. A key control point occurs during early transcription elongation when Pol II pauses in the promoter-proximal region at the majority of genes in mammalian cells and at a large set of genes in Drosophila. An increasing number of trans-acting factors have been linked to promoter-proximal pausing. Some factors help to establish the pause, whereas others are required for the release of Pol II into productive elongation. A dysfunction of this elongation control point leads to aberrant gene expression and can contribute to disease development. The BET bromodomain protein BRD4 has been implicated in elongation control. However, only recently direct BRD4-specific functions in Pol II transcription elongation have been uncovered. This mainly became possible with technological advances that allow selective and rapid ablation of BRD4 in cells along with the availability of approaches that capture the immediate consequences on nascent transcription. This review sheds light on the experimental breakthroughs that led to the emerging view of BRD4 as a general regulator of transcription elongation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Altendorfer
- Otto-Warburg-Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Yelizaveta Mochalova
- Otto-Warburg-Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Mayer
- Otto-Warburg-Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
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42
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Comprehensive analysis of the circadian nuclear and cytoplasmic transcriptome in mouse liver. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1009903. [PMID: 35921362 PMCID: PMC9377612 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In eukaryotes, RNA is synthesised in the nucleus, spliced, and exported to the cytoplasm where it is translated and finally degraded. Any of these steps could be subject to temporal regulation during the circadian cycle, resulting in daily fluctuations of RNA accumulation and affecting the distribution of transcripts in different subcellular compartments. Our study analysed the nuclear and cytoplasmic, poly(A) and total transcriptomes of mouse livers collected over the course of a day. These data provide a genome-wide temporal inventory of enrichment in subcellular RNA, and revealed specific signatures of splicing, nuclear export and cytoplasmic mRNA stability related to transcript and gene lengths. Combined with a mathematical model describing rhythmic RNA profiles, we could test the rhythmicity of export rates and cytoplasmic degradation rates of approximately 1400 genes. With nuclear export times usually much shorter than cytoplasmic half-lives, we found that nuclear export contributes to the modulation and generation of rhythmic profiles of 10% of the cycling nuclear mRNAs. This study contributes to a better understanding of the dynamic regulation of the transcriptome during the day-night cycle.
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43
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A complex epigenome-splicing crosstalk governs epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in metastasis and brain development. Nat Cell Biol 2022; 24:1265-1277. [PMID: 35941369 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-022-00971-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) renders epithelial cells migratory properties. While epigenetic and splicing changes have been implicated in EMT, the mechanisms governing their crosstalk remain poorly understood. Here we discovered that a C2H2 zinc finger protein, ZNF827, is strongly induced during various contexts of EMT, including in brain development and breast cancer metastasis, and is required for the molecular and phenotypic changes underlying EMT in these processes. Mechanistically, ZNF827 mediated these responses by orchestrating a large-scale remodelling of the splicing landscape by recruiting HDAC1 for epigenetic modulation of distinct genomic loci, thereby slowing RNA polymerase II progression and altering the splicing of genes encoding key EMT regulators in cis. Our findings reveal an unprecedented complexity of crosstalk between epigenetic landscape and splicing programme in governing EMT and identify ZNF827 as a master regulator coupling these processes during EMT in brain development and breast cancer metastasis.
