1
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Lin G, Barnes CO, Weiss S, Dutagaci B, Qiu C, Feig M, Song J, Lyubimov A, Cohen AE, Kaplan CD, Calero G. Structural basis of transcription: RNA polymerase II substrate binding and metal coordination using a free-electron laser. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2318527121. [PMID: 39190355 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2318527121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Catalysis and translocation of multisubunit DNA-directed RNA polymerases underlie all cellular mRNA synthesis. RNA polymerase II (Pol II) synthesizes eukaryotic pre-mRNAs from a DNA template strand buried in its active site. Structural details of catalysis at near-atomic resolution and precise arrangement of key active site components have been elusive. Here, we present the free-electron laser (FEL) structures of a matched ATP-bound Pol II and the hyperactive Rpb1 T834P bridge helix (BH) mutant at the highest resolution to date. The radiation-damage-free FEL structures reveal the full active site interaction network, including the trigger loop (TL) in the closed conformation, bonafide occupancy of both site A and B Mg2+, and, more importantly, a putative third (site C) Mg2+ analogous to that described for some DNA polymerases but not observed previously for cellular RNA polymerases. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the structures indicate that the third Mg2+ is coordinated and stabilized at its observed position. TL residues provide half of the substrate binding pocket while multiple TL/BH interactions induce conformational changes that could allow translocation upon substrate hydrolysis. Consistent with TL/BH communication, a FEL structure and MD simulations of the T834P mutant reveal rearrangement of some active site interactions supporting potential plasticity in active site function and long-distance effects on both the width of the central channel and TL conformation, likely underlying its increased elongation rate at the expense of fidelity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guowu Lin
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
| | - Christopher O Barnes
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125
| | - Simon Weiss
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
| | - Bercem Dutagaci
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
| | - Chenxi Qiu
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Michael Feig
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
| | - Jihnu Song
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA 94025
| | - Artem Lyubimov
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA 94025
| | - Aina E Cohen
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA 94025
| | - Craig D Kaplan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
| | - Guillermo Calero
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
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2
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Slade L, Etheridge T, Szewczyk NJ. Consolidating multiple evolutionary theories of ageing suggests a need for new approaches to study genetic contributions to ageing decline. Ageing Res Rev 2024:102456. [PMID: 39153601 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102456] [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: 03/10/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
Understanding mechanisms of ageing remains a complex challenge for biogerontologists, but recent adaptations of evolutionary ageing theories offer a compelling lens in which to view both age-related molecular and physiological deterioration. Ageing is commonly associated with progressive declines in biochemical and molecular processes resulting from damage accumulation, yet the role of continued developmental gene activation is less appreciated. Natural selection pressures are at their highest in youthful periods to modify gene expression towards maximising reproductive capacity. After sexual maturation, selective pressure diminishes, subjecting individuals to maladaptive pleiotropic gene functions that were once beneficial for developmental growth but become pathogenic later in life. Due to this selective 'shadowing' in ageing, mechanisms to counter such hyper/hypofunctional genes are unlikely to evolve. Interventions aimed at targeting gene hyper/hypofunction during ageing might, therefore, represent an attractive therapeutic strategy. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans offers a strong model for post-reproductive mechanistic and therapeutic investigations, yet studies examining the mechanisms of, and countermeasures against, ageing decline largely intervene from larval stages onwards. Importantly, however, lifespan extending conditions frequently impair early-life fitness and fail to correspondingly increase healthspan. Here, we consolidate multiple evolutionary theories of ageing and discuss data supporting hyper/hypofunctional changes at a global molecular and functional level in C. elegans, and how classical lifespan-extension mutations alter these dynamics. The relevance of such mutant models for exploring mechanisms of ageing are discussed, highlighting that post-reproductive gene optimisation represents a more translatable approach for C. elegans research that is not constrained by evolutionary trade-offs. Where some genetic mutations in C. elegans that promote late-life health map accordingly with healthy ageing in humans, other widely used genetic mutations that extend worm lifespan are associated with life-limiting pathologies in people. Lifespan has also become the gold standard for quantifying 'ageing', but we argue that gerospan compression (i.e., 'healthier' ageing) is an appropriate goal for anti-ageing research, the mechanisms of which appear distinct from those regulating lifespan alone. There is, therefore, an evident need to re-evaluate experimental approaches to study the role of hyper/hypofunctional genes in ageing in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Slade
- University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
| | - Timothy Etheridge
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Nathaniel J Szewczyk
- Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Athens, Ohio, 45701.
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3
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Sun R, Fisher RP. The CDK9-SPT5 Axis in Control of Transcription Elongation by RNAPII. J Mol Biol 2024:168746. [PMID: 39147127 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168746] [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: 06/21/2024] [Revised: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
The RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) transcription cycle is regulated at every stage by a network of cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs) and protein phosphatases. Progression of RNAPII from initiation to termination is marked by changing patterns of phosphorylation on the highly repetitive carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) of RPB1, its largest subunit, suggesting the existence of a CTD code. In parallel, the conserved transcription elongation factor SPT5, large subunit of the DRB sensitivity-inducing factor (DSIF), undergoes spatiotemporally regulated changes in phosphorylation state that may be directly linked to the transitions between transcription-cycle phases. Here we review insights gained from recent structural, biochemical, and genetic analyses of human SPT5, which suggest that two of its phosphorylated regions perform distinct functions at different points in transcription. Phosphorylation within a flexible, RNA-binding linker promotes release from the promoter-proximal pause-frequently a rate-limiting step in gene expression-whereas modifications in a repetitive carboxy-terminal region are thought to favor processive elongation, and are removed just prior to termination. Phosphorylations in both motifs depend on CDK9, catalytic subunit of positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb); their different timing of accumulation on chromatin and function during the transcription cycle might reflect their removal by different phosphatases, different kinetics of phosphorylation by CDK9, or both. Perturbations of SPT5 regulation have profound impacts on viability and development in model organisms through largely unknown mechanisms, while enzymes that modify SPT5 have emerged as potential therapeutic targets in cancer; elucidating a putative SPT5 code is therefore a high priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Sun
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029-6574, USA
| | - Robert P Fisher
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029-6574, USA.
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4
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Walker RL, Hornicek FJ, Duan Z. Transcriptional regulation and therapeutic potential of cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) in sarcoma. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 226:116342. [PMID: 38848777 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116342] [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: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Sarcomas include various subtypes comprising two significant groups - soft tissue and bone sarcomas. Although the survival rate for some sarcoma subtypes has improved over time, the current methods of treatment remain efficaciously limited, as recurrent, and metastatic diseases remain a major obstacle. There is a need for better options and therapeutic strategies in treating sarcoma. Cyclin dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) is a transcriptional kinase and has emerged as a promising target for treating various cancers. The aberrant expression and activation of CDK9 have been observed in several sarcoma subtypes, including rhabdomyosarcoma, synovial sarcoma, osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, and chordoma. Enhanced CDK9 expression has also been correlated with poorer prognosis in sarcoma patients. As a master regulator of transcription, CDK9 promotes transcription elongation by phosphorylation and releasing RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) from its promoter proximal pause. Release of RNAPII from this pause induces transcription of critical genes in the tumor cell. Overexpression and activation of CDK9 have been observed to lead to the expression of oncogenes, including MYC and MCL-1, that aid sarcoma development and progression. Inhibition of CDK9 in sarcoma has been proven to reduce these oncogenes' expression and decrease proliferation and growth in different sarcoma cells. Currently, there are several CDK9 inhibitors in preclinical and clinical investigations. This review aims to highlight the recent discovery and results on the transcriptional role and therapeutic potential of CDK9 in sarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert L Walker
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Sarcoma Biology Laboratory, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Papanicolaou Cancer Research Building, 1550 N.W. 10(th) Avenue, Miami, FL 33136. USA
| | - Francis J Hornicek
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Sarcoma Biology Laboratory, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Papanicolaou Cancer Research Building, 1550 N.W. 10(th) Avenue, Miami, FL 33136. USA
| | - Zhenfeng Duan
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Sarcoma Biology Laboratory, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Papanicolaou Cancer Research Building, 1550 N.W. 10(th) Avenue, Miami, FL 33136. USA.
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5
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Ozbulut HC, Hilgers V. Neuronal RNA processing: cross-talk between transcriptional regulation and RNA-binding proteins. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1426410. [PMID: 39149613 PMCID: PMC11324583 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1426410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
In the nervous system, alternative RNA processing is particularly prevalent, which results in the expression of thousands of transcript variants found in no other tissue. Neuron-specific RNA-binding proteins co-transcriptionally regulate alternative splicing, alternative polyadenylation, and RNA editing, thereby shaping the RNA identity of nervous system cells. Recent evidence suggests that interactions between RNA-binding proteins and cis-regulatory elements such as promoters and enhancers play a role in the determination of neuron-specific expression profiles. Here, we discuss possible mechanisms through which transcription and RNA processing cross-talk to generate the uniquely complex neuronal transcriptome, with a focus on alternative 3'-end formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasan Can Ozbulut
- Max-Planck-Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, Albert Ludwig University, Freiburg, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Immunobiology, Epigenetics, and Metabolism (IMPRS-IEM), Freiburg, Germany
| | - Valérie Hilgers
- Max-Planck-Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany
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6
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Bao N, Wang Z, Fu J, Dong H, Jin Y. RNA structure in alternative splicing regulation: from mechanism to therapy. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2024. [PMID: 39034824 DOI: 10.3724/abbs.2024119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing is a highly intricate process that plays a crucial role in post-transcriptional regulation and significantly expands the functional proteome of a limited number of coding genes in eukaryotes. Its regulation is multifactorial, with RNA structure exerting a significant impact. Aberrant RNA conformations lead to dysregulation of splicing patterns, which directly affects the manifestation of disease symptoms. In this review, the molecular mechanisms of RNA secondary structure-mediated splicing regulation are summarized, with a focus on the complex interplay between aberrant RNA conformations and disease phenotypes resulted from splicing defects. This study also explores additional factors that reshape structural conformations, enriching our understanding of the mechanistic network underlying structure-mediated splicing regulation. In addition, an emphasis has been placed on the clinical role of targeting aberrant splicing corrections in human diseases. The principal mechanisms of action behind this phenomenon are described, followed by a discussion of prospective development strategies and pertinent challenges.
