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Kwok van der Giezen F, Honkanen S, Colas des Francs-Small C, Bond C, Small I. Applications of Synthetic Pentatricopeptide Repeat Proteins. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 65:503-515. [PMID: 38035801 PMCID: PMC11094755 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcad150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
RNA-binding proteins play integral roles in the regulation of essential processes in cells and as such are attractive targets for engineering to manipulate gene expression at the RNA level. Expression of transcripts in chloroplasts and mitochondria is heavily regulated by pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins. The diverse roles of PPR proteins and their naturally modular architecture make them ideal candidates for engineering. Synthetic PPR proteins are showing great potential to become valuable tools for controlling the expression of plastid and mitochondrial transcripts. In this review, by 'synthetic', we mean both rationally modified natural PPR proteins and completely novel proteins designed using the principles learned from their natural counterparts. We focus on the many different applications of synthetic PPR proteins, covering both their use in basic research to learn more about protein-RNA interactions and their use to achieve specific outcomes in RNA processing and the control of gene expression. We describe the challenges associated with the design, construction and deployment of synthetic PPR proteins and provide perspectives on how they might be assembled and used in future biotechnology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farley Kwok van der Giezen
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Suvi Honkanen
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Catherine Colas des Francs-Small
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Charles Bond
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Ian Small
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
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Sayyed A, Chen B, Wang Y, Cao SK, Tan BC. PPR596 Is Required for nad2 Intron Splicing and Complex I Biogenesis in Arabidopsis. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3542. [PMID: 38542518 PMCID: PMC10971677 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25063542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria are essential organelles that generate energy via oxidative phosphorylation. Plant mitochondrial genome encodes some of the respiratory complex subunits, and these transcripts require accurate processing, including C-to-U RNA editing and intron splicing. Pentatricopeptide repeats (PPR) proteins are involved in various organellar RNA processing events. PPR596, a P-type PPR protein, was previously identified to function in the C-to-U editing of mitochondrial rps3 transcripts in Arabidopsis. Here, we demonstrate that PPR596 functions in the cis-splicing of nad2 intron 3 in mitochondria. Loss of the PPR596 function affects the editing at rps3eU1344SS, impairs nad2 intron 3 splicing and reduces the mitochondrial complex I's assembly and activity, while inducing alternative oxidase (AOX) gene expression. This defect in nad2 intron splicing provides a plausible explanation for the slow growth of the ppr595 mutants. Although a few P-type PPR proteins are involved in RNA C-to-U editing, our results suggest that the primary function of PPR596 is intron splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Bao-Cai Tan
- Key Laboratory of Plant Development and Environmental Adaptation Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China; (A.S.); (B.C.); (Y.W.); (S.-K.C.)
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3
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Azad MTA, Sugi T, Qulsum U, Kato K. Detection of Developmental Asexual Stage-Specific RNA Editing Events in Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 Malaria Parasite. Microorganisms 2024; 12:137. [PMID: 38257964 PMCID: PMC10819399 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12010137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Transcriptional variation has been studied but post-transcriptional modification due to RNA editing has not been investigated in Plasmodium. We investigated developmental stage-specific RNA editing in selected genes in Plasmodium falciparum 3D7. We detected extensive amination- and deamination-type RNA editing at 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, and 46 h in tightly synchronized Plasmodium. Most of the editing events were observed in 8 and 16 h ring-stage parasites. Extensive A-to-G deamination-type editing was detected more during the 16 h ring stage (25%) than the 8 h ring stage (20%). Extensive U-to-C amination-type editing was detected more during the 16 h ring stage (31%) than the 8 h ring stage (22%). In 28S, rRNA editing converted the loop structure to the stem structure. The hemoglobin binding activity of PF3D7_0216900 was also altered due to RNA editing. Among the expressed 28S rRNA genes, PF3D7_0532000 and PF3D7_0726000 expression was higher. Increased amounts of the transcripts of these two genes were found, particularly PF3D7_0726000 in the ring stage and PF3D7_0532000 in the trophozoite and schizont stages. Adenosine deaminase (ADA) expression did not correlate with the editing level. This first experimental report of RNA editing will help to identify the editing machinery that might be useful for antimalarial drug discovery and malaria control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Thoufic Anam Azad
- Laboratory of Sustainable Animal Environment, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 232-3 Yomogida, Naruko-onsen, Osaki, Miyagi 989-6711, Japan
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh
| | - Tatsuki Sugi
- Division of Collaboration and Education, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Nishi10-Kita 20, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan
| | - Umme Qulsum
- Laboratory of Sustainable Animal Environment, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 232-3 Yomogida, Naruko-onsen, Osaki, Miyagi 989-6711, Japan
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh
| | - Kentaro Kato
- Laboratory of Sustainable Animal Environment, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 232-3 Yomogida, Naruko-onsen, Osaki, Miyagi 989-6711, Japan
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Feng LY, Lin PF, Xu RJ, Kang HQ, Gao LZ. Comparative Genomic Analysis of Asian Cultivated Rice and Its Wild Progenitor ( Oryza rufipogon) Has Revealed Evolutionary Innovation of the Pentatricopeptide Repeat Gene Family through Gene Duplication. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16313. [PMID: 38003501 PMCID: PMC10671101 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) gene family is one of the largest gene families in land plants. However, current knowledge about the evolution of the PPR gene family remains largely limited. In this study, we performed a comparative genomic analysis of the PPR gene family in O. sativa and its wild progenitor, O. rufipogon, and outlined a comprehensive landscape of gene duplications. Our findings suggest that the majority of PPR genes originated from dispersed duplications. Although segmental duplications have only expanded approximately 11.30% and 13.57% of the PPR gene families in the O. sativa and O. rufipogon genomes, we interestingly obtained evidence that segmental duplication promotes the structural diversity of PPR genes through incomplete gene duplications. In the O. sativa and O. rufipogon genomes, 10 (~33.33%) and 22 pairs of gene duplications (~45.83%) had non-PPR paralogous genes through incomplete gene duplication. Segmental duplications leading to incomplete gene duplications might result in the acquisition of domains, thus promoting functional innovation and structural diversification of PPR genes. This study offers a unique perspective on the evolution of PPR gene structures and underscores the potential role of segmental duplications in PPR gene structural diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Ying Feng
- Institution of Genomics and Bioinformatics, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (L.-Y.F.); (P.-F.L.)
| | - Pei-Fan Lin
- Institution of Genomics and Bioinformatics, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (L.-Y.F.); (P.-F.L.)
| | - Rong-Jing Xu
- Tropical Biodiversity and Genomics Research Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; (R.-J.X.); (H.-Q.K.)
| | - Hai-Qi Kang
- Tropical Biodiversity and Genomics Research Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; (R.-J.X.); (H.-Q.K.)
| | - Li-Zhi Gao
- Institution of Genomics and Bioinformatics, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (L.-Y.F.); (P.-F.L.)
- Tropical Biodiversity and Genomics Research Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; (R.-J.X.); (H.-Q.K.)
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Bulle M, Sheri V, Aileni M, Zhang B. Chloroplast Genome Engineering: A Plausible Approach to Combat Chili Thrips and Other Agronomic Insect Pests of Crops. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:3448. [PMID: 37836188 PMCID: PMC10574609 DOI: 10.3390/plants12193448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
The world population's growing demand for food is expected to increase dramatically by 2050. The agronomic productivity for food is severely affected due to biotic and abiotic constraints. At a global level, insect pests alone account for ~20% loss in crop yield every year. Deployment of noxious chemical pesticides to control insect pests always has a threatening effect on human health and environmental sustainability. Consequently, this necessitates for the establishment of innovative, environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and alternative means to mitigate insect pest management strategies. According to a recent study, using chloroplasts engineered with double-strand RNA (dsRNA) is novel successful combinatorial strategy deployed to effectively control the most vexing pest, the western flower thrips (WFT: Frankliniella occidentalis). Such biotechnological avenues allowed us to recapitulate the recent progress of research methods, such as RNAi, CRISPR/Cas, mini chromosomes, and RNA-binding proteins with plastid engineering for a plausible approach to effectively mitigate agronomic insect pests. We further discussed the significance of the maternal inheritance of the chloroplast, which is the major advantage of chloroplast genome engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mallesham Bulle
- Agri Biotech Foundation, Agricultural University Campus, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad 500030, India
| | - Vijay Sheri
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA;
| | - Mahender Aileni
- Department of Biotechnology, Telangana University, Dichpally, Nizamabad 503322, India;
| | - Baohong Zhang
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA;
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Zhang Y, Tian L, Lu C. Chloroplast gene expression: Recent advances and perspectives. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 4:100611. [PMID: 37147800 PMCID: PMC10504595 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2023.100611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Chloroplasts evolved from an ancient cyanobacterial endosymbiont more than 1.5 billion years ago. During subsequent coevolution with the nuclear genome, the chloroplast genome has remained independent, albeit strongly reduced, with its own transcriptional machinery and distinct features, such as chloroplast-specific innovations in gene expression and complicated post-transcriptional processing. Light activates the expression of chloroplast genes via mechanisms that optimize photosynthesis, minimize photodamage, and prioritize energy investments. Over the past few years, studies have moved from describing phases of chloroplast gene expression to exploring the underlying mechanisms. In this review, we focus on recent advances and emerging principles that govern chloroplast gene expression in land plants. We discuss engineering of pentatricopeptide repeat proteins and its biotechnological effects on chloroplast RNA research; new techniques for characterizing the molecular mechanisms of chloroplast gene expression; and important aspects of chloroplast gene expression for improving crop yield and stress tolerance. We also discuss biological and mechanistic questions that remain to be answered in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat Improvement, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Lin Tian
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat Improvement, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Congming Lu
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat Improvement, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, China.
