1
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Steffen FD, Cunha RA, Sigel RKO, Börner R. FRET-guided modeling of nucleic acids. Nucleic Acids Res 2024:gkae496. [PMID: 38869063 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The functional diversity of RNAs is encoded in their innate conformational heterogeneity. The combination of single-molecule spectroscopy and computational modeling offers new attractive opportunities to map structural transitions within nucleic acid ensembles. Here, we describe a framework to harmonize single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) measurements with molecular dynamics simulations and de novo structure prediction. Using either all-atom or implicit fluorophore modeling, we recreate FRET experiments in silico, visualize the underlying structural dynamics and quantify the reaction coordinates. Using multiple accessible-contact volumes as a post hoc scoring method for fragment assembly in Rosetta, we demonstrate that FRET can be used to filter a de novo RNA structure prediction ensemble by refuting models that are not compatible with in vitro FRET measurement. We benchmark our FRET-assisted modeling approach on double-labeled DNA strands and validate it against an intrinsically dynamic manganese(II)-binding riboswitch. We show that a FRET coordinate describing the assembly of a four-way junction allows our pipeline to recapitulate the global fold of the riboswitch displayed by the crystal structure. We conclude that computational fluorescence spectroscopy facilitates the interpretability of dynamic structural ensembles and improves the mechanistic understanding of nucleic acid interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio D Steffen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Richard A Cunha
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Roland K O Sigel
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Richard Börner
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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2
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de Vries T, Novakovic M, Ni Y, Smok I, Inghelram C, Bikaki M, Sarnowski CP, Han Y, Emmanouilidis L, Padroni G, Leitner A, Allain FHT. Specific protein-RNA interactions are mostly preserved in biomolecular condensates. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadm7435. [PMID: 38446881 PMCID: PMC10917357 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adm7435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Many biomolecular condensates are enriched in and depend on RNAs and RNA binding proteins (RBPs). So far, only a few studies have addressed the characterization of the intermolecular interactions responsible for liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and the impact of condensation on RBPs and RNAs. Here, we present an approach to study protein-RNA interactions inside biomolecular condensates by applying cross-linking of isotope labeled RNA and tandem mass spectrometry to phase-separating systems (LLPS-CLIR-MS). LLPS-CLIR-MS enables the characterization of intermolecular interactions present within biomolecular condensates at residue-specific resolution and allows a comparison with the same complexes in the dispersed phase. We observe that sequence-specific RBP-RNA interactions present in the dispersed phase are generally maintained inside condensates. In addition, LLPS-CLIR-MS identifies structural alterations at the protein-RNA interfaces, including additional unspecific contacts in the condensed phase. Our approach offers a procedure to derive structural information of protein-RNA complexes within biomolecular condensates that could be critical for integrative structural modeling of ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) in this form.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tebbe de Vries
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mihajlo Novakovic
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Yinan Ni
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Izabela Smok
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Clara Inghelram
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Maria Bikaki
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Chris P. Sarnowski
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Yaning Han
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Giacomo Padroni
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alexander Leitner
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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3
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Dorn G, Gmeiner C, de Vries T, Dedic E, Novakovic M, Damberger FF, Maris C, Finol E, Sarnowski CP, Kohlbrecher J, Welsh TJ, Bolisetty S, Mezzenga R, Aebersold R, Leitner A, Yulikov M, Jeschke G, Allain FHT. Integrative solution structure of PTBP1-IRES complex reveals strong compaction and ordering with residual conformational flexibility. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6429. [PMID: 37833274 PMCID: PMC10576089 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42012-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are crucial regulators of gene expression, often composed of defined domains interspersed with flexible, intrinsically disordered regions. Determining the structure of ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes involving such RBPs necessitates integrative structural modeling due to their lack of a single stable state. In this study, we integrate magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and small-angle scattering data to determine the solution structure of the polypyrimidine-tract binding protein 1 (PTBP1/hnRNP I) bound to an RNA fragment from the internal ribosome entry site (IRES) of the encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV). This binding, essential for enhancing the translation of viral RNA, leads to a complex structure that demonstrates RNA and protein compaction, while maintaining pronounced conformational flexibility. Acting as an RNA chaperone, PTBP1 orchestrates the IRES RNA into a few distinct conformations, exposing the RNA stems outward. This conformational diversity is likely common among RNP structures and functionally important. Our approach enables atomic-level characterization of heterogeneous RNP structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg Dorn
- Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Gmeiner
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Tebbe de Vries
- Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Emil Dedic
- Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Mihajlo Novakovic
- Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Fred F Damberger
- Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Christophe Maris
- Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Esteban Finol
- Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Chris P Sarnowski
- Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Joachim Kohlbrecher
- Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Timothy J Welsh
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Sreenath Bolisetty
- Laboratory of Food & Soft Materials, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department for Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Raffaele Mezzenga
- Laboratory of Food & Soft Materials, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department for Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Ruedi Aebersold
- Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Alexander Leitner
- Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Maxim Yulikov
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Gunnar Jeschke
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Frédéric H-T Allain
- Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
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4
