1
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Li X, Bie L, Wang Y, Hong Y, Zhou Z, Fan Y, Yan X, Tao Y, Huang C, Zhang Y, Sun X, Li JXH, Zhang J, Chang Z, Xi Q, Meng A, Shen X, Xie W, Liu N. LINE-1 transcription activates long-range gene expression. Nat Genet 2024:10.1038/s41588-024-01789-5. [PMID: 38849613 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-024-01789-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1 or L1) is a retrotransposon group that constitutes 17% of the human genome and shows variable expression across cell types. However, the control of L1 expression and its function in gene regulation are incompletely understood. Here we show that L1 transcription activates long-range gene expression. Genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screening using a reporter driven by the L1 5' UTR in human cells identifies functionally diverse genes affecting L1 expression. Unexpectedly, altering L1 expression by knockout of regulatory genes impacts distant gene expression. L1s can physically contact their distal target genes, with these interactions becoming stronger upon L1 activation and weaker when L1 is silenced. Remarkably, L1s contact and activate genes essential for zygotic genome activation (ZGA), and L1 knockdown impairs ZGA, leading to developmental arrest in mouse embryos. These results characterize the regulation and function of L1 in long-range gene activation and reveal its importance in mammalian ZGA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiufeng Li
- Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Luyao Bie
- Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Wang
- Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yaqiang Hong
- Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Ziqiang Zhou
- Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yiming Fan
- Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaohan Yan
- Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yibing Tao
- Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Chunyi Huang
- Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yongyan Zhang
- Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xueyan Sun
- Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - John Xiao He Li
- Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zai Chang
- Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Qiaoran Xi
- Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Anming Meng
- Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaohua Shen
- Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Xie
- Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Nian Liu
- Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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2
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Sakamoto M, Ito A, Wakayama S, Sasaki H, Wakayama T, Ishiuchi T. Detection of newly synthesized RNA reveals transcriptional reprogramming during ZGA and a role of Obox3 in totipotency acquisition. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114118. [PMID: 38619966 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114118] [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: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Zygotic genome activation (ZGA) after fertilization enables the maternal-to-zygotic transition. However, the global view of ZGA, particularly at initiation, is incompletely understood. Here, we develop a method to capture and sequence newly synthesized RNA in early mouse embryos, providing a view of transcriptional reprogramming during ZGA. Our data demonstrate that major ZGA gene activation begins earlier than previously thought. Furthermore, we identify a set of genes activated during minor ZGA, the promoters of which show enrichment of the Obox factor motif, and find that Obox3 or Obox5 overexpression in mouse embryonic stem cells activates ZGA genes. Notably, the expression of Obox factors is severely impaired in somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos, and restoration of Obox3 expression corrects the ZGA profile and greatly improves SCNT embryo development. Hence, our study reveals dynamic transcriptional reprogramming during ZGA and underscores the crucial role of Obox3 in facilitating totipotency acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mizuki Sakamoto
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 400-8510, Japan
| | - Aoi Ito
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 400-8510, Japan
| | - Sayaka Wakayama
- Advanced Biotechnology Center, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 400-8510, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Sasaki
- Division of Epigenomics and Development, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Teruhiko Wakayama
- Advanced Biotechnology Center, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 400-8510, Japan
| | - Takashi Ishiuchi
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 400-8510, Japan.
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3
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Oomen ME, Torres-Padilla ME. Jump-starting life: balancing transposable element co-option and genome integrity in the developing mammalian embryo. EMBO Rep 2024; 25:1721-1733. [PMID: 38528171 PMCID: PMC11015026 DOI: 10.1038/s44319-024-00118-5] [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: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Remnants of transposable elements (TEs) are widely expressed throughout mammalian embryo development. Originally infesting our genomes as selfish elements and acting as a source of genome instability, several of these elements have been co-opted as part of a complex system of genome regulation. Many TEs have lost transposition ability and their transcriptional potential has been tampered as a result of interactions with the host throughout evolutionary time. It has been proposed that TEs have been ultimately repurposed to function as gene regulatory hubs scattered throughout our genomes. In the early embryo in particular, TEs find a perfect environment of naïve chromatin to escape transcriptional repression by the host. As a consequence, it is thought that hosts found ways to co-opt TE sequences to regulate large-scale changes in chromatin and transcription state of their genomes. In this review, we discuss several examples of TEs expressed during embryo development, their potential for co-option in genome regulation and the evolutionary pressures on TEs and on our genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlies E Oomen
- Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells, Helmholtz Zentrum München, München, Germany
| | - Maria-Elena Torres-Padilla
- Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells, Helmholtz Zentrum München, München, Germany.
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, München, Germany.
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4
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Lismer A, Shao X, Dumargne MC, Lafleur C, Lambrot R, Chan D, Toft G, Bonde JP, MacFarlane AJ, Bornman R, Aneck-Hahn N, Patrick S, Bailey JM, de Jager C, Dumeaux V, Trasler JM, Kimmins S. The Association between Long-Term DDT or DDE Exposures and an Altered Sperm Epigenome-a Cross-Sectional Study of Greenlandic Inuit and South African VhaVenda Men. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2024; 132:17008. [PMID: 38294233 PMCID: PMC10829569 DOI: 10.1289/ehp12013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The organochlorine dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is banned worldwide owing to its negative health effects. It is exceptionally used as an insecticide for malaria control. Exposure occurs in regions where DDT is applied, as well as in the Arctic, where its endocrine disrupting metabolite, p , p ' -dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p , p ' -DDE) accumulates in marine mammals and fish. DDT and p , p ' -DDE exposures are linked to birth defects, infertility, cancer, and neurodevelopmental delays. Of particular concern is the potential of DDT use to impact the health of generations to come via the heritable sperm epigenome. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to assess the sperm epigenome in relation to p , p ' -DDE serum levels between geographically diverse populations. METHODS In the Limpopo Province of South Africa, we recruited 247 VhaVenda South African men and selected 50 paired blood serum and semen samples, and 47 Greenlandic Inuit blood and semen paired samples were selected from a total of 193 samples from the biobank of the INUENDO cohort, an EU Fifth Framework Programme Research and Development project. Sample selection was based on obtaining a range of p , p ' -DDE serum levels (mean = 870.734 ± 134.030 ng / mL ). We assessed the sperm epigenome in relation to serum p , p ' -DDE levels using MethylC-Capture-sequencing (MCC-seq) and chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-seq). We identified genomic regions with altered DNA methylation (DNAme) and differential enrichment of histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) in sperm. RESULTS Differences in DNAme and H3K4me3 enrichment were identified at transposable elements and regulatory regions involved in fertility, disease, development, and neurofunction. A subset of regions with sperm DNAme and H3K4me3 that differed between exposure groups was predicted to persist in the preimplantation embryo and to be associated with embryonic gene expression. DISCUSSION These findings suggest that DDT and p , p ' -DDE exposure impacts the sperm epigenome in a dose-response-like manner and may negatively impact the health of future generations through epigenetic mechanisms. Confounding factors, such as other environmental exposures, genetic diversity, and selection bias, cannot be ruled out. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12013.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariane Lismer
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Xiaojian Shao
- Digital Technologies Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marie-Charlotte Dumargne
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Christine Lafleur
- University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Romain Lambrot
- University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Donovan Chan
- Child Health and Human Development Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Gunnar Toft
- Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jens Peter Bonde
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Bispebjerg University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Institute of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Amanda J. MacFarlane
- Agriculture Food and Nutrition Evidence Center, Texas A&M University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | - Riana Bornman
- Environmental Chemical Pollution and Health Research Unit, School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Natalie Aneck-Hahn
- University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Sean Patrick
- University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Janice M. Bailey
- Research Centre on Reproduction and Intergenerational Health, Department of Animal Sciences, Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Christiaan de Jager
- Environmental Chemical Pollution and Health Research Unit, School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Vanessa Dumeaux
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Oncology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jacquetta M. Trasler
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Child Health and Human Development Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sarah Kimmins
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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5
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Gebrie A. Transposable elements as essential elements in the control of gene expression. Mob DNA 2023; 14:9. [PMID: 37596675 PMCID: PMC10439571 DOI: 10.1186/s13100-023-00297-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Interspersed repetitions called transposable elements (TEs), commonly referred to as mobile elements, make up a significant portion of the genomes of higher animals. TEs contribute in controlling the expression of genes locally and even far away at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, which is one of their significant functional effects on gene function and genome evolution. There are different mechanisms through which TEs control the expression of genes. First, TEs offer cis-regulatory regions in the genome with their inherent regulatory features for their own expression, making them potential factors for controlling the expression of the host genes. Promoter and enhancer elements contain cis-regulatory sites generated from TE, which function as binding sites for a variety of trans-acting factors. Second, a significant portion of miRNAs and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to have TEs that encode for regulatory RNAs, revealing the TE origin of these RNAs. Furthermore, it was shown that TE sequences are essential for these RNAs' regulatory actions, which include binding to the target mRNA. By being a member of cis-regulatory and regulatory RNA sequences, TEs therefore play essential regulatory roles. Additionally, it has been suggested that TE-derived regulatory RNAs and cis-regulatory regions both contribute to the evolutionary novelty of gene regulation. Additionally, these regulatory systems arising from TE frequently have tissue-specific functions. The objective of this review is to discuss TE-mediated gene regulation, with a particular emphasis on the processes, contributions of various TE types, differential roles of various tissue types, based mostly on recent studies on humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alemu Gebrie
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, Ethiopia.