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An H, Ke X, Li L, Liu Y, Yuan S, Wang Q, Hou X, Zhao J. ALBINO EMBRYO AND SEEDLING is required for RNA splicing and chloroplast homeostasis in Arabidopsis. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 193:483-501. [PMID: 37311175 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins form a large protein family and have diverse functions in plant development. Here, we identified an ALBINO EMBRYO AND SEEDLING (AES) gene that encodes a P-type PPR protein expressed in various tissues, especially the young leaves of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Its null mutant aes exhibited a collapsed chloroplast membrane system, reduced pigment content and photosynthetic activity, decreased transcript levels of PEP (plastid-encoded polymerase)-dependent chloroplast genes, and defective RNA splicing. Further work revealed that AES could directly bind to psbB-psbT, psbH-petB, rps8-rpl36, clpP, ycf3, and ndhA in vivo and in vitro and that the splicing efficiencies of these genes and the expression levels of ycf3, ndhA, and cis-tron psbB-psbT-psbH-petB-petD decreased dramatically, leading to defective PSI, PSII, and Cyt b6f in aes. Moreover, AES could be transported into the chloroplast stroma via the TOC-TIC channel with the assistance of Tic110 and cpSRP54 and may recruit HCF244, SOT1, and CAF1 to participate in the target RNA process. These findings suggested that AES is an essential protein for the assembly of photosynthetic complexes, providing insights into the splicing of psbB operon (psbB-psbT-psbH-petB-petD), ycf3, and ndhA, as well as maintaining chloroplast homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongqiang An
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, 430072 Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaolong Ke
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, 430072 Wuhan, China
| | - Lu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, 430072 Wuhan, China
| | - Yantong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, 430072 Wuhan, China
| | - Sihui Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, 430072 Wuhan, China
| | - Qiuyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, 430072 Wuhan, China
| | - Xin Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, 430072 Wuhan, China
| | - Jie Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, 430072 Wuhan, China
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8
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Small I, Melonek J, Bohne AV, Nickelsen J, Schmitz-Linneweber C. Plant organellar RNA maturation. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 35:1727-1751. [PMID: 36807982 PMCID: PMC10226603 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Plant organellar RNA metabolism is run by a multitude of nucleus-encoded RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) that control RNA stability, processing, and degradation. In chloroplasts and mitochondria, these post-transcriptional processes are vital for the production of a small number of essential components of the photosynthetic and respiratory machinery-and consequently for organellar biogenesis and plant survival. Many organellar RBPs have been functionally assigned to individual steps in RNA maturation, often specific to selected transcripts. While the catalog of factors identified is ever-growing, our knowledge of how they achieve their functions mechanistically is far from complete. This review summarizes the current knowledge of plant organellar RNA metabolism taking an RBP-centric approach and focusing on mechanistic aspects of RBP functions and the kinetics of the processes they are involved in.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Small
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, Australia
| | - Joanna Melonek
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, Australia
| | | | - Jörg Nickelsen
- Department of Molecular Plant Sciences, LMU Munich, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
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Lee K, Kang H. Engineering of pentatricopeptide repeat proteins in organellar gene regulation. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1144298. [PMID: 36938060 PMCID: PMC10014608 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1144298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kwanuk Lee
- Department of Biology, Jeju National University, Jeju, Republic of Korea
| | - Hunseung Kang
- Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
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10
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McDowell R, Small I, Bond CS. Synthetic PPR proteins as tools for sequence-specific targeting of RNA. Methods 2022; 208:19-26. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2022.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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Construction of a Versatile, Programmable RNA-Binding Protein Using Designer PPR Proteins and Its Application for Splicing Control in Mammalian Cells. Cells 2022; 11:cells11223529. [PMID: 36428958 PMCID: PMC9688318 DOI: 10.3390/cells11223529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
RNAs play many essential roles in gene expression and are involved in various human diseases. Although genome editing technologies have been established, the engineering of sequence-specific RNA-binding proteins that manipulate particular cellular RNA molecules is immature, in contrast to nucleotide-based RNA manipulation technology, such as siRNA- and RNA-targeting CRISPR/Cas. Here, we demonstrate a versatile RNA manipulation technology using pentatricopeptide-repeat (PPR)-motif-containing proteins. First, we developed a rapid construction and evaluation method for PPR-based designer sequence-specific RNA-binding proteins. This system has enabled the steady construction of dozens of functional designer PPR proteins targeting long 18 nt RNA, which targets a single specific RNA in the mammalian transcriptome. Furthermore, the cellular functionality of the designer PPR proteins was first demonstrated by the control of alternative splicing of either a reporter gene or an endogenous CHK1 mRNA. Our results present a versatile protein-based RNA manipulation technology using PPR proteins that facilitates the understanding of unknown RNA functions and the creation of gene circuits and has potential for use in future therapeutics.
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An Y, Wang Y, Wang X, Xiao J. Development of chloroplast transformation and gene expression regulation technology in land plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1037038. [PMID: 36407602 PMCID: PMC9667944 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1037038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Chloroplasts in land plants have their own small circular DNA that is presumed to have originated from cyanobacteria-related endosymbionts, and the chloroplast genome is an attractive target to improve photosynthetic ability and crop yield. However, to date, most transgenic or genetic engineering technologies for plants are restricted to manipulations of the nuclear genome. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of chloroplast genetic engineering and regulation of gene expression from the perspective of history and biology, focusing on current and latest methods. In addition, we suggest techniques that may regulate the chloroplast gene expression at the transcriptional or post-transcriptional level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqi An
- College of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding in Forest Trees and Ornamental Plants, Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
- The Tree and Ornamental Plant Breeding and Biotechnology Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Wang
- College of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding in Forest Trees and Ornamental Plants, Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
- The Tree and Ornamental Plant Breeding and Biotechnology Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Xinwei Wang
- College of Agriculture and Forestry, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, China
| | - Jianwei Xiao
- College of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding in Forest Trees and Ornamental Plants, Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
- The Tree and Ornamental Plant Breeding and Biotechnology Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
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13
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U-to-C RNA editing by synthetic PPR-DYW proteins in bacteria and human culture cells. Commun Biol 2022; 5:968. [PMID: 36109586 PMCID: PMC9478123 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03927-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Programmable RNA editing offers significant therapeutic potential for a wide range of genetic diseases. Currently, several deaminase enzymes, including ADAR and APOBEC, can perform programmable adenosine-to-inosine or cytidine-to-uridine RNA correction. However, enzymes to perform guanosine-to-adenosine and uridine-to-cytidine (U-to-C) editing are still lacking to complete the set of transition reactions. It is believed that the DYW:KP proteins, specific to seedless plants, catalyze the U-to-C reactions in mitochondria and chloroplasts. In this study, we designed seven DYW:KP domains based on consensus sequences and fused them to a designer RNA-binding pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) domain. We show that three of these PPR-DYW:KP proteins edit targeted uridine to cytidine in bacteria and human cells. In addition, we show that these proteins have a 5′ but not apparent 3′ preference for neighboring nucleotides. Our results establish the DYW:KP aminase domain as a potential candidate for the development of a U-to-C editing tool in human cells. DYW:KP domains, designed on proteins found in the mitochondria and chloroplasts of seedless plants, are fused to a designer RNA-binding pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) domain to edit targeted uridine to cytidine in bacteria and human cells.
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14
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Lesch E, Schilling MT, Brenner S, Yang Y, Gruss O, Knoop V, Schallenberg-Rüdinger M. Plant mitochondrial RNA editing factors can perform targeted C-to-U editing of nuclear transcripts in human cells. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:9966-9983. [PMID: 36107771 PMCID: PMC9508816 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac752] [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: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA editing processes are strikingly different in animals and plants. Up to thousands of specific cytidines are converted into uridines in plant chloroplasts and mitochondria whereas up to millions of adenosines are converted into inosines in animal nucleo-cytosolic RNAs. It is unknown whether these two different RNA editing machineries are mutually incompatible. RNA-binding pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins are the key factors of plant organelle cytidine-to-uridine RNA editing. The complete absence of PPR mediated editing of cytosolic RNAs might be due to a yet unknown barrier that prevents its activity in the cytosol. Here, we transferred two plant mitochondrial PPR-type editing factors into human cell lines to explore whether they could operate in the nucleo-cytosolic environment. PPR56 and PPR65 not only faithfully edited their native, co-transcribed targets but also different sets of off-targets in the human background transcriptome. More than 900 of such off-targets with editing efficiencies up to 91%, largely explained by known PPR-RNA binding properties, were identified for PPR56. Engineering two crucial amino acid positions in its PPR array led to predictable shifts in target recognition. We conclude that plant PPR editing factors can operate in the entirely different genetic environment of the human nucleo-cytosol and can be intentionally re-engineered towards new targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Lesch
- IZMB - Institut für Zelluläre und Molekulare Botanik, Abteilung Molekulare Evolution, Universität Bonn , Kirschallee 1 , D-53115 Bonn , Germany
| | - Maximilian T Schilling
- Institut für Genetik, Abteilung Zellteilung, Universität Bonn , Karlrobert-Kreiten-Str. 13 , D-53115 Bonn , Germany
| | - Sarah Brenner
- IZMB - Institut für Zelluläre und Molekulare Botanik, Abteilung Molekulare Evolution, Universität Bonn , Kirschallee 1 , D-53115 Bonn , Germany
| | - Yingying Yang
- IZMB - Institut für Zelluläre und Molekulare Botanik, Abteilung Molekulare Evolution, Universität Bonn , Kirschallee 1 , D-53115 Bonn , Germany
| | - Oliver J Gruss
- Institut für Genetik, Abteilung Zellteilung, Universität Bonn , Karlrobert-Kreiten-Str. 13 , D-53115 Bonn , Germany
| | - Volker Knoop
- IZMB - Institut für Zelluläre und Molekulare Botanik, Abteilung Molekulare Evolution, Universität Bonn , Kirschallee 1 , D-53115 Bonn , Germany
| | - Mareike Schallenberg-Rüdinger
- IZMB - Institut für Zelluläre und Molekulare Botanik, Abteilung Molekulare Evolution, Universität Bonn , Kirschallee 1 , D-53115 Bonn , Germany
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15
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Yang D, Cao SK, Yang H, Liu R, Sun F, Wang L, Wang M, Tan BC. DEK48 Is Required for RNA Editing at Multiple Mitochondrial Sites and Seed Development in Maize. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23063064. [PMID: 35328485 PMCID: PMC8952262 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In flowering plants, C-to-U RNA editing can be critical to normal functions of mitochondrion-encoded proteins. Mitochondrial C-to-U RNA editing is facilitated by many factors from diverse protein families, of which the pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins play an important role. Owing to their large number and frequent embryo lethality in mutants, functions of many PPRs remain unknown. In this study, we characterized a mitochondrion-localized DYW-type PPR protein, DEK48, functioning in the C-to-U RNA editing at multiple mitochondrial transcripts in maize. Null mutation of Dek48 severely arrests embryo and endosperm development, causing a defective kernel (dek) phenotype, named dek48. DEK48 loss of function abolishes the C-to-U editing at nad3-185, -215, and nad4-376, -977 sites and decreases the editing at 11 other sites, resulting in the alteration of the corresponding amino acids. Consequently, the absence of editing caused reduced assembly and activity of complex I in dek48. Interestingly, we identified a point mutation in dek48-3 causing a deletion of the Tryptophan (W) residue in the DYW motif that abolishes the editing function. In sum, this study reveals the function of DEK48 in the C-to-U editing in mitochondrial transcripts and seed development in maize, and it demonstrates a critical role of the W residue in the DYW triplet motif of DEK48 for the C-to-U editing function in vivo.
