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Konstantinidou P, Loubalova Z, Ahrend F, Friman A, Almeida MV, Poulet A, Horvat F, Wang Y, Losert W, Lorenzi H, Svoboda P, Miska EA, van Wolfswinkel JC, Haase AD. A comparative roadmap of PIWI-interacting RNAs across seven species reveals insights into de novo piRNA-precursor formation in mammals. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114777. [PMID: 39302833 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2024] [Revised: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 09/04/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024] Open
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) play a crucial role in safeguarding genome integrity by silencing mobile genetic elements. From flies to humans, piRNAs originate from long single-stranded precursors encoded by genomic piRNA clusters. How piRNA clusters form to adapt to genomic invaders and evolve to maintain protection remain key outstanding questions. Here, we generate a roadmap of piRNA clusters across seven species that highlights both similarities and variations. In mammals, we identify transcriptional readthrough as a mechanism to generate piRNAs from transposon insertions (piCs) downstream of genes (DoG). Together with the well-known stress-dependent DoG transcripts, our findings suggest a molecular mechanism for the formation of piRNA clusters in response to retroviral invasion. Finally, we identify a class of dynamic piRNA clusters in humans, underscoring unique features of human germ cell biology. Our results advance the understanding of conserved principles and species-specific variations in piRNA biology and provide tools for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parthena Konstantinidou
- National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Zuzana Loubalova
- National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Franziska Ahrend
- National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, US Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Aleksandr Friman
- National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Biophysics Graduate Program, Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Miguel Vasconcelos Almeida
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK; Wellcome/CRUK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Axel Poulet
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Center for RNA Science and Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Filip Horvat
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic; Bioinformatics Group, Division of Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Yuejun Wang
- National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, US Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, TN, USA; TriLab Bioinformatics Group, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Wolfgang Losert
- Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Hernan Lorenzi
- National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; TriLab Bioinformatics Group, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Petr Svoboda
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Eric A Miska
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK; Wellcome/CRUK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Josien C van Wolfswinkel
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Center for RNA Science and Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Astrid D Haase
- National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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Bravo JI, Zhang L, Benayoun BA. Multi-ancestry GWAS reveals loci linked to human variation in LINE-1- and Alu-copy numbers. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.09.10.612283. [PMID: 39314493 PMCID: PMC11419044 DOI: 10.1101/2024.09.10.612283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
Long INterspersed Element-1 (LINE-1; L1) and Alu are two families of transposable elements (TEs) occupying ~17% and ~11% of the human genome, respectively. Though only a small fraction of L1 copies is able to produce the machinery to mobilize autonomously, Alu elements and degenerate L1 copies can hijack their functional machinery and mobilize in trans. The expression and subsequent copy number expansion of L1 and Alu can exert pathological effects on their hosts, promoting genome instability, inflammation, and cell cycle alterations. These features have made L1 and Alu promising focus subjects in studies of aging and aging diseases where they can become active. However, the mechanisms regulating variation in their expression and copy number remain incompletely characterized. Moreover, the relevance of known mechanisms to diverse human populations remains unclear, as mechanisms are often characterized in isogenic cell culture models. To address these gaps, we leveraged genomic data from the 1000 Genomes Project to carry out a trans-ethnic GWAS of L1 and Alu insertion global singletons. These singletons are rare insertions observed only once in a population, potentially reflecting recently acquired L1 and Alu integrants or structural variants, and which we used as proxies for L1/Alu-associated copy number variation. Our computational approach identified single nucleotide variants in genomic regions containing genes with potential and known TE regulatory properties, and it enriched for single nucleotide variants in regions containing known regulators of L1 expression. Moreover, we identified many reference TE copies and polymorphic structural variants that were associated with L1/Alu singletons, suggesting their potential contribution to TE copy number variation through transposition-dependent or transposition-independent mechanisms. Finally, a transcriptional analysis of lymphoblastoid cells highlighted potential cell cycle alterations in a subset of samples harboring L1/Alu singletons. Collectively, our results (i) suggest that known TE regulatory mechanisms may also play regulatory roles in diverse human populations, (ii) expand the list of genic and repetitive genomic loci implicated in TE copy number variation, and (iii) reinforce the links between TEs and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan I. Bravo
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Lucia Zhang
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Quantitative and Computational Biology Department, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Bérénice A. Benayoun
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Molecular and Computational Biology Department, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine Department, USC Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- USC Stem Cell Initiative, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
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3
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Li Z, Li Z, Zhang Y, Zhou L, Xu Q, Li L, Zeng L, Xue J, Niu H, Zhong J, Yu Q, Li D, Gui M, Huang Y, Tu S, Zhang Z, Song CQ, Wu J, Shen EZ. Mammalian PIWI-piRNA-target complexes reveal features for broad and efficient target silencing. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024; 31:1222-1231. [PMID: 38658622 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01287-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway is an adaptive defense system wherein piRNAs guide PIWI family Argonaute proteins to recognize and silence ever-evolving selfish genetic elements and ensure genome integrity. Driven by this intensive host-pathogen arms race, the piRNA pathway and its targeted transposons have coevolved rapidly in a species-specific manner, but how the piRNA pathway adapts specifically to target silencing in mammals remains elusive. Here, we show that mouse MILI and human HILI piRNA-induced silencing complexes (piRISCs) bind and cleave targets more efficiently than their invertebrate counterparts from the sponge Ephydatia fluviatilis. The inherent functional differences comport with structural features identified by cryo-EM studies of piRISCs. In the absence of target, MILI and HILI piRISCs adopt a wider nucleic-acid-binding channel and display an extended prearranged piRNA seed as compared with EfPiwi piRISC, consistent with their ability to capture targets more efficiently than EfPiwi piRISC. In the presence of target, the seed gate-which enforces seed-target fidelity in microRNA RISC-adopts a relaxed state in mammalian piRISC, revealing how MILI and HILI tolerate seed-target mismatches to broaden the target spectrum. A vertebrate-specific lysine distorts the piRNA seed, shifting the trajectory of the piRNA-target duplex out of the central cleft and toward the PAZ lobe. Functional analyses reveal that this lysine promotes target binding and cleavage. Our study therefore provides a molecular basis for the piRNA targeting mechanism in mice and humans, and suggests that mammalian piRNA machinery can achieve broad target silencing using a limited supply of piRNA species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqing Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Growth Regulation and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhenzhen Li
- Key Laboratory of Growth Regulation and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuqi Zhang
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lunni Zhou
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qikui Xu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lili Li
- Key Laboratory of Growth Regulation and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lin Zeng
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Center for Cognitive Machines and Computational Health (CMaCH), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Junchao Xue
- Key Laboratory of Growth Regulation and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - Huilin Niu
- Key Laboratory of Growth Regulation and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jing Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Growth Regulation and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qilu Yu
- Key Laboratory of Growth Regulation and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dengfeng Li
- Key Laboratory of Growth Regulation and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - Miao Gui
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Dysfunction Management of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yongping Huang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological SciencesChinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Shikui Tu
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Center for Cognitive Machines and Computational Health (CMaCH), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhao Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Chun-Qing Song
- Key Laboratory of Growth Regulation and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China.
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China.
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Jianping Wu
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China.
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China.
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - En-Zhi Shen
- Key Laboratory of Growth Regulation and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China.
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China.
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China.
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Díaz-Navarrete P, Dantagnan P, Henriquez D, Soto R, Correa-Galeote D, Sáez-Arteaga A. Selenized non-Saccharomyces yeasts and their potential use in fish feed. FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2024; 50:1879-1894. [PMID: 38630161 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-024-01340-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Selenium (Se) is a vital trace element, essential for growth and other biological functions in fish. Its significance lies in its role as a fundamental component of selenoproteins, which are crucial for optimal functioning of the organism. The inclusion of Se in the diets of farmed animals, including fish, has proved invaluable in mitigating the challenges arising from elemental deficiencies experienced in captivity conditions due to limitations in the content of fishmeal. Supplementing diets with Se enhances physiological responses, particularly mitigates the effects of the continuous presence of environmental stress factors. Organic Se has been shown to have higher absorption rates and a greater impact on bioavailability and overall health than inorganic forms. A characteristic feature of yeasts is their rapid proliferation and growth, marked by efficient mineral assimilation. Most of the selenized yeasts currently available in the market, and used predominantly in animal production and aquaculture, are based on Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which contains selenomethionine (Se-Met). The object of this review is to highlight the importance of selenized yeasts. In addition, it presents metabolic and productive aspects of other yeast genera that are important potential sources of organic selenium. Some yeast strains discussed produce metabolites of interest such as lipids, pigments, and amino acids, which could have applications in aquaculture and further enrich their usefulness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Díaz-Navarrete
- Departamento de Ciencias Veterinarias y Salud Pública, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Casilla 15-D, Temuco, Chile.
- Núcleo de Investigación en Producción Alimentaria, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Temuco, Chile.
| | - Patricio Dantagnan
- Departamento de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Acuícolas, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Temuco, Chile
- Núcleo de Investigación en Producción Alimentaria, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Temuco, Chile
| | - Daniela Henriquez
- Departamento de Ciencias Veterinarias y Salud Pública, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Casilla 15-D, Temuco, Chile
| | - Robinson Soto
- Departamento de Procesos industriales, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Temuco, Chile
| | - David Correa-Galeote
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Granada, Granada, España
| | - Alberto Sáez-Arteaga
- Departamento de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Acuícolas, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Temuco, Chile.
- Centro de Investigación, Innovación y Creación (CIIC-UCT), Universidad Católica de Temuco, Temuco, Chile.