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44
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Singh NN, O'Leary CA, Eich T, Moss WN, Singh RN. Structural Context of a Critical Exon of Spinal Muscular Atrophy Gene. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:928581. [PMID: 35847983 PMCID: PMC9283826 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.928581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans contain two nearly identical copies of Survival Motor Neuron genes, SMN1 and SMN2. Deletion or mutation of SMN1 causes spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), one of the leading genetic diseases associated with infant mortality. SMN2 is unable to compensate for the loss of SMN1 due to predominant exon 7 skipping, leading to the production of a truncated protein. Antisense oligonucleotide and small molecule-based strategies aimed at the restoration of SMN2 exon 7 inclusion are approved therapies of SMA. Many cis-elements and transacting factors have been implicated in regulation of SMN exon 7 splicing. Also, several structural elements, including those formed by a long-distance interaction, have been implicated in the modulation of SMN exon 7 splicing. Several of these structures have been confirmed by enzymatic and chemical structure-probing methods. Additional structures formed by inter-intronic interactions have been predicted by computational algorithms. SMN genes generate a vast repertoire of circular RNAs through inter-intronic secondary structures formed by inverted Alu repeats present in large number in SMN genes. Here, we review the structural context of the exonic and intronic cis-elements that promote or prevent exon 7 recognition. We discuss how structural rearrangements triggered by single nucleotide substitutions could bring drastic changes in SMN2 exon 7 splicing. We also propose potential mechanisms by which inter-intronic structures might impact the splicing outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia N. Singh
- Department of Biomedical Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Collin A. O'Leary
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Taylor Eich
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Walter N. Moss
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
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45
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Luo D, Singh NN, Singh RN. Internal Introns Promote Backsplicing to Generate Circular RNAs from Spinal Muscular Atrophy Gene. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:1145. [PMID: 35885927 PMCID: PMC9323214 DOI: 10.3390/genes13071145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Human survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) codes for SMN, an essential housekeeping protein involved in most aspects of RNA metabolism. Deletions or mutations of SMN1 lead to spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a devastating neurodegenerative disease linked to a high rate of infant mortality. SMN2, a near identical copy of SMN1 present in humans, cannot compensate for the loss of SMN1 due to predominant skipping of SMN2 exon 7. Restoration of SMN by splicing modulation of SMN2 exon 7 or gene replacement are currently approved therapies of SMA. Human SMN genes produce a vast repertoire of circular RNAs (circRNAs). However, the mechanism of SMN circRNA generation has not yet been examined in detail. For example, it remains unknown if forward splicing impacts backsplicing that generates circRNAs containing multiple exons. Here, we employed SMN as a model system to examine the impact of intronic sequences on the generation of circRNAs. We performed our experiments in HeLa cells transiently transfected with minigenes expressing three abundantly represented circRNAs containing two or more SMN exons. We observed an enhanced rate of circRNA generation when introns joining exons to be incorporated into circRNAs were present as compared to the intronless context. These results underscore the stimulatory effect of forward splicing in the generation of circRNAs containing multiple exons. These findings are consistent with the reported low abundance of SMN circRNAs comprised of single exons. We confirmed our findings using inducible HEK 293 cells stably expressing the SMN circRNAs. Our results support the role of the exon junction complex in the generation of the exon-only-containing circRNAs. We showed that SMN circRNAs were preferentially localized in the cytoplasm. These findings provide new insights regarding our understanding of circRNA generation and open avenues to uncover novel functions of the SMN genes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ravindra Narayan Singh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA; (D.L.); (N.N.S.)