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16
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MISF2 Encodes an Essential Mitochondrial Splicing Cofactor Required for nad2 mRNA Processing and Embryo Development in Arabidopsis thaliana. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23052670. [PMID: 35269810 PMCID: PMC8910670 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria play key roles in cellular energy metabolism in eukaryotes. Mitochondria of most organisms contain their own genome and specific transcription and translation machineries. The expression of angiosperm mtDNA involves extensive RNA-processing steps, such as RNA trimming, editing, and the splicing of numerous group II-type introns. Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins are key players in plant organelle gene expression and RNA metabolism. In the present analysis, we reveal the function of the MITOCHONDRIAL SPLICING FACTOR 2 gene (MISF2, AT3G22670) and show that it encodes a mitochondria-localized PPR protein that is crucial for early embryo development in Arabidopsis. Molecular characterization of embryo-rescued misf2 plantlets indicates that the splicing of nad2 intron 1, and thus respiratory complex I biogenesis, are strongly compromised. Moreover, the molecular function seems conserved between MISF2 protein in Arabidopsis and its orthologous gene (EMP10) in maize, suggesting that the ancestor of MISF2/EMP10 was recruited to function in nad2 processing before the monocot-dicot divergence ~200 million years ago. These data provide new insights into the function of nuclear-encoded factors in mitochondrial gene expression and respiratory chain biogenesis during plant embryo development.
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17
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Raven SA, Payne B, Bruce M, Filipovska A, Rackham O. In silico evolution of nucleic acid-binding proteins from a nonfunctional scaffold. Nat Chem Biol 2022; 18:403-411. [PMID: 35210620 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-022-00967-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Directed evolution emulates the process of natural selection to produce proteins with improved or altered functions. These approaches have proven to be very powerful but are technically challenging and particularly time and resource intensive. To bypass these limitations, we constructed a system to perform the entire process of directed evolution in silico. We employed iterative computational cycles of mutation and evaluation to predict mutations that confer high-affinity binding activities for DNA and RNA to an initial de novo designed protein with no inherent function. Beneficial mutations revealed modes of nucleic acid recognition not previously observed in natural proteins, highlighting the ability of computational directed evolution to access new molecular functions. Furthermore, the process by which new functions were obtained closely resembles natural evolution and can provide insights into the contributions of mutation rate, population size and selective pressure on functionalization of macromolecules in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel A Raven
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.,University of Western Australia Centre for Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Blake Payne
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.,University of Western Australia Centre for Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Mitchell Bruce
- Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Aleksandra Filipovska
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.,University of Western Australia Centre for Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.,School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.,Telethon Kids Institute, Northern Entrance, Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Oliver Rackham
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia. .,Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia. .,Telethon Kids Institute, Northern Entrance, Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia. .,Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.
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18
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Bernath-Levin K, Schmidberger J, Honkanen S, Gutmann B, Sun YK, Pullakhandam A, Colas des Francs-Small C, Bond CS, Small I. Cofactor-independent RNA editing by a synthetic S-type PPR protein. Synth Biol (Oxf) 2022; 7:ysab034. [PMID: 35128071 PMCID: PMC8809517 DOI: 10.1093/synbio/ysab034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins are RNA-binding proteins that are attractive tools for RNA processing in synthetic biology applications given their modular structure and ease of design. Several distinct types of motifs have been described from natural PPR proteins, but almost all work so far with synthetic PPR proteins has focused on the most widespread P-type motifs. We have investigated synthetic PPR proteins based on tandem repeats of the more compact S-type PPR motif found in plant organellar RNA editing factors and particularly prevalent in the lycophyte Selaginella. With the aid of a novel plate-based screening method, we show that synthetic S-type PPR proteins are easy to design and bind with high affinity and specificity and are functional in a wide range of pH, salt and temperature conditions. We find that they outperform a synthetic P-type PPR scaffold in many situations. We designed an S-type editing factor to edit an RNA target in E. coli and demonstrate that it edits effectively without requiring any additional cofactors to be added to the system. These qualities make S-type PPR scaffolds ideal for developing new RNA processing tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalia Bernath-Levin
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Jason Schmidberger
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Suvi Honkanen
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Bernard Gutmann
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Yueming Kelly Sun
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Anuradha Pullakhandam
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Catherine Colas des Francs-Small
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Charles S Bond
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
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19
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Xu F, Yang X, Zhao N, Hu Z, Mackenzie SA, Zhang M, Yang J. Exploiting sterility and fertility variation in cytoplasmic male sterile vegetable crops. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2022; 9:uhab039. [PMID: 35039865 PMCID: PMC8807945 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhab039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) has long been used to economically produce hybrids that harness growth vigor through heterosis. Yet, how CMS systems operate within commercially viable seed production strategies in various economically important vegetable crops, and their underlying molecular mechanisms, are often overlooked details that could expand the utility of CMS as a cost-effective and stable system. We provide here an update on the nature of cytoplasmic-nuclear interplay for pollen sterility and fertility transitions in vegetable crops, based on the discovery of components of nuclear fertility restoration and reversion determinants. Within plant CMS systems, pollen fertility can be rescued by the introduction of nuclear fertility restorer genes (Rfs), which operate by varied mechanisms to countermand the sterility phenotype. By understanding these systems, it is now becoming feasible to achieve fertility restoration with Rfs designed for programmable CMS-associated open reading frames (ORFs). Likewise, new opportunities exist for targeted disruption of CMS-associated ORFs by mito-TALENs in crops where natural Rfs have not been readily identified, providing an alternative approach to recovering fertility of cytoplasmic male sterile lines in crops. Recent findings show that facultative gynodioecy, as a reproductive strategy, can coordinate the sterility and fertility transition in response to environmental cues and/or metabolic signals that reflect ecological conditions of reproductive isolation. This information is important to devising future systems that are more inherently stable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengyuan Xu
- Laboratory of Germplasm Innovation and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Xiaodong Yang
- Departments of Biology and Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- School of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Na Zhao
- College of Grassland Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China
| | - Zhongyuan Hu
- Laboratory of Germplasm Innovation and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Sally A Mackenzie
- Departments of Biology and Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Mingfang Zhang
- Laboratory of Germplasm Innovation and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
- Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City, Sanya, 572025, China
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth and Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hangzhou,
Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Jinghua Yang
- Laboratory of Germplasm Innovation and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
- Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City, Sanya, 572025, China
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth and Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hangzhou,
Zhejiang, 310058, China
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20
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Yang J, Yang X, Su T, Hu Z, Zhang M. The Development of Mitochondrial Gene Editing Tools and Their Possible Roles in Crop Improvement for Future Agriculture. ADVANCED GENETICS (HOBOKEN, N.J.) 2021; 3:2100019. [PMID: 36619350 PMCID: PMC9744482 DOI: 10.1002/ggn2.202100019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
We are living in the era of genome editing. Nowadays, targeted editing of the plant nuclear DNA is prevalent in basic biological research and crop improvement since its first establishment a decade ago. However, achieving the same accomplishment for the plant mitochondrial genome has long been deemed impossible. Recently, the pioneer studies on editing plant mitogenome have been done using the mitochondria-targeted transcription activator-like effector nucleases (mitoTALENs) in rice, rapeseed, and Arabidopsis. It is well documented that mitochondria play essential roles in plant development and stress tolerance, particularly, in cytoplasmic male sterility widely used in production of hybrids. The success of mitochondrial genome editing enables studying the fundamentals of mitochondrial genome. Furthermore, mitochondrial RNA editing (mostly by nuclear-encoded pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins) in a sequence-specific manner can simultaneously change the production of translatable mitochondrial mRNA. Moreover, direct editing of the nuclear-encoding mitochondria-targeted factors required for plant mitochondrial genome dynamics and recombination may facilitate genetic manipulation of plant mitochondria. Here, the present state of knowledge on editing the plant mitochondrial genome is reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinghua Yang
- Hainan Institute, Zhejiang UniversityYazhou Bay Science and Technology CitySanya572025China,Laboratory of Germplasm Innovation and Molecular BreedingInstitute of Vegetable ScienceZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310058China
| | - Xiaodong Yang
- Departments of Biology and Plant ScienceThe Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPA16802USA
| | - Tongbing Su
- Beijing Vegetable Research CenterBeijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry SciencesBeijing100097China
| | - Zhongyuan Hu
- Hainan Institute, Zhejiang UniversityYazhou Bay Science and Technology CitySanya572025China,Laboratory of Germplasm Innovation and Molecular BreedingInstitute of Vegetable ScienceZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310058China
| | - Mingfang Zhang