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6
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Wells JN, Chang NC, McCormick J, Coleman C, Ramos N, Jin B, Feschotte C. Transposable elements drive the evolution of metazoan zinc finger genes. Genome Res 2023; 33:1325-1339. [PMID: 37714714 PMCID: PMC10547256 DOI: 10.1101/gr.277966.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Cys2-His2 zinc finger genes (ZNFs) form the largest family of transcription factors in metazoans. ZNF evolution is highly dynamic and characterized by the rapid expansion and contraction of numerous subfamilies across the animal phylogeny. The forces and mechanisms underlying rapid ZNF evolution remain poorly understood, but there is growing evidence that, in tetrapods, the targeting and repression of lineage-specific transposable elements (TEs) plays a critical role in the evolution of the Krüppel-associated box ZNF (KZNF) subfamily. Currently, it is unknown whether this function and coevolutionary relationship is unique to KZNFs or is a broader feature of metazoan ZNFs. Here, we present evidence that genomic conflict with TEs has been a central driver of the diversification of ZNFs in animals. Sampling from 3221 genome assemblies, we show that the copy number of retroelements correlates with that of ZNFs across at least 750 million years of metazoan evolution. Using computational predictions, we show that ZNFs preferentially bind TEs in diverse animal species. We further investigate the largest ZNF subfamily found in cyprinid fish, which is characterized by a conserved sequence we dubbed the fish N-terminal zinc finger-associated (FiNZ) domain. Zebrafish possess approximately 700 FiNZ-ZNFs, many of which are evolving adaptively under positive selection. Like mammalian KZNFs, most zebrafish FiNZ-ZNFs are expressed at the onset of zygotic genome activation, and blocking their translation using morpholinos during early embryogenesis results in derepression of transcriptionally active TEs. Together, these data suggest that ZNF diversification has been intimately connected to TE expansion throughout animal evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan N Wells
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850, USA;
| | - Ni-Chen Chang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850, USA
| | - John McCormick
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850, USA
| | - Caitlyn Coleman
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA
| | - Nathalie Ramos
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Center for Transformative Disease Modeling, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, USA
| | - Bozhou Jin
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850, USA
| | - Cédric Feschotte
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850, USA;
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7
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McCarthy RL, Zhang J, Zaret KS. Diverse heterochromatin states restricting cell identity and reprogramming. Trends Biochem Sci 2023; 48:513-526. [PMID: 36990958 PMCID: PMC10182259 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2023.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Heterochromatin is defined as a chromosomal domain harboring repressive H3K9me2/3 or H3K27me3 histone modifications and relevant factors that physically compact the chromatin. Heterochromatin can restrict where transcription factors bind, providing a barrier to gene activation and changes in cell identity. While heterochromatin thus helps maintain cell differentiation, it presents a barrier to overcome during efforts to reprogram cells for biomedical purposes. Recent findings have revealed complexity in the composition and regulation of heterochromatin, and shown that transiently disrupting the machinery of heterochromatin can enhance reprogramming. Here, we discuss how heterochromatin is established and maintained during development, and how our growing understanding of the mechanisms regulating H3K9me3 heterochromatin can be leveraged to improve our ability to direct changes in cell identity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan L McCarthy
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Penn Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jingchao Zhang
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Penn Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kenneth S Zaret
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Penn Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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8
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Andrews G, Fan K, Pratt HE, Phalke N, Karlsson EK, Lindblad-Toh K, Gazal S, Moore JE, Weng Z, Andrews G, Armstrong JC, Bianchi M, Birren BW, Bredemeyer KR, Breit AM, Christmas MJ, Clawson H, Damas J, Di Palma F, Diekhans M, Dong MX, Eizirik E, Fan K, Fanter C, Foley NM, Forsberg-Nilsson K, Garcia CJ, Gatesy J, Gazal S, Genereux DP, Goodman L, Grimshaw J, Halsey MK, Harris AJ, Hickey G, Hiller M, Hindle AG, Hubley RM, Hughes GM, Johnson J, Juan D, Kaplow IM, Karlsson EK, Keough KC, Kirilenko B, Koepfli KP, Korstian JM, Kowalczyk A, Kozyrev SV, Lawler AJ, Lawless C, Lehmann T, Levesque DL, Lewin HA, Li X, Lind A, Lindblad-Toh K, Mackay-Smith A, Marinescu VD, Marques-Bonet T, Mason VC, Meadows JRS, Meyer WK, Moore JE, Moreira LR, Moreno-Santillan DD, Morrill KM, Muntané G, Murphy WJ, Navarro A, Nweeia M, Ortmann S, Osmanski A, Paten B, Paulat NS, Pfenning AR, Phan BN, Pollard KS, Pratt HE, Ray DA, Reilly SK, Rosen JR, Ruf I, Ryan L, Ryder OA, Sabeti PC, Schäffer DE, Serres A, Shapiro B, Smit AFA, Springer M, Srinivasan C, Steiner C, Storer JM, Sullivan KAM, Sullivan PF, Sundström E, Supple MA, Swofford R, Talbot JE, Teeling E, Turner-Maier J, Valenzuela A, Wagner F, Wallerman O, Wang C, Wang J, Weng Z, Wilder AP, Wirthlin ME, Xue JR, Zhang X. Mammalian evolution of human cis-regulatory elements and transcription factor binding sites. Science 2023; 380:eabn7930. [PMID: 37104580 DOI: 10.1126/science.abn7930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the regulatory landscape of the human genome is a long-standing objective of modern biology. Using the reference-free alignment across 241 mammalian genomes produced by the Zoonomia Consortium, we charted evolutionary trajectories for 0.92 million human candidate cis-regulatory elements (cCREs) and 15.6 million human transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs). We identified 439,461 cCREs and 2,024,062 TFBSs under evolutionary constraint. Genes near constrained elements perform fundamental cellular processes, whereas genes near primate-specific elements are involved in environmental interaction, including odor perception and immune response. About 20% of TFBSs are transposable element-derived and exhibit intricate patterns of gains and losses during primate evolution whereas sequence variants associated with complex traits are enriched in constrained TFBSs. Our annotations illuminate the regulatory functions of the human genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Andrews
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Kaili Fan
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Henry E Pratt
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Nishigandha Phalke
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Elinor K Karlsson
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Program in Molecular Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Kerstin Lindblad-Toh
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, 75132 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Steven Gazal
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
- Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Jill E Moore
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Zhiping Weng
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
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9
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Stamidis N, Żylicz JJ. RNA-mediated heterochromatin formation at repetitive elements in mammals. EMBO J 2023; 42:e111717. [PMID: 36847618 PMCID: PMC10106986 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022111717] [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: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The failure to repress transcription of repetitive genomic elements can lead to catastrophic genome instability and is associated with various human diseases. As such, multiple parallel mechanisms cooperate to ensure repression and heterochromatinization of these elements, especially during germline development and early embryogenesis. A vital question in the field is how specificity in establishing heterochromatin at repetitive elements is achieved. Apart from trans-acting protein factors, recent evidence points to a role of different RNA species in targeting repressive histone marks and DNA methylation to these sites in mammals. Here, we review recent discoveries on this topic and predominantly focus on the role of RNA methylation, piRNAs, and other localized satellite RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Stamidis
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, reNEW, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jan Jakub Żylicz
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, reNEW, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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10
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Scheuren M, Möhner J, Zischler H. R-loop landscape in mature human sperm: Regulatory and evolutionary implications. Front Genet 2023; 14:1069871. [PMID: 37139234 PMCID: PMC10149866 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1069871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
R-loops are three-stranded nucleic acid structures consisting of an RNA:DNA hybrid and a displaced DNA strand. While R-loops pose a potential threat to genome integrity, they constitute 5% of the human genome. The role of R-loops in transcriptional regulation, DNA replication, and chromatin signature is becoming increasingly clear. R-loops are associated with various histone modifications, suggesting that they may modulate chromatin accessibility. To potentially harness transcription-coupled repair mechanisms in the germline, nearly the entire genome is expressed during the early stages of male gametogenesis in mammals, providing ample opportunity for the formation of a transcriptome-dependent R-loop landscape in male germ cells. In this study, our data demonstrated the presence of R-loops in fully mature human and bonobo sperm heads and their partial correspondence to transcribed regions and chromatin structure, which is massively reorganized from mainly histone to mainly protamine-packed chromatin in mature sperm. The sperm R-loop landscape resembles characteristic patterns of somatic cells. Surprisingly, we detected R-loops in both residual histone and protamine-packed chromatin and localize them to still-active retroposons, ALUs and SINE-VNTR-ALUs (SVAs), the latter has recently arisen in hominoid primates. We detected both evolutionarily conserved and species-specific localizations. Comparing our DNA-RNA immunoprecipitation (DRIP) data with published DNA methylation and histone chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) data, we hypothesize that R-loops epigenetically reduce methylation of SVAs. Strikingly, we observe a strong influence of R-loops on the transcriptomes of zygotes from early developmental stages before zygotic genome activation. Overall, these findings suggest that chromatin accessibility influenced by R-loops may represent a system of inherited gene regulation.