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5
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Pavon JAR, da Silva Neves NA, Pinho JB, de Souza VJ, Patroca da Silva S, Ribeiro Cruz AC, de Almeida Medeiros DB, Teixeira Nunes MR, Slhessarenko RD. Disclosing the virome of Aedes, Anopheles and Culex female mosquitoes, Alto Pantanal of Mato Grosso, Brazil, 2019. Virology 2024; 598:110182. [PMID: 39033587 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2024.110182] [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: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Using Illumina NextSeq sequencing and bioinformatics, we identified and characterized thirty-three viral sequences of unsegmented and multipartite viral families in Aedes spp., Culex sp. and Anopheles darlingi female mosquito pools from Porto São Luiz and Pirizal, Alto Pantanal. Seventeen sequences belong to unsegmented viral families, twelve represent putative novel insect-specific viruses (ISVs) within families Chuviridae (3/33; partial genomes) and coding-complete sequences of Xinmoviridae (1/33), Rhabdoviridae (2/33) and Metaviridae (6/33); and five coding-complete sequences of already-known ISVs. Notably, two putative novel rhabdoviruses, Corixo rhabdovirus 1 and 2, were phylogenetically related to Coxipo dielmovirus, but separated from other Alpharhabdovirinae genera, sharing Anopheles spp. as host. Regarding multipartite families, sixteen segments of different putative novel viruses were identified (13 coding-complete segments) within Durnavirales (4/33), Elliovirales (1/33), Hareavirales (3/33) and Reovirales (8/33) orders. Overall, this study describes twenty-eight (28/33) putative novel ISVs and five (5/33) already described viruses using metagenomics approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janeth Aracely Ramirez Pavon
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, CEP 78060-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Nilvanei Aparecido da Silva Neves
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, CEP 78060-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - João Batista Pinho
- Instituto de Biociências, Laboratório de Ecologia de Aves e Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, CEP 78060-900, Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Vilma Juscineide de Souza
- Coordenadoria de Vigilância Ambiental, Secretaria Estadual de Saúde, Centro Político Administrativo de Mato Grosso, Palácio Paiaguás, CEP 78049-902, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Márcio Roberto Teixeira Nunes
- Laboratório de Tecnologia Biomolecular, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal Do Pará, CEP 66075-110, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Renata Dezengrini Slhessarenko
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, CEP 78060-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
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6
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Baumgartner L, Ipsaro JJ, Hohmann U, Handler D, Schleiffer A, Duchek P, Brennecke J. Evolutionary adaptation of an HP1-protein chromodomain integrates chromatin and DNA sequence signals. eLife 2024; 13:RP93194. [PMID: 38995818 PMCID: PMC11245307 DOI: 10.7554/elife.93194] [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] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Members of the diverse heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) family play crucial roles in heterochromatin formation and maintenance. Despite the similar affinities of their chromodomains for di- and tri-methylated histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9me2/3), different HP1 proteins exhibit distinct chromatin-binding patterns, likely due to interactions with various specificity factors. Previously, we showed that the chromatin-binding pattern of the HP1 protein Rhino, a crucial factor of the Drosophila PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway, is largely defined by a DNA sequence-specific C2H2 zinc finger protein named Kipferl (Baumgartner et al., 2022). Here, we elucidate the molecular basis of the interaction between Rhino and its guidance factor Kipferl. Through phylogenetic analyses, structure prediction, and in vivo genetics, we identify a single amino acid change within Rhino's chromodomain, G31D, that does not affect H3K9me2/3 binding but disrupts the interaction between Rhino and Kipferl. Flies carrying the rhinoG31D mutation phenocopy kipferl mutant flies, with Rhino redistributing from piRNA clusters to satellite repeats, causing pronounced changes in the ovarian piRNA profile of rhinoG31D flies. Thus, Rhino's chromodomain functions as a dual-specificity module, facilitating interactions with both a histone mark and a DNA-binding protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Baumgartner
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jonathan J Ipsaro
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, W.M. Keck Structural Biology Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States
| | - Ulrich Hohmann
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Dominik Handler
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander Schleiffer
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Duchek
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Julius Brennecke
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
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7
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Zhang T, Tan S, Tang N, Li Y, Zhang C, Sun J, Guo Y, Gao H, Cai Y, Sun W, Wang C, Fu L, Ma H, Wu Y, Hu X, Zhang X, Gee P, Yan W, Zhao Y, Chen Q, Guo B, Wang H, Zhang YE. Heterologous survey of 130 DNA transposons in human cells highlights their functional divergence and expands the genome engineering toolbox. Cell 2024; 187:3741-3760.e30. [PMID: 38843831 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.05.007] [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: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
Experimental studies on DNA transposable elements (TEs) have been limited in scale, leading to a lack of understanding of the factors influencing transposition activity, evolutionary dynamics, and application potential as genome engineering tools. We predicted 130 active DNA TEs from 102 metazoan genomes and evaluated their activity in human cells. We identified 40 active (integration-competent) TEs, surpassing the cumulative number (20) of TEs found previously. With this unified comparative data, we found that the Tc1/mariner superfamily exhibits elevated activity, potentially explaining their pervasive horizontal transfers. Further functional characterization of TEs revealed additional divergence in features such as insertion bias. Remarkably, in CAR-T therapy for hematological and solid tumors, Mariner2_AG (MAG), the most active DNA TE identified, largely outperformed two widely used vectors, the lentiviral vector and the TE-based vector SB100X. Overall, this study highlights the varied transposition features and evolutionary dynamics of DNA TEs and increases the TE toolbox diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongtong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Shengjun Tan
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Na Tang
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yuanqing Li
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Chenze Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Efficacy and Mechanism on Chinese Medicine for Metabolic Diseases, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Jing Sun
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yanyan Guo
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Hui Gao
- Rengene Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Beijing 100036, China
| | - Yujia Cai
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Wen Sun
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Chenxin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Liangzheng Fu
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Huijing Ma
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yachao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Hu
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xuechun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Peter Gee
- MaxCyte Inc., Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Weihua Yan
- Cold Spring Biotech Corp., Beijing 100031, China
| | - Yahui Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Qiang Chen
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Baocheng Guo
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Academy of Plateau Science and Sustainability, Qinghai Normal University, Xining 810008, China
| | - Haoyi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Yong E Zhang
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
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8
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Bravo JI, Mizrahi CR, Kim S, Zhang L, Suh Y, Benayoun BA. An eQTL-based approach reveals candidate regulators of LINE-1 RNA levels in lymphoblastoid cells. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011311. [PMID: 38848448 PMCID: PMC11189215 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Long interspersed element 1 (LINE-1; L1) are a family of transposons that occupy ~17% of the human genome. Though a small number of L1 copies remain capable of autonomous transposition, the overwhelming majority of copies are degenerate and immobile. Nevertheless, both mobile and immobile L1s can exert pleiotropic effects (promoting genome instability, inflammation, or cellular senescence) on their hosts, and L1's contributions to aging and aging diseases is an area of active research. However, because of the cell type-specific nature of transposon control, the catalogue of L1 regulators remains incomplete. Here, we employ an eQTL approach leveraging transcriptomic and genomic data from the GEUVADIS and 1000Genomes projects to computationally identify new candidate regulators of L1 RNA levels in lymphoblastoid cell lines. To cement the role of candidate genes in L1 regulation, we experimentally modulate the levels of top candidates in vitro, including IL16, STARD5, HSD17B12, and RNF5, and assess changes in TE family expression by Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). Remarkably, we observe subtle but widespread upregulation of TE family expression following IL16 and STARD5 overexpression. Moreover, a short-term 24-hour exposure to recombinant human IL16 was sufficient to transiently induce subtle, but widespread, upregulation of L1 subfamilies. Finally, we find that many L1 expression-associated genetic variants are co-associated with aging traits across genome-wide association study databases. Our results expand the catalogue of genes implicated in L1 RNA control and further suggest that L1-derived RNA contributes to aging processes. Given the ever-increasing availability of paired genomic and transcriptomic data, we anticipate this new approach to be a starting point for more comprehensive computational scans for regulators of transposon RNA levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan I. Bravo
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Graduate program in the Biology of Aging, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Chanelle R. Mizrahi
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- USC Gerontology Enriching MSTEM to Enhance Diversity in Aging Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Seungsoo Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Lucia Zhang
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Quantitative and Computational Biology Department, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Yousin Suh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Bérénice A. Benayoun
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Molecular and Computational Biology Department, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine Department, USC Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- USC Stem Cell Initiative, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
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9
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Morales E, Prieto-Sánchez MT, Mendiola J, Cutillas-Tolín A, Adoamnei E, Valera-Gran D, Martínez-Graciá C, Santaella-Pascual M, Suárez-Martinez C, Vioque J, Castaños MJ, Del Castillo E, García-Marcos L. Maternal non-compliance with recommended folic acid supplement use alters global DNA methylation in cord blood of newborns: A cohort study. Clin Nutr 2024; 43:1191-1198. [PMID: 38631086 DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2024.04.007] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Prenatal folate exposure may alter epigenetic marks in the offspring. We aimed to evaluate associations between prenatal exposure to folic acid (FA) in preconception and in utero with cord blood DNA methylation in long interspersed nuclear element 1 (LINE-1) and Alu short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs) as markers of global DNA methylation levels. METHODS Data come from 325 mother-child pairs participating in the Nutrition in Early Life and Asthma (NELA) birth cohort (2015-2018). Pregnant women were asked about supplement use, including brand name and dose, one month before pregnancy (preconception) and through the trimesters of pregnancy. Maternal dietary folate intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire with additional questions for FA supplement use. Folate serum levels were measured in mothers at 24 weeks of gestation and in cord blood of newborns. DNA methylation was quantitatively assessed by bisulfite pyrosequencing on 5 LINE-1 and 3 Alu different elements. Associations were estimated using multivariable linear regression models. RESULTS A reduction in methylation levels of LINE-1 in newborns was associated with the use of FA supplements below the recommended doses (<400 ug/day) during preconception (-0.50; 95% CI: -0.91, -0.09; P = 0.016), and from preconception up to 12 weeks of gestation (-0.48; 95% CI: -0.88, -0.08; P = 0.018). Maternal use of FA supplements above the tolerable upper intake level of 1000 ug/day from preconception until 12 weeks of gestation was also related to lower methylation in LINE-1 at birth (-0.77; 95% CI: -1.52, -0.02; P = 0.044). Neither FA supplement use after 12 weeks of gestation nor maternal total folate intake (diet plus supplements) were associated with global DNA methylation levels at birth. CONCLUSIONS Maternal non-compliance with the use of FA supplement recommendations from preconception up to 12 weeks of gestation reduces offspring global DNA methylation levels at birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Morales
- Division of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Department of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain; Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
| | - María Teresa Prieto-Sánchez
- Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain; Materno-Fetal Medicine Unit, Obstetrics and Gynaecology Service, "Virgen de la Arrixaca" University Clinical Hospital, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Jaime Mendiola
- Division of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Department of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain; Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
| | - Ana Cutillas-Tolín
- Division of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Department of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain; Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
| | - Evdochia Adoamnei
- Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain; Department of Nursing, University of Murcia School of Nursing, Murcia, Spain
| | - Desirée Valera-Gran
- Department of Surgery and Pathology, Miguel Hernandez University, 03550 Alicante, Spain; Grupo de Investigación en Terapia Ocupacional (InTeO), Miguel Hernandez University, 03550 Alicante, Spain; Health and Biomedical Research Institute of Alicante, University Miguel Hernandez (ISABIAL-UMH), Alicante, Spain
| | - Carmen Martínez-Graciá
- Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain; Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Marina Santaella-Pascual
- Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain; Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Clara Suárez-Martinez
- Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain; Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Jesús Vioque
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Health and Biomedical Research Institute of Alicante, University Miguel Hernandez (ISABIAL-UMH), Alicante, Spain
| | - María Jesús Castaños
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Service, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Clinical Hospital, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Eva Del Castillo
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Service, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Clinical Hospital, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Luis García-Marcos
- Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain; Paediatric Allergy and Pulmonology Units, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Children's Hospital, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain; ARADyAL Allergy Network, Madrid, Spain
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10
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Terrazzan A, Vanini R, Ancona P, Bianchi N, Taccioli C, Aguiari G. State-of-the-art in transposable element modulation affected by drugs in malignant prostatic cancer cells. J Cell Biochem 2024; 125:e30557. [PMID: 38501160 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Over recent years, the investigation of transposable elements (TEs) has granted researchers a deeper comprehension of their characteristics and functions, particularly regarding their significance in the mechanisms contributing to cancer development. This manuscript focuses on prostate carcinoma cell lines and offers a comprehensive review intended to scrutinize the associations and interactions between TEs and genes, as well as their response to treatment using various chemical drugs, emphasizing their involvement in cancer progression. We assembled a compendium of articles retrieved from the PubMed database to construct networks demonstrating correlations with genes and pharmaceuticals. In doing so, we linked the transposition of certain TE types to the expression of specific transcripts directly implicated in carcinogenesis. Additionally, we underline that treatment employing different drugs revealed unique patterns of TE reactivation. Our hypothesis gathers the current understanding and guides research toward evidence-based investigations, emphasizing the association between antiviral drugs, chemotherapy, and the reduced expression of TEs in patients affected by prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Terrazzan
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
- Laboratory for Advanced Therapy Technologies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Riccardo Vanini
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Pietro Ancona
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Bianchi
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Cristian Taccioli
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health (MAPS), University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Gianluca Aguiari
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
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11
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Garza AB, Lerat E, Girgis HZ. Look4LTRs: a Long terminal repeat retrotransposon detection tool capable of cross species studies and discovering recently nested repeats. Mob DNA 2024; 15:8. [PMID: 38627766 PMCID: PMC11020628 DOI: 10.1186/s13100-024-00317-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Plant genomes include large numbers of transposable elements. One particular type of these elements is flanked by two Long Terminal Repeats (LTRs) and can translocate using RNA. Such elements are known as LTR-retrotransposons; they are the most abundant type of transposons in plant genomes. They have many important functions involving gene regulation and the rise of new genes and pseudo genes in response to severe stress. Additionally, LTR-retrotransposons have several applications in biotechnology. Due to the abundance and the importance of LTR-retrotransposons, multiple computational tools have been developed for their detection. However, none of these tools take advantages of the availability of related genomes; they process one chromosome at a time. Further, recently nested LTR-retrotransposons (multiple elements of the same family are inserted into each other) cannot be annotated accurately - or cannot be annotated at all - by the currently available tools. Motivated to overcome these two limitations, we built Look4LTRs, which can annotate LTR-retrotransposons in multiple related genomes simultaneously and discover recently nested elements. The methodology of Look4LTRs depends on techniques imported from the signal-processing field, graph algorithms, and machine learning with a minimal use of alignment algorithms. Four plant genomes were used in developing Look4LTRs and eight plant genomes for evaluating it in contrast to three related tools. Look4LTRs is the fastest while maintaining better or comparable F1 scores (the harmonic average of recall and precision) to those obtained by the other tools. Our results demonstrate the added benefit of annotating LTR-retrotransposons in multiple related genomes simultaneously and the ability to discover recently nested elements. Expert human manual examination of six elements - not included in the ground truth - revealed that three elements belong to known families and two elements are likely from new families. With respect to examining recently nested LTR-retrotransposons, three out of five were confirmed to be valid elements. Look4LTRs - with its speed, accuracy, and novel features - represents a true advancement in the annotation of LTR-retrotransposons, opening the door to many studies focused on understanding their functions in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony B Garza
- Bioinformatics Toolsmith Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Texas A &M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, Texas, USA
| | - Emmanuelle Lerat
- The Biometrics and Evolutionary Biology Laboratory, University Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Hani Z Girgis
- Bioinformatics Toolsmith Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Texas A &M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, Texas, USA.