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Sarnowski C, Götze M, Leitner A. RNxQuest: An Extension to the xQuest Pipeline Enabling Analysis of Protein-RNA Cross-Linking/Mass Spectrometry Data. J Proteome Res 2023; 22:3368-3382. [PMID: 37669508 PMCID: PMC10563164 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Cross-linking and mass spectrometry (XL-MS) workflows are increasingly popular techniques for generating low-resolution structural information about interacting biomolecules. xQuest is an established software package for analysis of protein-protein XL-MS data, supporting stable isotope-labeled cross-linking reagents. Resultant paired peaks in mass spectra aid sensitivity and specificity of data analysis. The recently developed cross-linking of isotope-labeled RNA and mass spectrometry (CLIR-MS) approach extends the XL-MS concept to protein-RNA interactions, also employing isotope-labeled cross-link (XL) species to facilitate data analysis. Data from CLIR-MS experiments are broadly compatible with core xQuest functionality, but the required analysis approach for this novel data type presents several technical challenges not optimally served by the original xQuest package. Here we introduce RNxQuest, a Python package extension for xQuest, which automates the analysis approach required for CLIR-MS data, providing bespoke, state-of-the-art processing and visualization functionality for this novel data type. Using functions included with RNxQuest, we evaluate three false discovery rate control approaches for CLIR-MS data. We demonstrate the versatility of the RNxQuest-enabled data analysis pipeline by also reanalyzing published protein-RNA XL-MS data sets that lack isotope-labeled RNA. This study demonstrates that RNxQuest provides a sensitive and specific data analysis pipeline for detection of isotope-labeled XLs in protein-RNA XL-MS experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris
P. Sarnowski
- Institute
of Molecular Systems Biology, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
- Systems
Biology PhD Program, University of Zürich
and ETH Zürich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Götze
- Institute
of Molecular Systems Biology, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alexander Leitner
- Institute
of Molecular Systems Biology, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
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5
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Carico C, Placzek WJ. Reviewing PTBP1 Domain Modularity in the Pre-Genomic Era: A Foundation to Guide the Next Generation of Exploring PTBP1 Structure-Function Relationships. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11218. [PMID: 37446395 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241311218] [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: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Polypyrimidine tract binding protein 1 (PTBP1) is one of the most well-described RNA binding proteins, known initially for its role as a splicing repressor before later studies revealed its numerous roles in RNA maturation, stability, and translation. While PTBP1's various biological roles have been well-described, it remains unclear how its four RNA recognition motif (RRM) domains coordinate these functions. The early PTBP1 literature saw extensive effort placed in detailing structures of each of PTBP1's RRMs, as well as their individual RNA sequence and structure preferences. However, limitations in high-throughput and high-resolution genomic approaches (i.e., next-generation sequencing had not yet been developed) precluded the functional translation of these findings into a mechanistic understanding of each RRM's contribution to overall PTBP1 function. With the emergence of new technologies, it is now feasible to begin elucidating the individual contributions of each RRM to PTBP1 biological functions. Here, we review all the known literature describing the apo and RNA bound structures of each of PTBP1's RRMs, as well as the emerging literature describing the dependence of specific RNA processing events on individual RRM domains. Our goal is to provide a framework of the structure-function context upon which to facilitate the interpretation of future studies interrogating the dynamics of PTBP1 function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Carico
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - William J Placzek
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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6
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Protein-RNA interactions: from mass spectrometry to drug discovery. Essays Biochem 2023; 67:175-186. [PMID: 36866608 PMCID: PMC10070478 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Proteins and RNAs are fundamental parts of biological systems, and their interactions affect many essential cellular processes. Therefore, it is crucial to understand at a molecular and at a systems level how proteins and RNAs form complexes and mutually affect their functions. In the present mini-review, we will first provide an overview of different mass spectrometry (MS)-based methods to study the RNA-binding proteome (RBPome), most of which are based on photochemical cross-linking. As we will show, some of these methods are also able to provide higher-resolution information about binding sites, which are important for the structural characterisation of protein-RNA interactions. In addition, classical structural biology techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and biophysical methods such as electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and fluorescence-based methods contribute to a detailed understanding of the interactions between these two classes of biomolecules. We will discuss the relevance of such interactions in the context of the formation of membrane-less organelles (MLOs) by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) processes and their emerging importance as targets for drug discovery.
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7
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Han Z, Wu Z, Gong W, Zhou W, Chen L, Li C. Allosteric mechanism for SL RNA recognition by polypyrimidine tract binding protein RRM1: An atomistic MD simulation and network-based study. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 221:763-772. [PMID: 36058398 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.08.181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTB), an RNA-binding protein, is involved in the regulation of diverse processes in mRNA metabolism. However, the allosteric modulation of its binding with RNA remains unclear. We explore the dynamic characteristics of PTB RNA recognition motif 1 (RRM1) in its RNA-free and wild-type/mutant RNA-bound states to understand the issues using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, perturbation response scanning (PRS) and protein structure network (PSN) models. It is found that RNA binding strengthens RRM1 stability, while L151G mutation in α3 helix far away from the interface makes the complex unstable. The latter is caused by long-distance dynamic couplings, which makes intermolecular electrostatic and entropy energies unfavorable. The weakened couplings between interface β sheets and C-terminal parts upon mutation reveal RNA recognition is co-regulated by these regions. Interestingly, PRS analysis reveals the allostery caused by the perturbation on α3 helix has already been pre-encoded in the equilibrium dynamics of the protein structure. PSN analysis shows the details of the allosteric signal transmission, revealing the necessity of strong couplings between α3 helix and interface for maintaining the high binding affinity. This study sheds light on the mechanisms of PTB allostery and RNA recognition and can provide important information for drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongjie Han
- Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Zhixiang Wu
- Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Weikang Gong
- Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Wenxue Zhou
- Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Lei Chen
- Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Chunhua Li
- Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China.