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11
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Bajus M, Macko-Podgórni A, Grzebelus D, Baránek M. A review of strategies used to identify transposition events in plant genomes. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1080993. [PMID: 36531345 PMCID: PMC9751208 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1080993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) were initially considered redundant and dubbed 'junk DNA'. However, more recently they were recognized as an essential element of genome plasticity. In nature, they frequently become active upon exposition of the host to stress conditions. Even though most transposition events are neutral or even deleterious, occasionally they may happen to be beneficial, resulting in genetic novelty providing better fitness to the host. Hence, TE mobilization may promote adaptability and, in the long run, act as a significant evolutionary force. There are many examples of TE insertions resulting in increased tolerance to stresses or in novel features of crops which are appealing to the consumer. Possibly, TE-driven de novo variability could be utilized for crop improvement. However, in order to systematically study the mechanisms of TE/host interactions, it is necessary to have suitable tools to globally monitor any ongoing TE mobilization. With the development of novel potent technologies, new high-throughput strategies for studying TE dynamics are emerging. Here, we present currently available methods applied to monitor the activity of TEs in plants. We divide them on the basis of their operational principles, the position of target molecules in the process of transposition and their ability to capture real cases of actively transposing elements. Their possible theoretical and practical drawbacks are also discussed. Finally, conceivable strategies and combinations of methods resulting in an improved performance are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Bajus
- Mendeleum—Institute of Genetics, Faculty of Horticulture, Mendel University in Brno, Lednice, Czechia
| | - Alicja Macko-Podgórni
- Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Horticulture, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Kraków, Poland
| | - Dariusz Grzebelus
- Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Horticulture, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Kraków, Poland
| | - Miroslav Baránek
- Mendeleum—Institute of Genetics, Faculty of Horticulture, Mendel University in Brno, Lednice, Czechia
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12
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Li C, Zhang Y, Leng L, Pan X, Zhao D, Li X, Huang J, Bolund L, Lin G, Luo Y, Xu F. The single-cell expression profile of transposable elements and transcription factors in human early biparental and uniparental embryonic development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1020490. [PMID: 36438554 PMCID: PMC9691860 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1020490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) and transcription factors (TFs) are involved in the precise regulation of gene expression during the preimplantation stage. Activation of TEs is a key event for mammalian embryonic genome activation and preimplantation early embryonic development. TFs are involved in the regulation of drastic changes in gene expression patterns, but an inventory of the interplay between TEs and TFs during normal/abnormal human embryonic development is still lacking. Here we used single-cell RNA sequencing data generated from biparental and uniparental embryos to perform an integrative analysis of TE and TF expression. Our results showed that endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are mainly expressed during the minor embryonic genome activation (EGA) process of early embryos, while Alu is gradually expressed in the middle and later stages. Some important ERVs (e.g., LTR5_Hs, MLT2A1) and Alu TEs are expressed at significantly lower levels in androgenic embryos. Integrative analysis revealed that the expression of the transcription factors CTCF and POU5F1 is correlated with the differential expression of ERV TEs. Comparative coexpression network analysis further showed distinct expression levels of important TFs (e.g., LEUTX and ZSCAN5A) in dizygotic embryos vs. parthenogenetic and androgenic embryos. This systematic investigation of TE and TF expression in human early embryonic development by single-cell RNA sequencing provides valuable insights into mammalian embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conghui Li
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- BGI-Shenzhen, Beishan Industrial Zone, Shenzhen, China
- Qingdao-Europe Advanced Institute for Life Sciences, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, China
- Lars Bolund Institute of Regenerative Medicine, BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, China
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Yue Zhang
- BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Lizhi Leng
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive and Stem Cells Engineering, Ministry of Health, Changsha, China
- Reproductive & Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaoguang Pan
- Qingdao-Europe Advanced Institute for Life Sciences, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, China
- Lars Bolund Institute of Regenerative Medicine, BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, China
| | - Depeng Zhao
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Shenzhen Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xuemei Li
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Shenzhen Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jinrong Huang
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- BGI-Shenzhen, Beishan Industrial Zone, Shenzhen, China
- Qingdao-Europe Advanced Institute for Life Sciences, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, China
- Lars Bolund Institute of Regenerative Medicine, BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, China
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lars Bolund
- BGI-Shenzhen, Beishan Industrial Zone, Shenzhen, China
- Qingdao-Europe Advanced Institute for Life Sciences, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, China
- Lars Bolund Institute of Regenerative Medicine, BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, China
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Ge Lin
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive and Stem Cells Engineering, Ministry of Health, Changsha, China
- Reproductive & Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, China
| | - Yonglun Luo
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- BGI-Shenzhen, Beishan Industrial Zone, Shenzhen, China
- Qingdao-Europe Advanced Institute for Life Sciences, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, China
- Lars Bolund Institute of Regenerative Medicine, BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, China
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Fengping Xu
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- BGI-Shenzhen, Beishan Industrial Zone, Shenzhen, China
- Qingdao-Europe Advanced Institute for Life Sciences, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, China
- Lars Bolund Institute of Regenerative Medicine, BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, China
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- BGI Cell, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
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13
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Li L, Li Y, Lv L, Yuan K. Rewiring the transcriptional circuitries in cancer by endogenous retroviruses. J Mol Cell Biol 2022; 14:6693712. [PMID: 36069989 PMCID: PMC9791539 DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjac053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Revised: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lu Lv
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410000, China
| | - Kai Yuan
- Correspondence to: Kai Yuan, E-mail:
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14
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Ansaloni F, Gualandi N, Esposito M, Gustincich S, Sanges R. TEspeX: consensus-specific quantification of transposable element expression preventing biases from exonized fragments. Bioinformatics 2022; 38:4430-4433. [PMID: 35876845 PMCID: PMC9477521 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btac526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
SUMMARY Transposable elements (TEs) play key roles in crucial biological pathways. Therefore, several tools enabling the quantification of their expression were recently developed. However, many of the existing tools lack the capability to distinguish between the transcription of autonomously expressed TEs and TE fragments embedded in canonical coding/non-coding non-TE transcripts. Consequently, an apparent change in the expression of a given TE may simply reflect the variation in the expression of the transcripts containing TE-derived sequences. To overcome this issue, we have developed TEspeX, a pipeline for the quantification of TE expression at the consensus level. TEspeX uses Illumina RNA-seq short reads to quantify TE expression avoiding counting reads deriving from inactive TE fragments embedded in canonical transcripts. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The tool is implemented in python3, distributed under the GNU General Public License (GPL) and available on Github at https://github.com/fansalon/TEspeX (Zenodo URL: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6800331). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Ansaloni
- Area of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste 34136, Italy,Central RNA Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova 16163, Italy
| | - Nicolò Gualandi
- Area of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste 34136, Italy
| | - Mauro Esposito
- Area of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste 34136, Italy
| | | | - Remo Sanges
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. or
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15
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Athanasouli M, Rödelsperger C. Analysis of repeat elements in the Pristionchus pacificus genome reveals an ancient invasion by horizontally transferred transposons. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:523. [PMID: 35854227 PMCID: PMC9297572 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08731-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Repetitive sequences and mobile elements make up considerable fractions of individual genomes. While transposition events can be detrimental for organismal fitness, repetitive sequences form an enormous reservoir for molecular innovation. In this study, we aim to add repetitive elements to the annotation of the Pristionchus pacificus genome and assess their impact on novel gene formation. RESULTS Different computational approaches define up to 24% of the P. pacificus genome as repetitive sequences. While retroelements are more frequently found at the chromosome arms, DNA transposons are distributed more evenly. We found multiple DNA transposons, as well as LTR and LINE elements with abundant evidence of expression as single-exon transcripts. When testing whether transposons disproportionately contribute towards new gene formation, we found that roughly 10-20% of genes across all age classes overlap transposable elements with the strongest trend being an enrichment of low complexity regions among the oldest genes. Finally, we characterized a horizontal gene transfer of Zisupton elements into diplogastrid nematodes. These DNA transposons invaded nematodes from eukaryotic donor species and experienced a recent burst of activity in the P. pacificus lineage. CONCLUSIONS The comprehensive annotation of repetitive elements in the P. pacificus genome builds a resource for future functional genomic analyses as well as for more detailed investigations of molecular innovations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Athanasouli
- Max Planck Institute for Biology, Department for Integrative Evolutionary Biology, Max-Planck-Ring 9, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christian Rödelsperger
- Max Planck Institute for Biology, Department for Integrative Evolutionary Biology, Max-Planck-Ring 9, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
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16
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Fueyo R, Judd J, Feschotte C, Wysocka J. Roles of transposable elements in the regulation of mammalian transcription. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2022; 23:481-497. [PMID: 35228718 PMCID: PMC10470143 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-022-00457-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) comprise about half of the mammalian genome. TEs often contain sequences capable of recruiting the host transcription machinery, which they use to express their own products and promote transposition. However, the regulatory sequences carried by TEs may affect host transcription long after the TEs have lost the ability to transpose. Recent advances in genome analysis and engineering have facilitated systematic interrogation of the regulatory activities of TEs. In this Review, we discuss diverse mechanisms by which TEs contribute to transcription regulation. Notably, TEs can donate enhancer and promoter sequences that influence the expression of host genes, modify 3D chromatin architecture and give rise to novel regulatory genes, including non-coding RNAs and transcription factors. We discuss how TEs spur regulatory evolution and facilitate the emergence of genetic novelties in mammalian physiology and development. By virtue of their repetitive and interspersed nature, TEs offer unique opportunities to dissect the effects of mutation and genomic context on the function and evolution of cis-regulatory elements. We argue that TE-centric studies hold the key to unlocking general principles of transcription regulation and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Fueyo
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Julius Judd
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Cedric Feschotte
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
| | - Joanna Wysocka
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
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17
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Yu C, Lei X, Chen F, Mao S, Lv L, Liu H, Hu X, Wang R, Shen L, Zhang N, Meng Y, Shen Y, Chen J, Li P, Huang S, Lin C, Zhang Z, Yuan K. ARID1A loss derepresses a group of human endogenous retrovirus-H loci to modulate BRD4-dependent transcription. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3501. [PMID: 35715442 PMCID: PMC9205910 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31197-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) through evolutionary exaptation have become an integral part of the human genome, offering ample regulatory sequences and shaping chromatin 3D architecture. While the functional impacts of TE-derived sequences on early embryogenesis have been recognized, their roles in malignancy are only starting to emerge. Here we show that many TEs, especially the pluripotency-related human endogenous retrovirus H (HERVH), are abnormally activated in colorectal cancer (CRC) samples. Transcriptional upregulation of HERVH is associated with mutations of several tumor suppressors, particularly ARID1A. Knockout of ARID1A in CRC cells leads to increased transcription at several HERVH loci, which involves compensatory contribution by ARID1B. Suppression of HERVH in CRC cells and patient-derived organoids impairs tumor growth. Mechanistically, HERVH transcripts colocalize with nuclear BRD4 foci, modulating their dynamics and co-regulating many target genes. Altogether, we uncover a critical role for ARID1A in restraining HERVH, whose abnormal activation can promote tumorigenesis by stimulating BRD4-dependent transcription. Here the authors show mutation of the BAF chromatin remodeler subunit ARID1A results in an ARID1B-dependent upregulation of HERVH, an ERV required for the pluripotency regulatory network. These HERVH RNAs can partition into BRD4 foci, affecting BRD4-dependent transcription. Suppression of HERVH in colorectal cancer cells and patient-derived organoids impairs tumor growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunhong Yu
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xiaoyun Lei
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Fang Chen
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Song Mao
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Lu Lv
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Honglu Liu
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xueying Hu
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Runhan Wang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Licong Shen
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Department of Gynecology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Na Zhang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yang Meng
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yunfan Shen
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jiale Chen
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Pishun Li
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Shi Huang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Changwei Lin
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhuohua Zhang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Kai Yuan
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,The Biobank of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
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18
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Abstract
Dramatic nuclear reorganization occurs during early development to convert terminally differentiated gametes to a totipotent zygote, which then gives rise to an embryo. Aberrant epigenome resetting severely impairs embryo development and even leads to lethality. How the epigenomes are inherited, reprogrammed, and reestablished in this critical developmental period has gradually been unveiled through the rapid development of technologies including ultrasensitive chromatin analysis methods. In this review, we summarize the latest findings on epigenetic reprogramming in gametogenesis and embryogenesis, and how it contributes to gamete maturation and parental-to-zygotic transition. Finally, we highlight the key questions that remain to be answered to fully understand chromatin regulation and nuclear reprogramming in early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenhai Du
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Ke Zhang
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Wei Xie
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
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19
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Ma G, Babarinde IA, Zhou X, Hutchins AP. Transposable Elements in Pluripotent Stem Cells and Human Disease. Front Genet 2022; 13:902541. [PMID: 35719395 PMCID: PMC9201960 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.902541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genetic elements that can randomly integrate into other genomic sites. They have successfully replicated and now occupy around 40% of the total DNA sequence in humans. TEs in the genome have a complex relationship with the host cell, being both potentially deleterious and advantageous at the same time. Only a tiny minority of TEs are still capable of transposition, yet their fossilized sequence fragments are thought to be involved in various molecular processes, such as gene transcriptional activity, RNA stability and subcellular localization, and chromosomal architecture. TEs have also been implicated in biological processes, although it is often hard to reveal cause from correlation due to formidable technical issues in analyzing TEs. In this review, we compare and contrast two views of TE activity: one in the pluripotent state, where TEs are broadly beneficial, or at least mechanistically useful, and a second state in human disease, where TEs are uniformly considered harmful.