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12
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Oomen ME, Torres-Padilla ME. Jump-starting life: balancing transposable element co-option and genome integrity in the developing mammalian embryo. EMBO Rep 2024; 25:1721-1733. [PMID: 38528171 PMCID: PMC11015026 DOI: 10.1038/s44319-024-00118-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Remnants of transposable elements (TEs) are widely expressed throughout mammalian embryo development. Originally infesting our genomes as selfish elements and acting as a source of genome instability, several of these elements have been co-opted as part of a complex system of genome regulation. Many TEs have lost transposition ability and their transcriptional potential has been tampered as a result of interactions with the host throughout evolutionary time. It has been proposed that TEs have been ultimately repurposed to function as gene regulatory hubs scattered throughout our genomes. In the early embryo in particular, TEs find a perfect environment of naïve chromatin to escape transcriptional repression by the host. As a consequence, it is thought that hosts found ways to co-opt TE sequences to regulate large-scale changes in chromatin and transcription state of their genomes. In this review, we discuss several examples of TEs expressed during embryo development, their potential for co-option in genome regulation and the evolutionary pressures on TEs and on our genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlies E Oomen
- Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells, Helmholtz Zentrum München, München, Germany
| | - Maria-Elena Torres-Padilla
- Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells, Helmholtz Zentrum München, München, Germany.
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, München, Germany.
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13
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Lee M, Ahmad SF, Xu J. Regulation and function of transposable elements in cancer genomes. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:157. [PMID: 38556602 PMCID: PMC10982106 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05195-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Over half of human genomic DNA is composed of repetitive sequences generated throughout evolution by prolific mobile genetic parasites called transposable elements (TEs). Long disregarded as "junk" or "selfish" DNA, TEs are increasingly recognized as formative elements in genome evolution, wired intimately into the structure and function of the human genome. Advances in sequencing technologies and computational methods have ushered in an era of unprecedented insight into how TE activity impacts human biology in health and disease. Here we discuss the current views on how TEs have shaped the regulatory landscape of the human genome, how TE activity is implicated in human cancers, and how recent findings motivate novel strategies to leverage TE activity for improved cancer therapy. Given the crucial role of methodological advances in TE biology, we pair our conceptual discussions with an in-depth review of the inherent technical challenges in studying repeats, specifically related to structural variation, expression analyses, and chromatin regulation. Lastly, we provide a catalog of existing and emerging assays and bioinformatic software that altogether are enabling the most sophisticated and comprehensive investigations yet into the regulation and function of interspersed repeats in cancer genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
| | - Syed Farhan Ahmad
- Department of Pathology, Center of Excellence for Leukemia Studies, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place - MS 345, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Jian Xu
- Department of Pathology, Center of Excellence for Leukemia Studies, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place - MS 345, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA.
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14
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Kutnowski N, Ghanim GE, Lee Y, Rio DC. Activity of zebrafish THAP9 transposase and zebrafish P element-like transposons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.22.586318. [PMID: 38562726 PMCID: PMC10983969 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.22.586318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Transposable elements are mobile DNA segments that are found ubiquitously across the three domains of life. One family of transposons, called P elements, were discovered in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Since their discovery, P element transposase-homologous genes (called THAP-domain containing 9 or THAP9) have been discovered in other animal genomes. Here, we show that the zebrafish (Danio rerio) genome contains both an active THAP9 transposase (zfTHAP9) and mobile P-like transposable elements (called Pdre). zfTHAP9 transposase can excise one of its own elements (Pdre2) and Drosophila P elements. Drosophila P element transposase (DmTNP) is also able to excise the zebrafish Pdre2 element, even though it's distinct from the Drosophila P element. However, zfTHAP9 cannot transpose Pdre2 or Drosophila P elements, indicating partial transposase activity. Characterization of the N-terminal THAP DNA binding domain of zfTHAP9 shows distinct DNA binding site preferences from DmTNP and mutation of the zfTHAP9, based on known mutations in DmTNP, generated a hyperactive protein,. These results define an active vertebrate THAP9 transposase that can act on the endogenous zebrafish Pdre and Drosophila P elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nitzan Kutnowski
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - George E Ghanim
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Yeon Lee
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Donald C Rio
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
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15
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Du Z, Chen C, Zheng Y, Wang X, Song C. Retroviral Insertion Polymorphism (RIP) of Porcine Endogenous Retroviruses (PERVs) in Pig Genomes. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:621. [PMID: 38396589 PMCID: PMC10886097 DOI: 10.3390/ani14040621] [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: 12/25/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are one of the superfamilies of long terminal repeat retrotransposons (LTRs) in mice and humans. Approximately 8% of the pig genome is composed of sequences derived from LTRs. While the majority of ERVs in pigs have decayed, a small number of full-length copies can still mobilize within the genome. This study investigated the unexplored retroviral insertion polymorphisms (RIPs) generated by the mobilization of full-length ERVs (Fl-ERVs), and evaluated their impact on phenotypic variation to gain insights into the biological role of Fl-ERVs in pigs. Overall, 39 RIPs (insertions or deletions relative to the pig reference genome) generated by Fl-ERVs were predicted by comparative genomic analysis, and 18 of them were confirmed by PCR detection. Four RIP sites (D5, D14, D15, and D18) were further evaluated by population analysis, and all of them displayed polymorphisms in multiple breeds. The RIP site of ERV-D14, which is a Fl-ERV inserted in the STAB2-like gene, was further confirmed by sequencing. Population analysis of the polymorphic site of ERV-D14 reveals that it presents moderate polymorphism information in the Large White pig breed, and the association analysis reveals that the RIP of ERV-D14 is associated with age variations at 30 kg body weight (p < 0.05) and 100 kg body weight (p < 0.01) in the population of Large White pigs (N = 480). Furthermore, the ERV-D14 RIP is associated with changes in the expression of the target gene STAB2-like in the liver, backfat, and leaf fat in Sushan pigs. These data suggest that some Fl-ERVs are still mobilizing in the pig's genome, and contribute to genomic and phenotypic variations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanyu Du
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (Z.D.); (C.C.); (Y.Z.); (X.W.)
- College of Grassland Resources, Institute of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610225, China
| | - Cai Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (Z.D.); (C.C.); (Y.Z.); (X.W.)
| | - Yao Zheng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (Z.D.); (C.C.); (Y.Z.); (X.W.)
| | - Xiaoyan Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (Z.D.); (C.C.); (Y.Z.); (X.W.)
| | - Chengyi Song
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (Z.D.); (C.C.); (Y.Z.); (X.W.)
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16
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Wu Q, Yang Y, Lin C. Exploration of Diagnostic Markers Associated with Inflammation in Chronic Kidney Disease Based on WGCNA and Machine Learning. Crit Rev Immunol 2024; 44:15-25. [PMID: 38618725 DOI: 10.1615/critrevimmunol.2024051277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common disorder related to inflammatory pathways; its effective management remains limited. This study aimed to use bioinformatics analysis to find diagnostic markers that might be therapeutic targets for CKD. CKD microarray datasets were screened from the GEO database and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in CKD dataset GSE98603 were analyzed. Gene set variation analysis (GSVA) was used to explore the activity scores of the inflammatory pathways and samples. Algorithms such as weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and Lasso were used to screen CKD diagnostic markers related to inflammation. Then functional enrichment analysis of inflammation-related DEGs was performed. ROC curves were conducted to examine the diagnostic value of inflammation-related hub-genes. Lastly, quantitative real-time PCR further verified the prediction of bioinformatics. A total of 71 inflammation-related DEGs were obtained, of which 5 were hub genes. Enrichment analysis showed that these genes were significantly enriched in inflammation-related pathways (NF-κB, JAK-STAT, and MAPK signaling pathways). ROC curves showed that the 5 CKD diagnostic markers (TIGD7, ACTA2, ACTG2, MAP4K4, and HOXA11) also exhibited good diagnostic value. In addition, TIGD7, ACTA2, ACTG2, and HOXA11 expression was downregulated while MAP4K4 expression was upregulated in LPS-induced HK-2 cells. The present study identified TIGD7, ACTA2, ACTG2, MAP4K4, and HOXA11 as reliable CKD diagnostic markers, thereby providing a basis for further understanding of CKD in clinical treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianjia Wu
- Department of Nephrology, Wenzhou TCM Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Wenzhou TCM Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University
| | - Chongze Lin
- Department of Nephrology, Wenzhou TCM Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, China
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17
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Baba Y, Yasuda N, Bundo M, Nakachi Y, Ueda J, Ishimoto T, Iwatsuki M, Miyamoto Y, Yoshida N, Oshiumi H, Iwamoto K, Baba H. LINE-1 hypomethylation, increased retrotransposition and tumor-specific insertion in upper gastrointestinal cancer. Cancer Sci 2024; 115:247-256. [PMID: 38013627 PMCID: PMC10823286 DOI: 10.1111/cas.16007] [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: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1) retrotransposons are a major family of mobile genetic elements, comprising approximately 17% of the human genome. The methylation state of LINE-1 is often used as an indicator of global DNA methylation levels and it regulates the retrotransposition and somatic insertion of the genetic element. We have previously reported the significant relationship between LINE-1 hypomethylation and poor prognosis in upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. However, the causal relationships between LINE-1 hypomethylation, retrotransposition, and tumor-specific insertion in upper GI cancers remain unknown. We used bisulfite-pyrosequencing and quantitative real-time PCR to verify LINE-1 methylation and copy number in tissue samples of 101 patients with esophageal and 103 patients with gastric cancer. Furthermore, we analyzed the LINE-1 retrotransposition profile with an originally developed L1Hs-seq. In tumor samples, LINE-1 methylation levels were significantly lower than non-tumor controls, while LINE-1 copy numbers were markedly increased. As such, there was a significant inverse correlation between the LINE-1 methylation level and copy number in tumor tissues, with lower LINE-1 methylation levels corresponding to higher LINE-1 copy numbers. Of particular importance is that somatic LINE-1 insertions were more numerous in tumor than normal tissues. Furthermore, we observed that LINE-1 was inserted evenly across all chromosomes, and most often within genomic regions associated with tumor-suppressive genes. LINE-1 hypomethylation in upper GI cancers is related to increased LINE-1 retrotransposition and tumor-specific insertion events, which may collectively contribute to the acquisition of aggressive tumor features through the inactivation of tumor-suppressive genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshifumi Baba
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical ScienceKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
- Department of Next‐Generation Surgical Therapy DevelopmentKumamoto University HospitalKumamotoJapan
| | - Noriko Yasuda
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical ScienceKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Miki Bundo
- Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical SciencesKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Yutaka Nakachi
- Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical SciencesKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Junko Ueda
- Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical SciencesKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Takatsugu Ishimoto
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical ScienceKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Masaaki Iwatsuki
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical ScienceKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Yuji Miyamoto
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical ScienceKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Naoya Yoshida
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical ScienceKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Hiroyuki Oshiumi
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Life SciencesKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Kazuya Iwamoto
- Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical SciencesKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Hideo Baba
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical ScienceKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
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18
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Feldmeyer B, Bornberg-Bauer E, Dohmen E, Fouks B, Heckenhauer J, Huylmans AK, Jones ARC, Stolle E, Harrison MC. Comparative Evolutionary Genomics in Insects. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2802:473-514. [PMID: 38819569 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3838-5_16] [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: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Genome sequencing quality, in terms of both read length and accuracy, is constantly improving. By combining long-read sequencing technologies with various scaffolding techniques, chromosome-level genome assemblies are now achievable at an affordable price for non-model organisms. Insects represent an exciting taxon for studying the genomic underpinnings of evolutionary innovations, due to ancient origins, immense species-richness, and broad phenotypic diversity. Here we summarize some of the most important methods for carrying out a comparative genomics study on insects. We describe available tools and offer concrete tips on all stages of such an endeavor from DNA extraction through genome sequencing, annotation, and several evolutionary analyses. Along the way we describe important insect-specific aspects, such as DNA extraction difficulties or gene families that are particularly difficult to annotate, and offer solutions. We describe results from several examples of comparative genomics analyses on insects to illustrate the fascinating questions that can now be addressed in this new age of genomics research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Feldmeyer
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Molecular Ecology, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Erich Bornberg-Bauer
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Elias Dohmen
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Bertrand Fouks
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Jacqueline Heckenhauer
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Terrestrial Zoology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Ann Kathrin Huylmans
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Alun R C Jones
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Eckart Stolle
- Museum Koenig, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB), Bonn, Germany
| | - Mark C Harrison
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
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19