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8
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Leitner A. Probing the secrets of probes. Nat Chem Biol 2022; 18:799-800. [PMID: 35864331 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-022-01092-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Leitner
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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9
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Knörlein A, Sarnowski CP, de Vries T, Stoltz M, Götze M, Aebersold R, Allain FHT, Leitner A, Hall J. Nucleotide-amino acid π-stacking interactions initiate photo cross-linking in RNA-protein complexes. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2719. [PMID: 35581222 PMCID: PMC9114321 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30284-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Photo-induced cross-linking is a mainstay technique to characterize RNA-protein interactions. However, UV-induced cross-linking between RNA and proteins at “zero-distance” is poorly understood. Here, we investigate cross-linking of the RBFOX alternative splicing factor with its hepta-ribonucleotide binding element as a model system. We examine the influence of nucleobase, nucleotide position and amino acid composition using CLIR-MS technology (crosslinking-of-isotope-labelled-RNA-and-tandem-mass-spectrometry), that locates cross-links on RNA and protein with site-specific resolution. Surprisingly, cross-linking occurs only at nucleotides that are π-stacked to phenylalanines. Notably, this π-stacking interaction is also necessary for the amino-acids flanking phenylalanines to partake in UV-cross-linking. We confirmed these observations in several published datasets where cross-linking sites could be mapped to a high resolution structure. We hypothesize that π-stacking to aromatic amino acids activates cross-linking in RNA-protein complexes, whereafter nucleotide and peptide radicals recombine. These findings will facilitate interpretation of cross-linking data from structural studies and from genome-wide datasets generated using CLIP (cross-linking-and-immunoprecipitation) methods. Although UV-induced cross-linking is a widely used method to study RNA-protein complexes, the cross-linking reactions are poorly understood. Here, the authors show that π-stacking interactions between nucleobases and aromatic amino acids play a key role in the cross-linking process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Knörlein
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Chris P Sarnowski
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Tebbe de Vries
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Moritz Stoltz
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Götze
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Free University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ruedi Aebersold
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Faculty of Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Frédéric H-T Allain
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alexander Leitner
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jonathan Hall
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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10
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Sarnowski CP, Bikaki M, Leitner A. Cross-linking and mass spectrometry as a tool for studying the structural biology of ribonucleoproteins. Structure 2022; 30:441-461. [PMID: 35366400 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2022.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Cross-linking and mass spectrometry (XL-MS) workflows represent an increasingly popular technique for low-resolution structural studies of macromolecular complexes. Cross-linking reactions take place in the solution state, capturing contact sites between components of a complex that represent the native, functionally relevant structure. Protein-protein XL-MS protocols are widely adopted, providing precise localization of cross-linking sites to single amino acid positions within a pair of cross-linked peptides. In contrast, protein-RNA XL-MS workflows are evolving rapidly and differ in their ability to localize interaction regions within the RNA sequence. Here, we review protein-protein and protein-RNA XL-MS workflows, and discuss their applications in studies of protein-RNA complexes. The examples highlight the complementary value of XL-MS in structural studies of protein-RNA complexes, where more established high-resolution techniques might be unable to produce conclusive data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris P Sarnowski
- Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland; Systems Biology PhD Program, University of Zürich and ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Maria Bikaki
- Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alexander Leitner
- Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
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11
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Zhang D, Liu L, Jin S, Tota E, Li Z, Piao X, Zhang X, Fu XD, Devaraj NK. Site-Specific and Enzymatic Cross-Linking of sgRNA Enables Wavelength-Selectable Photoactivated Control of CRISPR Gene Editing. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:4487-4495. [PMID: 35257575 PMCID: PMC9469474 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c12166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Chemical cross-linking enables rapid identification of RNA-protein and RNA-nucleic acid inter- and intramolecular interactions. However, no method exists to site-specifically and covalently cross-link two user-defined sites within an RNA. Here, we develop RNA-CLAMP, which enables site-specific and enzymatic cross-linking (clamping) of two selected guanine residues within an RNA. Intramolecular clamping can disrupt normal RNA function, whereas subsequent photocleavage of the cross-linker restores activity. We used RNA-CLAMP to clamp two stem loops within the single-guide RNA (sgRNA) of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system via a photocleavable cross-linker, completely inhibiting gene editing. Visible light irradiation cleaved the cross-linker and restored gene editing with high spatiotemporal resolution. Design of two photocleavable linkers responsive to different wavelengths of light allowed multiplexed photoactivation of gene editing in mammalian cells. This photoactivated CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing platform benefits from undetectable background activity, provides a choice of activation wavelengths, and has multiplexing capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongyang Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Luping Liu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Shuaijiang Jin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Ember Tota
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Zijie Li
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Xijun Piao
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Xuan Zhang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Xiang-Dong Fu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Neal K Devaraj
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
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12
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Sequence-specific RNA recognition by an RGG motif connects U1 and U2 snRNP for spliceosome assembly. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2114092119. [PMID: 35101980 PMCID: PMC8833184 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2114092119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
In mammals, the structural basis for the interaction between U1 and U2 small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) during the early steps of splicing is still elusive. The binding of the ubiquitin-like (UBL) domain of SF3A1 to the stem-loop 4 of U1 snRNP (U1-SL4) contributes to this interaction. Here, we determined the 3D structure of the complex between the UBL of SF3A1 and U1-SL4 RNA. Our crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, and cross-linking mass spectrometry data show that SF3A1-UBL recognizes, sequence specifically, the GCG/CGC RNA stem and the apical UUCG tetraloop of U1-SL4. In vitro and in vivo mutational analyses support the observed intermolecular contacts and demonstrate that the carboxyl-terminal arginine-glycine-glycine-arginine (RGGR) motif of SF3A1-UBL binds sequence specifically by inserting into the RNA major groove. Thus, the characterization of the SF3A1-UBL/U1-SL4 complex expands the repertoire of RNA binding domains and reveals the capacity of RGG/RG motifs to bind RNA in a sequence-specific manner.