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7
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Boulanger C, Haidara N, Yague-Sanz C, Larochelle M, Jacques PÉ, Hermand D, Bachand F. Repression of pervasive antisense transcription is the primary role of fission yeast RNA polymerase II CTD serine 2 phosphorylation. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:7572-7589. [PMID: 38801067 PMCID: PMC11260464 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae436] [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: 03/23/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The RNA polymerase II carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) consists of conserved heptapeptide repeats that can be phosphorylated to influence distinct stages of the transcription cycle, including RNA processing. Although CTD-associated proteins have been identified, phospho-dependent CTD interactions have remained elusive. Proximity-dependent biotinylation (PDB) has recently emerged as an alternative approach to identify protein-protein associations in the native cellular environment. In this study, we present a PDB-based map of the fission yeast RNAPII CTD interactome in living cells and identify phospho-dependent CTD interactions by using a mutant in which Ser2 was replaced by alanine in every repeat of the fission yeast CTD. This approach revealed that CTD Ser2 phosphorylation is critical for the association between RNAPII and the histone methyltransferase Set2 during transcription elongation, but is not required for 3' end processing and transcription termination. Accordingly, loss of CTD Ser2 phosphorylation causes a global increase in antisense transcription, correlating with elevated histone acetylation in gene bodies. Our findings reveal that the fundamental role of CTD Ser2 phosphorylation is to establish a chromatin-based repressive state that prevents cryptic intragenic transcription initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cédric Boulanger
- RNA Group, Dept of Biochemistry & Functional Genomics, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec J1E 4K8, Canada
| | - Nouhou Haidara
- RNA Group, Dept of Biochemistry & Functional Genomics, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec J1E 4K8, Canada
| | - Carlo Yague-Sanz
- URPHYM-GEMO, The University of Namur, rue de Bruxelles, 61, Namur 5000, Belgium
| | - Marc Larochelle
- RNA Group, Dept of Biochemistry & Functional Genomics, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec J1E 4K8, Canada
| | | | - Damien Hermand
- URPHYM-GEMO, The University of Namur, rue de Bruxelles, 61, Namur 5000, Belgium
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Francois Bachand
- RNA Group, Dept of Biochemistry & Functional Genomics, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec J1E 4K8, Canada
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8
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Luna R, Gómez-González B, Aguilera A. RNA biogenesis and RNA metabolism factors as R-loop suppressors: a hidden role in genome integrity. Genes Dev 2024; 38:504-527. [PMID: 38986581 PMCID: PMC11293400 DOI: 10.1101/gad.351853.124] [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: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Genome integrity relies on the accuracy of DNA metabolism, but as appreciated for more than four decades, transcription enhances mutation and recombination frequencies. More recent research provided evidence for a previously unforeseen link between RNA and DNA metabolism, which is often related to the accumulation of DNA-RNA hybrids and R-loops. In addition to physiological roles, R-loops interfere with DNA replication and repair, providing a molecular scenario for the origin of genome instability. Here, we review current knowledge on the multiple RNA factors that prevent or resolve R-loops and consequent transcription-replication conflicts and thus act as modulators of genome dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Luna
- Andalusian Center of Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine (CABIMER), Universidad de Sevilla-Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), 41092 Seville, Spain
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Seville, Spain
| | - Belén Gómez-González
- Andalusian Center of Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine (CABIMER), Universidad de Sevilla-Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), 41092 Seville, Spain
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Seville, Spain
| | - Andrés Aguilera
- Andalusian Center of Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine (CABIMER), Universidad de Sevilla-Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), 41092 Seville, Spain;
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Seville, Spain
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9
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Song D, Chen Y, Wang P, Cheng Y, Shyh-Chang N. Lin28a forms an RNA-binding complex with Igf2bp3 to regulate m 6A-modified stress response genes in stress granules of muscle stem cells. Cell Prolif 2024:e13707. [PMID: 39021312 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
In the early embryonic stages, Lin-28 homologue A (Lin28a) is highly expressed and declines as the embryo matures. As an RNA-binding protein, Lin28a maintains some adult muscle stem cells (MuSCs) in an embryonic-like state, but its RNA metabolism regulation mechanism remains unclear. BioGPS analysis revealed that Lin28a expression is significantly higher in muscle tissues than in other tissues. Lin28a-positive muscle stem cells (Lin28a+ MuSCs) were sorted from Lin28a-CreERT2; LSL-tdTomato mouse skeletal muscle tissue, which exhibited a higher proliferation rate than the control group. Lin28a-bound transcripts are enriched in various biological processes such as DNA repair, cell cycle, mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid cycle and oxidative stress response. The expression of insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 3 (Igf2bp3) was markedly elevated in the presence of Lin28a. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis further demonstrated that Lin28a associates with Igf2bp3. Immunofluorescence analyses confirmed that Lin28a, Igf2bp3 and G3bp1 colocalize to form stress granules (SG), and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification promotes the formation of Lin28a-SG. Sequencing of the transcriptome and RNAs immunoprecipitated by Lin28a, Igf2bp3 and m6A antibodies in Lin28a+ MuSCs further revealed that Lin28a and Igf2bp3 collaboratively regulate the expression of DNA repair-related genes, including Fancm and Usp1. Lin28a stabilises Igf2bp3, Usp1, and Fancm mRNAs, enhancing DNA repair against oxidative or proteotoxic stress, thus promoting MuSCs self-renewal. Understanding the intricate mechanisms through which Lin28a and Igf2bp3 regulate MuSCs provides a deeper understanding of stem cell self-renewal, with potential implications for regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Song
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Peng 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, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yeqian Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ng Shyh-Chang
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
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10
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Bohrer C, Varon E, Peretz E, Reinitz G, Kinor N, Halle D, Nissan A, Shav-Tal Y. CCAT1 lncRNA is chromatin-retained and post-transcriptionally spliced. Histochem Cell Biol 2024; 162:91-107. [PMID: 38763947 PMCID: PMC11227459 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-024-02294-w] [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] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Super-enhancers are unique gene expression regulators widely involved in cancer development. Spread over large DNA segments, they tend to be found next to oncogenes. The super-enhancer c-MYC locus forms long-range chromatin looping with nearby genes, which brings the enhancer and the genes into proximity, to promote gene activation. The colon cancer-associated transcript 1 (CCAT1) gene, which is part of the MYC locus, transcribes a lncRNA that is overexpressed in colon cancer cells through activation by MYC. Comparing different types of cancer cell lines using RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (RNA FISH), we detected very prominent CCAT1 expression in HeLa cells, observed as several large CCAT1 nuclear foci. We found that dozens of CCAT1 transcripts accumulate on the gene locus, in addition to active transcription occurring from the gene. The accumulating transcripts are released from the chromatin during cell division. Examination of CCAT1 lncRNA expression patterns on the single-RNA level showed that unspliced CCAT1 transcripts are released from the gene into the nucleoplasm. Most of these unspliced transcripts were observed in proximity to the active gene but were not associated with nuclear speckles in which unspliced RNAs usually accumulate. At larger distances from the gene, the CCAT1 transcripts appeared spliced, implying that most CCAT1 transcripts undergo post-transcriptional splicing in the zone of the active gene. Finally, we show that unspliced CCAT1 transcripts can be detected in the cytoplasm during splicing inhibition, which suggests that there are several CCAT1 variants, spliced and unspliced, that the cell can recognize as suitable for export.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaya Bohrer
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and Institute of Nanotechnology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Eli Varon
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and Institute of Nanotechnology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Eldar Peretz
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and Institute of Nanotechnology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Gita Reinitz
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and Institute of Nanotechnology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Noa Kinor
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and Institute of Nanotechnology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - David Halle
- Biochemistry Laboratory, Samson Assuta Ashdod University Hospital, Ashdod, Israel
| | - Aviram Nissan
- Ziv Medical Center, Safed, Israel
- Surgical Innovation Laboratory, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Yaron Shav-Tal
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and Institute of Nanotechnology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
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11
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Velychko T, Mohammad E, Ferrer-Vicens I, Parfentev I, Werner M, Studniarek C, Schwalb B, Urlaub H, Murphy S, Cramer P, Lidschreiber M. CDK7 kinase activity promotes RNA polymerase II promoter escape by facilitating initiation factor release. Mol Cell 2024; 84:2287-2303.e10. [PMID: 38821049 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.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: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7), part of the general transcription factor TFIIH, promotes gene transcription by phosphorylating the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II). Here, we combine rapid CDK7 kinase inhibition with multi-omics analysis to unravel the direct functions of CDK7 in human cells. CDK7 inhibition causes RNA Pol II retention at promoters, leading to decreased RNA Pol II initiation and immediate global downregulation of transcript synthesis. Elongation, termination, and recruitment of co-transcriptional factors are not directly affected. Although RNA Pol II, initiation factors, and Mediator accumulate at promoters, RNA Pol II complexes can also proceed into gene bodies without promoter-proximal pausing while retaining initiation factors and Mediator. Further downstream, RNA Pol II phosphorylation increases and initiation factors and Mediator are released, allowing recruitment of elongation factors and an increase in RNA Pol II elongation velocity. Collectively, CDK7 kinase activity promotes the release of initiation factors and Mediator from RNA Pol II, facilitating RNA Pol II escape from the promoter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taras Velychko
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Eusra Mohammad
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ivan Ferrer-Vicens
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Iwan Parfentev
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Marcel Werner
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Cecilia Studniarek
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Björn Schwalb
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Henning Urlaub
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Shona Murphy
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Patrick Cramer
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Michael Lidschreiber
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
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12
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Jia J, Fan H, Wan X, Fang Y, Li Z, Tang Y, Zhang Y, Huang J, Fang D. FUS reads histone H3K36me3 to regulate alternative polyadenylation. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:5549-5571. [PMID: 38499486 PMCID: PMC11162772 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Complex organisms generate differential gene expression through the same set of DNA sequences in distinct cells. The communication between chromatin and RNA regulates cellular behavior in tissues. However, little is known about how chromatin, especially histone modifications, regulates RNA polyadenylation. In this study, we found that FUS was recruited to chromatin by H3K36me3 at gene bodies. The H3K36me3 recognition of FUS was mediated by the proline residues in the ZNF domain. After these proline residues were mutated or H3K36me3 was abolished, FUS dissociated from chromatin and bound more to RNA, resulting in an increase in polyadenylation sites far from stop codons genome-wide. A proline mutation corresponding to a mutation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis contributed to the hyperactivation of mitochondria and hyperdifferentiation in mouse embryonic stem cells. These findings reveal that FUS is an H3K36me3 reader protein that links chromatin-mediated alternative polyadenylation to human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junqi Jia
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Haonan Fan
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Xinyi Wan
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Yuan Fang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Zhuoning Li
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Yin Tang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Yanjun Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Jun Huang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Dong Fang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
- Department of Medical Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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13
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Liu X, Yao X, Chen L. Expanding roles of circRNAs in cardiovascular diseases. Noncoding RNA Res 2024; 9:429-436. [PMID: 38511061 PMCID: PMC10950605 DOI: 10.1016/j.ncrna.2024.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