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Kim SJ, Kiser PK, Asfaha S, DeKoter RP, Dick FA. EZH2 inhibition stimulates repetitive element expression and viral mimicry in resting splenic B cells. EMBO J 2023; 42:e114462. [PMID: 37934086 PMCID: PMC10711652 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2023114462] [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: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian cells repress expression of repetitive genomic sequences by forming heterochromatin. However, the consequences of ectopic repeat expression remain unclear. Here we demonstrate that inhibitors of EZH2, the catalytic subunit of the Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), stimulate repeat misexpression and cell death in resting splenic B cells. B cells are uniquely sensitive to these agents because they exhibit high levels of histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) and correspondingly low DNA methylation at repeat elements. We generated a pattern recognition receptor loss-of-function mouse model, called RIC, with mutations in Rigi (encoding for RIG-I), Ifih1 (MDA5), and Cgas. In both wildtype and RIC mutant B cells, EZH2 inhibition caused loss of H3K27me3 at repetitive elements and upregulated their expression. However, NF-κB-dependent expression of inflammatory chemokines and subsequent cell death was suppressed by the RIC mutations. We further show that inhibition of EZH2 in cancer cells requires the same pattern recognition receptors to activate an interferon response. Together, the results reveal chemokine expression induced by EZH2 inhibitors in B cells as a novel inflammatory response to genomic repeat expression. Given the overlap of genes induced by EZH2 inhibitors and Epstein-Barr virus infection, this response can be described as a form of viral mimicry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung J Kim
- London Regional Cancer ProgramChildren's Health Research InstituteLondonONCanada
- London Health Sciences Research InstituteLondonONCanada
- Department of BiochemistryWestern UniversityLondonONCanada
| | - Patti K Kiser
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineWestern UniversityLondonONCanada
| | - Samuel Asfaha
- London Regional Cancer ProgramChildren's Health Research InstituteLondonONCanada
- London Health Sciences Research InstituteLondonONCanada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineWestern UniversityLondonONCanada
- Department of MedicineWestern UniversityLondonONCanada
| | - Rodney P DeKoter
- Department of Microbiology & ImmunologyWestern UniversityLondonONCanada
| | - Frederick A Dick
- London Regional Cancer ProgramChildren's Health Research InstituteLondonONCanada
- London Health Sciences Research InstituteLondonONCanada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineWestern UniversityLondonONCanada
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20
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Bravo JI, Mizrahi CR, Kim S, Zhang L, Suh Y, Benayoun BA. An eQTL-based Approach Reveals Candidate Regulators of LINE-1 RNA Levels in Lymphoblastoid Cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.15.553416. [PMID: 37645920 PMCID: PMC10461994 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.15.553416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Long interspersed element 1 (L1) are a family of autonomous, actively mobile transposons that occupy ~17% of the human genome. A number of pleiotropic effects induced by L1 (promoting genome instability, inflammation, or cellular senescence) have been observed, and L1's contributions to aging and aging diseases is an area of active research. However, because of the cell type-specific nature of transposon control, the catalogue of L1 regulators remains incomplete. Here, we employ an eQTL approach leveraging transcriptomic and genomic data from the GEUVADIS and 1000Genomes projects to computationally identify new candidate regulators of L1 RNA levels in lymphoblastoid cell lines. To cement the role of candidate genes in L1 regulation, we experimentally modulate the levels of top candidates in vitro, including IL16, STARD5, HSDB17B12, and RNF5, and assess changes in TE family expression by Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). Remarkably, we observe subtle but widespread upregulation of TE family expression following IL16 and STARD5 overexpression. Moreover, a short-term 24-hour exposure to recombinant human IL16 was sufficient to transiently induce subtle, but widespread, upregulation of L1 subfamilies. Finally, we find that many L1 expression-associated genetic variants are co-associated with aging traits across genome-wide association study databases. Our results expand the catalogue of genes implicated in L1 RNA control and further suggest that L1-derived RNA contributes to aging processes. Given the ever-increasing availability of paired genomic and transcriptomic data, we anticipate this new approach to be a starting point for more comprehensive computational scans for transposon transcriptional regulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan I. Bravo
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Graduate program in the Biology of Aging, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Chanelle R. Mizrahi
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- USC Gerontology Enriching MSTEM to Enhance Diversity in Aging Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Seungsoo Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Lucia Zhang
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Quantitative and Computational Biology Department, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Yousin Suh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Bérénice A. Benayoun
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Molecular and Computational Biology Department, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine Department, USC Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- USC Stem Cell Initiative, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
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21
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Martin EC, Le Targa L, Tsakou-Ngouafo L, Fan TP, Lin CY, Xiao J, Huang Z, Yuan S, Xu A, Su YH, Petrescu AJ, Pontarotti P, Schatz DG. Insights into RAG Evolution from the Identification of "Missing Link" Family A RAGL Transposons. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:msad232. [PMID: 37850912 PMCID: PMC10629977 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
A series of "molecular domestication" events are thought to have converted an invertebrate RAG-like (RAGL) transposase into the RAG1-RAG2 (RAG) recombinase, a critical enzyme for adaptive immunity in jawed vertebrates. The timing and order of these events are not well understood, in part because of a dearth of information regarding the invertebrate RAGL-A transposon family. In contrast to the abundant and divergent RAGL-B transposon family, RAGL-A most closely resembles RAG and is represented by a single orphan RAG1-like (RAG1L) gene in the genome of the hemichordate Ptychodera flava (PflRAG1L-A). Here, we provide evidence for the existence of complete RAGL-A transposons in the genomes of P. flava and several echinoderms. The predicted RAG1L-A and RAG2L-A proteins encoded by these transposons intermingle sequence features of jawed vertebrate RAG and RAGL-B transposases, leading to a prediction of DNA binding, catalytic, and transposition activities that are a hybrid of RAG and RAGL-B. Similarly, the terminal inverted repeats (TIRs) of the RAGL-A transposons combine features of both RAGL-B transposon TIRs and RAG recombination signal sequences. Unlike all previously described RAG2L proteins, RAG2L-A proteins contain an acidic hinge region, which we demonstrate is capable of efficiently inhibiting RAG-mediated transposition. Our findings provide evidence for a critical intermediate in RAG evolution and argue that certain adaptations thought to be specific to jawed vertebrates (e.g. the RAG2 acidic hinge) actually arose in invertebrates, thereby focusing attention on other adaptations as the pivotal steps in the completion of RAG domestication in jawed vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliza C Martin
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520-8011, USA
| | - Lorlane Le Targa
- Aix-Marseille Université, IRD, APHM, MEPHI, IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille 13005, France
| | - Louis Tsakou-Ngouafo
- Aix-Marseille Université, IRD, APHM, MEPHI, IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille 13005, France
| | - Tzu-Pei Fan
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Che-Yi Lin
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Jianxiong Xiao
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520-8011, USA
| | - Ziwen Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Functional Genes, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Shaochun Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Functional Genes, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Anlong Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Functional Genes, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
- School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Yi-Hsien Su
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Andrei-Jose Petrescu
- Department of Bioinformatics and Structural Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy, 060031 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Pierre Pontarotti
- Aix-Marseille Université, IRD, APHM, MEPHI, IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille 13005, France
- CNRS SNC 5039, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - David G Schatz
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520-8011, USA
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22
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Khan M, Shah S, Lv B, Lv Z, Ji N, Song Z, Wu P, Wang X, Mehmood A. Molecular Mechanisms of Alu and LINE-1 Interspersed Repetitive Sequences Reveal Diseases of Visual System Dysfunction. Ocul Immunol Inflamm 2023; 31:1848-1858. [PMID: 36040959 DOI: 10.1080/09273948.2022.2112238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs) and long interspersed nuclear elements (LINE-1s) are the abundant and well-characterized repetitive elements in the human genome. METHODS For this review, all relevant original research studies were assessed by searching electronic databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, by using relevant keywords. Accumulating evidence indicates that the disorder of gene expression regulated by these repetitive sequences is one of the causes of the diseases of visual system dysfunction, including retinal degenerations, glaucoma, retinitis punctata albescens, retinitis pigmentosa, geographic atrophy, and age-related macular degeneration, suggesting that SINEs and LINE-1s may have great potential implications in ophthalmology. RESULTS Alu elements belonging to the SINEs are present in more than one million copies, comprising 10% of the human genome. CONCLUSION This study offers recent advances in Alu and LINE-1 mechanisms in the development of eye diseases. The current study could advance our knowledge of the roles of SINEs and LINE-1s in the developing process of eye diseases, suggesting new diagnostic biomarkers, therapeutic strategies, and significant points for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murad Khan
- Department of Genetics, Hebei Medical University, Hebei Key Lab of Laboratory Animal, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Suleman Shah
- Department of Genetics, Hebei Medical University, Hebei Key Lab of Laboratory Animal, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Baixue Lv
- Department of Ultrasound, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Zhanjun Lv
- Department of Genetics, Hebei Medical University, Hebei Key Lab of Laboratory Animal, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Ning Ji
- Department of Genetics, Hebei Medical University, Hebei Key Lab of Laboratory Animal, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Zhixue Song
- Department of Genetics, Hebei Medical University, Hebei Key Lab of Laboratory Animal, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Peiyuan Wu
- Department of Genetics, Hebei Medical University, Hebei Key Lab of Laboratory Animal, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Xiufang Wang
- Department of Genetics, Hebei Medical University, Hebei Key Lab of Laboratory Animal, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Arshad Mehmood
- Department of Neurology, the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, City Shijiazhuang, P.R. China
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23
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Zhao P, Gu L, Gao Y, Pan Z, Liu L, Li X, Zhou H, Yu D, Han X, Qian L, Liu GE, Fang L, Wang Z. Young SINEs in pig genomes impact gene regulation, genetic diversity, and complex traits. Commun Biol 2023; 6:894. [PMID: 37652983 PMCID: PMC10471783 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05234-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are a major source of genetic polymorphisms and play a role in chromatin architecture, gene regulatory networks, and genomic evolution. However, their functional role in pigs and contributions to complex traits are largely unknown. We created a catalog of TEs (n = 3,087,929) in pigs and found that young SINEs were predominantly silenced by histone modifications, DNA methylation, and decreased accessibility. However, some transcripts from active young SINEs showed high tissue-specificity, as confirmed by analyzing 3570 RNA-seq samples. We also detected 211,067 dimorphic SINEs in 374 individuals, including 340 population-specific ones associated with local adaptation. Mapping these dimorphic SINEs to genome-wide associations of 97 complex traits in pigs, we found 54 candidate genes (e.g., ANK2 and VRTN) that might be mediated by TEs. Our findings highlight the important roles of young SINEs and provide a supplement for genotype-to-phenotype associations and modern breeding in pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengju Zhao
- Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Yongyou Industry Park, Yazhou Bay Sci-Tech City, Sanya, 572000, China
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Lihong Gu
- Institute of Animal Science & Veterinary Medicine, Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 14 Xingdan Road, Haikou, 571100, China
| | - Yahui Gao
- Animal Genomics and Improvement Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA
| | - Zhangyuan Pan
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Lei Liu
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, 518124, China
| | - Xingzheng Li
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, 518124, China
| | - Huaijun Zhou
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Dongyou Yu
- Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Yongyou Industry Park, Yazhou Bay Sci-Tech City, Sanya, 572000, China
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Xinyan Han
- Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Yongyou Industry Park, Yazhou Bay Sci-Tech City, Sanya, 572000, China
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Lichun Qian
- Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Yongyou Industry Park, Yazhou Bay Sci-Tech City, Sanya, 572000, China
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - George E Liu
- Animal Genomics and Improvement Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA.
| | - Lingzhao Fang
- Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark.
| | - Zhengguang Wang
- Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Yongyou Industry Park, Yazhou Bay Sci-Tech City, Sanya, 572000, China.
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
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24
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Sturm Á, Saskői É, Hotzi B, Tarnóci A, Barna J, Bodnár F, Sharma H, Kovács T, Ari E, Weinhardt N, Kerepesi C, Perczel A, Ivics Z, Vellai T. Downregulation of transposable elements extends lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5278. [PMID: 37644049 PMCID: PMC10465613 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40957-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Mobility of transposable elements (TEs) frequently leads to insertional mutations in functional DNA regions. In the potentially immortal germline, TEs are effectively suppressed by the Piwi-piRNA pathway. However, in the genomes of ageing somatic cells lacking the effects of the pathway, TEs become increasingly mobile during the adult lifespan, and their activity is associated with genomic instability. Whether the progressively increasing mobilization of TEs is a cause or a consequence of ageing remains a fundamental problem in biology. Here we show that in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, the downregulation of active TE families extends lifespan. Ectopic activation of Piwi proteins in the soma also promotes longevity. Furthermore, DNA N6-adenine methylation at TE stretches gradually rises with age, and this epigenetic modification elevates their transcription as the animal ages. These results indicate that TEs represent a novel genetic determinant of ageing, and that N6-adenine methylation plays a pivotal role in ageing control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ádám Sturm
- Department of Genetics, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), 1117, Budapest, Hungary
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH)-ELTE Genetics Research Group, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Éva Saskői
- Department of Genetics, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Bernadette Hotzi
- Department of Genetics, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anna Tarnóci
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH)-ELTE Genetics Research Group, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - János Barna
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH)-ELTE Genetics Research Group, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Bodnár
- Department of Genetics, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Himani Sharma
- Department of Genetics, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tibor Kovács
- Department of Genetics, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Eszter Ari
- Department of Genetics, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), 1117, Budapest, Hungary
- HCEMM-BRC Metabolic Systems Biology Research Group, 6726, Szeged, Hungary
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Temesvári krt. 62, 6726, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Nóra Weinhardt
- Department of Genetics, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Csaba Kerepesi
- Institute for Computer Science and Control (SZTAKI), 1111, Budapest, Hungary
- Brigham and Women's Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - András Perczel
- Laboratory of Structural Chemistry and Biology & Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA)-ELTE Protein Modelling Research Group, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Ivics
- Division of Medical Biotechnology, Paul Ehrlich Institute, 63225, Langen, Germany
| | - Tibor Vellai
- Department of Genetics, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), 1117, Budapest, Hungary.