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20
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Abstract
One of the most fundamental questions in developmental biology is how one fertilized cell can give rise to a fully mature organism and how gene regulation governs this process. Precise spatiotemporal gene expression is required for development and is believed to be achieved through a complex interplay of sequence-specific information, epigenetic modifications, trans-acting factors, and chromatin folding. Here we review the role of chromatin folding during development, the mechanisms governing 3D genome organization, and how it is established in the embryo. Furthermore, we discuss recent advances and debated questions regarding the contribution of the 3D genome to gene regulation during organogenesis. Finally, we describe the mechanisms that can reshape the 3D genome, including disease-causing structural variations and the emerging view that transposable elements contribute to chromatin organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Glaser
- RG Development and Disease, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Mundlos
- RG Development and Disease, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Medical and Human Genetics, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, BCRT - Berlin Institute of Health Center for Regenerative Therapies, 10178 Berlin, Germany
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21
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The Role of Transposable Elements of the Human Genome in Neuronal Function and Pathology. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23105847. [PMID: 35628657 PMCID: PMC9148063 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) have been extensively studied for decades. In recent years, the introduction of whole-genome and whole-transcriptome approaches, as well as single-cell resolution techniques, provided a breakthrough that uncovered TE involvement in host gene expression regulation underlying multiple normal and pathological processes. Of particular interest is increased TE activity in neuronal tissue, and specifically in the hippocampus, that was repeatedly demonstrated in multiple experiments. On the other hand, numerous neuropathologies are associated with TE dysregulation. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of literature about the role of TEs in neurons published over the last three decades. The first chapter of the present review describes known mechanisms of TE interaction with host genomes in general, with the focus on mammalian and human TEs; the second chapter provides examples of TE exaptation in normal neuronal tissue, including TE involvement in neuronal differentiation and plasticity; and the last chapter lists TE-related neuropathologies. We sought to provide specific molecular mechanisms of TE involvement in neuron-specific processes whenever possible; however, in many cases, only phenomenological reports were available. This underscores the importance of further studies in this area.
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22
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Shapiro JA. What we have learned about evolutionary genome change in the past 7 decades. Biosystems 2022; 215-216:104669. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2022.104669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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23
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Chang NC, Rovira Q, Wells JN, Feschotte C, Vaquerizas JM. Zebrafish transposable elements show extensive diversification in age, genomic distribution, and developmental expression. Genome Res 2022; 32:1408-1423. [PMID: 34987056 PMCID: PMC9341512 DOI: 10.1101/gr.275655.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
There is considerable interest in understanding the effect of transposable elements (TEs) on embryonic development. Studies in humans and mice are limited by the difficulty of working with mammalian embryos and by the relative scarcity of active TEs in these organisms. The zebrafish is an outstanding model for the study of vertebrate development, and over half of its genome consists of diverse TEs. However, zebrafish TEs remain poorly characterized. Here we describe the demography and genomic distribution of zebrafish TEs and their expression throughout embryogenesis using bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing data. These results reveal a highly dynamic genomic ecosystem comprising nearly 2000 distinct TE families, which vary in copy number by four orders of magnitude and span a wide range of ages. Longer retroelements tend to be retained in intergenic regions, whereas short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs) and DNA transposons are more frequently found nearby or within genes. Locus-specific mapping of TE expression reveals extensive TE transcription during development. Although two-thirds of TE transcripts are likely driven by nearby gene promoters, we still observe stage- and tissue-specific expression patterns in self-regulated TEs. Long terminal repeat (LTR) retroelements are most transcriptionally active immediately following zygotic genome activation, whereas DNA transposons are enriched among transcripts expressed in later stages of development. Single-cell analysis reveals several endogenous retroviruses expressed in specific somatic cell lineages. Overall, our study provides a valuable resource for using zebrafish as a model to study the impact of TEs on vertebrate development.
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24
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Taylor D, Lowe R, Philippe C, Cheng KCL, Grant OA, Zabet NR, Cristofari G, Branco MR. Locus-specific chromatin profiling of evolutionarily young transposable elements. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 50:e33. [PMID: 34908129 PMCID: PMC8989514 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab1232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite a vast expansion in the availability of epigenomic data, our knowledge of the chromatin landscape at interspersed repeats remains highly limited by difficulties in mapping short-read sequencing data to these regions. In particular, little is known about the locus-specific regulation of evolutionarily young transposable elements (TEs), which have been implicated in genome stability, gene regulation and innate immunity in a variety of developmental and disease contexts. Here we propose an approach for generating locus-specific protein-DNA binding profiles at interspersed repeats, which leverages information on the spatial proximity between repetitive and non-repetitive genomic regions. We demonstrate that the combination of HiChIP and a newly developed mapping tool (PAtChER) yields accurate protein enrichment profiles at individual repetitive loci. Using this approach, we reveal previously unappreciated variation in the epigenetic profiles of young TE loci in mouse and human cells. Insights gained using our method will be invaluable for dissecting the molecular determinants of TE regulation and their impact on the genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren Taylor
- Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, QMUL, London E1 2AT, UK
| | - Robert Lowe
- Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, QMUL, London E1 2AT, UK
| | | | - Kevin C L Cheng
- Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, QMUL, London E1 2AT, UK
| | - Olivia A Grant
- Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, QMUL, London E1 2AT, UK.,School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Nicolae Radu Zabet
- Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, QMUL, London E1 2AT, UK
| | | | - Miguel R Branco
- Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, QMUL, London E1 2AT, UK
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25
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Senft AD, Macfarlan TS. Transposable elements shape the evolution of mammalian development. Nat Rev Genet 2021; 22:691-711. [PMID: 34354263 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-021-00385-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) promote genetic innovation but also threaten genome stability. Despite multiple layers of host defence, TEs actively shape mammalian-specific developmental processes, particularly during pre-implantation and extra-embryonic development and at the maternal-fetal interface. Here, we review how TEs influence mammalian genomes both directly by providing the raw material for genetic change and indirectly via co-evolving TE-binding Krüppel-associated box zinc finger proteins (KRAB-ZFPs). Throughout mammalian evolution, individual activities of ancient TEs were co-opted to enable invasive placentation that characterizes live-born mammals. By contrast, the widespread activity of evolutionarily young TEs may reflect an ongoing co-evolution that continues to impact mammalian development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna D Senft
- The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, The National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Todd S Macfarlan
- The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, The National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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26
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Viviani A, Ventimiglia M, Fambrini M, Vangelisti A, Mascagni F, Pugliesi C, Usai G. Impact of transposable elements on the evolution of complex living systems and their epigenetic control. Biosystems 2021; 210:104566. [PMID: 34718084 DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2021.104566] [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: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) contribute to genomic innovations, as well as genome instability, across a wide variety of species. Popular designations such as 'selfish DNA' and 'junk DNA,' common in the 1980s, may be either inaccurate or misleading, while a more enlightened view of the TE-host relationship covers a range from parasitism to mutualism. Both plant and animal hosts have evolved epigenetic mechanisms to reduce the impact of TEs, both by directly silencing them and by reducing their ability to transpose in the genome. However, TEs have also been co-opted by both plant and animal genomes to perform a variety of physiological functions, ranging from TE-derived proteins acting directly in normal biological functions to innovations in transcription factor activity and also influencing gene expression. Their presence, in fact, can affect a range of features at genome, phenotype, and population levels. The impact TEs have had on evolution is multifaceted, and many aspects still remain unexplored. In this review, the epigenetic control of TEs is contextualized according to the evolution of complex living systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ambra Viviani
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (DAFE), University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto, 80-56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Maria Ventimiglia
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (DAFE), University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto, 80-56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Marco Fambrini
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (DAFE), University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto, 80-56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alberto Vangelisti
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (DAFE), University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto, 80-56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Flavia Mascagni
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (DAFE), University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto, 80-56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudio Pugliesi
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (DAFE), University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto, 80-56124, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Gabriele Usai
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (DAFE), University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto, 80-56124, Pisa, Italy
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27
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Transposable Element Dynamics and Regulation during Zygotic Genome Activation in Mammalian Embryos and Embryonic Stem Cell Model Systems. Stem Cells Int 2021; 2021:1624669. [PMID: 34691189 PMCID: PMC8536462 DOI: 10.1155/2021/1624669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genetic sequences capable of duplicating and reintegrating at new regions within the genome. A growing body of evidence has demonstrated that these elements play important roles in host genome evolution, despite being traditionally viewed as parasitic elements. To prevent ectopic activation of TE transposition and transcription, they are epigenetically silenced in most somatic tissues. Intriguingly, a specific class of TEs-retrotransposons-is transiently expressed at discrete phases during mammalian development and has been linked to the establishment of totipotency during zygotic genome activation (ZGA). While mechanisms controlling TE regulation in somatic tissues have been extensively studied, the significance underlying the unique transcriptional reactivation of retrotransposons during ZGA is only beginning to be uncovered. In this review, we summarize the expression dynamics of key retrotransposons during ZGA, focusing on findings from in vivo totipotent embryos and in vitro totipotent-like embryonic stem cells (ESCs). We then dissect the functions of retrotransposons and discuss how their transcriptional activities are finetuned during early stages of mammalian development.