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46
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González-Rodríguez P, Klionsky DJ, Joseph B. Autophagy regulation by RNA alternative splicing and implications in human diseases. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2735. [PMID: 35585060 PMCID: PMC9117662 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30433-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy and RNA alternative splicing are two evolutionarily conserved processes involved in overlapping physiological and pathological processes. However, the extent of functional connection is not well defined. Here, we consider the role for alternative splicing and generation of autophagy-related gene isoforms in the regulation of autophagy in recent work. The impact of changes to the RNA alternative splicing machinery and production of alternative spliced isoforms on autophagy are reviewed with particular focus on disease relevance. The use of drugs targeting both alternative splicing and autophagy as well as the selective regulation of single autophagy-related protein isoforms, are considered as therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia González-Rodríguez
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Toxicology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Daniel J Klionsky
- Life Sciences Institute, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Bertrand Joseph
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Toxicology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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47
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Cugusi S, Mitter R, Kelly GP, Walker J, Han Z, Pisano P, Wierer M, Stewart A, Svejstrup JQ. Heat shock induces premature transcript termination and reconfigures the human transcriptome. Mol Cell 2022; 82:1573-1588.e10. [PMID: 35114099 PMCID: PMC9098121 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2022.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The heat shock (HS) response involves rapid induction of HS genes, whereas transcriptional repression is established more slowly at most other genes. Previous data suggested that such repression results from inhibition of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) pause release, but here, we show that HS strongly affects other phases of the transcription cycle. Intriguingly, while elongation rates increase upon HS, processivity markedly decreases, so that RNAPII frequently fails to reach the end of genes. Indeed, HS results in widespread premature transcript termination at cryptic, intronic polyadenylation (IPA) sites near gene 5'-ends, likely via inhibition of U1 telescripting. This results in dramatic reconfiguration of the human transcriptome with production of new, previously unannotated, short mRNAs that accumulate in the nucleus. Together, these results shed new light on the basic transcription mechanisms induced by growth at elevated temperature and show that a genome-wide shift toward usage of IPA sites can occur under physiological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Cugusi
- Mechanisms of Transcription Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Richard Mitter
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Gavin P Kelly
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Jane Walker
- Mechanisms of Transcription Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Zhong Han
- Mechanisms of Transcription Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Panum Institute, Blegdamsvej 3B, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Paola Pisano
- Proteomics Research Infrastructure, Panum Institute, Blegdamsvej 3B, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Michael Wierer
- Proteomics Research Infrastructure, Panum Institute, Blegdamsvej 3B, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Aengus Stewart
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Jesper Q Svejstrup
- Mechanisms of Transcription Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Panum Institute, Blegdamsvej 3B, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark.
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48
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Jobbins AM, Haberman N, Artigas N, Amourda C, Paterson HAB, Yu S, Blackford SJI, Montoya A, Dore M, Wang YF, Sardini A, Cebola I, Zuber J, Rashid ST, Lenhard B, Vernia S. Dysregulated RNA polyadenylation contributes to metabolic impairment in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:3379-3393. [PMID: 35293570 PMCID: PMC8989518 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Pre-mRNA processing is an essential mechanism for the generation of mature mRNA and the regulation of gene expression in eukaryotic cells. While defects in pre-mRNA processing have been implicated in a number of diseases their involvement in metabolic pathologies is still unclear. Here, we show that both alternative splicing and alternative polyadenylation, two major steps in pre-mRNA processing, are significantly altered in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Moreover, we find that Serine and Arginine Rich Splicing Factor 10 (SRSF10) binding is enriched adjacent to consensus polyadenylation motifs and its expression is significantly decreased in NAFLD, suggesting a role mediating pre-mRNA dysregulation in this condition. Consistently, inactivation of SRSF10 in mouse and human hepatocytes in vitro, and in mouse liver in vivo, was found to dysregulate polyadenylation of key metabolic genes such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARA) and exacerbate diet-induced metabolic dysfunction. Collectively our work implicates dysregulated pre-mRNA polyadenylation in obesity-induced liver disease and uncovers a novel role for SRSF10 in this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M Jobbins
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK.,Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Nejc Haberman
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK.,Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Natalia Artigas
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK.,Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Christopher Amourda
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK.,Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Helen A B Paterson
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK.,Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Sijia Yu
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK.,Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Samuel J I Blackford
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion & Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Alex Montoya
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK.,Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Marian Dore