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH)-ELTE Genetics Research Group, 1117, Budapest, Hungary.
- Vellab Biotech Ltd., 6722, Szeged, Hungary.
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25
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Chakrabarty P, Sen R, Sengupta S. From parasites to partners: exploring the intricacies of host-transposon dynamics and coevolution. Funct Integr Genomics 2023; 23:278. [PMID: 37610667 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-023-01206-w] [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: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Transposable elements, often referred to as "jumping genes," have long been recognized as genomic parasites due to their ability to integrate and disrupt normal gene function and induce extensive genomic alterations, thereby compromising the host's fitness. To counteract this, the host has evolved a plethora of mechanisms to suppress the activity of the transposons. Recent research has unveiled the host-transposon relationships to be nuanced and complex phenomena, resulting in the coevolution of both entities. Transposition increases the mutational rate in the host genome, often triggering physiological pathways such as immune and stress responses. Current gene transfer technologies utilizing transposable elements have potential drawbacks, including off-target integration, induction of mutations, and modifications of cellular machinery, which makes an in-depth understanding of the host-transposon relationship imperative. This review highlights the dynamic interplay between the host and transposable elements, encompassing various factors and components of the cellular machinery. We provide a comprehensive discussion of the strategies employed by transposable elements for their propagation, as well as the mechanisms utilized by the host to mitigate their parasitic effects. Additionally, we present an overview of recent research identifying host proteins that act as facilitators or inhibitors of transposition. We further discuss the evolutionary outcomes resulting from the genetic interactions between the host and the transposable elements. Finally, we pose open questions in this field and suggest potential avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prayas Chakrabarty
- Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University Kolkata, 86/1 College Street, Kolkata, 700073, India
| | - Raneet Sen
- Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University Kolkata, 86/1 College Street, Kolkata, 700073, India
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Department of RNA Metabolism, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Sugopa Sengupta
- Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University Kolkata, 86/1 College Street, Kolkata, 700073, India.
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Martin EC, Le Targa L, Tsakou-Ngouafo L, Fan TP, Lin CY, Xiao J, Su YH, Petrescu AJ, Pontarotti P, Schatz DG. Insights into RAG evolution from the identification of "missing link" family A RAGL transposons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.20.553239. [PMID: 37645967 PMCID: PMC10462144 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.20.553239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
A series of "molecular domestication" events are thought to have converted an invertebrate RAG-like (RAGL) transposase into the RAG1-RAG2 (RAG) recombinase, a critical enzyme for adaptive immunity in jawed vertebrates. The timing and order of these events is not well understood, in part because of a dearth of information regarding the invertebrate RAGL-A transposon family. In contrast to the abundant and divergent RAGL-B transposon family, RAGL-A most closely resembles RAG and is represented by a single orphan RAG1-like (RAG1L) gene in the genome of the hemichordate Ptychodera flava (PflRAG1L-A). Here, we provide evidence for the existence of complete RAGL-A transposons in the genomes of P. flava and several echinoderms. The predicted RAG1L-A and RAG2L-A proteins encoded by these transposons intermingle sequence features of jawed vertebrate RAG and RAGL-B transposases, leading to a prediction of DNA binding, catalytic, and transposition activities that are a hybrid of RAG and RAGL-B. Similarly, the terminal inverted repeats (TIRs) of the RAGL-A transposons combine features of both RAGL-B transposon TIRs and RAG recombination signal sequences. Unlike all previously described RAG2L proteins, PflRAG2L-A and echinoderm RAG2L-A contain an acidic hinge region, which we demonstrate is capable of efficiently inhibiting RAG-mediated transposition. Our findings provide evidence for a critical intermediate in RAG evolution and argue that certain adaptations thought to be specific to jawed vertebrates (e.g., the RAG2 acidic hinge) actually arose in invertebrates, thereby focusing attention on other adaptations as the pivotal steps in the completion of RAG domestication in jawed vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliza C. Martin
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, 300 Cedar Street, Box 208011, New Haven, CT, 06520-8011, United States
| | - Lorlane Le Targa
- Aix-Marseille Université, IRD, APHM, MEPHI, IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille France
| | - Louis Tsakou-Ngouafo
- Aix-Marseille Université, IRD, APHM, MEPHI, IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille France
| | - Tzu-Pei Fan
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Rd., Sec. 2, Nankang, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Che-Yi Lin
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Rd., Sec. 2, Nankang, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Jianxiong Xiao
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, 300 Cedar Street, Box 208011, New Haven, CT, 06520-8011, United States
| | - Yi Hsien Su
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Rd., Sec. 2, Nankang, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Andrei-Jose Petrescu
- Department of Bioinformatics and Structural Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy, Splaiul Independentei 296, 060031, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Pierre Pontarotti
- Aix-Marseille Université, IRD, APHM, MEPHI, IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille France
- CNRS SNC 5039, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - David G. Schatz
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, 300 Cedar Street, Box 208011, New Haven, CT, 06520-8011, United States
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Amor H, Alkhaled Y, Bibi R, Hammadeh ME, Jankowski PM. The Impact of Heavy Smoking on Male Infertility and Its Correlation with the Expression Levels of the PTPRN2 and PGAM5 Genes. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1617. [PMID: 37628668 PMCID: PMC10454138 DOI: 10.3390/genes14081617] [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: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Smoking has been linked to male infertility by affecting the sperm epigenome and genome. In this study, we aimed to determine possible changes in the transcript levels of PGAM5 (the phosphoglycerate mutase family member 5), PTPRN2 (protein tyrosine phosphatase, N2-type receptor), and TYRO3 (tyrosine protein kinase receptor) in heavy smokers compared to non-smokers, and to investigate their association with the fundamental sperm parameters. In total, 118 sperm samples (63 heavy-smokers (G1) and 55 non-smokers (G2)) were included in this study. A semen analysis was performed according to the WHO guidelines. After a total RNA extraction, RT-PCR was used to quantify the transcript levels of the studied genes. In G1, a significant decrease in the standard semen parameters in comparison to the non-smokers was shown (p < 0.05). Moreover, PGAM5 and PTPRN2 were differentially expressed (p ≤ 0.03 and p ≤ 0.01, respectively) and downregulated in the spermatozoa of G1 compared to G2. In contrast, no difference was observed for TYRO3 (p ≤ 0.3). In G1, the mRNA expression level of the studied genes was correlated negatively with motility, sperm count, normal form, vitality, and sperm membrane integrity (p < 0.05). Therefore, smoking may affect gene expression and male fertility by altering the DNA methylation patterns in the genes associated with fertility and sperm quality, including PGAM5, PTPRN2, and TYRO3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houda Amor
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Saarland University Clinic, 66424 Homburg, Germany
| | - Yaser Alkhaled
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Saarland University Clinic, 66424 Homburg, Germany
| | - Riffat Bibi
- Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan;
| | - Mohamad Eid Hammadeh
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Saarland University Clinic, 66424 Homburg, Germany
| | - Peter Michael Jankowski
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Saarland University Clinic, 66424 Homburg, Germany
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Laufer VA, Glover TW, Wilson TE. Applications of advanced technologies for detecting genomic structural variation. MUTATION RESEARCH. REVIEWS IN MUTATION RESEARCH 2023; 792:108475. [PMID: 37931775 PMCID: PMC10792551 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2023.108475] [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: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Chromosomal structural variation (SV) encompasses a heterogenous class of genetic variants that exerts strong influences on human health and disease. Despite their importance, many structural variants (SVs) have remained poorly characterized at even a basic level, a discrepancy predicated upon the technical limitations of prior genomic assays. However, recent advances in genomic technology can identify and localize SVs accurately, opening new questions regarding SV risk factors and their impacts in humans. Here, we first define and classify human SVs and their generative mechanisms, highlighting characteristics leveraged by various SV assays. We next examine the first-ever gapless assembly of the human genome and the technical process of assembling it, which required third-generation sequencing technologies to resolve structurally complex loci. The new portions of that "telomere-to-telomere" and subsequent pangenome assemblies highlight aspects of SV biology likely to develop in the near-term. We consider the strengths and limitations of the most promising new SV technologies and when they or longstanding approaches are best suited to meeting salient goals in the study of human SV in population-scale genomics research, clinical, and public health contexts. It is a watershed time in our understanding of human SV when new approaches are expected to fundamentally change genomic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent A Laufer
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Thomas W Glover
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Thomas E Wilson
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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29
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Jia SL, Zhang M, Liu GL, Chi ZM, Chi Z. Novel chromosomes and genomes provide new insights into evolution and adaptation of the whole genome duplicated yeast-like fungus TN3-1 isolated from natural honey. Funct Integr Genomics 2023; 23:206. [PMID: 37335429 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-023-01127-8] [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: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Aureobasidium melanogenum TN3-1 strain and A. melanogenum P16 strain were isolated from the natural honey and the mangrove ecosystem, respectively. The former can produce much higher pullulan from high concentration of glucose than the latter. In order to know what happened to their genomes, the PacBio sequencing and Hi-C technologies were used to create the first high-quality chromosome-level reference genome assembly of A. melanogenum TN3-1 (51.61 Mb) and A. melanogenum P16 (25.82 Mb) with the contig N50 of 2.19 Mb and 2.26 Mb, respectively. Based on the Hi-C results, a total of 93.33% contigs in the TN3-1 strain and 92.31% contigs in the P16 strain were anchored onto 24 and 12 haploid chromosomes, respectively. The genomes of the TN3-1 strain had two subgenomes A and B. Synteny analysis showed that the genomic contents of the two subgenomes were asymmetric with many structural variations. Intriguingly, the TN3-1 strain was revealed as a recent hybrid/fusion between the ancestor of A. melanogenum CBS105.22/CBS110374 and the ancestor of another unidentified strain of A. melanogenum similar to P16 strain. We estimated that the two ancient progenitors diverged around 18.38 Mya and merged around 10.66-9.98 Mya. It was found that in the TN3-1 strain, telomeres of each chromosome contained high level of long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs), but had low level of the telomerase encoding gene. Meanwhile, there were high level of transposable elements (TEs) inserted in the chromosomes of the TN3-1 strain. In addition, the positively selected genes of the TN3-1 strain were mainly enriched in the metabolic processes related to harsh environmental adaptability. Most of the stress-related genes were found to be related to the adjacent LTRs, and the glucose derepression was caused by the mutation of the Glc7-2 in the Snf-Mig1 system. All of these could contribute to its genetic instability, genome evolution, high stress resistance, and high pullulan production from glucose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Lei Jia
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Yushan Road, No. 5, Qingdao, China
| | - Mei Zhang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Yushan Road, No. 5, Qingdao, China
| | - Guang-Lei Liu
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Yushan Road, No. 5, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Zhen-Ming Chi
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Yushan Road, No. 5, Qingdao, China.
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266003, China.