- Hainan Institute, Zhejiang UniversityYazhou Bay Science and Technology CitySanya572025China,Laboratory of Germplasm Innovation and Molecular BreedingInstitute of Vegetable ScienceZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310058China
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21
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Zhou W, Melamed D, Banyai G, Meyer C, Tuschl T, Wickens M, Cao J, Fields S. Expanding the binding specificity for RNA recognition by a PUF domain. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5107. [PMID: 34429425 PMCID: PMC8384837 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25433-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to design a protein to bind specifically to a target RNA enables numerous applications, with the modular architecture of the PUF domain lending itself to new RNA-binding specificities. For each repeat of the Pumilio-1 PUF domain, we generate a library that contains the 8,000 possible combinations of amino acid substitutions at residues critical for RNA contact. We carry out yeast three-hybrid selections with each library against the RNA recognition sequence for Pumilio-1, with any possible base present at the position recognized by the randomized repeat. We use sequencing to score the binding of each variant, identifying many variants with highly repeat-specific interactions. From these data, we generate an RNA binding code specific to each repeat and base. We use this code to design PUF domains against 16 RNAs, and find that some of these domains recognize RNAs with two, three or four changes from the wild type sequence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhou
- grid.34477.330000000122986657Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA ,grid.34477.330000000122986657Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA ,grid.134907.80000 0001 2166 1519The Rockefeller University, New York, NY USA
| | - Daniel Melamed
- grid.34477.330000000122986657Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA ,grid.18098.380000 0004 1937 0562Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel ,grid.18098.380000 0004 1937 0562Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Gabor Banyai
- grid.134907.80000 0001 2166 1519The Rockefeller University, New York, NY USA
| | - Cindy Meyer
- grid.134907.80000 0001 2166 1519The Rockefeller University, New York, NY USA
| | - Thomas Tuschl
- grid.134907.80000 0001 2166 1519The Rockefeller University, New York, NY USA
| | - Marvin Wickens
- grid.14003.360000 0001 2167 3675Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI USA
| | - Junyue Cao
- grid.134907.80000 0001 2166 1519The Rockefeller University, New York, NY USA
| | - Stanley Fields
- grid.34477.330000000122986657Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA ,grid.34477.330000000122986657Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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22
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Manavski N, Vicente A, Chi W, Meurer J. The Chloroplast Epitranscriptome: Factors, Sites, Regulation, and Detection Methods. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12081121. [PMID: 34440296 PMCID: PMC8394491 DOI: 10.3390/genes12081121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Modifications in nucleic acids are present in all three domains of life. More than 170 distinct chemical modifications have been reported in cellular RNAs to date. Collectively termed as epitranscriptome, these RNA modifications are often dynamic and involve distinct regulatory proteins that install, remove, and interpret these marks in a site-specific manner. Covalent nucleotide modifications-such as methylations at diverse positions in the bases, polyuridylation, and pseudouridylation and many others impact various events in the lifecycle of an RNA such as folding, localization, processing, stability, ribosome assembly, and translational processes and are thus crucial regulators of the RNA metabolism. In plants, the nuclear/cytoplasmic epitranscriptome plays important roles in a wide range of biological processes, such as organ development, viral infection, and physiological means. Notably, recent transcriptome-wide analyses have also revealed novel dynamic modifications not only in plant nuclear/cytoplasmic RNAs related to photosynthesis but especially in chloroplast mRNAs, suggesting important and hitherto undefined regulatory steps in plastid functions and gene expression. Here we report on the latest findings of known plastid RNA modifications and highlight their relevance for the post-transcriptional regulation of chloroplast gene expression and their role in controlling plant development, stress reactions, and acclimation processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolay Manavski
- Plant Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Großhaderner Street 2-4, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany; (N.M.); (A.V.)
| | - Alexandre Vicente
- Plant Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Großhaderner Street 2-4, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany; (N.M.); (A.V.)
| | - Wei Chi
- Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China;
| | - Jörg Meurer
- Plant Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Großhaderner Street 2-4, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany; (N.M.); (A.V.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-89-218074556
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23
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Woolfson DN. A Brief History of De Novo Protein Design: Minimal, Rational, and Computational. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167160. [PMID: 34298061 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Protein design has come of age, but how will it mature? In the 1980s and the 1990s, the primary motivation for de novo protein design was to test our understanding of the informational aspect of the protein-folding problem; i.e., how does protein sequence determine protein structure and function? This necessitated minimal and rational design approaches whereby the placement of each residue in a design was reasoned using chemical principles and/or biochemical knowledge. At that time, though with some notable exceptions, the use of computers to aid design was not widespread. Over the past two decades, the tables have turned and computational protein design is firmly established. Here, I illustrate this progress through a timeline of de novo protein structures that have been solved to atomic resolution and deposited in the Protein Data Bank. From this, it is clear that the impact of rational and computational design has been considerable: More-complex and more-sophisticated designs are being targeted with many being resolved to atomic resolution. Furthermore, our ability to generate and manipulate synthetic proteins has advanced to a point where they are providing realistic alternatives to natural protein functions for applications both in vitro and in cells. Also, and increasingly, computational protein design is becoming accessible to non-specialists. This all begs the questions: Is there still a place for minimal and rational design approaches? And, what challenges lie ahead for the burgeoning field of de novo protein design as a whole?
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek N Woolfson
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Cantock's Close, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK; School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK; Bristol BioDesign Institute, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK.
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24
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Manavski N, Mathieu S, Rojas M, Méteignier LV, Brachmann A, Barkan A, Hammani K. In vivo stabilization of endogenous chloroplast RNAs by customized artificial pentatricopeptide repeat proteins. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:5985-5997. [PMID: 34037778 PMCID: PMC8191804 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins are helical repeat-proteins that bind RNA in a modular fashion with a sequence-specificity that can be manipulated by the use of an amino acid code. As such, PPR repeats are promising scaffolds for the design of RNA binding proteins for synthetic biology applications. However, the in vivo functional capabilities of artificial PPR proteins built from consensus PPR motifs are just starting to be explored. Here, we report in vivo functions of an artificial PPR protein, dPPRrbcL, made of consensus PPR motifs that were designed to bind a sequence near the 5′ end of rbcL transcripts in Arabidopsis chloroplasts. We used a functional complementation assay to demonstrate that this protein bound its intended RNA target with specificity in vivo and that it substituted for a natural PPR protein by stabilizing processed rbcL mRNA. We targeted a second protein of analogous design to the petL 5′ UTR, where it substituted for the native stabilizing PPR protein PGR3, albeit inefficiently. These results showed that artificial PPR proteins can be engineered to functionally mimic the class of native PPR proteins that serve as physical barriers against exoribonucleases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolay Manavski
- Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Strasbourg, 12 rue du Général Zimmer, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Sébastien Mathieu
- Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Strasbourg, 12 rue du Général Zimmer, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Margarita Rojas
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403 USA
| | - Louis-Valentin Méteignier
- Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Strasbourg, 12 rue du Général Zimmer, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Andreas Brachmann
- Genetics, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried Germany
| | - Alice Barkan
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403 USA
| | - Kamel Hammani
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +33 367155281; Fax: +33 367155300;
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25
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Royan S, Gutmann B, Colas des Francs-Small C, Honkanen S, Schmidberger J, Soet A, Sun YK, Vincis Pereira Sanglard L, Bond CS, Small I. A synthetic RNA editing factor edits its target site in chloroplasts and bacteria. Commun Biol 2021; 4:545. [PMID: 33972654 PMCID: PMC8110955 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02062-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein family act as specificity factors in C-to-U RNA editing. The expansion of the PPR superfamily in plants provides the sequence variation required for design of consensus-based RNA-binding proteins. We used this approach to design a synthetic RNA editing factor to target one of the sites in the Arabidopsis chloroplast transcriptome recognised by the natural editing factor CHLOROPLAST BIOGENESIS 19 (CLB19). We show that our synthetic editing factor specifically recognises the target sequence in in vitro binding assays. The designed factor is equally specific for the target rpoA site when expressed in chloroplasts and in the bacterium E. coli. This study serves as a successful pilot into the design and application of programmable RNA editing factors based on plant PPR proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santana Royan
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Bernard Gutmann
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Catherine Colas des Francs-Small
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Suvi Honkanen
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.,Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, CSIRO, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Jason Schmidberger
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Ashley Soet
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Yueming Kelly Sun
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Lilian Vincis Pereira Sanglard
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Charles S Bond
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Ian Small
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.