CircRNAs are a class of single-stranded RNAs characterized by covalently looped structures. Emerging advances have promoted our understanding of circRNA biogenesis, nuclear export, biological functions, and functional mechanisms. Roles of circRNAs in diverse diseases have been increasingly recognized in the past decade, with novel approaches in bioinformatics analysis and new strategies in modulating circRNA levels, which have made circRNAs the hot spot for therapeutic applications. Moreover, due to the intrinsic features of circRNAs such as high stability, conservation, and tissue-/stage-specific expression, circRNAs are believed to be promising prognostic and diagnostic markers for diseases. Aiming cardiovascular disease (CVD), one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, we briefly summarize the current understanding of circRNAs, provide the recent progress in circRNA functions and functional mechanisms in CVD, and discuss the future perspectives both in circRNA research and therapeutics based on existing knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Liu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, China
| | - Xuelin Yao
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, China
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Liang Chen
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, China
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14
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Borao S, Vega M, Boronat S, Hidalgo E, Hümmer S, Ayté J. A systematic screen identifies Saf5 as a link between splicing and transcription in fission yeast. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011316. [PMID: 38833506 PMCID: PMC11178228 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011316] [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: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Splicing is an important step of gene expression regulation in eukaryotes, as there are many mRNA precursors that can be alternatively spliced in different tissues, at different cell cycle phases or under different external stimuli. We have developed several integrated fluorescence-based in vivo splicing reporter constructs that allow the quantification of fission yeast splicing in vivo on intact cells, and we have compared their splicing efficiency in a wild type strain and in a prp2-1 (U2AF65) genetic background, showing a clear dependency between Prp2 and a consensus signal at 5' splicing site (5'SS). To isolate novel genes involved in regulated splicing, we have crossed the reporter showing more intron retention with the Schizosaccharomyces pombe knock out collection. Among the candidate genes involved in the regulation of splicing, we have detected strong splicing defects in two of the mutants -Δcwf12, a member of the NineTeen Complex (NTC) and Δsaf5, a methylosome subunit that acts together with the survival motor neuron (SMN) complex in small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNP) biogenesis. We have identified that strains with mutations in cwf12 have inefficient splicing, mainly when the 5'SS differs from the consensus. However, although Δsaf5 cells also have some dependency on 5'SS sequence, we noticed that when one intron of a given pre-mRNA was affected, the rest of the introns of the same pre-mRNA had high probabilities of being also affected. This observation points Saf5 as a link between transcription rate and splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Borao
- Oxidative Stress and Cell Cycle Group, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Montserrat Vega
- Oxidative Stress and Cell Cycle Group, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Susanna Boronat
- Oxidative Stress and Cell Cycle Group, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elena Hidalgo
- Oxidative Stress and Cell Cycle Group, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Stefan Hümmer
- Oxidative Stress and Cell Cycle Group, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Ayté
- Oxidative Stress and Cell Cycle Group, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
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15
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Graham SV. HPV and RNA Binding Proteins: What We Know and What Remains to Be Discovered. Viruses 2024; 16:783. [PMID: 38793664 PMCID: PMC11126060 DOI: 10.3390/v16050783] [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: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Papillomavirus gene regulation is largely post-transcriptional due to overlapping open reading frames and the use of alternative polyadenylation and alternative splicing to produce the full suite of viral mRNAs. These processes are controlled by a wide range of cellular RNA binding proteins (RPBs), including constitutive splicing factors and cleavage and polyadenylation machinery, but also factors that regulate these processes, for example, SR and hnRNP proteins. Like cellular RNAs, papillomavirus RNAs have been shown to bind many such proteins. The life cycle of papillomaviruses is intimately linked to differentiation of the epithelial tissues the virus infects. For example, viral late mRNAs and proteins are expressed only in the most differentiated epithelial layers to avoid recognition by the host immune response. Papillomavirus genome replication is linked to the DNA damage response and viral chromatin conformation, processes which also link to RNA processing. Challenges with respect to elucidating how RBPs regulate the viral life cycle include consideration of the orchestrated spatial aspect of viral gene expression in an infected epithelium and the epigenetic nature of the viral episomal genome. This review discusses RBPs that control viral gene expression, and how the connectivity of various nuclear processes might contribute to viral mRNA production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheila V Graham
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, School of Infection and Immunity, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK
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16
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Lee CY, Joshi M, Wang A, Myong S. 5'UTR G-quadruplex structure enhances translation in size dependent manner. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3963. [PMID: 38729943 PMCID: PMC11087576 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48247-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Translation initiation in bacteria is frequently regulated by various structures in the 5' untranslated region (5'UTR). Previously, we demonstrated that G-quadruplex (G4) formation in non-template DNA enhances transcription. In this study, we aim to explore how G4 formation in mRNA (RG4) at 5'UTR impacts translation using a T7-based in vitro translation system and in E. coli. We show that RG4 strongly promotes translation efficiency in a size-dependent manner. Additionally, inserting a hairpin upstream of the RG4 further enhances translation efficiency, reaching up to a 12-fold increase. We find that the RG4-dependent effect is not due to increased ribosome affinity, ribosome binding site accessibility, or mRNA stability. We propose a physical barrier model in which bulky structures in 5'UTR biases ribosome movement toward the downstream start codon, thereby increasing the translation output. This study provides biophysical insights into the regulatory role of 5'UTR structures in in vitro and bacterial translation, highlighting their potential applications in tuning gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Ying Lee
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Meera Joshi
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Ashley Wang
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Sua Myong
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.
- Physics Frontier Center (Center for Physics of Living Cells), University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
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17
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Brümmer A, Bergmann S. Disentangling genetic effects on transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene regulation through integrating exon and intron expression QTLs. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3786. [PMID: 38710690 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48244-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) studies typically consider exon expression of genes and discard intronic RNA sequencing reads despite their information on RNA metabolism. Here, we quantify genetic effects on exon and intron levels of genes and their ratio in lymphoblastoid cell lines, revealing thousands of cis-QTLs of each type. While genetic effects are often shared between cis-QTL types, 7814 (47%) are not detected as top cis-QTLs at exon levels. We show that exon levels preferentially capture genetic effects on transcriptional regulation, while exon-intron-ratios better detect those on co- and post-transcriptional processes. Considering all cis-QTL types substantially increases (by 71%) the number of colocalizing variants identified by genome-wide association studies (GWAS). It further allows dissecting the potential gene regulatory processes underlying GWAS associations, suggesting comparable contributions by transcriptional (50%) and co- and post-transcriptional regulation (46%) to complex traits. Overall, integrating intronic RNA sequencing reads in eQTL studies expands our understanding of genetic effects on gene regulatory processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anneke Brümmer
- Department of Computational Biology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Bioinformatics Competence Center, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Sven Bergmann
- Department of Computational Biology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
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18
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Han X, Xing L, Hong Y, Zhang X, Hao B, Lu JY, Huang M, Wang Z, Ma S, Zhan G, Li T, Hao X, Tao Y, Li G, Zhou S, Zheng Z, Shao W, Zeng Y, Ma D, Zhang W, Xie Z, Deng H, Yan J, Deng W, Shen X. Nuclear RNA homeostasis promotes systems-level coordination of cell fate and senescence. Cell Stem Cell 2024; 31:694-716.e11. [PMID: 38631356 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2024.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Understanding cellular coordination remains a challenge despite knowledge of individual pathways. The RNA exosome, targeting a wide range of RNA substrates, is often downregulated in cellular senescence. Utilizing an auxin-inducible system, we observed that RNA exosome depletion in embryonic stem cells significantly affects the transcriptome and proteome, causing pluripotency loss and pre-senescence onset. Mechanistically, exosome depletion triggers acute nuclear RNA aggregation, disrupting nuclear RNA-protein equilibrium. This disturbance limits nuclear protein availability and hinders polymerase initiation and engagement, reducing gene transcription. Concurrently, it promptly disrupts nucleolar transcription, ribosomal processes, and nuclear exporting, resulting in a translational shutdown. Prolonged exosome depletion induces nuclear structural changes resembling senescent cells, including aberrant chromatin compaction, chromocenter disassembly, and intensified heterochromatic foci. These effects suggest that the dynamic turnover of nuclear RNA orchestrates crosstalk between essential processes to optimize cellular function. Disruptions in nuclear RNA homeostasis result in systemic functional decline, altering the cell state and promoting senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Han
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Linqing Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yantao Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xuechun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Bo Hao
- SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China
| | - J Yuyang Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Mengyuan Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zuhui Wang
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Shaoqian Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Ge Zhan
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Tong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xiaowen Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yibing Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Guanwen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Shuqin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zheng Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Wen Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yitian Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Dacheng Ma
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Bioinformatics Division, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Department of Automation, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Wenhao Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zhen Xie
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Bioinformatics Division, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Department of Automation, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Haiteng Deng
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jiangwei Yan
- SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China
| | - Wulan Deng
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xiaohua Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China.
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19
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Sun X, Zhao X, Xu Y, Yan Y, Han L, Wei M, He M. Potential therapeutic strategy for cancer: Multi-dimensional cross-talk between circRNAs and parental genes. Cancer Lett 2024; 588:216794. [PMID: 38453043 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
In many ways, circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been demonstrated to be crucial in the onset and advancement of cancer throughout the last ten years and have become a new focus of intense research in the field of RNAs. Accumulating studies have demonstrated that circRNAs can regulate parental gene expression via a variety of biological pathways. Furthermore, research into the complex interactions between circRNAs and their parental genes will shed light on their biological roles and open up new avenues for circRNAs' potential clinical translational uses. However, to date, multi-dimensional cross-talk between circRNAs and parental genes have not been systematically elucidated. Particularly intriguing is circRNA's exploration of tumor targeting, and potential therapeutic uses based on the parental gene regulation perspective. Here, we discuss their biogenesis, take a fresh look at the molecular mechanisms through which circRNAs control the expression of their parental genes in cancer. We further highlight We further highlight the latest circRNA clinical translational applications, including prognostic diagnostic markers, cancer vaccines, gDNA, and so on. Demonstrating the potential benefits and future applications of circRNA therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Sun
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China; Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Shenyang, China.
| | - Xinyi Zhao
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China; Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Shenyang, China.
| | - Yan Xu
- Department of Urology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
| | - Yuanyuan Yan
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China; Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Shenyang, China.
| | - Li Han
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China; Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Shenyang, China.
| | - Minjie Wei
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China; Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Shenyang, China; Liaoning Medical Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Liaoning Province, China.
| | - Miao He
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China; Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Shenyang, China.