| | - Zhe Chi
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Yushan Road, No. 5, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266003, China
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30
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Monden Y, Kakigi M, Haque E, Takeuchi T, Takasaki K, Tanaka M. Chromatographic printed array strip (C-PAS) method for cultivar-specific identification of sweetpotato cultivars 'Beniharuka' and 'Fukumurasaki'. BREEDING SCIENCE 2023; 73:313-321. [PMID: 37840975 PMCID: PMC10570877 DOI: 10.1270/jsbbs.22101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) cultivars grown in Japan are highly valued for their excellent sweetness, high quality, and good texture. The export volume of sweetpotato from Japan has been rising rapidly, with a 10-fold increase on a weight basis over the last 10 years. However, since sweetpotato is propagated vegetatively from storage roots, it is easy to cultivate and propagate this crop, prompting concerns that Japanese sweetpotato cultivars/lines are being exported overseas, cultivated without permission, or reimported. Therefore, a rapid and accurate cultivar identification methodology is needed. In this study, we comprehensively analyzed the insertion sites of Cl8 retrotransposon to develop a cultivar identification technique for the Japanese cultivars 'Beniharuka' and 'Fukumurasaki'. These two cultivars were successfully distinguished from other cultivars using a minimum of two marker sets. Using the chromatographic printed array strip (C-PAS) method for DNA signal detection, 'Beniharuka' and 'Fukumurasaki' can be precisely identified using a single strip of chromatographic paper based on multiplex DNA signals derived from the amplicons of the Cl8 insertion sites. Since this method can detect DNA signals in only ~15 minutes, we expect that our method will facilitate rapid, reliable, and convenient cultivar discrimination for on-site inspection of sweetpotato.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Monden
- Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, 1-1-1 Tsushimanaka, Kita-ku, Okayama, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
| | - Maho Kakigi
- Faculty of Agriculture, Okayama University, 1-1-1 Tsushimanaka, Kita-ku, Okayama, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
| | - Emdadul Haque
- Kyushu Okinawa Agricultural Research Center, NARO, 6651-2 Yokoichi-cho, Miyakonojo, Miyazaki 885-0091, Japan
| | | | - Kazuto Takasaki
- FASMAC Co., Ltd., 3088 Okata, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0041, Japan
| | - Masaru Tanaka
- Kyushu Okinawa Agricultural Research Center, NARO, 6651-2 Yokoichi-cho, Miyakonojo, Miyazaki 885-0091, Japan
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31
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Schneider BK, Sun S, Lee M, Li W, Skvir N, Neretti N, Vijg J, Secombe J. Expression of retrotransposons contributes to aging in Drosophila. Genetics 2023; 224:iyad073. [PMID: 37084379 PMCID: PMC10213499 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Retrotransposons are a class of transposable elements capable of self-replication and insertion into new genomic locations. Across species, the mobilization of retrotransposons in somatic cells has been suggested to contribute to the cell and tissue functional decline that occurs during aging. Retrotransposons are broadly expressed across cell types, and de novo insertions have been observed to correlate with tumorigenesis. However, the extent to which new retrotransposon insertions occur during normal aging and their effect on cellular and animal function remains understudied. Here, we use a single nucleus whole genome sequencing approach in Drosophila to directly test whether transposon insertions increase with age in somatic cells. Analyses of nuclei from thoraces and indirect flight muscles using a newly developed pipeline, Retrofind, revealed no significant increase in the number of transposon insertions with age. Despite this, reducing the expression of two different retrotransposons, 412 and Roo, extended lifespan, but did not alter indicators of health such as stress resistance. This suggests a key role for transposon expression and not insertion in regulating longevity. Transcriptomic analyses revealed similar changes to gene expression in 412 and Roo knockdown flies and highlighted changes to genes involved in proteolysis and immune function as potential contributors to the observed changes in longevity. Combined, our data show a clear link between retrotransposon expression and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blair K Schneider
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Ullmann 809 Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Shixiang Sun
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1301 Morris Park Ave., Price 468 Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Moonsook Lee
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1301 Morris Park Ave., Price 468 Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Wenge Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Ullmann 909 Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Nicholas Skvir
- Department of Molecular biology, Cell biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, 70 Ship St., Providence 02903, USA
| | - Nicola Neretti
- Department of Molecular biology, Cell biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, 70 Ship St., Providence 02903, USA
| | - Jan Vijg
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1301 Morris Park Ave., Price 468 Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Julie Secombe
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Ullmann 809 Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
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Androsiuk P, Milarska SE, Dulska J, Kellmann-Sopyła W, Szablińska-Piernik J, Lahuta LB. The comparison of polymorphism among Avena species revealed by retrotransposon-based DNA markers and soluble carbohydrates in seeds. J Appl Genet 2023; 64:247-264. [PMID: 36719514 PMCID: PMC10076396 DOI: 10.1007/s13353-023-00748-w] [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: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Here, we compared the polymorphism among 13 Avena species revealed by the iPBS markers and soluble carbohydrate profiles in seeds. The application of seven iPBS markers generated 83 bands, out of which 20.5% were polymorphic. No species-specific bands were scored. Shannon's information index (I) and expected heterozygosity (He) revealed low genetic diversity, with the highest values observed for A. nuda (I = 0.099; He = 0.068). UPGMA clustering of studied Avena accessions and PCoA results showed that the polyploidy level is the main grouping criterion. High-resolution gas chromatography revealed that the studied Avena accessions share the same composition of soluble carbohydrates, but significant differences in the content of total (5.30-22.38 mg g-1 of dry weight) and particular sugars among studied samples were observed. Sucrose appeared as the most abundant sugar (mean 61.52% of total soluble carbohydrates), followed by raffinose family oligosaccharides (31.23%), myo-inositol and its galactosides (6.16%), and monosaccharides (1.09%). The pattern of interspecific variation in soluble carbohydrates, showed by PCA, was convergent to that revealed by iPBS markers. Thus, both methods appeared as a source of valuable data useful in the characterization of Avena resources or in the discussion on the evolution of this genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Androsiuk
- Department of Plant Physiology, Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, ul. Oczapowskiego 1A, 10-719, Olsztyn, Poland.
| | - Sylwia Eryka Milarska
- Department of Plant Physiology, Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, ul. Oczapowskiego 1A, 10-719, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Justyna Dulska
- Department of Plant Physiology, Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, ul. Oczapowskiego 1A, 10-719, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Wioleta Kellmann-Sopyła
- Department of Plant Physiology, Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, ul. Oczapowskiego 1A, 10-719, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Joanna Szablińska-Piernik
- Department of Plant Physiology, Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, ul. Oczapowskiego 1A, 10-719, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Lesław Bernard Lahuta
- Department of Plant Physiology, Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, ul. Oczapowskiego 1A, 10-719, Olsztyn, Poland
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Hays M, Schwartz K, Schmidtke DT, Aggeli D, Sherlock G. Paths to adaptation under fluctuating nitrogen starvation: The spectrum of adaptive mutations in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is shaped by retrotransposons and microhomology-mediated recombination. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010747. [PMID: 37192196 PMCID: PMC10218751 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
There are many mechanisms that give rise to genomic change: while point mutations are often emphasized in genomic analyses, evolution acts upon many other types of genetic changes that can result in less subtle perturbations. Changes in chromosome structure, DNA copy number, and novel transposon insertions all create large genomic changes, which can have correspondingly large impacts on phenotypes and fitness. In this study we investigate the spectrum of adaptive mutations that arise in a population under consistently fluctuating nitrogen conditions. We specifically contrast these adaptive alleles and the mutational mechanisms that create them, with mechanisms of adaptation under batch glucose limitation and constant selection in low, non-fluctuating nitrogen conditions to address if and how selection dynamics influence the molecular mechanisms of evolutionary adaptation. We observe that retrotransposon activity accounts for a substantial number of adaptive events, along with microhomology-mediated mechanisms of insertion, deletion, and gene conversion. In addition to loss of function alleles, which are often exploited in genetic screens, we identify putative gain of function alleles and alleles acting through as-of-yet unclear mechanisms. Taken together, our findings emphasize that how selection (fluctuating vs. non-fluctuating) is applied also shapes adaptation, just as the selective pressure (nitrogen vs. glucose) does itself. Fluctuating environments can activate different mutational mechanisms, shaping adaptive events accordingly. Experimental evolution, which allows a wider array of adaptive events to be assessed, is thus a complementary approach to both classical genetic screens and natural variation studies to characterize the genotype-to-phenotype-to-fitness map.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Hays
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Katja Schwartz
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Danica T. Schmidtke
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Dimitra Aggeli
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Gavin Sherlock
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
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Guan Y, Gao H, Leu NA, Vourekas A, Alexiou P, Maragkakis M, Kang Z, Mourelatos Z, Liang G, Wang PJ. The MOV10 RNA helicase is a dosage-dependent host restriction factor for LINE1 retrotransposition in mice. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010566. [PMID: 37126510 PMCID: PMC10174503 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements constitute nearly half of the mammalian genome and play important roles in genome evolution. While a multitude of both transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms exist to silence transposable elements, control of transposition in vivo remains poorly understood. MOV10, an RNA helicase, is an inhibitor of mobilization of retrotransposons and retroviruses in cell culture assays. Here we report that MOV10 restricts LINE1 retrotransposition in mice. Although MOV10 is broadly expressed, its loss causes only incomplete penetrance of embryonic lethality, and the surviving MOV10-deficient mice are healthy and fertile. Biochemically, MOV10 forms a complex with UPF1, a key component of the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay pathway, and primarily binds to the 3' UTR of somatically expressed transcripts in testis. Consequently, loss of MOV10 results in an altered transcriptome in testis. Analyses using a LINE1 reporter transgene reveal that loss of MOV10 leads to increased LINE1 retrotransposition in somatic and reproductive tissues from both embryos and adult mice. Moreover, the degree of LINE1 retrotransposition inhibition is dependent on the Mov10 gene dosage. Furthermore, MOV10 deficiency reduces reproductive fitness over successive generations. Our findings demonstrate that MOV10 attenuates LINE1 retrotransposition in a dosage-dependent manner in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjuan Guan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Hongyan Gao
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - N. Adrian Leu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Anastassios Vourekas
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Panagiotis Alexiou
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Manolis Maragkakis
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Zhenlong Kang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zissimos Mourelatos
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Guanxiang Liang
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - P. Jeremy Wang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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Inoue Y, Takeda H. Teratorn and its relatives - a cross-point of distinct mobile elements, transposons and viruses. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1158023. [PMID: 37187934 PMCID: PMC10175614 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1158023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Mobile genetic elements (e.g., transposable elements and plasmids) and viruses display significant diversity with various life cycles, but how this diversity emerges remains obscure. We previously reported a novel and giant (180 kb long) mobile element, Teratorn, originally identified in the genome of medaka, Oryzias latipes. Teratorn is a composite DNA transposon created by a fusion of a piggyBac-like DNA transposon (piggyBac) and a novel herpesvirus of the Alloherpesviridae family. Genomic survey revealed that Teratorn-like herpesviruses are widely distributed among teleost genomes, the majority of which are also fused with piggyBac, suggesting that fusion with piggyBac is a trigger for the life-cycle shift of authentic herpesviruses to an intragenomic parasite. Thus, Teratorn-like herpesvirus provides a clear example of how novel mobile elements emerge, that is to say, the creation of diversity. In this review, we discuss the unique sequence and life-cycle characteristics of Teratorn, followed by the evolutionary process of piggyBac-herpesvirus fusion based on the distribution of Teratorn-like herpesviruses (relatives) among teleosts. Finally, we provide other examples of evolutionary associations between different classes of elements and propose that recombination could be a driving force generating novel mobile elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Inoue
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Takeda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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36
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Rozowsky J, Gao J, Borsari B, Yang YT, Galeev T, Gürsoy G, Epstein CB, Xiong K, Xu J, Li T, Liu J, Yu K, Berthel A, Chen Z, Navarro F, Sun MS, Wright J, Chang J, Cameron CJF, Shoresh N, Gaskell E, Drenkow J, Adrian J, Aganezov S, Aguet F, Balderrama-Gutierrez G, Banskota S, Corona GB, Chee S, Chhetri SB, Cortez Martins GC, Danyko C, Davis CA, Farid D, Farrell NP, Gabdank I, Gofin Y, Gorkin DU, Gu M, Hecht V, Hitz BC, Issner R, Jiang Y, Kirsche M, Kong X, Lam BR, Li S, Li B, Li X, Lin KZ, Luo R, Mackiewicz M, Meng R, Moore JE, Mudge J, Nelson N, Nusbaum C, Popov I, Pratt HE, Qiu Y, Ramakrishnan S, Raymond J, Salichos L, Scavelli A, Schreiber JM, Sedlazeck FJ, See LH, Sherman RM, Shi X, Shi M, Sloan CA, Strattan JS, Tan Z, Tanaka FY, Vlasova A, Wang J, Werner J, Williams B, Xu M, Yan C, Yu L, Zaleski C, Zhang J, Ardlie K, Cherry JM, Mendenhall EM, Noble WS, Weng Z, Levine ME, Dobin A, Wold B, Mortazavi A, Ren B, Gillis J, Myers RM, Snyder MP, Choudhary J, Milosavljevic A, Schatz MC, Bernstein BE, Guigó R, Gingeras TR, Gerstein M. The EN-TEx resource of multi-tissue personal epigenomes & variant-impact models. Cell 2023; 186:1493-1511.e40. [PMID: 37001506 PMCID: PMC10074325 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how genetic variants impact molecular phenotypes is a key goal of functional genomics, currently hindered by reliance on a single haploid reference genome. Here, we present the EN-TEx resource of 1,635 open-access datasets from four donors (∼30 tissues × ∼15 assays). The datasets are mapped to matched, diploid genomes with long-read phasing and structural variants, instantiating a catalog of >1 million allele-specific loci. These loci exhibit coordinated activity along haplotypes and are less conserved than corresponding, non-allele-specific ones. Surprisingly, a deep-learning transformer model can predict the allele-specific activity based only on local nucleotide-sequence context, highlighting the importance of transcription-factor-binding motifs particularly sensitive to variants. Furthermore, combining EN-TEx with existing genome annotations reveals strong associations between allele-specific and GWAS loci. It also enables models for transferring known eQTLs to difficult-to-profile tissues (e.g., from skin to heart). Overall, EN-TEx provides rich data and generalizable models for more accurate personal functional genomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Rozowsky
- Section on Biomedical Informatics and Data Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jiahao Gao
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Beatrice Borsari
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Centre for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Yucheng T Yang
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence; MOE Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence; MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China; Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Timur Galeev
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Gamze Gürsoy
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Kun Xiong
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jinrui Xu
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Tianxiao Li
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jason Liu
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Keyang Yu
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ana Berthel
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Zhanlin Chen
- Department of Statistics and Data Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Fabio Navarro
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Maxwell S Sun
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Justin Chang
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Christopher J F Cameron
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Noam Shoresh
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Jorg Drenkow
- Functional Genomics, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Jessika Adrian
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Sergey Aganezov
- Departments of Computer Science and Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Sora Chee
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Surya B Chhetri
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, USA
| | - Gabriel Conte Cortez Martins
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Cassidy Danyko
- Functional Genomics, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Carrie A Davis
- Functional Genomics, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Daniel Farid
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Idan Gabdank
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Yoel Gofin
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - David U Gorkin
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Mengting Gu
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Vivian Hecht
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Benjamin C Hitz
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Robbyn Issner
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yunzhe Jiang
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Melanie Kirsche
- Departments of Computer Science and Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Xiangmeng Kong
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Bonita R Lam
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Shantao Li
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Bian Li
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Xiqi Li
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Khine Zin Lin
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Ruibang Luo
- Department of Computer Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, CHN
| | - Mark Mackiewicz
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, USA
| | - Ran Meng
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jill E Moore
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan Mudge
- European Bioinformatics Institute, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, GB
| | | | - Chad Nusbaum
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ioann Popov
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Henry E Pratt
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Yunjiang Qiu
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Srividya Ramakrishnan
- Departments of Computer Science and Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joe Raymond
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Leonidas Salichos
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY, USA
| | - Alexandra Scavelli
- Functional Genomics, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Jacob M Schreiber
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Fritz J Sedlazeck
- Departments of Computer Science and Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Simons Center for Quantitative Biology, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA; Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Lei Hoon See
- Functional Genomics, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Rachel M Sherman
- Departments of Computer Science and Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Xu Shi
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Minyi Shi
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Cricket Alicia Sloan
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - J Seth Strattan
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Zhen Tan
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Forrest Y Tanaka
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Anna Vlasova
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Comparative Genomics Group, Life Science Programme, Barcelona Supercomputing Centre, Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Research in Biomedicine, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jun Wang
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jonathan Werner
- Functional Genomics, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Brian Williams
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Min Xu
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Chengfei Yan
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lu Yu
- Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Christopher Zaleski
- Functional Genomics, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | | | - J Michael Cherry
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | | | - William S Noble
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Zhiping Weng
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Morgan E Levine
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Alexander Dobin
- Functional Genomics, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Barbara Wold
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Ali Mortazavi
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Bing Ren
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jesse Gillis
- Functional Genomics, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA; Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Richard M Myers
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, USA
| | - Michael P Snyder
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Michael C Schatz
- Departments of Computer Science and Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Simons Center for Quantitative Biology, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA.