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26
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Aphasizheva I, Aphasizhev R. Mitochondrial RNA quality control in trypanosomes. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2021; 12:e1638. [PMID: 33331073 PMCID: PMC9805618 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Unicellular parasites Trypanosoma brucei spp. cause African human and animal trypanosomiasis, a spectrum of diseases that jeopardize public health and afflict the economy in sub-Saharan Africa. These hemoflagellates are distinguished by a single mitochondrion, which contains a kinetoplast nucleoid composed of DNA and histone-like proteins. Kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) represents a densely packed network of interlinked relaxed circular molecules: a few ~23-kb maxicircles encoding ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) and proteins, and approximately 5,000 1-kb minicircles bearing guide RNA (gRNA) genes. The transcription start site defines the mRNA's 5' terminus while the primary RNA is remodeled into a monocistronic messenger by 3'-5' exonucleolytic trimming, 5' and 3' end modifications, and, in most cases, by internal U-insertion/deletion editing. Ribosomal and guide RNA precursors are also trimmed, and the processed molecules are uridylated. For 35 years, mRNA editing has attracted a major effort, but more recently the essential pre- and postediting processing and turnover events have been discovered and the key effectors have been identified. Among these, pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) RNA binding proteins emerged as conduits coupling modifications of mRNA termini with internal sequence changes introduced by editing. Among 39 annotated PPRs, 20 belong to ribosomal subunits or assembly intermediates, four function as polyadenylation factors, a single factor directs 5' mRNA modification, and one protein is found in F1-ATPase. Nuclear and mitochondrial RNases P consist of a single PPR polypeptide, PRORP1 and PROP2, respectively. Here, we review PPR-mediated mitochondrial processes and discuss their potential roles in mRNA maturation, quality control, translational activation, and decay. This article is categorized under: RNA Processing > Capping and 5' End Modifications RNA Processing > 3' End Processing RNA Processing > RNA Editing and Modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inna Aphasizheva
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Medical Campus, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ruslan Aphasizhev
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Medical Campus, Boston, Massachusetts,Department of Biochemistry, Boston University Medical Campus, Boston, Massachusetts
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Teramoto T, Kaitany KJ, Kakuta Y, Kimura M, Fierke CA, Hall TMT. Pentatricopeptide repeats of protein-only RNase P use a distinct mode to recognize conserved bases and structural elements of pre-tRNA. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:11815-11826. [PMID: 32719843 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) motifs are α-helical structures known for their modular recognition of single-stranded RNA sequences with each motif in a tandem array binding to a single nucleotide. Protein-only RNase P 1 (PRORP1) in Arabidopsis thaliana is an endoribonuclease that uses its PPR domain to recognize precursor tRNAs (pre-tRNAs) as it catalyzes removal of the 5'-leader sequence from pre-tRNAs with its NYN metallonuclease domain. To gain insight into the mechanism by which PRORP1 recognizes tRNA, we determined a crystal structure of the PPR domain in complex with yeast tRNAPhe at 2.85 Å resolution. The PPR domain of PRORP1 bound to the structurally conserved elbow of tRNA and recognized conserved structural features of tRNAs using mechanisms that are different from the established single-stranded RNA recognition mode of PPR motifs. The PRORP1 PPR domain-tRNAPhe structure revealed a conformational change of the PPR domain upon tRNA binding and moreover demonstrated the need for pronounced overall flexibility in the PRORP1 enzyme conformation for substrate recognition and catalysis. The PRORP1 PPR motifs have evolved strategies for protein-tRNA interaction analogous to tRNA recognition by the RNA component of ribonucleoprotein RNase P and other catalytic RNAs, indicating convergence on a common solution for tRNA substrate recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takamasa Teramoto
- Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.,Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Kipchumba J Kaitany
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Yoshimitsu Kakuta
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Makoto Kimura
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Carol A Fierke
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.,Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.,Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Traci M Tanaka Hall
- Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
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Piątkowski J, Golik P. Yeast pentatricopeptide protein Dmr1 (Ccm1) binds a repetitive AU-rich motif in the small subunit mitochondrial ribosomal RNA. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2020; 26:1268-1282. [PMID: 32467310 PMCID: PMC7430664 DOI: 10.1261/rna.074880.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
PPR proteins are a diverse family of RNA binding factors found in all Eukaryotic lineages. They perform multiple functions in the expression of organellar genes, mostly on the post-transcriptional level. PPR proteins are also significant determinants of evolutionary nucleo-organellar compatibility. Plant PPR proteins recognize their RNA substrates using a simple modular code. No target sequences recognized by animal or yeast PPR proteins were identified prior to the present study, making it impossible to assess whether this plant PPR code is conserved in other organisms. Dmr1p (Ccm1p, Ygr150cp) is a S. cerevisiae PPR protein essential for mitochondrial gene expression and involved in the stability of 15S ribosomal RNA. We demonstrate that in vitro Dmr1p specifically binds a motif composed of multiple AUA repeats occurring twice in the 15S rRNA sequence as the minimal 14 nt (AUA)4AU or longer (AUA)7 variant. Short RNA fragments containing this motif are protected by Dmr1p from exoribonucleolytic activity in vitro. Presence of the identified motif in mtDNA of different yeast species correlates with the compatibility between their Dmr1p orthologs and S. cerevisiae mtDNA. RNA recognition by Dmr1p is likely based on a rudimentary form of a PPR code specifying U at every third position, and depends on other factors, like RNA structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Piątkowski
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, 02-106, Poland
| | - Paweł Golik
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, 02-106, Poland
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, 02-106, Poland
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29
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Single and Combined Methods to Specifically or Bulk-Purify RNA-Protein Complexes. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10081160. [PMID: 32784769 PMCID: PMC7464009 DOI: 10.3390/biom10081160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The ribonome interconnects the proteome and the transcriptome. Specific biology is situated at this interface, which can be studied in bulk using omics approaches or specifically by targeting an individual protein or RNA species. In this review, we focus on both RNA- and ribonucleoprotein-(RNP) centric methods. These methods can be used to study the dynamics of the ribonome in response to a stimulus or to identify the proteins that interact with a specific RNA species. The purpose of this review is to provide and discuss an overview of strategies to cross-link RNA to proteins and the currently available RNA- and RNP-centric approaches to study RNPs. We elaborate on some major challenges common to most methods, involving RNP yield, purity and experimental cost. We identify the origin of these difficulties and propose to combine existing approaches to overcome these challenges. The solutions provided build on the recently developed organic phase separation protocols, such as Cross-Linked RNA eXtraction (XRNAX), orthogonal organic phase separation (OOPS) and Phenol-Toluol extraction (PTex).
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Selva C, Riboni M, Baumann U, Würschum T, Whitford R, Tucker MR. Hybrid breeding in wheat: how shaping floral biology can offer new perspectives. FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY : FPB 2020; 47:675-694. [PMID: 32534601 DOI: 10.1071/fp19372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Hybrid breeding in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) has the potential to deliver major yield increases. This is a requisite to guarantee food security for increasing population demands and to counterbalance the effects of extreme environmental conditions. Successful hybrid breeding in wheat relies on forced outcrossing while preventing self-pollination. To achieve this, research has been directed towards identifying and improving fertility control systems. To maximise cross-pollination and seed set, however, fertility control systems need to be complemented by breeding phenotypically distinct male and female lines. This review summarises existing and novel male sterility systems for wheat hybridisation. We also consider the genetic resources that can be used to alter wheat's floral development and spike morphology, with a focus on the genetic variation already available. Exploiting these resources can lead to enhanced outcrossing, a key requirement in the progress towards hybrid wheat breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Selva
- School of Agriculture Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Waite Campus, Urrbrae, SA 5064, Australia
| | - Matteo Riboni
- School of Agriculture Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Waite Campus, Urrbrae, SA 5064, Australia
| | - Ute Baumann
- School of Agriculture Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Waite Campus, Urrbrae, SA 5064, Australia
| | - Tobias Würschum
- State Plant Breeding Institute, University of Hohenheim, 70593 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Ryan Whitford
- School of Agriculture Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Waite Campus, Urrbrae, SA 5064, Australia; and Corresponding authors. ;
| | - Matthew R Tucker
- School of Agriculture Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Waite Campus, Urrbrae, SA 5064, Australia; and Corresponding authors. ;
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Marchetti F, Cainzos M, Shevtsov S, Córdoba JP, Sultan LD, Brennicke A, Takenaka M, Pagnussat G, Ostersetzer-Biran O, Zabaleta E. Mitochondrial Pentatricopeptide Repeat Protein, EMB2794, Plays a Pivotal Role in NADH Dehydrogenase Subunit nad2 mRNA Maturation in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 61:1080-1094. [PMID: 32163154 PMCID: PMC7295397 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcaa028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The Arabidopsis genome encodes >450 proteins containing the pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) motif. The PPR proteins are classified into two groups, termed as P and P Long-Short (PLS) classes. Typically, the PLS subclass proteins are mainly involved in the RNA editing of mitochondrial and chloroplast transcripts, whereas most of the analyzed P subclass proteins have been mainly implicated in RNA metabolism, such as 5' or 3' transcript stabilization and processing, splicing and translation. Mutations of PPR genes often result in embryogenesis and altered seedling developmental defect phenotypes, but only a limited number of ppr mutants have been characterized in detail. In this report, we show that null mutations in the EMB2794 gene result in embryo arrest, due to altered splicing of nad2 transcripts in the Arabidopsis mitochondria. In angiosperms, nad2 has five exons that are transcribed individually from two mitochondrial DNA regions. Biochemical and in vivo analyses further indicate that recombinant or transgenic EMB2794 proteins bind to the nad2 pre-mRNAs in vitro as well as in vivo, suggesting a role for this protein in trans-splicing of nad2 intron 2 and possibly in the stability of the second pre-mRNA of nad2. Homozygous emb2794 lines, showing embryo-defective phenotypes, can be partially rescued by the addition of sucrose to the growth medium. Mitochondria of rescued homozygous mutant plants contain only traces of respiratory complex I, which lack the NADH-dehydrogenase activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Marchetti
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas (IIB)-Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP)-CONICET, Funes 3250 3er nivel, 7600 Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Maximiliano Cainzos
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas (IIB)-Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP)-CONICET, Funes 3250 3er nivel, 7600 Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Sofía Shevtsov
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 919040 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Juan Pablo Córdoba
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas (IIB)-Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP)-CONICET, Funes 3250 3er nivel, 7600 Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Laure Dora Sultan
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 919040 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Axel Brennicke
- Institut für, Molekulare Botanik, Universität Ulm, Ulm 89069, Germany
| | - Mizuki Takenaka
- Department of Botany, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502 Japan
| | - Gabriela Pagnussat
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas (IIB)-Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP)-CONICET, Funes 3250 3er nivel, 7600 Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Oren Ostersetzer-Biran
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 919040 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Eduardo Zabaleta
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas (IIB)-Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP)-CONICET, Funes 3250 3er nivel, 7600 Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Corresponding author: E-mail, ; Fax, +54 223 475 30 30
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32
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Barik S. The Nature and Arrangement of Pentatricopeptide Domains and the Linker Sequences Between Them. Bioinform Biol Insights 2020; 14:1177932220906434. [PMID: 32180683 PMCID: PMC7059232 DOI: 10.1177/1177932220906434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The tricopeptide (amino acid number in the 30s) repeats constitute some of the
most common amino acid repeats in proteins of diverse organisms. The most
important representatives of this class are the 34-residue and 35-residue
repeats, eponymously known as tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) and
pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR), respectively. The unit motif of both consists of
a pair of alpha helices. As members of the large, all-helical repeat classes,
TPR and PPR share structural similarities, but also play specific roles in
protein function. In this study, a comprehensive bioinformatic analysis of the
PPR units and the linkers that connect them was conducted. The results suggested
the existence of PPR repeats of various formats, as well as smaller,
PPR-unrelated repeats. Besides their length, these repeats differed in amino
acid arrangements and location of key amino acids. These findings provide a
broader and unified perspective of the pentatricopeptide family while raising
provocative questions about the assembly and evolution of these domains.