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20
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White DS, Dunyak BM, Vaillancourt FH, Hoskins AA. A Sequential Binding Mechanism for 5' Splice Site Recognition and Modulation for the Human U1 snRNP. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.18.590139. [PMID: 38659798 PMCID: PMC11042371 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.18.590139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Splice site recognition is essential for defining the transcriptome. Drugs like risdiplam and branaplam change how U1 snRNP recognizes particular 5' splice sites (5'SS) and promote U1 snRNP binding and splicing at these locations. Despite the therapeutic potential of 5'SS modulators, the complexity of their interactions and snRNP substrates have precluded defining a mechanism for 5'SS modulation. We have determined a sequential binding mechanism for modulation of -1A bulged 5'SS by branaplam using a combination of ensemble kinetic measurements and colocalization single molecule spectroscopy (CoSMoS). Our mechanism establishes that U1-C protein binds reversibly to U1 snRNP, and branaplam binds to the U1 snRNP/U1-C complex only after it has engaged a -1A bulged 5'SS. Obligate orders of binding and unbinding explain how reversible branaplam interactions cause formation of long-lived U1 snRNP/5'SS complexes. Branaplam is a ribonucleoprotein, not RNA duplex alone, targeting drug whose action depends on fundamental properties of 5'SS recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S. White
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
- Present Address: Element Biosciences, San Diego, CA
| | | | | | - Aaron A. Hoskins
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
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21
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Teng M, Xia ZJ, Lo N, Daud K, He HH. Assembling the RNA therapeutics toolbox. MEDICAL REVIEW (2021) 2024; 4:110-128. [PMID: 38680684 PMCID: PMC11046573 DOI: 10.1515/mr-2023-0062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
From the approval of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines to the 2023 Nobel Prize awarded for nucleoside base modifications, RNA therapeutics have entered the spotlight and are transforming drug development. While the term "RNA therapeutics" has been used in various contexts, this review focuses on treatments that utilize RNA as a component or target RNA for therapeutic effects. We summarize the latest advances in RNA-targeting tools and RNA-based technologies, including but not limited to mRNA, antisense oligos, siRNAs, small molecules and RNA editors. We focus on the mechanisms of current FDA-approved therapeutics but also provide a discussion on the upcoming workforces. The clinical utility of RNA-based therapeutics is enabled not only by the advances in RNA technologies but in conjunction with the significant improvements in chemical modifications and delivery platforms, which are also briefly discussed in the review. We summarize the latest RNA therapeutics based on their mechanisms and therapeutic effects, which include expressing proteins for vaccination and protein replacement therapies, degrading deleterious RNA, modulating transcription and translation efficiency, targeting noncoding RNAs, binding and modulating protein activity and editing RNA sequences and modifications. This review emphasizes the concept of an RNA therapeutic toolbox, pinpointing the readers to all the tools available for their desired research and clinical goals. As the field advances, the catalog of RNA therapeutic tools continues to grow, further allowing researchers to combine appropriate RNA technologies with suitable chemical modifications and delivery platforms to develop therapeutics tailored to their specific clinical challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Teng
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ziting Judy Xia
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nicholas Lo
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kashif Daud
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Housheng Hansen He
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
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22
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Struhl K. How is polyadenylation restricted to 3'-untranslated regions? Yeast 2024; 41:186-191. [PMID: 38041485 PMCID: PMC11001523 DOI: 10.1002/yea.3915] [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: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Polyadenylation occurs at numerous sites within 3'-untranslated regions (3'-UTRs) but rarely within coding regions. How does Pol II travel through long coding regions without generating poly(A) sites, yet then permits promiscuous polyadenylation once it reaches the 3'-UTR? The cleavage/polyadenylation (CpA) machinery preferentially associates with 3'-UTRs, but it is unknown how its recruitment is restricted to 3'-UTRs during Pol II elongation. Unlike coding regions, 3'-UTRs have long AT-rich stretches of DNA that may be important for restricting polyadenylation to 3'-UTRs. Recognition of the 3'-UTR could occur at the DNA (AT-rich), RNA (AU-rich), or RNA:DNA hybrid (rU:dA- and/or rA:dT-rich) level. Based on the nucleic acid critical for 3'-UTR recognition, there are three classes of models, not mutually exclusive, for how the CpA machinery is selectively recruited to 3'-UTRs, thereby restricting where polyadenylation occurs: (1) RNA-based models suggest that the CpA complex directly (or indirectly through one or more intermediary proteins) binds long AU-rich stretches that are exposed after Pol II passes through these regions. (2) DNA-based models suggest that the AT-rich sequence affects nucleosome depletion or the elongating Pol II machinery, resulting in dissociation of some elongation factors and subsequent recruitment of the CpA machinery. (3) RNA:DNA hybrid models suggest that preferential destabilization of the Pol II elongation complex at rU:dA- and/or rA:dT-rich duplexes bridging the nucleotide addition and RNA exit sites permits preferential association of the CpA machinery with 3'-UTRs. Experiments to provide evidence for one or more of these models are suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Struhl
- Dept. Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
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23
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Wang F, Jin Z, Wang S, Yang L, Fan Z, Yao Y. ASAPA: a bioinformatic pipeline based on Iso-Seq that identifies the links among alternative splicing, alternative transcription initiation and alternative polyadenylation. Funct Integr Genomics 2024; 24:67. [PMID: 38528184 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-024-01332-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although the events associated with alternative splicing (AS), alternative polyadenylation (APA) and alternative transcription initiation (ATI) can be identified by many approaches based on isoform sequencing (Iso-Seq), these analyses are generally independent of each other and the links between these events are still rarely mentioned. However, an interdependency analysis can be achieved because the transcriptional start site, splice sites and polyA site could be simultaneously included in a long, full-length read from Iso-Seq. RESULTS We create ASAPA pipeline that enables streamlined analysis for a robust detection of potential links among AS, ATI and APA using Iso-Seq data. We tested this pipeline using Arabidopsis data and found some interesting results: some adjacent introns tend to be simultaneously spliced or retained; coupling between AS and ATI or APA is limited to the initial or terminal intron; and ATI and APA are potentially linked in some special cases. CONCLUSION Our pipeline enables streamlined analysis for a robust detection of potential links among AS, ATI and APA using Iso-Seq data, which is conducive to a better understanding of transcription landscape generation.
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Grants
- 32072537,31872068 This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32072537,31872068), fruit industry technology system of Shandong Province (SDAIT-06-03), and Agriculture Improved Variety Project of Shandong Province (2020LZGC008).
- 32072537,31872068 This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32072537,31872068), fruit industry technology system of Shandong Province (SDAIT-06-03), and Agriculture Improved Variety Project of Shandong Province (2020LZGC008).
- 32072537,31872068 This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32072537,31872068), fruit industry technology system of Shandong Province (SDAIT-06-03), and Agriculture Improved Variety Project of Shandong Province (2020LZGC008).
- 32072537,31872068 This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32072537,31872068), fruit industry technology system of Shandong Province (SDAIT-06-03), and Agriculture Improved Variety Project of Shandong Province (2020LZGC008).
- 32072537,31872068 This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32072537,31872068), fruit industry technology system of Shandong Province (SDAIT-06-03), and Agriculture Improved Variety Project of Shandong Province (2020LZGC008).
- 32072537,31872068 This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32072537,31872068), fruit industry technology system of Shandong Province (SDAIT-06-03), and Agriculture Improved Variety Project of Shandong Province (2020LZGC008).
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Fruit & Vegetable Quality and Efficient Production, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai-An, 271018, Shandong, China
| | - Zhongxin Jin
- National Key Laboratory of Tropical Crop Breeding, Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology Institute, Sanya Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
| | - Shengnan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Fruit & Vegetable Quality and Efficient Production, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai-An, 271018, Shandong, China
| | - Longcheng Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Fruit & Vegetable Quality and Efficient Production, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai-An, 271018, Shandong, China
| | - Zongbao Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Fruit & Vegetable Quality and Efficient Production, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai-An, 271018, Shandong, China
| | - Yuxin Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Fruit & Vegetable Quality and Efficient Production, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai-An, 271018, Shandong, China.
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24
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Szabo B, Mandl TC, Woldrich B, Diensthuber G, Martin D, Jantsch MF, Licht K. RNA Pol II-dependent transcription efficiency fine-tunes A-to-I editing levels. Genome Res 2024; 34:231-242. [PMID: 38471738 PMCID: PMC10984384 DOI: 10.1101/gr.277686.123] [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: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
A-to-I RNA editing is a widespread epitranscriptomic phenomenon leading to the conversion of adenosines to inosines, which are primarily interpreted as guanosines by cellular machines. Consequently, A-to-I editing can alter splicing or lead to recoding of transcripts. As misregulation of editing can cause a variety of human diseases, A-to-I editing requires tight regulation of the extent of deamination, particularly in protein-coding regions. The bulk of A-to-I editing occurs cotranscriptionally. Thus, we studied A-to-I editing regulation in the context of transcription and pre-mRNA processing. We show that stimulation of transcription impacts editing levels. Activation of the transcription factor MYC leads to an up-regulation of A-to-I editing, particularly in transcripts that are suppressed upon MYC activation. Moreover, low pre-mRNA synthesis rates and low pre-mRNA expression levels support high levels of editing. We also show that editing levels greatly differ between nascent pre-mRNA and mRNA in a cellular system, as well as in mouse tissues. Editing levels can increase or decrease from pre-mRNA to mRNA and can vary across editing targets and across tissues, showing that pre-mRNA processing is an important layer of editing regulation. Several lines of evidence suggest that the differences emerge during pre-mRNA splicing. Moreover, actinomycin D treatment of primary neuronal cells and editing level analysis suggests that regulation of editing levels also depends on transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brigitta Szabo
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Therese C Mandl
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernhard Woldrich
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Gregor Diensthuber
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - David Martin
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael F Jantsch
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Konstantin Licht
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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25
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Cuevas-Bermúdez A, Martínez-Fernández V, Garrido-Godino AI, Jordán-Pla A, Peñate X, Martín-Expósito M, Gutiérrez G, Govind CK, Chávez S, Pelechano V, Navarro F. The association of the RSC remodeler complex with chromatin is influenced by the prefoldin-like Bud27 and determines nucleosome positioning and polyadenylation sites usage in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2024; 1867:194995. [PMID: 37967810 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2023.194995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
The tripartite interaction between the chromatin remodeler complex RSC, RNA polymerase subunit Rpb5 and prefoldin-like Bud27 is necessary for proper RNA pol II elongation. Indeed lack of Bud27 alters this association and affects transcription elongation. This work investigates the consequences of lack of Bud27 on the chromatin association of RSC and RNA pol II, and on nucleosome positioning. Our results demonstrate that RSC binds chromatin in gene bodies and lack of Bud27 alters this association, mainly around polyA sites. This alteration impacts chromatin organization and leads to the accumulation of RNA pol II molecules around polyA sites, likely due to pausing or arrest. Our data suggest that RSC is necessary to maintain chromatin organization around those sites, and any alteration of this organization results in the widespread use of alternative polyA sites. Finally, we also find a similar molecular phenotype that occurs upon TOR inhibition with rapamycin, which suggests that alternative polyadenylation observed upon TOR inhibition is likely Bud27-dependent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abel Cuevas-Bermúdez
- Departamento de Biología Experimental-Genética, Universidad de Jaén, Paraje de las Lagunillas, s/n, E-23071, Jaén, Spain
| | - Verónica Martínez-Fernández
- Departamento de Biología Experimental-Genética, Universidad de Jaén, Paraje de las Lagunillas, s/n, E-23071, Jaén, Spain
| | - Ana I Garrido-Godino
- Departamento de Biología Experimental-Genética, Universidad de Jaén, Paraje de las Lagunillas, s/n, E-23071, Jaén, Spain
| | - Antonio Jordán-Pla
- Instituto Biotecmed, Facultad de Biológicas, Universitat de València, E-46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - Xenia Peñate
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain; Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, Universidad de Sevilla-CSIC-Hospital Universitario V. del Rocío, Seville, Spain
| | - Manuel Martín-Expósito
- Departamento de Biología Experimental-Genética, Universidad de Jaén, Paraje de las Lagunillas, s/n, E-23071, Jaén, Spain
| | | | - Chhabi K Govind
- Department of Biological Sciences, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309, USA
| | - Sebastián Chávez
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain; Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, Universidad de Sevilla-CSIC-Hospital Universitario V. del Rocío, Seville, Spain
| | - Vicent Pelechano
- SciLifeLab, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 65 Solna, Sweden
| | - Francisco Navarro
- Departamento de Biología Experimental-Genética, Universidad de Jaén, Paraje de las Lagunillas, s/n, E-23071, Jaén, Spain; Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Olivar y Aceites de Oliva, Universidad de Jaén, Paraje de las Lagunillas, s/n, E-23071, Jaén, Spain.