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28
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Ravel-Godreuil C, Znaidi R, Bonnifet T, Joshi RL, Fuchs J. Transposable elements as new players in neurodegenerative diseases. FEBS Lett 2021; 595:2733-2755. [PMID: 34626428 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), including the most prevalent Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson disease, share common pathological features. Despite decades of gene-centric approaches, the molecular mechanisms underlying these diseases remain widely elusive. In recent years, transposable elements (TEs), long considered 'junk' DNA, have gained growing interest as pathogenic players in NDs. Age is the major risk factor for most NDs, and several repressive mechanisms of TEs, such as heterochromatinization, fail with age. Indeed, heterochromatin relaxation leading to TE derepression has been reported in various models of neurodegeneration and NDs. There is also evidence that certain pathogenic proteins involved in NDs (e.g., tau, TDP-43) may control the expression of TEs. The deleterious consequences of TE activation are not well known but they could include DNA damage and genomic instability, altered host gene expression, and/or neuroinflammation, which are common hallmarks of neurodegeneration and aging. TEs might thus represent an overlooked pathogenic culprit for both brain aging and neurodegeneration. Certain pathological effects of TEs might be prevented by inhibiting their activity, pointing to TEs as novel targets for neuroprotection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Ravel-Godreuil
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Rania Znaidi
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Tom Bonnifet
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Rajiv L Joshi
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Julia Fuchs
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
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29
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The piRNA pathway is essential for generating functional oocytes in golden hamsters. Nat Cell Biol 2021; 23:1013-1022. [PMID: 34489574 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-021-00750-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are predominantly expressed in germ cells and function in gametogenesis in various species. However, Piwi-deficient female mice are fertile and mouse oocytes express a panel of small RNAs that do not appear to be widely representative of mammals. Thus, the function of piRNAs in mammalian oogenesis remains largely unclear. Here, we generated Piwil1- and Mov10l1-deficient golden hamsters and found that all female and male mutants were sterile, with severe defects in embryogenesis and spermatogenesis, respectively. In Piwil1-deficient female hamsters, the oocytes and embryos displayed aberrant transposon accumulation and extensive transcriptomic dysregulation, and the embryos were arrested at the two-cell stage with impaired zygotic genome activation. Moreover, PIWIL1-piRNAs exert a non-redundant function in silencing endogenous retroviruses in the oocytes and embryos. Together, our findings demonstrate that piRNAs are indispensable for generating functional germ cells in golden hamsters and show the value of this model species for piRNA studies in gametogenesis, especially those related to female infertility.
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30
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Wanner NM, Faulk C. Suggested Absence of Horizontal Transfer of Retrotransposons between Humans and Domestic Mammal Species. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12081223. [PMID: 34440397 PMCID: PMC8391136 DOI: 10.3390/genes12081223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Transposable element sequences are usually vertically inherited but have also spread across taxa via horizontal transfer. Previous investigations of ancient horizontal transfer of transposons have compared consensus sequences, but this method resists detection of recent single or low copy number transfer events. The relationship between humans and domesticated animals represents an opportunity for potential horizontal transfer due to the consistent shared proximity and exposure to parasitic insects, which have been identified as plausible transfer vectors. The relatively short period of extended human-animal contact (tens of thousands of years or less) makes horizontal transfer of transposons between them unlikely. However, the availability of high-quality reference genomes allows individual element comparisons to detect low copy number events. Using pairwise all-versus-all megablast searches of the complete suite of retrotransposons of thirteen domestic animals against human, we searched a total of 27,949,823 individual TEs. Based on manual comparisons of stringently filtered BLAST search results for evidence of vertical inheritance, no plausible instances of HTT were identified. These results indicate that significant recent HTT between humans and domesticated animals has not occurred despite the close proximity, either due to the short timescale, inhospitable recipient genomes, a failure of vector activity, or other factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M. Wanner
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, 301 Veterinary Science Building, 1971 Commonwealth Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA;
| | - Christopher Faulk
- Department of Animal Science, College of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resource Sciences, University of Minnesota, 277 Coffey Hall, 1420 Eckles Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
- Correspondence:
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31
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Hermant C, Torres-Padilla ME. TFs for TEs: the transcription factor repertoire of mammalian transposable elements. Genes Dev 2021; 35:22-39. [PMID: 33397727 PMCID: PMC7778262 DOI: 10.1101/gad.344473.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In this review, Hermant and Torres-Padilla summarize and discuss the transcription factors known to be involved in the sequence-specific recognition and transcriptional activation of specific transposable element families or subfamilies. Transposable elements (TEs) are genetic elements capable of changing position within the genome. Although their mobilization can constitute a threat to genome integrity, nearly half of modern mammalian genomes are composed of remnants of TE insertions. The first critical step for a successful transposition cycle is the generation of a full-length transcript. TEs have evolved cis-regulatory elements enabling them to recruit host-encoded factors driving their own, selfish transcription. TEs are generally transcriptionally silenced in somatic cells, and the mechanisms underlying their repression have been extensively studied. However, during germline formation, preimplantation development, and tumorigenesis, specific TE families are highly expressed. Understanding the molecular players at stake in these contexts is of utmost importance to establish the mechanisms regulating TEs, as well as the importance of their transcription to the biology of the host. Here, we review the transcription factors known to be involved in the sequence-specific recognition and transcriptional activation of specific TE families or subfamilies. We discuss the diversity of TE regulatory elements within mammalian genomes and highlight the importance of TE mobilization in the dispersal of transcription factor-binding sites over the course of evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Hermant
- Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells (IES), Helmholtz Zentrum München, D-81377 München, Germany
| | - Maria-Elena Torres-Padilla
- Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells (IES), Helmholtz Zentrum München, D-81377 München, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, D-82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
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32
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Sun Z, Yu H, Zhao J, Tan T, Pan H, Zhu Y, Chen L, Zhang C, Zhang L, Lei A, Xu Y, Bi X, Huang X, Gao B, Wang L, Correia C, Chen M, Sun Q, Feng Y, Shen L, Wu H, Wang J, Shen X, Daley GQ, Li H, Zhang J. LIN28 coordinately promotes nucleolar/ribosomal functions and represses the 2C-like transcriptional program in pluripotent stem cells. Protein Cell 2021; 13:490-512. [PMID: 34331666 PMCID: PMC9226220 DOI: 10.1007/s13238-021-00864-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
LIN28 is an RNA binding protein with important roles in early embryo development, stem cell differentiation/reprogramming, tumorigenesis and metabolism. Previous studies have focused mainly on its role in the cytosol where it interacts with Let-7 microRNA precursors or mRNAs, and few have addressed LIN28's role within the nucleus. Here, we show that LIN28 displays dynamic temporal and spatial expression during murine embryo development. Maternal LIN28 expression drops upon exit from the 2-cell stage, and zygotic LIN28 protein is induced at the forming nucleolus during 4-cell to blastocyst stage development, to become dominantly expressed in the cytosol after implantation. In cultured pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), loss of LIN28 led to nucleolar stress and activation of a 2-cell/4-cell-like transcriptional program characterized by the expression of endogenous retrovirus genes. Mechanistically, LIN28 binds to small nucleolar RNAs and rRNA to maintain nucleolar integrity, and its loss leads to nucleolar phase separation defects, ribosomal stress and activation of P53 which in turn binds to and activates 2C transcription factor Dux. LIN28 also resides in a complex containing the nucleolar factor Nucleolin (NCL) and the transcriptional repressor TRIM28, and LIN28 loss leads to reduced occupancy of the NCL/TRIM28 complex on the Dux and rDNA loci, and thus de-repressed Dux and reduced rRNA expression. Lin28 knockout cells with nucleolar stress are more likely to assume a slowly cycling, translationally inert and anabolically inactive state, which is a part of previously unappreciated 2C-like transcriptional program. These findings elucidate novel roles for nucleolar LIN28 in PSCs, and a new mechanism linking 2C program and nucleolar functions in PSCs and early embryo development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Sun
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Basic Medical Sciences and the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Hua Yu
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Basic Medical Sciences and the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Basic Medical Sciences and the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Tianyu Tan
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Basic Medical Sciences and the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Hongru Pan
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Basic Medical Sciences and the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yuqing Zhu
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Basic Medical Sciences and the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Lang Chen
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Basic Medical Sciences and the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Cheng Zhang
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Li Zhang
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Basic Medical Sciences and the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Anhua Lei
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Basic Medical Sciences and the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yuyan Xu
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Basic Medical Sciences and the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xianju Bi
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Xin Huang
- The Black Family Stem Cell Institute and Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Bo Gao
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Longfei Wang
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, and Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Stem Cell Transplantation Program, Division of Pediatric Hematology Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Cristina Correia
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Ming Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Qiming Sun
- Department of Biochemistry, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yu Feng
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Li Shen
- Institute of Life Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, and Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jianlong Wang
- The Black Family Stem Cell Institute and Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Xiaohua Shen
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - George Q Daley
- Stem Cell Transplantation Program, Division of Pediatric Hematology Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hu Li
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Jin Zhang
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Basic Medical Sciences and the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- Zhejiang Laboratory for Systems and Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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33
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Alvarez-Franco A, Rouco R, Ramirez RJ, Guerrero-Serna G, Tiana M, Cogliati S, Kaur K, Saeed M, Magni R, Enriquez JA, Sanchez-Cabo F, Jalife J, Manzanares M. Transcriptome and proteome mapping in the sheep atria reveal molecular featurets of atrial fibrillation progression. Cardiovasc Res 2021; 117:1760-1775. [PMID: 33119050 PMCID: PMC8208739 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvaa307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a progressive cardiac arrhythmia that increases the risk of hospitalization and adverse cardiovascular events. There is a clear demand for more inclusive and large-scale approaches to understand the molecular drivers responsible for AF, as well as the fundamental mechanisms governing the transition from paroxysmal to persistent and permanent forms. In this study, we aimed to create a molecular map of AF and find the distinct molecular programmes underlying cell type-specific atrial remodelling and AF progression. METHODS AND RESULTS We used a sheep model of long-standing, tachypacing-induced AF, sampled right and left atrial tissue, and isolated cardiomyocytes (CMs) from control, intermediate (transition), and late time points during AF progression, and performed transcriptomic and proteome profiling. We have merged all these layers of information into a meaningful three-component space in which we explored the genes and proteins detected and their common patterns of expression. Our data-driven analysis points at extracellular matrix remodelling, inflammation, ion channel, myofibril structure, mitochondrial complexes, chromatin remodelling, and genes related to neural function, as well as critical regulators of cell proliferation as hallmarks of AF progression. Most important, we prove that these changes occur at early transitional stages of the disease, but not at later stages, and that the left atrium undergoes significantly more profound changes than the right atrium in its expression programme. The pattern of dynamic changes in gene and protein expression replicate the electrical and structural remodelling demonstrated previously in the sheep and in humans, and uncover novel mechanisms potentially relevant for disease treatment. CONCLUSIONS Transcriptomic and proteomic analysis of AF progression in a large animal model shows that significant changes occur at early stages, and that among others involve previously undescribed increase in mitochondria, changes to the chromatin of atrial CMs, and genes related to neural function and cell proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Alvarez-Franco