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13
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Campagne S, de Vries T, Allain FHT. Probing the Interactions of Splicing Regulatory Small Molecules and Proteins with U1 snRNP Using NMR Spectroscopy. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2537:247-262. [PMID: 35895269 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2521-7_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Alternative RNA splicing is an essential part of gene expression that not only increases the protein diversity of metazoan but also provides an additional layer of gene expression regulation. The U1 small ribonucleoparticle (U1 snRNP) plays an essential role in seeding spliceosome assembly and its binding on weak 5'-splice sites is regulated by transient interactions with splicing factors. Recent progress in allele specific splicing correction has shown the therapeutic potential offered by small molecule splicing modifiers that specifically promotes the recruitment of U1 snRNP to modulate alternative splicing and gene expression. Here, we described a method to reconstitute U1 snRNP in vitro and to study labile interactions with protein or synthetic splicing factors using solution state NMR spectroscopy. This approach allowed us to validate direct interactions between splicing regulators and U1 snRNP and could also be useful for the screening of small molecules acting on splicing regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Campagne
- ARNA Laboratory, INSERM U1212, CNRS 5320, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Tebbe de Vries
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Frédéric H-T Allain
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland.
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14
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Graziadei A, Rappsilber J. Leveraging crosslinking mass spectrometry in structural and cell biology. Structure 2021; 30:37-54. [PMID: 34895473 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2021.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Crosslinking mass spectrometry (crosslinking-MS) is a versatile tool providing structural insights into protein conformation and protein-protein interactions. Its medium-resolution residue-residue distance restraints have been used to validate protein structures proposed by other methods and have helped derive models of protein complexes by integrative structural biology approaches. The use of crosslinking-MS in integrative approaches is underpinned by progress in estimating error rates in crosslinking-MS data and in combining these data with other information. The flexible and high-throughput nature of crosslinking-MS has allowed it to complement the ongoing resolution revolution in electron microscopy by providing system-wide residue-residue distance restraints, especially for flexible regions or systems. Here, we review how crosslinking-MS information has been leveraged in structural model validation and integrative modeling. Crosslinking-MS has also been a key technology for cell biology studies and structural systems biology where, in conjunction with cryoelectron tomography, it can provide structural and mechanistic insights directly in situ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Graziadei
- Bioanalytics, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, 13355 Berlin, Germany
| | - Juri Rappsilber
- Bioanalytics, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, 13355 Berlin, Germany; Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK.
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15
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Götze M, Sarnowski CP, de Vries T, Knörlein A, Allain FHT, Hall J, Aebersold R, Leitner A. Single Nucleotide Resolution RNA-Protein Cross-Linking Mass Spectrometry: A Simple Extension of the CLIR-MS Workflow. Anal Chem 2021; 93:14626-14634. [PMID: 34714631 PMCID: PMC8581962 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c02384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
![]()
RNA–protein
interactions mediate many intracellular processes.
CLIR-MS (cross-linking of isotope-labeled RNA and tandem mass spectrometry)
allows the identification of RNA–protein interaction sites
at single nucleotide/amino acid resolution in a single experiment.
Using isotopically labeled RNA segments for UV-light-induced cross-linking
generates characteristic isotope patterns that constrain the sequence
database searches, increasing spatial resolution. Whereas the use
of segmentally isotopically labeled RNA is effective, it is technically
involved and not applicable in some settings, e.g., in cell or tissue
samples. Here we introduce an extension of the CLIR-MS workflow that
uses unlabeled RNA during cross-linking and subsequently adds an isotopic
label during sample preparation for MS analysis. After RNase and protease
digests of a cross-linked complex, the nucleic acid part of a peptide–RNA
conjugate is labeled using the enzyme T4 polynucleotide kinase and
a 1:1 mixture of heavy 18O4-γ-ATP and
light ATP. In this simple, one-step reaction, three heavy oxygen atoms
are transferred from the γ-phosphate to the 5′-end of
the RNA, introducing an isotopic shift of 6.01 Da that is detectable
by mass spectrometry. We applied this approach to the RNA recognition
motif (RRM) of the protein FOX1 in complex with its cognate binding
substrate, FOX-binding element (FBE) RNA. We also labeled a single
phosphate within an RNA and unambiguously determined the cross-linking
site of the FOX1-RRM binding to FBE at single residue resolution on
the RNA and protein level and used differential ATP labeling for relative
quantification based on isotope dilution. Data are available via ProteomeXchange
with the identifier PXD024010.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Götze
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zurich, Zürich 8093, Switzerland
| | - Chris P Sarnowski
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zurich, Zürich 8093, Switzerland
| | - Tebbe de Vries
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8093, Switzerland
| | - Anna Knörlein
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8093, Switzerland
| | - Frédéric H-T Allain
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8093, Switzerland
| | - Jonathan Hall
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8093, Switzerland
| | - Ruedi Aebersold
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zurich, Zürich 8093, Switzerland
| | - Alexander Leitner
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zurich, Zürich 8093, Switzerland
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16
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Bae JW, Kim S, Kim VN, Kim JS. Photoactivatable ribonucleosides mark base-specific RNA-binding sites. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6026. [PMID: 34654832 PMCID: PMC8519950 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26317-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA-protein interaction can be captured by crosslinking and enrichment followed by tandem mass spectrometry, but it remains challenging to pinpoint RNA-binding sites (RBSs) or provide direct evidence for RNA-binding. To overcome these limitations, we here developed pRBS-ID, by incorporating the benefits of UVA-based photoactivatable ribonucleoside (PAR; 4-thiouridine and 6-thioguanosine) crosslinking and chemical RNA cleavage. pRBS-ID robustly detects peptides crosslinked to PAR adducts, offering direct RNA-binding evidence and identifying RBSs at single amino acid-resolution with base-specificity (U or G). Using pRBS-ID, we could profile uridine-contacting RBSs globally and discover guanosine-contacting RBSs, which allowed us to characterize the base-specific interactions. We also applied the search pipeline to analyze the datasets from UVC-based RBS-ID experiments, altogether offering a comprehensive list of human RBSs with high coverage (3,077 RBSs in 532 proteins in total). pRBS-ID is a widely applicable platform to investigate the molecular basis of posttranscriptional regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jong Woo Bae
- Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul, 08826, Korea
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea
| | | | - V Narry Kim
- Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul, 08826, Korea.