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26
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Torres-Ulloa L, Calvo-Roitberg E, Pai AA. Genome-wide kinetic profiling of pre-mRNA 3' end cleavage. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2024; 30:256-270. [PMID: 38164598 PMCID: PMC10870368 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079783.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Cleavage and polyadenylation is necessary for the formation of mature mRNA molecules. The rate at which this process occurs can determine the temporal availability of mRNA for subsequent function throughout the cell and is likely tightly regulated. Despite advances in high-throughput approaches for global kinetic profiling of RNA maturation, genome-wide 3' end cleavage rates have never been measured. Here, we describe a novel approach to estimate the rates of cleavage, using metabolic labeling of nascent RNA, high-throughput sequencing, and mathematical modeling. Using in silico simulations of nascent RNA-seq data, we show that our approach can accurately and precisely estimate cleavage half-lives for both constitutive and alternative sites. We find that 3' end cleavage is fast on average, with half-lives under a minute, but highly variable across individual sites. Rapid cleavage is promoted by the presence of canonical sequence elements and an increased density of polyadenylation signals near a cleavage site. Finally, we find that cleavage rates are associated with the localization of RNA polymerase II at the end of a gene, and faster cleavage leads to quicker degradation of downstream readthrough RNA. Our findings shed light on the features important for efficient 3' end cleavage and the regulation of transcription termination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie Torres-Ulloa
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, USA
| | - Ezequiel Calvo-Roitberg
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, USA
| | - Athma A Pai
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, USA
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27
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Conti M, Kunitomi C. A genome-wide perspective of the maternal mRNA translation program during oocyte development. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2024; 154:88-98. [PMID: 36894378 PMCID: PMC11250054 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulations control gene expression in most cells. However, critical transitions during the development of the female gamete relies exclusively on regulation of mRNA translation in the absence of de novo mRNA synthesis. Specific temporal patterns of maternal mRNA translation are essential for the oocyte progression through meiosis, for generation of a haploid gamete ready for fertilization and for embryo development. In this review, we will discuss how mRNAs are translated during oocyte growth and maturation using mostly a genome-wide perspective. This broad view on how translation is regulated reveals multiple divergent translational control mechanisms required to coordinate protein synthesis with progression through the meiotic cell cycle and with development of a totipotent zygote.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Conti
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
| | - Chisato Kunitomi
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
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28
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Yan Y, Luo H, Qin Y, Yan T, Jia J, Hou Y, Liu Z, Zhai J, Long Y, Deng X, Cao X. Light controls mesophyll-specific post-transcriptional splicing of photoregulatory genes by AtPRMT5. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2317408121. [PMID: 38285953 PMCID: PMC10861865 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2317408121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Light plays a central role in plant growth and development, providing an energy source and governing various aspects of plant morphology. Previous study showed that many polyadenylated full-length RNA molecules within the nucleus contain unspliced introns (post-transcriptionally spliced introns, PTS introns), which may play a role in rapidly responding to changes in environmental signals. However, the mechanism underlying post-transcriptional regulation during initial light exposure of young, etiolated seedlings remains elusive. In this study, we used FLEP-seq2, a Nanopore-based sequencing technique, to analyze nuclear RNAs in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) seedlings under different light conditions and found numerous light-responsive PTS introns. We also used single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) to profile transcripts in single nucleus and investigate the distribution of light-responsive PTS introns across distinct cell types. We established that light-induced PTS introns are predominant in mesophyll cells during seedling de-etiolation following exposure of etiolated seedlings to light. We further demonstrated the involvement of the splicing-related factor A. thaliana PROTEIN ARGININE METHYLTRANSFERASE 5 (AtPRMT5), working in concert with the E3 ubiquitin ligase CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC 1 (COP1), a critical repressor of light signaling pathways. We showed that these two proteins orchestrate light-induced PTS events in mesophyll cells and facilitate chloroplast development, photosynthesis, and morphogenesis in response to ever-changing light conditions. These findings provide crucial insights into the intricate mechanisms underlying plant acclimation to light at the cell-type level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Yan
- Key Laboratory of Seed Innovation, State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and National Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
| | - Haofei Luo
- Key Laboratory of Seed Innovation, State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and National Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
| | - Yuwei Qin
- Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen518055, China
| | - Tingting Yan
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Fruit Tree Biology of Hainan Province, Institute of Tropical Fruit Trees, Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Haikou571100, China
| | - Jinbu Jia
- Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen518055, China
| | - Yifeng Hou
- Key Laboratory of Seed Innovation, State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and National Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
| | - Zhijian Liu
- Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen518055, China
| | - Jixian Zhai
- Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen518055, China
| | - Yanping Long
- Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen518055, China
| | - Xian Deng
- Key Laboratory of Seed Innovation, State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and National Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
| | - Xiaofeng Cao
- Key Laboratory of Seed Innovation, State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and National Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100049, China
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29
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Cottrell KA, Andrews RJ, Bass BL. The competitive landscape of the dsRNA world. Mol Cell 2024; 84:107-119. [PMID: 38118451 PMCID: PMC10843539 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.11.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
The ability to sense and respond to infection is essential for life. Viral infection produces double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) that are sensed by proteins that recognize the structure of dsRNA. This structure-based recognition of viral dsRNA allows dsRNA sensors to recognize infection by many viruses, but it comes at a cost-the dsRNA sensors cannot always distinguish between "self" and "nonself" dsRNAs. "Self" RNAs often contain dsRNA regions, and not surprisingly, mechanisms have evolved to prevent aberrant activation of dsRNA sensors by "self" RNA. Here, we review current knowledge about the life of endogenous dsRNAs in mammals-the biosynthesis and processing of dsRNAs, the proteins they encounter, and their ultimate degradation. We highlight mechanisms that evolved to prevent aberrant dsRNA sensor activation and the importance of competition in the regulation of dsRNA sensors and other dsRNA-binding proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle A Cottrell
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
| | - Ryan J Andrews
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Brenda L Bass
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
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30
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Kumar C, Remus D. Looping out of control: R-loops in transcription-replication conflict. Chromosoma 2024; 133:37-56. [PMID: 37419963 PMCID: PMC10771546 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-023-00804-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Transcription-replication conflict is a major cause of replication stress that arises when replication forks collide with the transcription machinery. Replication fork stalling at sites of transcription compromises chromosome replication fidelity and can induce DNA damage with potentially deleterious consequences for genome stability and organismal health. The block to DNA replication by the transcription machinery is complex and can involve stalled or elongating RNA polymerases, promoter-bound transcription factor complexes, or DNA topology constraints. In addition, studies over the past two decades have identified co-transcriptional R-loops as a major source for impairment of DNA replication forks at active genes. However, how R-loops impede DNA replication at the molecular level is incompletely understood. Current evidence suggests that RNA:DNA hybrids, DNA secondary structures, stalled RNA polymerases, and condensed chromatin states associated with R-loops contribute to the of fork progression. Moreover, since both R-loops and replication forks are intrinsically asymmetric structures, the outcome of R-loop-replisome collisions is influenced by collision orientation. Collectively, the data suggest that the impact of R-loops on DNA replication is highly dependent on their specific structural composition. Here, we will summarize our current understanding of the molecular basis for R-loop-induced replication fork progression defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charanya Kumar
- Molecular Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, 10065, USA
| | - Dirk Remus
- Molecular Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, 10065, USA.
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31
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Abrhámová K, Groušlová M, Valentová A, Hao X, Liu B, Převorovský M, Gahura O, Půta F, Sunnerhagen P, Folk P. Truncating the spliceosomal 'rope protein' Prp45 results in Htz1 dependent phenotypes. RNA Biol 2024; 21:1-17. [PMID: 38711165 PMCID: PMC11085953 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2024.2348896] [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] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Spliceosome assembly contributes an important but incompletely understood aspect of splicing regulation. Prp45 is a yeast splicing factor which runs as an extended fold through the spliceosome, and which may be important for bringing its components together. We performed a whole genome analysis of the genetic interaction network of the truncated allele of PRP45 (prp45(1-169)) using synthetic genetic array technology and found chromatin remodellers and modifiers as an enriched category. In agreement with related studies, H2A.Z-encoding HTZ1, and the components of SWR1, INO80, and SAGA complexes represented prominent interactors, with htz1 conferring the strongest growth defect. Because the truncation of Prp45 disproportionately affected low copy number transcripts of intron-containing genes, we prepared strains carrying intronless versions of SRB2, VPS75, or HRB1, the most affected cases with transcription-related function. Intron removal from SRB2, but not from the other genes, partly repaired some but not all the growth phenotypes identified in the genetic screen. The interaction of prp45(1-169) and htz1Δ was detectable even in cells with SRB2 intron deleted (srb2Δi). The less truncated variant, prp45(1-330), had a synthetic growth defect with htz1Δ at 16°C, which also persisted in the srb2Δi background. Moreover, htz1Δ enhanced prp45(1-330) dependent pre-mRNA hyper-accumulation of both high and low efficiency splicers, genes ECM33 and COF1, respectively. We conclude that while the expression defects of low expression intron-containing genes contribute to the genetic interactome of prp45(1-169), the genetic interactions between prp45 and htz1 alleles demonstrate the sensitivity of spliceosome assembly, delayed in prp45(1-169), to the chromatin environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kateřina Abrhámová
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Groušlová
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Valentová
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Xinxin Hao
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Beidong Liu
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Martin Převorovský
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Gahura
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - František Půta
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Per Sunnerhagen
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Petr Folk
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Praha, Czech Republic
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32
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Yoshida H. Dissecting the Immune System through Gene Regulation. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1444:219-235. [PMID: 38467983 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-99-9781-7_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
The immune system plays a dual role in human health, functioning both as a protector against pathogens and, at times, as a contributor to disease. This feature emphasizes the importance to uncover the underlying causes of its malfunctions, necessitating an in-depth analysis in both pathological and physiological conditions to better understand the immune system and immune disorders. Recent advances in scientific technology have enabled extensive investigations into gene regulation, a crucial mechanism governing cellular functionality. Studying gene regulatory mechanisms within the immune system is a promising avenue for enhancing our understanding of immune cells and the immune system as a whole. The gene regulatory mechanisms, revealed through various methodologies, and their implications in the field of immunology are discussed in this chapter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideyuki Yoshida
- YCI Laboratory for Immunological Transcriptomics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan.