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Raquel Rouco
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael J Ramirez
- Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Arrhythmia Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Guadalupe Guerrero-Serna
- Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Arrhythmia Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Maria Tiana
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Cogliati
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, Biomedical Research Centre, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Kuljeet Kaur
- Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Arrhythmia Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Mohammed Saeed
- Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Arrhythmia Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ricardo Magni
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose Antonio Enriquez
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Fatima Sanchez-Cabo
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - José Jalife
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Arrhythmia Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Spain
| | - Miguel Manzanares
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain
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34
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Liu J. Giant cells: Linking McClintock's heredity to early embryogenesis and tumor origin throughout millennia of evolution on Earth. Semin Cancer Biol 2021; 81:176-192. [PMID: 34116161 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The "life code" theory postulates that egg cells, which are giant, are the first cells in reproduction and that damaged or aged giant somatic cells are the first cells in tumorigenesis. However, the hereditary basis for giant cells remains undefined. Here I propose that stress-induced genomic reorganization proposed by Nobel Laureate Barbara McClintock may represent the underlying heredity for giant cells, referred to as McClintock's heredity. Increase in cell size may serve as a response to environmental stress via switching proliferative mitosis to intranuclear replication for reproduction. Intranuclear replication activates McClintock's heredity to reset the genome following fertilization for reproduction or restructures the somatic genome for neoplastic transformation via formation of polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs). The genome-based McClintock heredity functions together with gene-based Mendel's heredity to regulate the genomic stability at two different stages of life cycle or tumorigenesis. Thus, giant cells link McClintock's heredity to both early embryogenesis and tumor origin. Cycling change in cell size together with ploidy number switch may represent the most fundamental mechanism on how both germ and soma for coping with environmental stresses for the survival across the tree of life which evolved over millions of years on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinsong Liu
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77030, United States.
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35
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Mangiavacchi A, Liu P, Della Valle F, Orlando V. New insights into the functional role of retrotransposon dynamics in mammalian somatic cells. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:5245-5256. [PMID: 33990851 PMCID: PMC8257530 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03851-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Retrotransposons are genetic elements present across all eukaryotic genomes. While their role in evolution is considered as a potentially beneficial natural source of genetic variation, their activity is classically considered detrimental due to their potentially harmful effects on genome stability. However, studies are increasingly shedding light on the regulatory function and beneficial role of somatic retroelement reactivation in non-pathological contexts. Here, we review recent findings unveiling the regulatory potential of retrotransposons, including their role in noncoding RNA transcription, as modulators of mammalian transcriptional and epigenome landscapes. We also discuss technical challenges in deciphering the multifaceted activity of retrotransposable elements, highlighting an unforeseen central role of this neglected portion of the genome both in early development and in adult life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Mangiavacchi
- Biological Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Peng Liu
- Biological Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Francesco Della Valle
- Biological Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Valerio Orlando
- Biological Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.
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36
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He J, Babarinde IA, Sun L, Xu S, Chen R, Shi J, Wei Y, Li Y, Ma G, Zhuang Q, Hutchins AP, Chen J. Identifying transposable element expression dynamics and heterogeneity during development at the single-cell level with a processing pipeline scTE. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1456. [PMID: 33674594 PMCID: PMC7935913 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21808-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) make up a majority of a typical eukaryote’s genome, and contribute to cell heterogeneity in unclear ways. Single-cell sequencing technologies are powerful tools to explore cells, however analysis is typically gene-centric and TE expression has not been addressed. Here, we develop a single-cell TE processing pipeline, scTE, and report the expression of TEs in single cells in a range of biological contexts. Specific TE types are expressed in subpopulations of embryonic stem cells and are dynamically regulated during pluripotency reprogramming, differentiation, and embryogenesis. Unexpectedly, TEs are expressed in somatic cells, including human disease-specific TEs that are undetectable in bulk analyses. Finally, we apply scTE to single-cell ATAC-seq data, and demonstrate that scTE can discriminate cell type using chromatin accessibly of TEs alone. Overall, our results classify the dynamic patterns of TEs in single cells and their contributions to cell heterogeneity. How transposable elements (TE) contribute to cell fate changes is unclear. Here, the authors generate a pipeline to quantify TE expression from single cell data. They show the dynamic expression of TEs from gastrulation to somatic cell reprogramming and human disease
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangping He
- Center for Cell Lineage and Atlas (CCLA), Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, China
| | - Isaac A Babarinde
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Li Sun
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shuyang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruhai Chen
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University and Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junjie Shi
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanjie Wei
- Center for Cell Lineage and Atlas (CCLA), Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuhao Li
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Gang Ma
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qiang Zhuang
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Andrew P Hutchins
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Jiekai Chen
- Center for Cell Lineage and Atlas (CCLA), Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, China. .,Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China. .,Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University and Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
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37
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Shao W, Wang T. Transcript assembly improves expression quantification of transposable elements in single-cell RNA-seq data. Genome Res 2021; 31:88-100. [PMID: 33355230 PMCID: PMC7849386 DOI: 10.1101/gr.265173.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are an integral part of the host transcriptome. TE-containing noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) show considerable tissue specificity and play important roles during development, including stem cell maintenance and cell differentiation. Recent advances in single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) revolutionized cell type-specific gene expression analysis. However, effective scRNA-seq quantification tools tailored for TEs are lacking, limiting our ability to dissect TE expression dynamics at single-cell resolution. To address this issue, we established a TE expression quantification pipeline that is compatible with scRNA-seq data generated across multiple technology platforms. We constructed TE-containing ncRNA references using bulk RNA-seq data and showed that quantifying TE expression at the transcript level effectively reduces noise. As proof of principle, we applied this strategy to mouse embryonic stem cells and successfully captured the expression profile of endogenous retroviruses in single cells. We further expanded our analysis to scRNA-seq data from early stages of mouse embryogenesis. Our results illustrated the dynamic TE expression at preimplantation stages and revealed 146 TE-containing ncRNA transcripts with substantial tissue specificity during gastrulation and early organogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanqing Shao
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
- Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Ting Wang
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
- Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63108, USA
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38
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Mulholland CB, Nishiyama A, Ryan J, Nakamura R, Yiğit M, Glück IM, Trummer C, Qin W, Bartoschek MD, Traube FR, Parsa E, Ugur E, Modic M, Acharya A, Stolz P, Ziegenhain C, Wierer M, Enard W, Carell T, Lamb DC, Takeda H, Nakanishi M, Bultmann S, Leonhardt H. Recent evolution of a TET-controlled and DPPA3/STELLA-driven pathway of passive DNA demethylation in mammals. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5972. [PMID: 33235224 PMCID: PMC7686362 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19603-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide DNA demethylation is a unique feature of mammalian development and naïve pluripotent stem cells. Here, we describe a recently evolved pathway in which global hypomethylation is achieved by the coupling of active and passive demethylation. TET activity is required, albeit indirectly, for global demethylation, which mostly occurs at sites devoid of TET binding. Instead, TET-mediated active demethylation is locus-specific and necessary for activating a subset of genes, including the naïve pluripotency and germline marker Dppa3 (Stella, Pgc7). DPPA3 in turn drives large-scale passive demethylation by directly binding and displacing UHRF1 from chromatin, thereby inhibiting maintenance DNA methylation. Although unique to mammals, we show that DPPA3 alone is capable of inducing global DNA demethylation in non-mammalian species (Xenopus and medaka) despite their evolutionary divergence from mammals more than 300 million years ago. Our findings suggest that the evolution of Dppa3 facilitated the emergence of global DNA demethylation in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher B Mulholland
- Department of Biology II and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Human Biology and BioImaging, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Atsuya Nishiyama
- Division of Cancer Cell Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8639, Japan
| | - Joel Ryan
- Department of Biology II and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Human Biology and BioImaging, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Ryohei Nakamura
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Merve Yiğit
- Department of Biology II and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Human Biology and BioImaging, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Ivo M Glück
- Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Center for Nanoscience, Nanosystems Initiative Munich and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Carina Trummer
- Department of Biology II and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Human Biology and BioImaging, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Weihua Qin
- Department of Biology II and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Human Biology and BioImaging, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Michael D Bartoschek
- Department of Biology II and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Human Biology and BioImaging, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Franziska R Traube
- Center for Integrated Protein Science (CIPSM) at the Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Edris Parsa
- Center for Integrated Protein Science (CIPSM) at the Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Enes Ugur
- Department of Biology II and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Human Biology and BioImaging, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
- Department of Proteomics and Signal Transduction, Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Miha Modic
- The Francis Crick Institute and UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Aishwarya Acharya
- Department of Biology II and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Human Biology and BioImaging, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Paul Stolz