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea.
| | - Jong-Seo Kim
- Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul, 08826, Korea.
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea.
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17
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Largy E, König A, Ghosh A, Ghosh D, Benabou S, Rosu F, Gabelica V. Mass Spectrometry of Nucleic Acid Noncovalent Complexes. Chem Rev 2021; 122:7720-7839. [PMID: 34587741 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Nucleic acids have been among the first targets for antitumor drugs and antibiotics. With the unveiling of new biological roles in regulation of gene expression, specific DNA and RNA structures have become very attractive targets, especially when the corresponding proteins are undruggable. Biophysical assays to assess target structure as well as ligand binding stoichiometry, affinity, specificity, and binding modes are part of the drug development process. Mass spectrometry offers unique advantages as a biophysical method owing to its ability to distinguish each stoichiometry present in a mixture. In addition, advanced mass spectrometry approaches (reactive probing, fragmentation techniques, ion mobility spectrometry, ion spectroscopy) provide more detailed information on the complexes. Here, we review the fundamentals of mass spectrometry and all its particularities when studying noncovalent nucleic acid structures, and then review what has been learned thanks to mass spectrometry on nucleic acid structures, self-assemblies (e.g., duplexes or G-quadruplexes), and their complexes with ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Largy
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INSERM, ARNA, UMR 5320, U1212, IECB, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Alexander König
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INSERM, ARNA, UMR 5320, U1212, IECB, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Anirban Ghosh
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INSERM, ARNA, UMR 5320, U1212, IECB, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Debasmita Ghosh
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INSERM, ARNA, UMR 5320, U1212, IECB, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Sanae Benabou
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INSERM, ARNA, UMR 5320, U1212, IECB, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Frédéric Rosu
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INSERM, IECB, UMS 3033, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Valérie Gabelica
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INSERM, ARNA, UMR 5320, U1212, IECB, F-33600 Pessac, France
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18
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Campagne S, de Vries T, Malard F, Afanasyev P, Dorn G, Dedic E, Kohlbrecher J, Boehringer D, Cléry A, Allain FHT. An in vitro reconstituted U1 snRNP allows the study of the disordered regions of the particle and the interactions with proteins and ligands. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:e63. [PMID: 33677607 PMCID: PMC8216277 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
U1 small nuclear ribonucleoparticle (U1 snRNP) plays a central role during RNA processing. Previous structures of U1 snRNP revealed how the ribonucleoparticle is organized and recognizes the pre-mRNA substrate at the exon–intron junction. As with many other ribonucleoparticles involved in RNA metabolism, U1 snRNP contains extensions made of low complexity sequences. Here, we developed a protocol to reconstitute U1 snRNP in vitro using mostly full-length components in order to perform liquid-state NMR spectroscopy. The accuracy of the reconstitution was validated by probing the shape and structure of the particle by SANS and cryo-EM. Using an NMR spectroscopy-based approach, we probed, for the first time, the U1 snRNP tails at atomic detail and our results confirm their high degree of flexibility. We also monitored the labile interaction between the splicing factor PTBP1 and U1 snRNP and validated the U1 snRNA stem loop 4 as a binding site for the splicing regulator on the ribonucleoparticle. Altogether, we developed a method to probe the intrinsically disordered regions of U1 snRNP and map the interactions controlling splicing regulation. This approach could be used to get insights into the molecular mechanisms of alternative splicing and screen for potential RNA therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Campagne
- Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, Hönggerbergring 64, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Tebbe de Vries
- Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, Hönggerbergring 64, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Florian Malard
- Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, Hönggerbergring 64, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Pavel Afanasyev
- Cryo-EM Knowledge Hub (CEMK), ETH Zurich, Hönggerbergring 64, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Georg Dorn
- Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, Hönggerbergring 64, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Emil Dedic
- Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, Hönggerbergring 64, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Daniel Boehringer
- Cryo-EM Knowledge Hub (CEMK), ETH Zurich, Hönggerbergring 64, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Antoine Cléry
- Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, Hönggerbergring 64, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Frédéric H-T Allain
- Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, Hönggerbergring 64, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
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19
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NMR and EPR reveal a compaction of the RNA-binding protein FUS upon droplet formation. Nat Chem Biol 2021; 17:608-614. [PMID: 33686294 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-021-00752-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Many RNA-binding proteins undergo liquid-liquid phase separation, which underlies the formation of membraneless organelles, such as stress granules and P-bodies. Studies of the molecular mechanism of phase separation in vitro are hampered by the coalescence and sedimentation of organelle-sized droplets interacting with glass surfaces. Here, we demonstrate that liquid droplets of fused in sarcoma (FUS)-a protein found in cytoplasmic aggregates of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia patients-can be stabilized in vitro using an agarose hydrogel that acts as a cytoskeleton mimic. This allows their spectroscopic characterization by liquid-phase NMR and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Protein signals from both dispersed and condensed phases can be observed simultaneously, and their respective proportions can be quantified precisely. Furthermore, the agarose hydrogel acts as a cryoprotectant during shock-freezing, which facilitates pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance measurements at cryogenic temperatures. Surprisingly, double electron-electron resonance measurements revealed a compaction of FUS in the condensed phase.