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Russo M, Piccolo V, Polizzese D, Prosperini E, Borriero C, Polletti S, Bedin F, Marenda M, Michieletto D, Mandana GM, Rodighiero S, Cuomo A, Natoli G. Restrictor synergizes with Symplekin and PNUTS to terminate extragenic transcription. Genes Dev 2023; 37:1017-1040. [PMID: 38092518 PMCID: PMC10760643 DOI: 10.1101/gad.351057.123] [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: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Transcription termination pathways mitigate the detrimental consequences of unscheduled promiscuous initiation occurring at hundreds of thousands of genomic cis-regulatory elements. The Restrictor complex, composed of the Pol II-interacting protein WDR82 and the RNA-binding protein ZC3H4, suppresses processive transcription at thousands of extragenic sites in mammalian genomes. Restrictor-driven termination does not involve nascent RNA cleavage, and its interplay with other termination machineries is unclear. Here we show that efficient termination at Restrictor-controlled extragenic transcription units involves the recruitment of the protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) regulatory subunit PNUTS, a negative regulator of the SPT5 elongation factor, and Symplekin, a protein associated with RNA cleavage complexes but also involved in cleavage-independent and phosphatase-dependent termination of noncoding RNAs in yeast. PNUTS and Symplekin act synergistically with, but independently from, Restrictor to dampen processive extragenic transcription. Moreover, the presence of limiting nuclear levels of Symplekin imposes a competition for its recruitment among multiple transcription termination machineries, resulting in mutual regulatory interactions. Hence, by synergizing with Restrictor, Symplekin and PNUTS enable efficient termination of processive, long-range extragenic transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Russo
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan I-20139, Italy
| | - Viviana Piccolo
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan I-20139, Italy
| | - Danilo Polizzese
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan I-20139, Italy
| | - Elena Prosperini
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan I-20139, Italy
| | - Carolina Borriero
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan I-20139, Italy
| | - Sara Polletti
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan I-20139, Italy
| | - Fabio Bedin
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan I-20139, Italy
| | - Mattia Marenda
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan I-20139, Italy
| | - Davide Michieletto
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FD, United Kingdom
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, United Kingdom
| | - Gaurav Madappa Mandana
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan I-20139, Italy
| | - Simona Rodighiero
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan I-20139, Italy
| | - Alessandro Cuomo
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan I-20139, Italy
| | - Gioacchino Natoli
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan I-20139, Italy;
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Carminati M, Rodríguez-Molina JB, Manav MC, Bellini D, Passmore LA. A direct interaction between CPF and RNA Pol II links RNA 3' end processing to transcription. Mol Cell 2023; 83:4461-4478.e13. [PMID: 38029752 PMCID: PMC10783616 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Transcription termination by RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) is linked to RNA 3' end processing by the cleavage and polyadenylation factor (CPF or CPSF). CPF contains endonuclease, poly(A) polymerase, and protein phosphatase activities, which cleave and polyadenylate pre-mRNAs and dephosphorylate RNA Pol II to control transcription. Exactly how the RNA 3' end processing machinery is coupled to transcription remains unclear. Here, we combine in vitro reconstitution, structural studies, and genome-wide analyses to show that yeast CPF physically and functionally interacts with RNA Pol II. Surprisingly, CPF-mediated dephosphorylation promotes the formation of an RNA Pol II stalk-to-stalk homodimer in vitro. This dimer is compatible with transcription but not with the binding of transcription elongation factors. Disruption of the dimerization interface in cells causes transcription defects, including altered RNA Pol II abundance on protein-coding genes, tRNA genes, and intergenic regions. We hypothesize that RNA Pol II dimerization may provide a mechanistic basis for the allosteric model of transcription termination.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - M Cemre Manav
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Dom Bellini
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
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35
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Zhang Q, Weng W, Gu X, Xiang J, Yang Y, Zhu MX, Gu W, He Z, Li Y. hnRNPA1 SUMOylation promotes cold hypersensitivity in chronic inflammatory pain by stabilizing TRPA1 mRNA. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113401. [PMID: 37943660 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
TRPA1 is pivotal in cold hypersensitivity, but its regulatory mechanisms in inflammatory cold hyperalgesia remain poorly understood. We show here that the upregulation of SUMO1-conjugated protein levels in a complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammatory pain model enhances TRPA1 mRNA stability, ultimately leading to increased expression levels. We further demonstrate that hnRNPA1 binds to TRPA1 mRNA, and its SUMOylation, upregulated in CFA-induced inflammatory pain, contributes to stabilizing TRPA1 mRNA by accumulating hnRNPA1 in the cytoplasm. Moreover, we find that wild-type hnRNPA1 viral infection in dorsal root ganglia neurons, and not infection with the SUMOylation-deficient hnRNPA1 mutant, can rescue the reduced ability of hnRNPA1-knockdown mice to develop inflammatory cold pain hypersensitivity. These results suggest that hnRNPA1 is a regulator of TRPA1 mRNA stability, the capability of which is enhanced upon SUMO1 conjugation at lysine 3 in response to peripheral inflammation, and the increased expression of TRPA1 in turn underlies the development of chronic inflammatory cold pain hypersensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiao Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Weiji Weng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Xiaokun Gu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Jinhua Xiang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Michael X Zhu
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Weidong Gu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Huadong Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
| | - Zhenzhou He
- Department of Anesthesiology, Minhang Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai 201199, China.
| | - Yong Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China.
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36
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Dhahri H, Fondufe-Mittendorf YN. Exploring the interplay between PARP1 and circRNA biogenesis and function. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2023; 15:e1823. [PMID: 37957925 PMCID: PMC11089078 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
PARP1 (poly-ADP-ribose polymerase 1) is a multidomain protein with a flexible and self-folding structure that allows it to interact with a wide range of biomolecules, including nucleic acids and target proteins. PARP1 interacts with its target molecules either covalently via PARylation or non-covalently through its PAR moieties induced by auto-PARylation. These diverse interactions allow PARP1 to participate in complex regulatory circuits and cellular functions. Although the most studied PARP1-mediated functions are associated with DNA repair and cellular stress response, subsequent discoveries have revealed additional biological functions. Based on these findings, PARP1 is now recognized as a major modulator of gene expression. Several discoveries show that this multifunctional protein has been intimately connected to several steps of mRNA biogenesis, from transcription initiation to mRNA splicing, polyadenylation, export, and translation of mRNA to proteins. Nevertheless, our understanding of PARP1's involvement in the biogenesis of both coding and noncoding RNA, notably circular RNA (circRNA), remains restricted. In this review, we outline the possible roles of PARP1 in circRNA biogenesis. A full examination of the regulatory roles of PARP1 in nuclear processes with an emphasis on circRNA may reveal new avenues to control dysregulation implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases such as neurodegenerative disorders and cancers. This article is categorized under: RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein-RNA Interactions: Functional Implications Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hejer Dhahri
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
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37
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Wang Z, Himanen SV, Haikala HM, Friedel CC, Vihervaara A, Barborič M. Inhibition of CDK12 elevates cancer cell dependence on P-TEFb by stimulation of RNA polymerase II pause release. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:10970-10991. [PMID: 37811895 PMCID: PMC10639066 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad792] [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: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
P-TEFb and CDK12 facilitate transcriptional elongation by RNA polymerase II. Given the prominence of both kinases in cancer, gaining a better understanding of their interplay could inform the design of novel anti-cancer strategies. While down-regulation of DNA repair genes in CDK12-targeted cancer cells is being explored therapeutically, little is known about mechanisms and significance of transcriptional induction upon inhibition of CDK12. We show that selective targeting of CDK12 in colon cancer-derived cells activates P-TEFb via its release from the inhibitory 7SK snRNP. In turn, P-TEFb stimulates Pol II pause release at thousands of genes, most of which become newly dependent on P-TEFb. Amongst the induced genes are those stimulated by hallmark pathways in cancer, including p53 and NF-κB. Consequently, CDK12-inhibited cancer cells exhibit hypersensitivity to inhibitors of P-TEFb. While blocking P-TEFb triggers their apoptosis in a p53-dependent manner, it impedes cell proliferation irrespective of p53 by preventing induction of genes downstream of the DNA damage-induced NF-κB signaling. In summary, stimulation of Pol II pause release at the signal-responsive genes underlies the functional dependence of CDK12-inhibited cancer cells on P-TEFb. Our study establishes the mechanistic underpinning for combinatorial targeting of CDK12 with either P-TEFb or the induced oncogenic pathways in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijia Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FIN-00014, Finland
| | - Samu V Himanen
- Department of Gene Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Heidi M Haikala
- Translational Immunology Research Program (TRIMM), Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FIN-00014, Finland
- iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FIN-00014, Finland
| | - Caroline C Friedel
- Institute of Informatics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80333 Munich, Germany
| | - Anniina Vihervaara
- Department of Gene Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matjaž Barborič
- Department of Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FIN-00014, Finland