- Department of Biology II and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Human Biology and BioImaging, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Christoph Ziegenhain
- Department of Biology II, Anthropology and Human Genomics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Michael Wierer
- Department of Proteomics and Signal Transduction, Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Enard
- Department of Biology II, Anthropology and Human Genomics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Thomas Carell
- Center for Integrated Protein Science (CIPSM) at the Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Don C Lamb
- Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Center for Nanoscience, Nanosystems Initiative Munich and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Hiroyuki Takeda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Makoto Nakanishi
- Division of Cancer Cell Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8639, Japan
| | - Sebastian Bultmann
- Department of Biology II and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Human Biology and BioImaging, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
| | - Heinrich Leonhardt
- Department of Biology II and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Human Biology and BioImaging, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
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39
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Fambrini M, Usai G, Vangelisti A, Mascagni F, Pugliesi C. The plastic genome: The impact of transposable elements on gene functionality and genomic structural variations. Genesis 2020; 58:e23399. [DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 11/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Fambrini
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (DAFE) University of Pisa Pisa Italy
| | - Gabriele Usai
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (DAFE) University of Pisa Pisa Italy
| | - Alberto Vangelisti
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (DAFE) University of Pisa Pisa Italy
| | - Flavia Mascagni
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (DAFE) University of Pisa Pisa Italy
| | - Claudio Pugliesi
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (DAFE) University of Pisa Pisa Italy
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40
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Li F, Wang D, Song R, Cao C, Zhang Z, Wang Y, Li X, Huang J, Liu Q, Hou N, Xu B, Li X, Gao X, Jia Y, Zhao J, Wang Y. The asynchronous establishment of chromatin 3D architecture between in vitro fertilized and uniparental preimplantation pig embryos. Genome Biol 2020; 21:203. [PMID: 32778155 PMCID: PMC7418210 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-020-02095-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pigs are important animals for agricultural and biomedical research, and improvement is needed for use of the assisted reproductive technologies. Determining underlying mechanisms of epigenetic reprogramming in the early stage of preimplantation embryos derived from in vitro fertilization (IVF), parthenogenesis, and androgenesis will not only contribute to assisted reproductive technologies of pigs but also will shed light into early human development. However, the reprogramming of three-dimensional architecture of chromatin in this process in pigs is poorly understood. RESULTS We generate three-dimensional chromatin profiles for pig somatic cells, IVF, parthenogenesis, and androgenesis preimplantation embryos. We find that the chromosomes in the pig preimplantation embryos are enriched for superdomains, which are more rare in mice. However, p(s) curves, compartments, and topologically associated domains (TADs) are largely conserved in somatic cells and are gradually established during preimplantation embryogenesis in both mammals. In the uniparental pig embryos, the establishment of chromatin architecture is highly asynchronized at all levels from IVF embryos, and a remarkably strong decompartmentalization is observed during zygotic genome activation (ZGA). Finally, chromosomes originating from oocytes always establish TADs faster than chromosomes originating from sperm, both before and during ZGA. CONCLUSIONS Our data highlight a potential unique 3D chromatin pattern of enriched superdomains in pig preimplantation embryos, an unusual decompartmentalization process during ZGA in the uniparental embryos, and an asynchronized TAD reprogramming between maternal and paternal genomes, implying a severe dysregulation of ZGA in the uniparental embryos in pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feifei Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Danyang Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, 100101 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Ruigao Song
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chunwei Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510120 China
| | - Zhihua Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, 100101 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Yu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Xiaoli Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, 100101 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Jiaojiao Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Naipeng Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Bingxiang Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, 100101 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Xiao Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, 100101 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Xiaomeng Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, 100101 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Yan Jia
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Jianguo Zhao
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yanfang Wang
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193 China
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41
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D'Anna F, Van Dyck L, Xiong J, Zhao H, Berrens RV, Qian J, Bieniasz-Krzywiec P, Chandra V, Schoonjans L, Matthews J, De Smedt J, Minnoye L, Amorim R, Khorasanizadeh S, Yu Q, Zhao L, De Borre M, Savvides SN, Simon MC, Carmeliet P, Reik W, Rastinejad F, Mazzone M, Thienpont B, Lambrechts D. DNA methylation repels binding of hypoxia-inducible transcription factors to maintain tumor immunotolerance. Genome Biol 2020; 21:182. [PMID: 32718321 PMCID: PMC7384226 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-020-02087-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hypoxia is pervasive in cancer and other diseases. Cells sense and adapt to hypoxia by activating hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIFs), but it is still an outstanding question why cell types differ in their transcriptional response to hypoxia. RESULTS We report that HIFs fail to bind CpG dinucleotides that are methylated in their consensus binding sequence, both in in vitro biochemical binding assays and in vivo studies of differentially methylated isogenic cell lines. Based on in silico structural modeling, we show that 5-methylcytosine indeed causes steric hindrance in the HIF binding pocket. A model wherein cell-type-specific methylation landscapes, as laid down by the differential expression and binding of other transcription factors under normoxia, control cell-type-specific hypoxia responses is observed. We also discover ectopic HIF binding sites in repeat regions which are normally methylated. Genetic and pharmacological DNA demethylation, but also cancer-associated DNA hypomethylation, expose these binding sites, inducing HIF-dependent expression of cryptic transcripts. In line with such cryptic transcripts being more prone to cause double-stranded RNA and viral mimicry, we observe low DNA methylation and high cryptic transcript expression in tumors with high immune checkpoint expression, but not in tumors with low immune checkpoint expression, where they would compromise tumor immunotolerance. In a low-immunogenic tumor model, DNA demethylation upregulates cryptic transcript expression in a HIF-dependent manner, causing immune activation and reducing tumor growth. CONCLUSIONS Our data elucidate the mechanism underlying cell-type-specific responses to hypoxia and suggest DNA methylation and hypoxia to underlie tumor immunotolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flora D'Anna
- Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Translational Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laurien Van Dyck
- Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Translational Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jieyi Xiong
- Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Translational Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hui Zhao
- Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Translational Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rebecca V Berrens
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, CB22 3AT, UK
- The Old Schools, University of Cambridge, Trinity Lane Cambridge, CB2 1TN, UK
| | - Junbin Qian
- Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Translational Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pawel Bieniasz-Krzywiec
- Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Tumor Inflammation and Angiogenesis, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Vikas Chandra
- Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Luc Schoonjans
- Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongsan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Laboratory of Angiogenesis and Vascular Metabolism, Department of Oncology, Leuven Cancer Institute, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jason Matthews
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, 0372, Oslo, Norway
| | - Julie De Smedt
- Laboratory of Dermatology, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Liesbeth Minnoye
- Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Translational Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ricardo Amorim
- Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Tumor Inflammation and Angiogenesis, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sepideh Khorasanizadeh
- Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Qian Yu
- Laboratory for Functional Epigenetics, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Liyun Zhao
- Laboratory for Functional Epigenetics, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marie De Borre
- Laboratory for Functional Epigenetics, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Savvas N Savvides
- Unit for Structural Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | - M Celeste Simon
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Peter Carmeliet
- Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongsan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Laboratory of Angiogenesis and Vascular Metabolism, Department of Oncology, Leuven Cancer Institute, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Wolf Reik
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, CB22 3AT, UK
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Fraydoon Rastinejad
- Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Massimiliano Mazzone
- Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Tumor Inflammation and Angiogenesis, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bernard Thienpont
- Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
- Laboratory of Translational Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
- Laboratory for Functional Epigenetics, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Diether Lambrechts
- Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
- Laboratory of Translational Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
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42
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Alda-Catalinas C, Bredikhin D, Hernando-Herraez I, Santos F, Kubinyecz O, Eckersley-Maslin MA, Stegle O, Reik W. A Single-Cell Transcriptomics CRISPR-Activation Screen Identifies Epigenetic Regulators of the Zygotic Genome Activation Program. Cell Syst 2020; 11:25-41.e9. [PMID: 32634384 PMCID: PMC7383230 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2020.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Zygotic genome activation (ZGA) is an essential transcriptional event in embryonic development that coincides with extensive epigenetic reprogramming. Complex manipulation techniques and maternal stores of proteins preclude large-scale functional screens for ZGA regulators within early embryos. Here, we combined pooled CRISPR activation (CRISPRa) with single-cell transcriptomics to identify regulators of ZGA-like transcription in mouse embryonic stem cells, which serve as a tractable, in vitro proxy of early mouse embryos. Using multi-omics factor analysis (MOFA+) applied to ∼200,000 single-cell transcriptomes comprising 230 CRISPRa perturbations, we characterized molecular signatures of ZGA and uncovered 24 factors that promote a ZGA-like response. Follow-up assays validated top screen hits, including the DNA-binding protein Dppa2, the chromatin remodeler Smarca5, and the transcription factor Patz1, and functional experiments revealed that Smarca5’s regulation of ZGA-like transcription is dependent on Dppa2. Together, our single-cell transcriptomic profiling of CRISPRa-perturbed cells provides both system-level and molecular insights into the mechanisms that orchestrate ZGA. Large-scale pooled CRISPR-activation screen with single-cell RNA-seq for 230 genes MOFA+ identified 24 screen hits that induced a ZGA-like signature Nine genes were independently validated as regulators of ZGA-like transcription Smarca5 regulates ZGA-like transcription in a Dppa2-dependent manner
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Affiliation(s)
- Celia Alda-Catalinas
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK; Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Danila Bredikhin
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
| | | | - Fátima Santos
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK
| | - Oana Kubinyecz
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK
| | | | - Oliver Stegle
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, Heidelberg 69117, Germany; Division of Computational Genomics and Systems Genetics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg 69120, Germany; European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK; Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK.
| | - Wolf Reik
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK; Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK; Centre for Trophoblast Research University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK.