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK.,Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Yi-Fang Wang
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK.,Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Alessandro Sardini
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK.,Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Inês Cebola
- Section of Genetics and Genomics, Department of Metabolism, Digestion & Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Johannes Zuber
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Sheikh Tamir Rashid
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion & Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Boris Lenhard
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK.,Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Santiago Vernia
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK.,Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
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49
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Cheng L, White EN, Brandt NL, Yu AM, Chen AA, Lucks J. Cotranscriptional RNA strand exchange underlies the gene regulation mechanism in a purine-sensing transcriptional riboswitch. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:12001-12018. [PMID: 35348734 PMCID: PMC9756952 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA folds cotranscriptionally to traverse out-of-equilibrium intermediate structures that are important for RNA function in the context of gene regulation. To investigate this process, here we study the structure and function of the Bacillus subtilis yxjA purine riboswitch, a transcriptional riboswitch that downregulates a nucleoside transporter in response to binding guanine. Although the aptamer and expression platform domain sequences of the yxjA riboswitch do not completely overlap, we hypothesized that a strand exchange process triggers its structural switching in response to ligand binding. In vivo fluorescence assays, structural chemical probing data and experimentally informed secondary structure modeling suggest the presence of a nascent intermediate central helix. The formation of this central helix in the absence of ligand appears to compete with both the aptamer's P1 helix and the expression platform's transcriptional terminator. All-atom molecular dynamics simulations support the hypothesis that ligand binding stabilizes the aptamer P1 helix against central helix strand invasion, thus allowing the terminator to form. These results present a potential model mechanism to explain how ligand binding can induce downstream conformational changes by influencing local strand displacement processes of intermediate folds that could be at play in multiple riboswitch classes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luyi Cheng
- Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Graduate Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Elise N White
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
| | - Naomi L Brandt
- Department of Chemistry and the RNA Institute, University at Albany, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Angela M Yu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Alan A Chen
- Correspondence may also be addressed to Alan A. Chen. Tel: +1 518 437 4420;
| | - Julius B Lucks
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +1 847 467 2943;
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50
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Gañez-Zapater A, Mackowiak SD, Guo Y, Tarbier M, Jordán-Pla A, Friedländer MR, Visa N, Östlund Farrants AK. The SWI/SNF subunit BRG1 affects alternative splicing by changing RNA binding factor interactions with nascent RNA. Mol Genet Genomics 2022; 297:463-484. [PMID: 35187582 PMCID: PMC8960663 DOI: 10.1007/s00438-022-01863-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BRG1 and BRM are ATPase core subunits of the human SWI/SNF chromatin remodelling complexes mainly associated with transcriptional initiation. They also have a role in alternative splicing, which has been shown for BRM-containing SWI/SNF complexes at a few genes. Here, we have identified a subset of genes which harbour alternative exons that are affected by SWI/SNF ATPases by expressing the ATPases BRG1 and BRM in C33A cells, a BRG1- and BRM-deficient cell line, and analysed the effect on splicing by RNA sequencing. BRG1- and BRM-affected sub-sets of genes favouring both exon inclusion and exon skipping, with only a minor overlap between the ATPase. Some of the changes in alternative splicing induced by BRG1 and BRM expression did not require the ATPase activity. The BRG1-ATPase independent included exons displayed an exon signature of a high GC content. By investigating three genes with exons affected by the BRG-ATPase-deficient variant, we show that these exons accumulated phosphorylated RNA pol II CTD, both serine 2 and serine 5 phosphorylation, without an enrichment of the RNA polymerase II. The ATPases were recruited to the alternative exons, together with both core and signature subunits of SWI/SNF complexes, and promoted the binding of RNA binding factors to chromatin and RNA at the alternative exons. The interaction with the nascent RNP, however, did not reflect the association to chromatin. The hnRNPL, hnRNPU and SAM68 proteins associated with chromatin in cells expressing BRG1 and BRM wild type, but the binding of hnRNPU to the nascent RNP was excluded. This suggests that SWI/SNF can regulate alternative splicing by interacting with splicing-RNA binding factor and influence their binding to the nascent pre-mRNA particle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoni Gañez-Zapater
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, The Arrhenius Laboratories F4, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Genomic Regulation, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sebastian D Mackowiak
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Ihnestraße 63-73, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Yuan Guo
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, The Arrhenius Laboratories F4, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marcel Tarbier
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Antonio Jordán-Pla
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, The Arrhenius Laboratories F4, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencies Biológicas, Valencia University, C/Dr. Moliner, 50, 46100, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Marc R Friedländer
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Neus Visa
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, The Arrhenius Laboratories F4, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ann-Kristin Östlund Farrants
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, The Arrhenius Laboratories F4, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.
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