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33
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Small ID, Schallenberg-Rüdinger M, Takenaka M, Mireau H, Ostersetzer-Biran O. Plant organellar RNA editing: what 30 years of research has revealed. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 101:1040-1056. [PMID: 31630458 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The central dogma in biology defines the flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein. Accordingly, RNA molecules generally accurately follow the sequences of the genes from which they are transcribed. This rule is transgressed by RNA editing, which creates RNA products that differ from their DNA templates. Analyses of the RNA landscapes of terrestrial plants have indicated that RNA editing (in the form of C-U base transitions) is highly prevalent within organelles (that is, mitochondria and chloroplasts). Numerous C→U conversions (and in some plants also U→C) alter the coding sequences of many of the organellar transcripts and can also produce translatable mRNAs by creating AUG start sites or eliminating premature stop codons, or affect the RNA structure, influence splicing and alter the stability of RNAs. RNA-binding proteins are at the heart of post-transcriptional RNA expression. The C-to-U RNA editing process in plant mitochondria involves numerous nuclear-encoded factors, many of which have been identified as pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins that target editing sites in a sequence-specific manner. In this review we report on major discoveries on RNA editing in plant organelles, since it was first documented 30 years ago.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian D Small
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Mareike Schallenberg-Rüdinger
- IZMB - Institut für Zelluläre und Molekulare Botanik, Abt. Molekulare Evolution, University of Bonn, Kirschallee 1, 53115, Bonn, Germany
| | - Mizuki Takenaka
- Department of Botany, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Hakim Mireau
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, RD10, 78026, Versailles Cedex, France
| | - Oren Ostersetzer-Biran
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus - Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
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Gutmann B, Royan S, Schallenberg-Rüdinger M, Lenz H, Castleden IR, McDowell R, Vacher MA, Tonti-Filippini J, Bond CS, Knoop V, Small ID. The Expansion and Diversification of Pentatricopeptide Repeat RNA-Editing Factors in Plants. MOLECULAR PLANT 2020; 13:215-230. [PMID: 31760160 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2019.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Revised: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The RNA-binding pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) family comprises hundreds to thousands of genes in most plants, but only a few dozen in algae, indicating massive gene expansions during land plant evolution. The nature and timing of these expansions has not been well defined due to the sparse sequence data available from early-diverging land plant lineages. In this study, we exploit the comprehensive OneKP datasets of over 1000 transcriptomes from diverse plants and algae toward establishing a clear picture of the evolution of this massive gene family, focusing on the proteins typically associated with RNA editing, which show the most spectacular variation in numbers and domain composition across the plant kingdom. We characterize over 2 250 000 PPR motifs in over 400 000 proteins. In lycophytes, polypod ferns, and hornworts, nearly 10% of expressed protein-coding genes encode putative PPR editing factors, whereas they are absent from algae and complex-thalloid liverworts. We show that rather than a single expansion, most land plant lineages with high numbers of editing factors have continued to generate novel sequence diversity. We identify sequence variations that imply functional differences between PPR proteins in seed plants versus non-seed plants and variations we propose to be linked to seed-plant-specific editing co-factors. Finally, using the sequence variations across the datasets, we develop a structural model of the catalytic DYW domain associated with C-to-U editing and identify a clade of unique DYW variants that are strong candidates as U-to-C RNA-editing factors, given their phylogenetic distribution and sequence characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard Gutmann
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth 6009, WA, Australia; School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth 6009, WA, Australia
| | - Santana Royan
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth 6009, WA, Australia; School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth 6009, WA, Australia
| | - Mareike Schallenberg-Rüdinger
- IZMB - Institut für Zelluläre und Molekulare Botanik, Abteilung Molekulare Evolution, Universität Bonn, Kirschallee 1, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Henning Lenz
- IZMB - Institut für Zelluläre und Molekulare Botanik, Abteilung Molekulare Evolution, Universität Bonn, Kirschallee 1, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Ian R Castleden
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth 6009, WA, Australia; School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth 6009, WA, Australia
| | - Rose McDowell
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth 6009, WA, Australia; School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth 6009, WA, Australia
| | - Michael A Vacher
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth 6009, WA, Australia; School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth 6009, WA, Australia
| | - Julian Tonti-Filippini
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth 6009, WA, Australia; School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth 6009, WA, Australia
| | - Charles S Bond
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth 6009, WA, Australia
| | - Volker Knoop
- IZMB - Institut für Zelluläre und Molekulare Botanik, Abteilung Molekulare Evolution, Universität Bonn, Kirschallee 1, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Ian D Small
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth 6009, WA, Australia; School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth 6009, WA, Australia.
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35
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Wallis CP, Scott LH, Filipovska A, Rackham O. Manipulating and elucidating mitochondrial gene expression with engineered proteins. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 375:20190185. [PMID: 31787043 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Many conventional, modern genome engineering tools cannot be used to study mitochondrial genetics due to the unusual structure and physiology of the mitochondrial genome. Here, we review a number of newly developed, synthetic biology-based approaches for altering levels of mutant mammalian mitochondrial DNA and mitochondrial RNAs, including transcription activator-like effector nucleases, zinc finger nucleases and engineered RNA-binding proteins. These approaches allow researchers to manipulate and visualize mitochondrial processes and may provide future therapeutics. This article is part of the theme issue 'Linking the mitochondrial genotype to phenotype: a complex endeavour'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher P Wallis
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia 6009, Australia.,The University of Western Australia Centre for Medical Research, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Louis H Scott
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia 6009, Australia.,The University of Western Australia Centre for Medical Research, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Aleksandra Filipovska
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia 6009, Australia.,The University of Western Australia Centre for Medical Research, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.,School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Oliver Rackham
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia 6009, Australia.,School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia 6102, Australia.,Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia 6102, Australia
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36
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Pei Y, Lu M. Programmable RNA manipulation in living cells. Cell Mol Life Sci 2019; 76:4861-4867. [PMID: 31367845 PMCID: PMC11105762 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03252-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Revised: 06/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
RNAs are responsible for mediating genetic information flow within the cell. RNA splicing, modification, trafficking, translation, and stability are all controlled at the transcript level. However, biological tools to study and manipulate them in a programmable fashion are currently limited. In this review, we summarize recent advances regarding available RNA-targeting systems discovered so far, including CRISPR-based technologies-Cas9 and Cas13, and programmable RNA-binding proteins-PUF and PPR. These tools allow transcript-specific manipulation in gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Pei
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mingxing Lu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, 31 To Yuen Street, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong.