| | - Bradley E Bernstein
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Roderic Guigó
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
| | - Thomas R Gingeras
- Functional Genomics, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA.
| | - Mark Gerstein
- Section on Biomedical Informatics and Data Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Statistics and Data Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Computer Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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Pezenti LF, Dionisio JF, Sosa-Gómez DR, de Souza RF, da Rosa R. Transposable elements in the transcriptome of the velvetbean caterpillar Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner, 1818 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae). Genome 2023. [DOI: 10.1139/gen-2022-0066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are DNA sequences that possess the ability to move from one genomic location to another. These sequences contribute to a significant fraction of the genomes of most eukaryotes and can impact their architecture and regulation. In this paper, we present the first data related to the identification and characterization of TEs present in the transcriptome of Anticarsia gemmatalis. Approximately, 835 transcripts showed significant similarity to TEs and (or) characteristic domains. Retrotransposons accounted for 71.2% (595 sequences) of the identified elements, while DNA transposons were less abundant, with 240 annotations (28.8%). TEs were classified into 30 superfamilies, with SINE3/5S and Gypsy being the most abundant. Based on the sequences of TEs found in the transcriptome, we were able to locate conserved regions in the chromosomes of this species. The analysis of differential expression of TEs in susceptible and resistant strains, challenged and not challenged with Bacillus thuringiensis ( Bt) from in silico analysis, indicated that exposure to Bt can regulate the transcription of mobile genetic elements in the velvetbean caterpillar. Thus, these data contribute significantly to the knowledge of the structure and composition of these elements in the genome of this species, and suggest the role of stress on their expression.
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Genome-wide analysis of heat stress-stimulated transposon mobility in the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus deneoformans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2209831120. [PMID: 36669112 PMCID: PMC9942834 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2209831120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
We recently reported transposon mutagenesis as a significant driver of spontaneous mutations in the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus deneoformans during murine infection. Mutations caused by transposable element (TE) insertion into reporter genes were dramatically elevated at high temperatures (37° vs. 30°) in vitro, suggesting that heat stress stimulates TE mobility in the Cryptococcus genome. To explore the genome-wide impact of TE mobilization, we generated transposon accumulation lines by in vitro passage of C. deneoformans strain XL280α for multiple generations at both 30° and at the host-relevant temperature of 37°. Utilizing whole-genome sequencing, we identified native TE copies and mapped multiple de novo TE insertions in these lines. Movements of the T1 DNA transposon occurred at both temperatures with a strong bias for insertion between gene-coding regions. By contrast, the Tcn12 retrotransposon integrated primarily within genes and movement occurred exclusively at 37°. In addition, we observed a dramatic amplification in copy number of the Cnl1 (Cryptococcus neoformans LINE-1) retrotransposon in subtelomeric regions under heat-stress conditions. Comparing TE mutations to other sequence variations detected in passaged lines, the increase in genomic changes at elevated temperatures was primarily due to mobilization of the retroelements Tcn12 and Cnl1. Finally, we found multiple TE movements (T1, Tcn12, and Cnl1) in the genomes of single C. deneoformans isolates recovered from infected mice, providing evidence that mobile elements are likely to facilitate microevolution and rapid adaptation during infection.
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Valdebenito-Maturana B, Rojas-Tapia MI, Carrasco M, Tapia JC. Dysregulated Expression of Transposable Elements in TDP-43 M337V Human Motor Neurons That Recapitulate Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis In Vitro. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232416222. [PMID: 36555863 PMCID: PMC9784876 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232416222] [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: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease that progressively annihilates spinal cord motor neurons, causing severe motor decline and death. The disease is divided into familial and sporadic ALS. Mutations in the TAR DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43) have been involved in the pathological emergence and progression of ALS, although the molecular mechanisms eliciting the disease are unknown. Transposable elements (TEs) and DNA sequences capable of transposing within the genome become dysregulated and transcribed in the presence of TDP-43 mutations. We performed RNA-Seq in human motor neurons (iMNs) derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from TDP-43 wild-type-iMNs-TDP-43WT-and mutant-iMNs-TDP-43M337V-genotypes at 7 and 14 DIV, and, with state-of-the-art bioinformatic tools, analyzed whether TDP-43M337V alters both gene expression and TE activity. Our results show that TDP-43M337V induced global changes in the gene expression and TEs levels at all in vitro stages studied. Interestingly, many genetic pathways overlapped with that of the TEs activity, suggesting that TEs control the expression of several genes. TEs correlated with genes that played key roles in the extracellular matrix and RNA processing: all the regulatory pathways affected in ALS. Thus, the loss of TE regulation is present in TDP-43 mutations and is a critical determinant of the disease in human motor neurons. Overall, our results support the evidence that indicates TEs are critical regulatory sequences contributing to ALS neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Braulio Valdebenito-Maturana
- Instituto de Investigación Interdisciplinaria, Vicerrectoría Académica, Universidad de Talca, Campus Talca, Talca 3460000, Chile
| | | | - Mónica Carrasco
- Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Talca, Campus Talca, Talca 3460000, Chile
- Correspondence: (M.C.); (J.C.T.)
| | - Juan Carlos Tapia
- Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Talca, Campus Talca, Talca 3460000, Chile
- Correspondence: (M.C.); (J.C.T.)
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40
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Stoyko D, Timothy O, Hernandez A, Konstantinidou P, Meng Q, Haase AD. CRISPR-Cas9 Genome Editing and Rapid Selection of Cell Pools. Curr Protoc 2022; 2:e624. [PMID: 36546759 PMCID: PMC9793982 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.624] [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] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The harnessing of the CRISPR-Cas9 system allows for quick and inexpensive genome editing in tissue culture models. Traditional CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing techniques rely on the ability of single progenitor cells to expand into new pools in a process known as clonal expansion. This is a significant technical challenge that is difficult to overcome for nontransformed cell culture models such as Drosophila ovarian somatic sheath cells (OSCs). OSCs are a unique ex vivo model for epigenetic regulation by PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) that establish restriction of mobile genetic elements in germ cells to protect genome integrity. Here, we provide a protocol to generate endogenously tagged proteins and gene knockouts without the need for clonal selection. We combine CRISPR-Cas genome editing and knockin of antibiotic selection markers to generate edited cell pools. At the example of Drosophila piwi in OSCs, we demonstrate a strategy that relies on the insertion of an artificial intron to accommodate a selection marker with minimal disturbance of the resulting mRNA. In brief, our donor cassette contains a peptide tag and an optimized intron that accommodates a selection marker driven by an independent promoter on the other genomic strand. The selection marker is transcribed as an independent mRNA, and the intron is efficiently removed from the mRNA encoding the endogenously tagged (endo-tagged) piwi gene. The endo-tagged Piwi protein is expressed at wild-type levels and appropriately localizes to the nucleus of OSCs. We also describe strategies for C-terminal tagging and generation of knockout alleles in OSCs and in human embryonic kidney cells, discuss different design strategies, and provide a plasmid toolkit (available at Addgene). Our protocol enables robust genome editing in OSCs for the first time and provides a simple and time-saving alternative for other cell culture systems. Published 2022. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Basic Protocol 1: Design and cloning of single-guide RNA plasmids Basic Protocol 2: Design and cloning of donor template plasmids for epitope tagging Alternate Protocol: Design and cloning of donor template plasmids for gene knockout Basic Protocol 3: Transfection and selection of edited cell pools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Stoyko
- National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - O Timothy
- National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Adrianna Hernandez
- National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD 21702
| | - Parthena Konstantinidou
- National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Qingcai Meng
- National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Astrid D. Haase
- National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
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41
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Modenini G, Abondio P, Boattini A. The coevolution between APOBEC3 and retrotransposons in primates. Mob DNA 2022; 13:27. [PMID: 36443831 PMCID: PMC9706992 DOI: 10.1186/s13100-022-00283-1] [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: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Retrotransposons are genetic elements with the ability to replicate in the genome using reverse transcriptase: they have been associated with the development of different biological structures, such as the Central Nervous System (CNS), and their high mutagenic potential has been linked to various diseases, including cancer and neurological disorders. Throughout evolution and over time, Primates and Homo had to cope with infections from viruses and bacteria, and also with endogenous retroelements. Therefore, host genomes have evolved numerous methods to counteract the activity of endogenous and exogenous pathogens, and the APOBEC3 family of mutators is a prime example of a defensive mechanism in this context.In most Primates, there are seven members of the APOBEC3 family of deaminase proteins: among their functions, there is the ability to inhibit the mobilization of retrotransposons and the functionality of viruses. The evolution of the APOBEC3 proteins found in Primates is correlated with the expansion of two major families of retrotransposons, i.e. ERV and LINE-1.In this review, we will discuss how the rapid expansion of the APOBEC3 family is linked to the evolution of retrotransposons, highlighting the strong evolutionary arms race that characterized the history of APOBEC3s and endogenous retroelements in Primates. Moreover, the possible role of this relationship will be assessed in the context of embryonic development and brain-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Modenini
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Paolo Abondio
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy ,grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy
| | - Alessio Boattini
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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Berger J, Legendre F, Zelosko KM, Harrison MC, Grandcolas P, Bornberg-Bauer E, Fouks B. Eusocial Transition in Blattodea: Transposable Elements and Shifts of Gene Expression. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:1948. [PMID: 36360186 PMCID: PMC9689775 DOI: 10.3390/genes13111948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Unravelling the molecular basis underlying major evolutionary transitions can shed light on how complex phenotypes arise. The evolution of eusociality, a major evolutionary transition, has been demonstrated to be accompanied by enhanced gene regulation. Numerous pieces of evidence suggest the major impact of transposon insertion on gene regulation and its role in adaptive evolution. Transposons have been shown to be play a role in gene duplication involved in the eusocial transition in termites. However, evidence of the molecular basis underlying the eusocial transition in Blattodea remains scarce. Could transposons have facilitated the eusocial transition in termites through shifts of gene expression? (2) Using available cockroach and termite genomes and transcriptomes, we investigated if transposons insert more frequently in genes with differential expression in queens and workers and if those genes could be linked to specific functions essential for eusocial transition. (3) The insertion rate of transposons differs among differentially expressed genes and displays opposite trends between termites and cockroaches. The functions of termite transposon-rich queen- and worker-biased genes are related to reproduction and ageing and behaviour and gene expression, respectively. (4) Our study provides further evidence on the role of transposons in the evolution of eusociality, potentially through shifts in gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliette Berger
- Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, CP50, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Frédéric Legendre
- Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, CP50, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Kevin-Markus Zelosko
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Molecular Evolution and Bioinformatics, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Hüfferstrasse 1, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Mark C. Harrison
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Molecular Evolution and Bioinformatics, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Hüfferstrasse 1, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Philippe Grandcolas
- Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, CP50, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Erich Bornberg-Bauer
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Molecular Evolution and Bioinformatics, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Hüfferstrasse 1, 48149 Münster, Germany
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Max-Planck-Ring 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Bertrand Fouks
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Molecular Evolution and Bioinformatics, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Hüfferstrasse 1, 48149 Münster, Germany
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Qi X, Wang H, Chen S, Feng J, Chen H, Qin Z, Blilou I, Deng Y. The genome of single-petal jasmine ( Jasminum sambac) provides insights into heat stress tolerance and aroma compound biosynthesis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1045194. [PMID: 36340389 PMCID: PMC9627619 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1045194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Jasmine [Jasminum sambac (L.) Aiton] is a commercially important cultivated plant species known for its fragrant flowers used in the perfume industry, medicine and cosmetics. In the present study, we obtained a draft genome for the J. sambac cultivar 'Danbanmoli' (JSDB, a single-petal phenotype). We showed that the final genome of J. sambac was 520.80 Mb in size (contig N50 = 145.43 kb; scaffold N50 = 145.53 kb) and comprised 35,363 genes. Our analyses revealed that the J. sambac genome has undergone only an ancient whole-genome duplication (WGD) event. We estimated that the lineage that has given rise to J. sambac diverged from the lineage leading to Osmanthus fragrans and Olea europaea approximately 31.1 million years ago (Mya). On the basis of a combination of genomic and transcriptomic analyses, we identified 92 transcription factors (TFs) and 206 genes related to heat stress response. Base on a combination of genomic, transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses, a range of aroma compounds and genes involved in the benzenoid/phenylpropanoid and terpenoid biosynthesis pathways were identified. In the newly assembled J. sambac genome, we identified a total of 122 MYB, 122 bHLH and 69 WRKY genes. Our assembled J. sambac JSDB genome provides fundamental knowledge to study the molecular mechanism of heat stress tolerance, and improve jasmine flowers and dissect its fragrance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyu Qi