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20
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Upadhyay SK, Mackereth CD. Structural basis of UCUU RNA motif recognition by splicing factor RBM20. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:4538-4550. [PMID: 32187365 PMCID: PMC7192616 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The vertebrate splicing factor RBM20 (RNA binding motif protein 20) regulates protein isoforms important for heart development and function, with mutations in the gene linked to cardiomyopathy. Previous studies have identified the four nucleotide RNA motif UCUU as a common element in pre-mRNA targeted by RBM20. Here, we have determined the structure of the RNA Recognition Motif (RRM) domain from mouse RBM20 bound to RNA containing a UCUU sequence. The atomic details show that the RRM domain spans a larger region than initially proposed in order to interact with the complete UCUU motif, with a well-folded C-terminal helix encoded by exon 8 critical for high affinity binding. This helix only forms upon binding RNA with the final uracil, and removing the helix reduces affinity as well as specificity. We therefore find that RBM20 uses a coupled folding-binding mechanism by the C-terminal helix to specifically recognize the UCUU RNA motif.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cameron D Mackereth
- Univ. Bordeaux, Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, 2 rue Robert Escarpit, 33607 Pessac Cedex, France.,Inserm U1212, CNRS UMR5320, ARNA Laboratory, 146 rue Léo Saignat, 33076 Bordeaux Cedex, France
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21
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Maris C, Jayne S, Damberger FF, Beusch I, Dorn G, Ravindranathan S, Allain FHT. A transient α-helix in the N-terminal RNA recognition motif of polypyrimidine tract binding protein senses RNA secondary structure. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:4521-4537. [PMID: 32170319 PMCID: PMC7192611 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Revised: 02/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The polypyrimidine tract binding protein (PTB) is a multi-domain protein involved in alternative splicing, mRNA localization, stabilization, polyadenylation and translation initiation from internal ribosome entry sites (IRES). In this latter process, PTB promotes viral translation by interacting extensively with complex structured regions in the 5′-untranslated regions of viral RNAs at pyrimidine-rich targets located in single strand and hairpin regions. To better understand how PTB recognizes structured elements in RNA targets, we solved the solution structure of the N-terminal RNA recognition motif (RRM) in complex with an RNA hairpin embedding the loop sequence UCUUU, which is frequently found in IRESs of the picornovirus family. Surprisingly, a new three-turn α3 helix C-terminal to the RRM, folds upon binding the RNA hairpin. Although α3 does not mediate any contacts to the RNA, it acts as a sensor of RNA secondary structure, suggesting a role for RRM1 in detecting pyrimidine tracts in the context of structured RNA. Moreover, the degree of helix formation depends on the RNA loop sequence. Finally, we show that the α3 helix region, which is highly conserved in vertebrates, is crucial for PTB function in enhancing Encephalomyocarditis virus IRES activity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sandrine Jayne
- Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Irene Beusch
- Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Georg Dorn
- Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
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22
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Asadi-Atoi P, Barraud P, Tisne C, Kellner S. Benefits of stable isotope labeling in RNA analysis. Biol Chem 2020; 400:847-865. [PMID: 30893050 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2018-0447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
RNAs are key players in life as they connect the genetic code (DNA) with all cellular processes dominated by proteins. They contain a variety of chemical modifications and many RNAs fold into complex structures. Here, we review recent progress in the analysis of RNA modification and structure on the basis of stable isotope labeling techniques. Mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy are the key tools and many breakthrough developments were made possible by the analysis of stable isotope labeled RNA. Therefore, we discuss current stable isotope labeling techniques such as metabolic labeling, enzymatic labeling and chemical synthesis. RNA structure analysis by NMR is challenging due to two major problems that become even more salient when the size of the RNA increases, namely chemical shift overlaps and line broadening leading to complete signal loss. Several isotope labeling strategies have been developed to provide solutions to these major issues, such as deuteration, segmental isotope labeling or site-specific labeling. Quantification of modified nucleosides in RNA by MS is only possible through the application of stable isotope labeled internal standards. With nucleic acid isotope labeling coupled mass spectrometry (NAIL-MS), it is now possible to analyze the dynamic processes of post-transcriptional RNA modification and demodification. The trend, in both NMR and MS RNA analytics, is without doubt shifting from the analysis of snapshot moments towards the development and application of tools capable of analyzing the dynamics of RNA structure and modification profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paria Asadi-Atoi
- Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Butenandtstr. 5-13, D-81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Pierre Barraud
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique (IBPC), UMR 8261, CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Carine Tisne
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique (IBPC), UMR 8261, CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Stefanie Kellner
- Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Butenandtstr. 5-13, D-81377 Munich, Germany
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23
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Integrative Structural Biology of Protein-RNA Complexes. Structure 2020; 28:6-28. [DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2019.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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24
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Dos Santos RN, Bottino GF, Gozzo FC, Morcos F, Martínez L. Structural complementarity of distance constraints obtained from chemical cross-linking and amino acid coevolution. Proteins 2019; 88:625-632. [PMID: 31693206 DOI: 10.1002/prot.25843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The analysis of amino acid coevolution has emerged as a practical method for protein structural modeling by providing structural contact information from alignments of amino acid sequences. In parallel, chemical cross-linking/mass spectrometry (XLMS) has gained attention as a universally applicable method for obtaining low-resolution distance constraints to model the quaternary arrangements of proteins, and more recently even protein tertiary structures. Here, we show that the structural information obtained by XLMS and coevolutionary analysis are effectively complementary: the distance constraints obtained by each method are almost exclusively associated with non-coincident pairs of residues, and modeling results obtained by the combination of both sets are improved relative to considering the same total number of constraints of a single type. The structural rationale behind the complementarity of the distance constraints is discussed and illustrated for a representative set of proteins with different sizes and folds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo N Dos Santos