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37
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Shotwell CR, Cleary JD, Berglund JA. The potential of engineered eukaryotic RNA-binding proteins as molecular tools and therapeutics. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2019; 11:e1573. [PMID: 31680457 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 09/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Eukaroytic RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) recognize and process RNAs through recognition of their sequence motifs via RNA-binding domains (RBDs). RBPs usually consist of one or more RBDs and can include additional functional domains that modify or cleave RNA. Engineered RBPs have been used to answer basic biology questions, control gene expression, locate viral RNA in vivo, as well as many other tasks. Given the growing number of diseases associated with RNA and RBPs, engineered RBPs also have the potential to serve as therapeutics. This review provides an in depth description of recent advances in engineered RBPs and discusses opportunities and challenges in the field. This article is categorized under: RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein-RNA Recognition RNA Methods > RNA Nanotechnology RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl R Shotwell
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - John D Cleary
- RNA Institute, University at Albany, Albany, New York
| | - J Andrew Berglund
- Department of Biological Sciences and RNA Institute, University at Albany, Albany, New York
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38
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Yan J, Yao Y, Hong S, Yang Y, Shen C, Zhang Q, Zhang D, Zou T, Yin P. Delineation of pentatricopeptide repeat codes for target RNA prediction. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:3728-3738. [PMID: 30753696 PMCID: PMC6468296 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Revised: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein family are sequence-specific RNA-binding proteins that play crucial roles in organelle RNA metabolism. Each PPR protein consists of a tandem array of PPR motifs, each of which aligns to one nucleotide of the RNA target. The di-residues in the PPR motif, which are referred to as the PPR codes, determine nucleotide specificity. Numerous PPR codes are distributed among the vast number of PPR motifs, but the correlation between PPR codes and RNA bases is poorly understood, which hinders target RNA prediction and functional investigation of PPR proteins. To address this issue, we developed a modular assembly method for high-throughput construction of designer PPRs, and by using this method, 62 designer PPR proteins containing various PPR codes were assembled. Then, the correlation between these PPR codes and RNA bases was systematically explored and delineated. Based on this correlation, the web server PPRCODE (http://yinlab.hzau.edu.cn/pprcode) was developed. Our study will not only serve as a platform for facilitating target RNA prediction and functional investigation of the large number of PPR family proteins but also provide an alternative strategy for the assembly of custom PPRs that can potentially be used for plant organelle RNA manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Yan
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Centre of Plant Gene Research, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yinying Yao
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Centre of Plant Gene Research, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Sixing Hong
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Centre of Plant Gene Research, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yan Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Centre of Plant Gene Research, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Cuicui Shen
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Centre of Plant Gene Research, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Qunxia Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Centre of Plant Gene Research, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Delin Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Centre of Plant Gene Research, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Tingting Zou
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Ping Yin
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Centre of Plant Gene Research, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
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39
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Rau K, Rösner L, Rentmeister A. Sequence-specific m 6A demethylation in RNA by FTO fused to RCas9. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2019; 25:1311-1323. [PMID: 31263003 PMCID: PMC6800472 DOI: 10.1261/rna.070706.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common internal modification in eukaryotic mRNA and associated with numerous cellular processes in health and disease. Up- and down-regulation of its "writer" or "eraser" proteins alter the global m6A level; however, modifying distinct m6A sites has remained elusive. We genetically fused the dioxygenase FTO responsible for m6A demethylation to RCas9 as an RNA-targeting module. The resulting RCas9-FTO retained demethylation activity and bound to RNA in a sequence-specific manner depending on the sgRNA and PAMmer. Using SCARLET analysis, we quantified the m6A level at a specific site and analyzed the effect of the PAM-to-m6A distance on activity. Sequence-specific demethylation by RCas9-FTO was tested on different RNA combinations and showed up to 15-fold sequence preference for target RNA compared to off-target RNA. Taken together, RCas9-FTO represents a new tool for sequence-specific demethylation of m6A in RNA that can be readily adapted to any given RNA sequence and opens the door to studying the function of distinct m6A sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Rau
- Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Lukas Rösner
- Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Andrea Rentmeister
- Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
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40
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Vos PD, Leedman PJ, Filipovska A, Rackham O. Modulation of miRNA function by natural and synthetic RNA-binding proteins in cancer. Cell Mol Life Sci 2019; 76:3745-3752. [PMID: 31165201 PMCID: PMC11105495 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03163-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Revised: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are the most important regulators of mRNA stability and translation in eukaryotic cells; however, the complex interplay between these systems is only now coming to light. RBPs and miRNAs regulate a unique set of targets in either a positive or negative manner and their regulation is mainly opposed to each other on overlapping targets. In some cases, the levels of RBPs or miRNAs regulate the cellular levels of one another and decreased levels of either results in changes in translation of their targets. There is growing evidence that these regulatory circuits are crucial in the development and progression of cancer; however, the rules underlying synergism and antagonism between miRNAs and RNA-binding proteins remain unclear. Synthetic biology seeks to develop artificial systems to better understand their natural counterparts and to develop new, useful technologies for manipulation of gene expression at the RNA level. The recent development of artificial RNA-binding proteins promises to enable a much greater understanding of the importance of the functional interactions between RNA-binding proteins and miRNAs, as well as enabling their manipulation for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal D Vos
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
- Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
- School of Molecular and Chemical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Peter J Leedman
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
- Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
- Medical School, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Aleksandra Filipovska
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
- Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
- School of Molecular and Chemical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Oliver Rackham
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia.
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.
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41
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Dedow LK, Bailey-Serres J. Searching for a Match: Structure, Function and Application of Sequence-Specific RNA-Binding Proteins. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 60:1927-1938. [PMID: 31329953 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcz072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Plants encode over 1800 RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) that modulate a myriad of steps in gene regulation from chromatin organization to translation, yet only a small number of these proteins and their target transcripts have been functionally characterized. Two classes of eukaryotic RBPs, pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) and pumilio/fem-3 binding factors (PUF), recognize and bind to specific sequential RNA sequences through protein-RNA interactions. These modular proteins possess helical structural units containing key residues with high affinity for specific nucleotides, whose sequential order determines binding to a specific target RNA sequence. PPR proteins are nucleus-encoded, but largely regulate post-transcriptional gene regulation within plastids and mitochondria, including splicing, translation and RNA editing. Plant PUFs are involved in gene regulatory processes within the cell nucleus and cytoplasm. The modular structures of PPRs and PUFs that determine sequence specificity has facilitated identification of their RNA targets and biological functions. The protein-based RNA-targeting of PPRs and PUFs contrasts to the prokaryotic cluster regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated proteins (Cas) that target RNAs in prokaryotes. Together the PPR, PUF and CRISPR-Cas systems provide varied opportunities for RNA-targeted engineering applications.
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42
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Muthmann N, Hartstock K, Rentmeister A. Chemo-enzymatic treatment of RNA to facilitate analyses. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2019; 11:e1561. [PMID: 31392842 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Labeling RNA is a recurring problem to make RNA compatible with state-of-the-art methodology and comes in many flavors. Considering only cellular applications, the spectrum still ranges from site-specific labeling of individual transcripts, for example, for live-cell imaging of mRNA trafficking, to metabolic labeling in combination with next generation sequencing to capture dynamic aspects of RNA metabolism on a transcriptome-wide scale. Combining the specificity of RNA-modifying enzymes with non-natural substrates has emerged as a valuable strategy to modify RNA site- or sequence-specifically with functional groups suitable for subsequent bioorthogonal reactions and thus label RNA with reporter moieties such as affinity or fluorescent tags. In this review article, we will cover chemo-enzymatic approaches (a) for in vitro labeling of RNA for application in cells, (b) for treatment of total RNA, and (c) for metabolic labeling of RNA. This article is categorized under: RNA Processing < RNA Editing and Modification RNA Methods < RNA Analyses in vitro and In Silico RNA Methods < RNA Analyses in Cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Muthmann
- Institute of Biochemistry, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Katja Hartstock
- Institute of Biochemistry, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Andrea Rentmeister
- Institute of Biochemistry, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
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43
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Miranda RG, McDermott JJ, Barkan A. RNA-binding specificity landscapes of designer pentatricopeptide repeat proteins elucidate principles of PPR-RNA interactions. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 46:2613-2623. [PMID: 29294070 PMCID: PMC5861457 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx1288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins are helical-repeat proteins that offer a promising scaffold for the engineering of proteins to bind specified RNAs. PPR tracts bind RNA in a modular 1-repeat, 1-nucleotide fashion. An amino acid code specifying the bound nucleotide has been elucidated. However, this code does not fully explain the sequence specificity of native PPR proteins. Furthermore, it does not address nuances such as the contribution toward binding affinity of various repeat-nucleotide pairs or the impact of mismatches between a repeat and aligning nucleotide. We used an in vitro bind-n-seq approach to describe the population of sequences bound by four artificial PPR proteins built from consensus scaffolds. The specificity of these proteins can be accounted for by canonical code-based nucleotide recognition. The results show, however, that interactions near the 3′-end of binding sites make less contribution to binding affinity than do those near the 5′-end, that proteins with 11 and 14 repeats exhibit similar affinity for their intended targets but 14-repeats are more permissive for mismatches, and that purine-binding repeats are less tolerant of transversion mismatches than are pyrimidine-binding motifs. These findings have implications for mechanisms that establish PPR–RNA interactions and for optimizing PPR design to minimize off-target interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael G Miranda
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - James J McDermott
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Alice Barkan
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
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44
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Zhang Y, Lu C. The Enigmatic Roles of PPR-SMR Proteins in Plants. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2019; 6:1900361. [PMID: 31380188 PMCID: PMC6662315 DOI: 10.1002/advs.201900361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Revised: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein family, with more than 400 members, is one of the largest and most diverse protein families in land plants. A small subset of PPR proteins contain a C-terminal small MutS-related (SMR) domain. Although there are relatively few PPR-SMR proteins, they play essential roles in embryo development, chloroplast biogenesis and gene expression, and plastid-to-nucleus retrograde signaling. Here, recent advances in understanding the roles of PPR-SMR proteins and the SMR domain based on a combination of genetic, biochemical, and physiological analyses are described. In addition, the potential of the PPR-SMR protein SOT1 to serve as a tool for RNA manipulation is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop BiologyCollege of Life SciencesShandong Agricultural UniversityTaianShandong271018P. R. China
| | - Congming Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop BiologyCollege of Life SciencesShandong Agricultural UniversityTaianShandong271018P. R. China
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45
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Plant-type pentatricopeptide repeat proteins with a DYW domain drive C-to-U RNA editing in Escherichia coli. Commun Biol 2019; 2:85. [PMID: 30854477 PMCID: PMC6397227 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-019-0328-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA editing converting cytidines into uridines is a hallmark of gene expression in land plant chloroplasts and mitochondria. Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins have a key role in target recognition, but the functional editosome in the plant organelles has remained elusive. Here we show that individual Physcomitrella patens DYW-type PPR proteins alone can perform efficient C-to-U editing in Escherichia coli reproducing the moss mitochondrial editing. Single amino acid exchanges in the DYW domain abolish RNA editing, confirming it as the functional cytidine deaminase. The modification of RNA targets and the identification of numerous off-targets in the E. coli transcriptome reveal nucleotide identities critical for RNA recognition and cytidine conversion. The straightforward amenability of the new E. coli setup will accelerate future studies on RNA target recognition through PPRs, on the C-to-U editing deamination machinery and towards future establishment of transcript editing in other genetic systems. Bastian Oldenkott et al. show that single moss pentatricopeptide repeat proteins with a DYW domain are sufficient to drive efficient C-to-U RNA editing in Escherichia coli. They demonstrate that the E.coli system is an easy to manipulate platform for future studies on RNA target recognition and C-to-U RNA editing.