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38
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Huang J, Ji X. Never a dull enzyme, RNA polymerase II. Transcription 2023; 14:49-67. [PMID: 37132022 PMCID: PMC10353340 DOI: 10.1080/21541264.2023.2208023] [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: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is composed of 12 subunits that collaborate to synthesize mRNA within the nucleus. Pol II is widely recognized as a passive holoenzyme, with the molecular functions of its subunits largely ignored. Recent studies employing auxin-inducible degron (AID) and multi-omics techniques have revealed that the functional diversity of Pol II is achieved through the differential contributions of its subunits to various transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes. By regulating these processes in a coordinated manner through its subunits, Pol II can optimize its activity for diverse biological functions. Here, we review recent progress in understanding Pol II subunits and their dysregulation in diseases, Pol II heterogeneity, Pol II clusters and the regulatory roles of RNA polymerases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Huang
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiong Ji
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
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39
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Khitun A, Brion C, Moqtaderi Z, Geisberg JV, Churchman LS, Struhl K. Elongation rate of RNA polymerase II affects pausing patterns across 3' UTRs. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105289. [PMID: 37748648 PMCID: PMC10598743 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Yeast mRNAs are polyadenylated at multiple sites in their 3' untranslated regions (3' UTRs), and poly(A) site usage is regulated by the rate of transcriptional elongation by RNA polymerase II (Pol II). Slow Pol II derivatives favor upstream poly(A) sites, and fast Pol II derivatives favor downstream poly(A) sites. Transcriptional elongation and polyadenylation are linked at the nucleotide level, presumably reflecting Pol II dwell time at each residue that influences the level of polyadenylation. Here, we investigate the effect of Pol II elongation rate on pausing patterns and the relationship between Pol II pause sites and poly(A) sites within 3' UTRs. Mutations that affect Pol II elongation rate alter sequence preferences at pause sites within 3' UTRs, and pausing preferences differ between 3' UTRs and coding regions. In addition, sequences immediately flanking the pause sites show preferences that are largely independent of Pol II speed. In wild-type cells, poly(A) sites are preferentially located < 50 nucleotides upstream from Pol II pause sites, but this spatial relationship is diminished in cells harboring Pol II speed mutants. Based on a random forest classifier, Pol II pause sites are modestly predicted by the distance to poly(A) sites but are better predicted by the chromatin landscape in Pol II speed derivatives. Transcriptional regulatory proteins can influence the relationship between Pol II pausing and polyadenylation but in a manner distinct from Pol II elongation rate derivatives. These results indicate a complex relationship between Pol II pausing and polyadenylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Khitun
- Departments of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christian Brion
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Zarmik Moqtaderi
- Departments of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joseph V Geisberg
- Departments of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Kevin Struhl
- Departments of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
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40
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Chanarat S. Transcription machinery of the minimalist: comparative genomic analysis provides insights into the (de)regulated transcription mechanism of microsporidia - fungal-relative parasites. Transcription 2023; 14:1-17. [PMID: 36757099 PMCID: PMC10353337 DOI: 10.1080/21541264.2023.2174765] [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: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Microsporidia are eukaryotic obligate intracellular parasites closely related to fungi. Co-evolving with infected hosts, microsporidia have highly reduced their genomes and lacked several biological components. As it is beneficial for intracellular parasites like microsporidia to reduce their genome size, it is therefore reasonable to assume that genes encoding multifactorial complex machinery of transcription could be a potential target to be excluded from microsporidian genomes during the reductive evolution. In such a case, an evolutionary dilemma occurs because microsporidia cannot remove all transcription-machinery-encoding genes, products of which are essential for initialthe initial steps of gene expression. Here, I propose that while genes encoding core machinery are conserved, several genes known to function in fine-tune regulation of transcription are absent. This genome compaction strategy may come at the cost of loosely regulated or less controllable transcription. Alternatively, analogous to microsporidian polar tube, the parasites may have specialized factors to regulate their RNA synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sittinan Chanarat
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Center for Excellence in Protein and Enzyme Technology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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41
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Chen L, Xu Z, Huang J, Shu H, Hui Y, Zhu D, Wu Y, Dong S, Wu Z. Plant immunity suppressor SKRP encodes a novel RNA-binding protein that targets exon 3' end of unspliced RNA. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 240:1467-1483. [PMID: 37658678 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
The regulatory roles of RNA splicing in plant immunity are emerging but still largely obscure. We reported previously that Phytophthora pathogen effector Avr3c targets a soybean protein SKRP (serine/lysine/arginine-rich protein) to impair soybean basal immunity by regulating host pre-mRNA alternative splicing, while the biochemical nature of SKRP remains unknown. Here, by using Arabidopsis as a model, we studied the mechanism of SKRP in regulating pre-mRNA splicing and plant immunity. AtSKRP confers impaired plant immunity against Phytophthora capsici and associates with spliceosome component PRP8 and splicing factor SR45, which positively and negatively regulate plant immunity, respectively. Enhanced crosslinking and immunoprecipitation followed by high-throughput sequencing (eCLIP-seq) showed AtSKRP is a novel RNA-binding protein that targets exon 3' end of unspliced RNA. Such position-specific binding of SKRP is associated with its activity in suppressing intron retention, including at positive immune regulatory genes UBP25 and RAR1. In addition, we found AtSKRP self-interact and forms oligomer, and these properties are associated with its function in plant immunity. Overall, our findings reveal that the immune repressor SKRP is a spliceosome-associated protein that targets exon 3' end to regulate pre-mRNA splicing in Arabidopsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Chen
- Department of Plant Pathology, Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), and The Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Zhihui Xu
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Bioinformatics Center, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Jie Huang
- Department of Plant Pathology, Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), and The Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Haidong Shu
- Department of Plant Pathology, Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), and The Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Yufan Hui
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- School of Computing Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Danling Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Yufeng Wu
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Bioinformatics Center, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Suomeng Dong
- Department of Plant Pathology, Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), and The Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Zhe Wu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
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Contreras X, Depierre D, Akkawi C, Srbic M, Helsmoortel M, Nogaret M, LeHars M, Salifou K, Heurteau A, Cuvier O, Kiernan R. PAPγ associates with PAXT nuclear exosome to control the abundance of PROMPT ncRNAs. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6745. [PMID: 37875486 PMCID: PMC10598014 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42620-9] [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: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Pervasive transcription of the human genome generates an abundance of RNAs that must be processed and degraded. The nuclear RNA exosome is the main RNA degradation machinery in the nucleus. However, nuclear exosome must be recruited to its substrates by targeting complexes, such as NEXT or PAXT. By proteomic analysis, we identify additional subunits of PAXT, including many orthologs of MTREC found in S. pombe. In particular, we show that polyA polymerase gamma (PAPγ) associates with PAXT. Genome-wide mapping of the binding sites of ZFC3H1, RBM27 and PAPγ shows that PAXT is recruited to the TSS of hundreds of genes. Loss of ZFC3H1 abolishes recruitment of PAXT subunits including PAPγ to TSSs and concomitantly increases the abundance of PROMPTs at the same sites. Moreover, PAPγ, as well as MTR4 and ZFC3H1, is implicated in the polyadenylation of PROMPTs. Our results thus provide key insights into the direct targeting of PROMPT ncRNAs by PAXT at their genomic sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Contreras
- CNRS-UMR 9002, Institute of Human Genetics (IGH)/University of Montpellier, Gene Regulation Lab, 34396, Montpellier, France
| | - David Depierre
- Center of Integrative Biology (CBI-CNRS), Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCD Unit), University of Toulouse, 31000, Toulouse, France
| | - Charbel Akkawi
- CNRS-UMR 9002, Institute of Human Genetics (IGH)/University of Montpellier, Gene Regulation Lab, 34396, Montpellier, France
| | - Marina Srbic
- CNRS-UMR 9002, Institute of Human Genetics (IGH)/University of Montpellier, Gene Regulation Lab, 34396, Montpellier, France
| | - Marion Helsmoortel
- CNRS-UMR 9002, Institute of Human Genetics (IGH)/University of Montpellier, Gene Regulation Lab, 34396, Montpellier, France
| | - Maguelone Nogaret
- CNRS-UMR 9002, Institute of Human Genetics (IGH)/University of Montpellier, Gene Regulation Lab, 34396, Montpellier, France
| | - Matthieu LeHars
- CNRS-UMR 9002, Institute of Human Genetics (IGH)/University of Montpellier, Gene Regulation Lab, 34396, Montpellier, France
| | - Kader Salifou
- CNRS-UMR 9002, Institute of Human Genetics (IGH)/University of Montpellier, Gene Regulation Lab, 34396, Montpellier, France
| | - Alexandre Heurteau
- Center of Integrative Biology (CBI-CNRS), Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCD Unit), University of Toulouse, 31000, Toulouse, France
| | - Olivier Cuvier
- Center of Integrative Biology (CBI-CNRS), Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCD Unit), University of Toulouse, 31000, Toulouse, France
| | - Rosemary Kiernan
- CNRS-UMR 9002, Institute of Human Genetics (IGH)/University of Montpellier, Gene Regulation Lab, 34396, Montpellier, France.