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.,Center for Computing in Engineering & Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Guilherme F Bottino
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.,Center for Computing in Engineering & Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fábio C Gozzo
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Faruck Morcos
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas.,Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas
| | - Leandro Martínez
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.,Center for Computing in Engineering & Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
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25
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Leitner A, Dorn G, Allain FHT. Combining Mass Spectrometry (MS) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy for Integrative Structural Biology of Protein-RNA Complexes. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2019; 11:a032359. [PMID: 31262947 PMCID: PMC6601463 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a032359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Deciphering complex RNA-protein interactions on a (near-)atomic level is a hurdle that hinders advancing our understanding of fundamental processes in RNA metabolism and RNA-based gene regulation. To overcome challenges associated with individual structure determination methods, structural information derived from complementary biophysical methods can be combined in integrative structural biology approaches. Here, we review recent advances in such hybrid structural approaches with a focus on combining mass spectrometric analysis of cross-linked protein-RNA complexes and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Leitner
- Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, Department of Biology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Georg Dorn
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Frédéric H-T Allain
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
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26
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Computational approaches to macromolecular interactions in the cell. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2019; 55:59-65. [PMID: 30999240 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2019.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Structural modeling of a cell is an evolving strategic direction in computational structural biology. It takes advantage of new powerful modeling techniques, deeper understanding of fundamental principles of molecular structure and assembly, and rapid growth of the amount of structural data generated by experimental techniques. Key modeling approaches to principal types of macromolecular assemblies in a cell already exist. The main challenge, along with the further development of these modeling approaches, is putting them together in a consistent, unified whole cell model. This opinion piece addresses the fundamental aspects of modeling macromolecular assemblies in a cell, and the state-of-the-art in modeling of the principal types of such assemblies.
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27
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Weng G, Sun B, Liu Z, Wang F, Pan Y. Analysis of oligonucleotides by ion-pair reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled with positive mode electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Anal Bioanal Chem 2019; 411:4167-4173. [PMID: 30989264 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-019-01819-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Oligonucleotides are usually analyzed by ion-pair reversed-phase liquid chromatography (IP-RPLC) coupled with negative mode electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) due to their highly negative charged phosphodiester backbones. Herein, the signal suppression effect of triethylamine (TEA) adducts caused the ion-pair reagent TEA/hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) is greatly alleviated after improving the in-source energy in positive mode ESI-MS. This strategy is applied for different RNA sequencing through analyzing their formic acid hydrolysates via IP-RPLC MS. Comparing with negative ion mode, we demonstrate that IP-RPLC MS analysis in positive ion mode is more suitable for RNA sequencing with fewer contaminant interferences. Finally, simultaneous online separation and detection of oligonucleotides and protein digests are achieved in positive ion mode IP-RPLC MS analysis with little interference to each other.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guofeng Weng
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, Zhejiang, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, Liaoning, China
| | - Binwen Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, Liaoning, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zheyi Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, Liaoning, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Fangjun Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, Liaoning, China.
| | - Yuanjiang Pan
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, Zhejiang, China.
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28
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Zhou B, Wu F, Han J, Qi F, Ni T, Qian F. Exploitation of nuclear protein SFPQ by the encephalomyocarditis virus to facilitate its replication. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2019; 510:65-71. [PMID: 30661786 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.01.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) is a single-stranded RNA virus that induces sudden death, diabetes, myocarditis and nervous disorders in non-human primates. The rapid development of xenografts such as heart transplantation from pig to human raises the issue of EMCV safety in human cells. SFPQ, a proline and glutamine rich splicing factor that participates in diverse molecular functions including paraspeckle formation, microRNA synthesis and transcription regulation, is known to regulate host innate immune response to viruses. However, the role of SFPQ in EMCV infection remains unclear. Here we reported that the SFPQ was essential for EMCV replication. Depletion of SFPQ impaired EMCV production, while forced expression of SFPQ promoted viral replication. Mechanistically, loss of SFPQ affected the transcription profile of host mitochondria pathway related genes. In addition, cellular SFPQ was exploited by EMCV and accumulated in cytoplasm and it interacted with eukaryotic initiation factors and ribosomal proteins to facilitate internal ribosome entry site (IRES)-dependent translation of EMCV protein. Altogether, our work discovered host SFPQ as a new target to inhibit EMCV replication and infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Zhou
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Human Phenome Institute, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering & MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Human Phenome Institute, School of Life Sciences and Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, PR China
| | - Fangyi Wu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Human Phenome Institute, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, PR China
| | - Jingxuan Han
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Human Phenome Institute, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, PR China
| | - Fei Qi
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Human Phenome Institute, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, PR China
| | - Ting Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering & MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Human Phenome Institute, School of Life Sciences and Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, PR China.
| | - Feng Qian
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Human Phenome Institute, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, PR China.