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46
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Mesitov MV, Yu T, Suematsu T, Sement FM, Zhang L, Yu C, Huang L, Aphasizheva I. Pentatricopeptide repeat poly(A) binding protein KPAF4 stabilizes mitochondrial mRNAs in Trypanosoma brucei. Nat Commun 2019; 10:146. [PMID: 30635574 PMCID: PMC6329795 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-08137-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
In Trypanosoma brucei, most mitochondrial mRNAs undergo editing, and 3′ adenylation and uridylation. The internal sequence changes and terminal extensions are coordinated: pre-editing addition of the short (A) tail protects the edited transcript against 3′-5′ degradation, while post-editing A/U-tailing renders mRNA competent for translation. Participation of a poly(A) binding protein (PABP) in coupling of editing and 3′ modification processes has been inferred, but its identity and mechanism of action remained elusive. We report identification of KPAF4, a pentatricopeptide repeat-containing PABP which sequesters the A-tail and impedes mRNA degradation. Conversely, KPAF4 inhibits uridylation of A-tailed transcripts and, therefore, premature A/U-tailing of partially-edited mRNAs. This quality check point likely prevents translation of incompletely edited mRNAs. We also find that RNA editing substrate binding complex (RESC) mediates the interaction between the 5′ end-bound pyrophosphohydrolase MERS1 and 3′ end-associated KPAF4 to enable mRNA circularization. This event appears to be critical for edited mRNA stability. Polyadenylation stabilizes edited mitochondrial mRNAs in Trypanosoma brucei, but the involved poly(A) binding protein is unknown. Here, Mesitov et al. show that a pentatricopeptide repeat factor KPAF4 binds to A-tail and prevents exonucleolytic degradation as well as translation of incompletely edited mRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikhail V Mesitov
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Medical Campus, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Tian Yu
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Medical Campus, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.,Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Takuma Suematsu
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Medical Campus, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Francois M Sement
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Medical Campus, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Liye Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTechUniversity, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Clinton Yu
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Lan Huang
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Inna Aphasizheva
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Medical Campus, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
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47
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McDermott JJ, Civic B, Barkan A. Effects of RNA structure and salt concentration on the affinity and kinetics of interactions between pentatricopeptide repeat proteins and their RNA ligands. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0209713. [PMID: 30576379 PMCID: PMC6303017 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins are helical repeat proteins that bind specific RNA sequences via modular 1-repeat:1-nucleotide interactions. Binding specificity is dictated, in part, by hydrogen bonds between the amino acids at two positions in each PPR motif and the Watson-Crick face of the aligned nucleobase. There is evidence that PPR-RNA interactions can compete with RNA-RNA interactions in vivo, and that this competition underlies some effects of PPR proteins on gene expression. Conversely, RNA secondary structure can inhibit the binding of a PPR protein to its specific binding site. The parameters that influence whether PPR-RNA or RNA-RNA interactions prevail are unknown. Understanding these parameters will be important for understanding the functions of natural PPR proteins and for the design of engineered PPR proteins for synthetic biology purposes. We addressed this question by analyzing the effects of RNA structures of varying stability and position on the binding of the model protein PPR10 to its atpH RNA ligand. Our results show that even very weak RNA structures (ΔG° ~ 0 kcal/mol) involving only one nucleotide at either end of the minimal binding site impede PPR10 binding. Analysis of binding kinetics using Surface Plasmon Resonance showed that RNA structures reduce PPR10’s on-rate and increase its off-rate. Complexes between the PPR proteins PPR10 and HCF152 and their respective RNA ligands have long half-lives (one hour or more), correlating with their functions as barriers to exonucleolytic RNA decay in vivo. The effects of salt concentration on PPR10-RNA binding kinetics showed that electrostatic interactions play an important role in establishing PPR10-RNA interactions but play a relatively small role in maintaining specific interactions once established.
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Affiliation(s)
- James J. McDermott
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Bryce Civic
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Alice Barkan
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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48
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Qulsum U, Tsukahara T. Tissue-specific alternative splicing of pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) family genes in Arabidopsis thaliana. Biosci Trends 2018; 12:569-579. [PMID: 30555111 DOI: 10.5582/bst.2018.01178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Alternative splicing is a post- and co-transcriptional regulatory mechanism of gene expression. Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) family proteins were recently found to be involved in RNA editing in plants. The aim of this study was to investigate the tissue-specific expression and alternative splicing of PPR family genes and their effects on protein structure and functionality. Of the 27 PPR genes in Arabidopsis thaliana, we selected six PPR genes of the P subfamily that are likely alternatively spliced, which were confirmed by sequencing. Four of these genes show intron retention, and the two remaining genes have 3' alternative-splicing sites. Alternative-splicing events occurred in the coding regions of three genes and in the 3' UTRs of the three remaining genes. We also identified five previously unannotated alternatively spliced isoforms of these PPR genes, which were confirmed by PCR and sequencing. Among these, three contain 3' alternative-splicing sites, one contains a 5' alternative-splicing site, and the remaining gene contains a 3'-5' alternative-splicing site. The new isoforms of two genes affect protein structure, and three other alternative-splicing sites are located in 3' UTRs. These findings suggest that tissue-specific expression of different alternatively spliced transcripts occurs in Arabidopsis, even at different developmental stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umme Qulsum
- School of Materials Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST)
| | - Toshifumi Tsukahara
- School of Materials Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST).,Area of Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Materials Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST).,Division of Transdisciplinary Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST)
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49
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Xiao H, Zhang Q, Qin X, Xu Y, Ni C, Huang J, Zhu L, Zhong F, Liu W, Yao G, Zhu Y, Hu J. Rice PPS1 encodes a DYW motif-containing pentatricopeptide repeat protein required for five consecutive RNA-editing sites of nad3 in mitochondria. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2018; 220:878-892. [PMID: 30019754 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 06/09/2018] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein family is a large family characterized by tandem arrays of a degenerate 35-amino-acid motif whose members function as important regulators of organelle gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Despite the roles of PPRs in RNA editing in organelles, their editing activities and the underlying mechanism remain obscure. Here, we show that a novel DYW motif-containing PPR protein, PPS1, is associated with five conserved RNA-editing sites of nad3 located in close proximity to each other in mitochondria, all of which involve conversion from proline to leucine in rice. Both pps1 RNAi and heterozygous plants are characterized by delayed development and partial pollen sterility at vegetative stages and reproductive stage. RNA electrophoresis mobility shift assays (REMSAs) and reciprocal competition assays using different versions of nad3 probes confirm that PPS1 can bind to cis-elements near the five affected sites, which is distinct from the existing mode of PPR-RNA binding because of the continuity of the editing sites. Loss of editing at nad3 in pps1 reduces the activity of several complexes in the mitochondrial electron transport chain and affects mitochondrial morphology. Taken together, our results indicate that PPS1 is required for specific editing sites in nad3 in rice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haijun Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Engineering Research Center for Plant Biotechnology and Germplasm Utilization of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei, China
| | - Qiannan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Engineering Research Center for Plant Biotechnology and Germplasm Utilization of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaojian Qin
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Plants Environmental Adaptations, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, Chongqing, China
| | - Yanghong Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Engineering Research Center for Plant Biotechnology and Germplasm Utilization of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei, China
| | - Chenzi Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Engineering Research Center for Plant Biotechnology and Germplasm Utilization of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei, China
| | - Jishuai Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Engineering Research Center for Plant Biotechnology and Germplasm Utilization of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei, China
| | - Linlin Zhu
- No.16 Middle School of Zhengzhou, Zheng Zhou, 450000, Henan, China
| | - Feiya Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Engineering Research Center for Plant Biotechnology and Germplasm Utilization of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei, China
| | - Wei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Engineering Research Center for Plant Biotechnology and Germplasm Utilization of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei, China
| | - Guoxin Yao
- School of Life and Science Technology, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan, 432000, China
| | - Yingguo Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Engineering Research Center for Plant Biotechnology and Germplasm Utilization of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei, China
| | - Jun Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Engineering Research Center for Plant Biotechnology and Germplasm Utilization of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei, China
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50
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Colas des Francs-Small C, Vincis Pereira Sanglard L, Small I. Targeted cleavage of nad6 mRNA induced by a modified pentatricopeptide repeat protein in plant mitochondria. Commun Biol 2018; 1:166. [PMID: 30320233 PMCID: PMC6181959 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-018-0166-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial genes encode key components of the cellular energy machinery, but their genetic analysis is difficult or impossible in most organisms (including plants) because of the lack of viable transformation approaches. We report here a method to block the expression of the mitochondrial nad6 gene encoding a subunit of respiratory complex I in Arabidopsis thaliana, via the modification of the specificity of the RNA-binding protein RNA PROCESSING FACTOR 2 (RPF2). We show that the modified RPF2 binds and specifically induces cleavage of nad6 RNA, almost eliminating expression of the Nad6 protein and consequently complex I accumulation and activity. To our knowledge, this is the first example of a targeted block in expression of a specific mitochondrial transcript by a custom-designed RNA-binding protein. This opens the path to reverse genetics studies on mitochondrial gene functions and leads to potential applications in agriculture. Catherine Colas des Francs-Small et al. used an engineered pentatricopeptide repeat protein to induce cleavage of nad6 mRNA in the mitochondria of Arabidopsis thaliana, eliminating its expression. The approach has potential for use in functional characterization of mitochondrial genes and future agricultural applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Colas des Francs-Small
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia.
| | - Lilian Vincis Pereira Sanglard
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Ian Small
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia.
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