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43
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Cameron DP, Grosser J, Ladigan S, Kuzin V, Iliopoulou E, Wiegard A, Benredjem H, Jackson K, Liffers ST, Lueong S, Cheung PF, Vangala D, Pohl M, Viebahn R, Teschendorf C, Wolters H, Usta S, Geng K, Kutter C, Arsenian-Henriksson M, Siveke JT, Tannapfel A, Schmiegel W, Hahn SA, Baranello L. Coinhibition of topoisomerase 1 and BRD4-mediated pause release selectively kills pancreatic cancer via readthrough transcription. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg5109. [PMID: 37831776 PMCID: PMC10575591 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg5109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic carcinoma lacks effective therapeutic strategies resulting in poor prognosis. Transcriptional dysregulation due to alterations in KRAS and MYC affects initiation, development, and survival of this tumor type. Using patient-derived xenografts of KRAS- and MYC-driven pancreatic carcinoma, we show that coinhibition of topoisomerase 1 (TOP1) and bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) synergistically induces tumor regression by targeting promoter pause release. Comparing the nascent transcriptome with the recruitment of elongation and termination factors, we found that coinhibition of TOP1 and BRD4 disrupts recruitment of transcription termination factors. Thus, RNA polymerases transcribe downstream of genes for hundreds of kilobases leading to readthrough transcription. This occurs during replication, perturbing replisome progression and inducing DNA damage. The synergistic effect of TOP1 + BRD4 inhibition is specific to cancer cells leaving normal cells unaffected, highlighting the tumor's vulnerability to transcriptional defects. This preclinical study provides a mechanistic understanding of the benefit of combining TOP1 and BRD4 inhibitors to treat pancreatic carcinomas addicted to oncogenic drivers of transcription and replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald P. Cameron
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jan Grosser
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Swetlana Ladigan
- Ruhr University Bochum, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular GI Oncology, Bochum, Germany
- Ruhr University Bochum, Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Department of Internal Medicine, Bochum, Germany
| | - Vladislav Kuzin
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Evanthia Iliopoulou
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anika Wiegard
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hajar Benredjem
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kathryn Jackson
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sven T. Liffers
- Division of Solid Tumor Translational Oncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK, partner site Essen) and German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- Bridge Institute of Experimental Tumor Therapy, West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Smiths Lueong
- Division of Solid Tumor Translational Oncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK, partner site Essen) and German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- Bridge Institute of Experimental Tumor Therapy, West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Phyllis F. Cheung
- Division of Solid Tumor Translational Oncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK, partner site Essen) and German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- Bridge Institute of Experimental Tumor Therapy, West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Deepak Vangala
- Ruhr University Bochum, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular GI Oncology, Bochum, Germany
- Ruhr University Bochum, Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Department of Internal Medicine, Bochum, Germany
| | - Michael Pohl
- Ruhr University Bochum, Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Department of Internal Medicine, Bochum, Germany
| | - Richard Viebahn
- Ruhr University Bochum, Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Department of Surgery, Bochum, Germany
| | | | - Heiner Wolters
- Department of Visceral and General Surgery, St. Josef-Hospital, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Selami Usta
- Department of Visceral and General Surgery, St. Josef-Hospital, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Keyi Geng
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Science for Life Laboratory, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Claudia Kutter
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Science for Life Laboratory, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Jens T. Siveke
- Division of Solid Tumor Translational Oncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK, partner site Essen) and German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- Bridge Institute of Experimental Tumor Therapy, West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | | | - Wolff Schmiegel
- Ruhr University Bochum, Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Department of Internal Medicine, Bochum, Germany
| | - Stephan A. Hahn
- Ruhr University Bochum, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular GI Oncology, Bochum, Germany
| | - Laura Baranello
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Zuniga G, Frost B. Selective neuronal vulnerability to deficits in RNA processing. Prog Neurobiol 2023; 229:102500. [PMID: 37454791 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2023.102500] [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: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Emerging evidence indicates that errors in RNA processing can causally drive neurodegeneration. Given that RNA produced from expressed genes of all cell types undergoes processing (splicing, polyadenylation, 5' capping, etc.), the particular vulnerability of neurons to deficits in RNA processing calls for careful consideration. The activity-dependent transcriptome remodeling associated with synaptic plasticity in neurons requires rapid, multilevel post-transcriptional RNA processing events that provide additional opportunities for dysregulation and consequent introduction or persistence of errors in RNA transcripts. Here we review the accumulating evidence that neurons have an enhanced propensity for errors in RNA processing alongside grossly insufficient defenses to clear misprocessed RNA compared to other cell types. Additionally, we explore how tau, a microtubule-associated protein implicated in Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies, contributes to deficits in RNA processing and clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle Zuniga
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA; Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA; Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Bess Frost
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA; Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA; Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
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45
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Myong S, Lee CY, Joshi M, Wang A. 5'UTR G-quadruplex structure enhances translation in size dependent manner. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3352233. [PMID: 37790436 PMCID: PMC10543253 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3352233/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Translation initiation in bacteria is frequently regulated by various structures in the 5' untranslated region (5'UTR). Previously, we demonstrated that G-quadruplex (G4) formation in non-template DNA enhances transcription. In this study, we aimed to explore how G4 formation in mRNA (RG4) at 5'UTR impacts translation using a T7-based in vitro translation system and in E. coli. We showed that RG4 strongly promotes translation efficiency in a size-dependent manner. Additionally, inserting a hairpin upstream of the RG4 further enhances translation efficiency, reaching up to a 12-fold increase. We found that the RG4-dependent effect is not due to increased ribosome affinity, ribosome binding site accessibility, or mRNA stability. We proposed a physical barrier model in which bulky structures in 5'UTR prevent ribosome dislodging and thereby increase the translation output. This study provides biophysical insights into the regulatory role of 5'UTR structures in bacterial translation, highlighting their potential applications in tuning gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sua Myong
- Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard Medical School
| | | | - Meera Joshi
- Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard Medical School
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46
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Lin G, Barnes CO, Weiss S, Dutagaci B, Qiu C, Feig M, Song J, Lyubimov A, Cohen AE, Kaplan CD, Calero G. Structural basis of transcription: RNA Polymerase II substrate binding and metal coordination at 3.0 Å using a free-electron laser. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.22.559052. [PMID: 37790421 PMCID: PMC10543002 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.22.559052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Catalysis and translocation of multi-subunit DNA-directed RNA polymerases underlie all cellular mRNA synthesis. RNA polymerase II (Pol II) synthesizes eukaryotic pre-mRNAs from a DNA template strand buried in its active site. Structural details of catalysis at near atomic resolution and precise arrangement of key active site components have been elusive. Here we present the free electron laser (FEL) structure of a matched ATP-bound Pol II, revealing the full active site interaction network at the highest resolution to date, including the trigger loop (TL) in the closed conformation, bonafide occupancy of both site A and B Mg2+, and a putative third (site C) Mg2+ analogous to that described for some DNA polymerases but not observed previously for cellular RNA polymerases. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the structure indicate that the third Mg2+ is coordinated and stabilized at its observed position. TL residues provide half of the substrate binding pocket while multiple TL/bridge helix (BH) interactions induce conformational changes that could propel translocation upon substrate hydrolysis. Consistent with TL/BH communication, a FEL structure and MD simulations of the hyperactive Rpb1 T834P bridge helix mutant reveals rearrangement of some active site interactions supporting potential plasticity in active site function and long-distance effects on both the width of the central channel and TL conformation, likely underlying its increased elongation rate at the expense of fidelity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guowu Lin
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh PA 15261 USA
| | - Christopher O Barnes
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena CA 91125 USA
| | - Simon Weiss
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh PA 15261 USA
| | - Bercem Dutagaci
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing MI 48824 USA
| | - Chenxi Qiu
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02115 USA
| | - Michael Feig
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing MI 48824 USA
| | - Jihnu Song
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Artem Lyubimov
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Aina E Cohen
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Craig D Kaplan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA 15260 USA
| | - Guillermo Calero
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh PA 15261 USA
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47
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Zhou S, Zhao F, Zhu D, Zhang Q, Dai Z, Wu Z. Coupling of co-transcriptional splicing and 3' end Pol II pausing during termination in Arabidopsis. Genome Biol 2023; 24:206. [PMID: 37697420 PMCID: PMC10496290 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-03050-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In Arabidopsis, RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) often pauses within a few hundred base pairs downstream of the polyadenylation site, reflecting efficient transcriptional termination, but how such pausing is regulated remains largely elusive. RESULT Here, we analyze Pol II dynamics at 3' ends by combining comprehensive experiments with mathematical modelling. We generate high-resolution serine 2 phosphorylated (Ser2P) Pol II positioning data specifically enriched at 3' ends and define a 3' end pause index (3'PI). The position but not the extent of the 3' end pause correlates with the termination window size. The 3'PI is not decreased but even mildly increased in the termination deficient mutant xrn3, indicating 3' end pause is a regulatory step early during the termination and before XRN3-mediated RNA decay that releases Pol II. Unexpectedly, 3'PI is closely associated with gene exon numbers and co-transcriptional splicing efficiency. Multiple exons genes often display stronger 3' end pauses and more efficient on-chromatin splicing than genes with fewer exons. Chemical inhibition of splicing strongly reduces the 3'PI and disrupts its correlation with exon numbers but does not globally impact 3' end readthrough levels. These results are further confirmed by fitting Pol II positioning data with a mathematical model, which enables the estimation of parameters that define Pol II dynamics. CONCLUSION Our work highlights that the number of exons via co-transcriptional splicing is a major determinant of Pol II pausing levels at the 3' end of genes in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sixian Zhou
- Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Fengli Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Danling Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Qiqi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Ziwei Dai
- Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
| | - Zhe Wu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
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48
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Swale C, Hakimi MA. 3'-end mRNA processing within apicomplexan parasites, a patchwork of classic, and unexpected players. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2023; 14:e1783. [PMID: 36994829 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
The 3'-end processing of mRNA is a co-transcriptional process that leads to the formation of a poly-adenosine tail on the mRNA and directly controls termination of the RNA polymerase II juggernaut. This process involves a megadalton complex composed of cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factors (CPSFs) that are able to recognize cis-sequence elements on nascent mRNA to then carry out cleavage and polyadenylation reactions. Recent structural and biochemical studies have defined the roles played by different subunits of the complex and provided a comprehensive mechanistic understanding of this machinery in yeast or metazoans. More recently, the discovery of small molecule inhibitors of CPSF function in Apicomplexa has stimulated interest in studying the specificities of this ancient eukaryotic machinery in these organisms. Although its function is conserved in Apicomplexa, the CPSF complex integrates a novel reader of the N6-methyladenosine (m6A). This feature, inherited from the plant kingdom, bridges m6A metabolism directly to 3'-end processing and by extension, to transcription termination. In this review, we will examine convergence and divergence of CPSF within the apicomplexan parasites and explore the potential of small molecule inhibition of this machinery within these organisms. This article is categorized under: RNA Processing > 3' End Processing RNA Processing > RNA Editing and Modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Swale
- Team Host-Pathogen Interactions and Immunity to Infection, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Grenoble Alpes University, Grenoble, France
| | - Mohamed-Ali Hakimi
- Team Host-Pathogen Interactions and Immunity to Infection, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Grenoble Alpes University, Grenoble, France
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49
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Izquierdo JM. Chromatin-transcription interface: The secret of eternal youth? Aging Cell 2023; 22:e13927. [PMID: 37427688 PMCID: PMC10497848 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13927] [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: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
In their recent study in Nature, Debès et al. report an increase in RNA polymerase II (Pol II)-mediated transcriptional elongation speed associated with chromatin remodeling during aging in four metazoan animals, two human cell lines, and human blood. Their findings might help us understand why we age through evolutionarily conserved essential processes, and open a window to the molecular and physiological mechanisms influencing healthspan, lifespan and/or longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- José M. Izquierdo
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo OchoaConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas‐Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (CSIC‐UAM)MadridSpain
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50
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Shenasa H, Bentley DL. Pre-mRNA splicing and its cotranscriptional connections. Trends Genet 2023; 39:672-685. [PMID: 37236814 PMCID: PMC10524715 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2023.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Transcription of eukaryotic genes by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) yields RNA precursors containing introns that must be spliced out and the flanking exons ligated together. Splicing is catalyzed by a dynamic ribonucleoprotein complex called the spliceosome. Recent evidence has shown that a large fraction of splicing occurs cotranscriptionally as the RNA chain is extruded from Pol II at speeds of up to 5 kb/minute. Splicing is more efficient when it is tethered to the transcription elongation complex, and this linkage permits functional coupling of splicing with transcription. We discuss recent progress that has uncovered a network of connections that link splicing to transcript elongation and other cotranscriptional RNA processing events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Shenasa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, PO Box 6511, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - David L Bentley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, PO Box 6511, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
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