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43
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Dppa2 and Dppa4 counteract de novo methylation to establish a permissive epigenome for development. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2020; 27:706-716. [DOI: 10.1038/s41594-020-0445-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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44
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DNA methylation dynamics at transposable elements in mammals. Essays Biochem 2020; 63:677-689. [PMID: 31654072 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20190039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2019] [Revised: 09/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Transposable elements dominate the mammalian genome, but their contribution to genetic and epigenetic regulation has been largely overlooked. This was in part due to technical limitations, which made the study of repetitive sequences at single copy resolution difficult. The advancement of next-generation sequencing assays in the last decade has greatly enhanced our understanding of transposable element function. In some instances, specific transposable elements are thought to have been co-opted into regulatory roles during both mouse and human development, while in disease such regulatory potential can contribute to malignancy. DNA methylation is arguably the best characterised regulator of transposable element activity. DNA methylation is associated with transposable element repression, and acts to limit their genotoxic potential. In specific developmental contexts, erasure of DNA methylation is associated with a burst of transposable element expression. Developmental regulation of DNA methylation enables transposon activation, ensuring their survival and propagation throughout the host genome, and also allows the host access to regulatory sequences encoded within the elements. Here I discuss DNA methylation at transposable elements, describing its function and dynamic regulation throughout murine and human development.
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45
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Vallot A, Tachibana K. The emergence of genome architecture and zygotic genome activation. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2020; 64:50-57. [PMID: 32220807 PMCID: PMC7374442 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2020.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The fusion of two transcriptionally silent gametes, egg and sperm, generates a totipotent zygote that activates zygotic transcription to support further development. Although the molecular details of zygotic genome activation (ZGA) are not well understood in most species, an emerging concept is that one or more pioneer transcription factors trigger zygotic transcription. Concomitantly, extensive changes in 3D chromatin organization occur during development. In this review, we discuss recent advances in understanding when and how genome architecture emerges in early metazoan embryos, how the zygotic genome is activated, and how these events might be coordinated. We also highlight some of the unknowns that may be critical to address in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Vallot
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kikuë Tachibana
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030, Vienna, Austria; Department of Totipotency, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152, Martinsried, Germany.
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46
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Repetitive Elements: Different Subtypes Hint at Distinct Functions. Trends Genet 2020; 36:385-387. [PMID: 32396830 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2020.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Lu et al. report that the association of different repeat types with distinct gene classes goes far beyond what has previously been shown and suggest that such relationship might be essential for gene function and regulation. As an example, they describe how long interspersed nuclear repeat (LINE1) transcripts are recruited together with associated genes to silent nuclear regions.
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47
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Lynch-Sutherland CF, Chatterjee A, Stockwell PA, Eccles MR, Macaulay EC. Reawakening the Developmental Origins of Cancer Through Transposable Elements. Front Oncol 2020; 10:468. [PMID: 32432029 PMCID: PMC7214541 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) have an established role as important regulators of early human development, functioning as tissue-specific genes and regulatory elements. Functional TEs are highly active during early development, and interact with important developmental genes, some of which also function as oncogenes. Dedifferentiation is a hallmark of cancer, and is characterized by genetic and epigenetic changes that enable proliferation, self-renewal and a metabolism reminiscent of embryonic stem cells. There is also compelling evidence suggesting that the path to dedifferentiation in cancer can contribute to invasion and metastasis. TEs are frequently expressed in cancer, and recent work has identified a newly proposed mechanism involving extensive recruitment of TE-derived promoters to drive expression of oncogenes and subsequently promote oncogenesis—a process termed onco-exaptation. However, the mechanism by which this phenomenon occurs, and the extent to which it contributes to oncogenesis remains unknown. Initial hypotheses have proposed that onco-exaptation events are cancer-specific and arise randomly due to the dysregulated and hypomethylated state of cancer cells and abundance of TEs across the genome. However, we suspect that exaptation-like events may not just arise due to chance activation of novel regulatory relationships as proposed previously, but as a result of the reestablishment of early developmental regulatory relationships. Dedifferentiation in cancer is well-documented, along with expression of TEs. The known interactions between TEs and pluripotency factors such as NANOG and OCTt4 during early development, along with the expression of some placental-specific TE-derived transcripts in cancer support a possible link between TEs and dedifferentiation of tumor cells. Thus, we hypothesize that onco-exaptation events can be associated with the epigenetic reawakening of early developmental TEs to regulate expression of oncogenes and promote oncogenesis. We also suspect that activation of these early developmental regulatory TEs may promote dedifferentiation, although at this stage it is hard to predict whether TE activation is one of the initial drivers of dedifferentiation. We expect that developmental TE activation occurs as a result of the establishment of an epigenetic landscape in cancer that resembles that of early development and that developmental TE activation may also enable cancers to exploit early developmental pathways, repurposing them to promote malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aniruddha Chatterjee
- Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.,Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Peter A Stockwell
- Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Michael R Eccles
- Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.,Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Erin C Macaulay
- Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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48
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Drost HG, Sanchez DH. Becoming a Selfish Clan: Recombination Associated to Reverse-Transcription in LTR Retrotransposons. Genome Biol Evol 2020; 11:3382-3392. [PMID: 31755923 PMCID: PMC6894440 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evz255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are parasitic DNA bits capable of mobilization and mutagenesis, typically suppressed by host’s epigenetic silencing. Since the selfish DNA concept, it is appreciated that genomes are also molded by arms-races against natural TE inhabitants. However, our understanding of evolutionary processes shaping TEs adaptive populations is scarce. Here, we review the events of recombination associated to reverse-transcription in LTR retrotransposons, a process shuffling their genetic variants during replicative mobilization. Current evidence may suggest that recombinogenic retrotransposons could beneficially exploit host suppression, where clan behavior facilitates their speciation and diversification. Novel refinements to retrotransposons life-cycle and evolution models thus emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hajk-Georg Drost
- The Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Diego H Sanchez
- IFEVA (CONICET-UBA), Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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49
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White MD, Plachta N. Specification of the First Mammalian Cell Lineages In Vivo and In Vitro. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2020; 12:cshperspect.a035634. [PMID: 31615786 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a035634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Our understanding of how the first mammalian cell lineages arise has been shaped largely by studies of the preimplantation mouse embryo. Painstaking work over many decades has begun to reveal how a single totipotent cell is transformed into a multilayered structure representing the foundations of the body plan. Here, we review how the first lineage decision is initiated by epigenetic regulation but consolidated by the integration of morphological features and transcription factor activity. The establishment of pluripotent and multipotent stem cell lines has enabled deeper analysis of molecular and epigenetic regulation of cell fate decisions. The capability to assemble these stem cells into artificial embryos is an exciting new avenue of research that offers a long-awaited window into cell fate specification in the human embryo. Together, these approaches are poised to profoundly increase our understanding of how the first lineage decisions are made during mammalian embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie D White
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR, Singapore 138673
| | - Nicolas Plachta
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR, Singapore 138673
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50
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Sankar A, Lerdrup M, Manaf A, Johansen JV, Gonzalez JM, Borup R, Blanshard R, Klungland A, Hansen K, Andersen CY, Dahl JA, Helin K, Hoffmann ER. KDM4A regulates the maternal-to-zygotic transition by protecting broad H3K4me3 domains from H3K9me3 invasion in oocytes. Nat Cell Biol 2020; 22:380-388. [PMID: 32231309 PMCID: PMC7212036 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-020-0494-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The importance of germline-inherited post-translational histone modifications on priming early mammalian development is just emerging1-4. Histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) trimethylation is associated with heterochromatin and gene repression during cell-fate change5, whereas histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) trimethylation marks active gene promoters6. Mature oocytes are transcriptionally quiescent and possess remarkably broad domains of H3K4me3 (bdH3K4me3)1,2. It is unknown which factors contribute to the maintenance of the bdH3K4me3 landscape. Lysine-specific demethylase 4A (KDM4A) demethylates H3K9me3 at promoters marked by H3K4me3 in actively transcribing somatic cells7. Here, we report that KDM4A-mediated H3K9me3 demethylation at bdH3K4me3 in oocytes is crucial for normal pre-implantation development and zygotic genome activation after fertilization. The loss of KDM4A in oocytes causes aberrant H3K9me3 spreading over bdH3K4me3, resulting in insufficient transcriptional activation of genes, endogenous retroviral elements and chimeric transcripts initiated from long terminal repeats during zygotic genome activation. The catalytic activity of KDM4A is essential for normal epigenetic reprogramming and pre-implantation development. Hence, KDM4A plays a crucial role in preserving the maternal epigenome integrity required for proper zygotic genome activation and transfer of developmental control to the embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Sankar
- DNRF Center for Chromosome Stability (CCS), Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. .,Biotech Research Innovation Centre (BRIC), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. .,The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Mads Lerdrup
- DNRF Center for Chromosome Stability (CCS), Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Biotech Research Innovation Centre (BRIC), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Adeel Manaf
- Department of Microbiology, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Norway
| | - Jens Vilstrup Johansen
- Biotech Research Innovation Centre (BRIC), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Javier Martin Gonzalez
- Transgenic Core Facility, Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rehannah Borup
- DNRF Center for Chromosome Stability (CCS), Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Robert Blanshard
- DNRF Center for Chromosome Stability (CCS), Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Arne Klungland
- Department of Microbiology, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Norway.,Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Klaus Hansen
- Biotech Research Innovation Centre (BRIC), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Claus Yding Andersen
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Section 5712, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - John Arne Dahl
- Department of Microbiology, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Norway.
| | - Kristian Helin
- Biotech Research Innovation Centre (BRIC), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. .,The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. .,Cell Biology Program and Center for Epigenetics Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Eva R Hoffmann
- DNRF Center for Chromosome Stability (CCS), Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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