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Horticultural Crop Genetic Improvement, Institute of Leisure Agriculture, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Huadi Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Horticultural Crop Genetic Improvement, Institute of Leisure Agriculture, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Shuangshuang Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Horticultural Crop Genetic Improvement, Institute of Leisure Agriculture, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Feng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Horticultural Crop Genetic Improvement, Institute of Leisure Agriculture, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Huijie Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Horticultural Crop Genetic Improvement, Institute of Leisure Agriculture, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Ziyi Qin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Horticultural Crop Genetic Improvement, Institute of Leisure Agriculture, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
- College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ikram Blilou
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yanming Deng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Horticultural Crop Genetic Improvement, Institute of Leisure Agriculture, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
- College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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Modzelewski AJ, Gan Chong J, Wang T, He L. Mammalian genome innovation through transposon domestication. Nat Cell Biol 2022; 24:1332-1340. [PMID: 36008480 PMCID: PMC9729749 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-022-00970-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Since the discovery of transposons, their sheer abundance in host genomes has puzzled many. While historically viewed as largely harmless 'parasitic' DNAs during evolution, transposons are not a mere record of ancient genome invasion. Instead, nearly every element of transposon biology has been integrated into host biology. Here we review how host genome sequences introduced by transposon activities provide raw material for genome innovation and document the distinct evolutionary path of each species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Modzelewski
- Division of Cellular and Developmental Biology, MCB Department, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Johnny Gan Chong
- Division of Cellular and Developmental Biology, MCB Department, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Ting Wang
- Department of Genetics, Edison Family Center for Genome Science and System Biology, McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Lin He
- Division of Cellular and Developmental Biology, MCB Department, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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Riehl K, Riccio C, Miska EA, Hemberg M. TransposonUltimate: software for transposon classification, annotation and detection. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:e64. [PMID: 35234904 PMCID: PMC9226531 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Most genomes harbor a large number of transposons, and they play an important role in evolution and gene regulation. They are also of interest to clinicians as they are involved in several diseases, including cancer and neurodegeneration. Although several methods for transposon identification are available, they are often highly specialised towards specific tasks or classes of transposons, and they lack common standards such as a unified taxonomy scheme and output file format. We present TransposonUltimate, a powerful bundle of three modules for transposon classification, annotation, and detection of transposition events. TransposonUltimate comes as a Conda package under the GPL-3.0 licence, is well documented and it is easy to install through https://github.com/DerKevinRiehl/TransposonUltimate. We benchmark the classification module on the large TransposonDB covering 891,051 sequences to demonstrate that it outperforms the currently best existing solutions. The annotation and detection modules combine sixteen existing softwares, and we illustrate its use by annotating Caenorhabditis elegans, Rhizophagus irregularis and Oryza sativa subs. japonica genomes. Finally, we use the detection module to discover 29 554 transposition events in the genomes of 20 wild type strains of C. elegans. Databases, assemblies, annotations and further findings can be downloaded from (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5518085).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Riehl
- Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Cristian Riccio
- Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Eric A Miska
- Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton CB10 1SA, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Martin Hemberg
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton CB10 1SA, UK
- Evergrande Center for Immunologic Diseases, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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Sedaghatjoo S, Mishra B, Forster MK, Becker Y, Keilwagen J, Killermann B, Thines M, Karlovsky P, Maier W. Comparative genomics reveals low levels of inter- and intraspecies diversity in the causal agents of dwarf and common bunt of wheat and hint at conspecificity of Tilletia caries and T. laevis. IMA Fungus 2022; 13:11. [PMID: 35672841 PMCID: PMC9172201 DOI: 10.1186/s43008-022-00098-y] [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: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractTilletia caries and T. laevis, which are the causal agents of common bunt, as well as T. controversa, which causes dwarf bunt of wheat, threaten especially organic wheat farming. The three closely related fungal species differ in their teliospore morphology and partially in their physiology and infection biology. The gene content as well as intraspecies variation in these species and the genetic basis of their separation is unknown. We sequenced the genome of four T. caries, five T. controversa, and two T. laevis and extended this dataset with five publicly available ones. The genomes of the three species displayed microsynteny with up to 94.3% pairwise aligned regions excluding repetitive regions. The majority of functionally characterized genes involved in pathogenicity, life cycle, and infection of corn smut, Ustilago maydis, were found to be absent or poorly conserved in the draft genomes and the biosynthetic pathway for trimethylamine in Tilletia spp. could be different from bacteria. Overall, 75% of the identified protein-coding genes comprising 84% of the total predicted carbohydrate utilizing enzymes, 72.5% putatively secreted proteins, and 47.4% of effector-like proteins were conserved and shared across all 16 isolates. We predicted nine highly identical secondary metabolite biosynthesis gene clusters comprising in total 62 genes in all species and none were species-specific. Less than 0.1% of the protein-coding genes were species-specific and their function remained mostly unknown. Tilletia controversa had the highest intraspecies genetic variation, followed by T. caries and the lowest in T. laevis. Although the genomes of the three species are very similar, employing 241 single copy genes T. controversa was phylogenetically distinct from T. caries and T. laevis, however these two could not be resolved as individual monophyletic groups. This was in line with the genome-wide number of single nucleotide polymorphisms and small insertions and deletions. Despite the conspicuously different teliospore ornamentation of T. caries and T. laevis, a high degree of genomic identity and scarcity of species-specific genes indicate that the two species could be conspecific.
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The Utility of Repetitive Cell-Free DNA in Cancer Liquid Biopsies. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12061363. [PMID: 35741173 PMCID: PMC9221655 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12061363] [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: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Liquid biopsy is a broad term that refers to the testing of body fluids for biomarkers that correlate with a pathological condition. While a variety of body-fluid components (e.g., circulating tumor cells, extracellular vesicles, RNA, proteins, and metabolites) are studied as potential liquid biopsy biomarkers, cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has attracted the most attention in recent years. The total cfDNA population in a typical biospecimen represents an immensely rich source of biological and pathological information and has demonstrated significant potential as a versatile biomarker in oncology, non-invasive prenatal testing, and transplant monitoring. As a significant portion of cfDNA is composed of repeat DNA sequences and some families (e.g., pericentric satellites) were recently shown to be overrepresented in cfDNA populations vs their genomic abundance, it holds great potential for developing liquid biopsy-based biomarkers for the early detection and management of patients with cancer. By outlining research that employed cell-free repeat DNA sequences, in particular the ALU and LINE-1 elements, we highlight the clinical potential of the repeat-element content of cfDNA as an underappreciated marker in the cancer liquid biopsy repertoire.
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Chesnokova E, Beletskiy A, Kolosov P. The Role of Transposable Elements of the Human Genome in Neuronal Function and Pathology. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:5847. [PMID: 35628657 PMCID: PMC9148063 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) have been extensively studied for decades. In recent years, the introduction of whole-genome and whole-transcriptome approaches, as well as single-cell resolution techniques, provided a breakthrough that uncovered TE involvement in host gene expression regulation underlying multiple normal and pathological processes. Of particular interest is increased TE activity in neuronal tissue, and specifically in the hippocampus, that was repeatedly demonstrated in multiple experiments. On the other hand, numerous neuropathologies are associated with TE dysregulation. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of literature about the role of TEs in neurons published over the last three decades. The first chapter of the present review describes known mechanisms of TE interaction with host genomes in general, with the focus on mammalian and human TEs; the second chapter provides examples of TE exaptation in normal neuronal tissue, including TE involvement in neuronal differentiation and plasticity; and the last chapter lists TE-related neuropathologies. We sought to provide specific molecular mechanisms of TE involvement in neuron-specific processes whenever possible; however, in many cases, only phenomenological reports were available. This underscores the importance of further studies in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Chesnokova
- Laboratory of Cellular Neurobiology of Learning, Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117485 Moscow, Russia; (A.B.); (P.K.)
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Somatic Mobilization: High Somatic Insertion Rate of mariner Transposable Element in Drosophila simulans. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13050454. [PMID: 35621789 PMCID: PMC9144738 DOI: 10.3390/insects13050454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Although transposable elements (TEs) are usually silent in somatic tissues, they are sometimes mobilized in the soma and can potentially have biological consequences. The mariner element is one of the TEs involved in somatic mobilization (SM) in Drosophila and has a high rate of somatic excision. It is also known that temperature is an important factor in the increase of the mariner element SM in the fly. However, it is important to emphasize that excision is only one step of TE transposition, and the final step in this process is insertion. In the present study, we used an assay based on sequencing of the mariner flanking region and developed a pipeline to identify novel mariner insertions in Drosophila simulans at 20 and 28 °C. We found that flies carrying two mariner copies (one autonomous and one non-autonomous) had an average of 236.4 (±99.3) to 279 (±107.7) new somatic insertions at 20 °C and an average of 172.7 (±95.3) to 252.6 (±67.3) at 28 °C. In addition, we detected fragments containing mariner and others without mariner in the same regions with low-coverage long-read sequencing, indicating the process of excision and insertion. In conclusion, a low number of autonomous copies of the mariner transposon can promote a high rate of new somatic insertions during the developmental stages of Drosophila. Additionally, the developed method seems to be sensitive and adequate for the verification and estimation of somatic insertion.
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Domazet-Lošo T. mRNA Vaccines: Why Is the Biology of Retroposition Ignored? Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:719. [PMID: 35627104 PMCID: PMC9141755 DOI: 10.3390/genes13050719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The major advantage of mRNA vaccines over more conventional approaches is their potential for rapid development and large-scale deployment in pandemic situations. In the current COVID-19 crisis, two mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have been conditionally approved and broadly applied, while others are still in clinical trials. However, there is no previous experience with the use of mRNA vaccines on a large scale in the general population. This warrants a careful evaluation of mRNA vaccine safety properties by considering all available knowledge about mRNA molecular biology and evolution. Here, I discuss the pervasive claim that mRNA-based vaccines cannot alter genomes. Surprisingly, this notion is widely stated in the mRNA vaccine literature but never supported by referencing any primary scientific papers that would specifically address this question. This discrepancy becomes even more puzzling if one considers previous work on the molecular and evolutionary aspects of retroposition in murine and human populations that clearly documents the frequent integration of mRNA molecules into genomes, including clinical contexts. By performing basic comparisons, I show that the sequence features of mRNA vaccines meet all known requirements for retroposition using L1 elements-the most abundant autonomously active retrotransposons in the human genome. In fact, many factors associated with mRNA vaccines increase the possibility of their L1-mediated retroposition. I conclude that is unfounded to a priori assume that mRNA-based therapeutics do not impact genomes and that the route to genome integration of vaccine mRNAs via endogenous L1 retroelements is easily conceivable. This implies that we urgently need experimental studies that would rigorously test for the potential retroposition of vaccine mRNAs. At present, the insertional mutagenesis safety of mRNA-based vaccines should be considered unresolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomislav Domazet-Lošo
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička Cesta 54, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
- School of Medicine, Catholic University of Croatia, Ilica 242, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
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