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Campagne S, Krepl M, Sponer J, Allain FHT. Combining NMR Spectroscopy and Molecular Dynamic Simulations to Solve and Analyze the Structure of Protein-RNA Complexes. Methods Enzymol 2018; 614:393-422. [PMID: 30611432 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2018.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the RNA binding specificity of protein is of primary interest to decipher their function in the cell. Here, we review the methodology used to solve the structures of protein-RNA complexes using solution-state NMR spectroscopy: from sample preparation to structure calculation procedures. We also describe how molecular dynamics simulations can help providing additional information on the role of key amino acid side chains and of water molecules in protein-RNA recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastien Campagne
- Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Miroslav Krepl
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Palacky University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
| | - Jiri Sponer
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Palacky University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
| | - Frederic H-T Allain
- Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, Zürich, Switzerland.
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Kremser J, Strebitzer E, Plangger R, Juen MA, Nußbaumer F, Glasner H, Breuker K, Kreutz C. Chemical synthesis and NMR spectroscopy of long stable isotope labelled RNA. Chem Commun (Camb) 2018; 53:12938-12941. [PMID: 29155431 DOI: 10.1039/c7cc06747j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
We showcase the high potential of the 2'-cyanoethoxymethyl (CEM) methodology to synthesize RNAs with naturally occurring modified residues carrying stable isotope (SI) labels for NMR spectroscopic applications. The method was applied to synthesize RNAs with sizes ranging between 60 to 80 nucleotides. The presented approach gives the possibility to selectively modify larger RNAs (>60 nucleotides) with atom-specifically 13C/15N-labelled building blocks. The method harbors the unique potential to address structural as well as dynamic features of these RNAs with NMR spectroscopy but also using other biophysical methods, such as mass spectrometry (MS), or small angle neutron/X-ray scattering (SANS, SAXS).
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Affiliation(s)
- J Kremser
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80/82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
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31
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Gmeiner C, Dorn G, Allain FHT, Jeschke G, Yulikov M. Spin labelling for integrative structure modelling: a case study of the polypyrimidine-tract binding protein 1 domains in complexes with short RNAs. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 19:28360-28380. [PMID: 29034946 DOI: 10.1039/c7cp05822e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
A combined method, employing NMR and EPR spectroscopies, has demonstrated its strength in solving structures of protein/RNA and other types of biomolecular complexes. This method works particularly well when the large biomolecular complex consists of a limited number of rigid building blocks, such as RNA-binding protein domains (RBDs). A variety of spin labels is available for such studies, allowing for conventional as well as spectroscopically orthogonal double electron-electron resonance (DEER) measurements in EPR. In this work, we compare different types of nitroxide-based and Gd(iii)-based spin labels attached to isolated RBDs of the polypyrimidine-tract binding protein 1 (PTBP1) and to short RNA fragments. In particular, we demonstrate experiments on spectroscopically orthogonal labelled RBD/RNA complexes. For all experiments we analyse spin labelling, DEER method performance, resulting distance distributions, and their consistency with the predictions from the spin label rotamers analysis. This work provides a set of intra-domain calibration DEER data, which can serve as a basis to start structure determination of the full length PTBP1 complex with an RNA derived from encephalomycarditis virus (EMCV) internal ribosomal entry site (IRES). For a series of tested labelling sites, we discuss their particular advantages and drawbacks in such a structure determination approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Gmeiner
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland.
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32
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The devil is in the domain: understanding protein recognition of multiple RNA targets. Biochem Soc Trans 2017; 45:1305-1311. [DOI: 10.1042/bst20160362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Revised: 10/22/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
RNA regulation provides a finely tuned and highly co-ordinated control of gene expression. Regulation is mediated by hundreds to thousands of multi-functional RNA-binding proteins which often interact with large sets of RNAs. In this brief review, we focus on a recent work that highlights how the proteins use multiple RNA-binding domains to interact selectively with the different RNA targets. Deconvoluting the molecular complexity of the RNA regulatory network is essential to understanding cell differentiation and function, and requires accurate models for protein–RNA recognition and protein target selectivity. We discuss that the structural and molecular understanding of the key determinant of recognition, together with the availability of methods to examine protein–RNA interactions at the transcriptome level, may provide an avenue to establish these models.
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Barra J, Leucci E. Probing Long Non-coding RNA-Protein Interactions. Front Mol Biosci 2017; 4:45. [PMID: 28744458 PMCID: PMC5504261 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2017.00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-coding RNA sequences outnumber the protein-coding genes in the human genome, however our knowledge of their functions is still limited. RNA-binding proteins follow the transcripts, including non-coding RNAs, throughout their life, regulating not only maturation, nuclear export, stability and eventually translation, but also RNA functions. Therefore, development of sophisticated methods to study RNA-protein interactions are key to the systematic characterization of lncRNAs. Although mostly applicable to RNA-protein interactions in general, many approaches, especially the computational ones, need adjustment to be adapted to the length and complexity of lncRNA transcripts. Here we critically review all the wet lab and computational methods to study lncRNA-protein interactions and their potential to clarify the dark side of the genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Barra
- Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, Department of Oncology, KU LeuvenLeuven, Belgium.,Center for Cancer Biology, VIBLeuven, Belgium
| | - Eleonora Leucci
- Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, Department of Oncology, KU LeuvenLeuven, Belgium
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