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Tamburri S, Rustichelli S, Amato S, Pasini D. Navigating the complexity of Polycomb repression: Enzymatic cores and regulatory modules. Mol Cell 2024; 84:3381-3405. [PMID: 39178860 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.07.030] [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: 05/18/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/26/2024]
Abstract
Polycomb proteins are a fundamental repressive system that plays crucial developmental roles by orchestrating cell-type-specific transcription programs that govern cell identity. Direct alterations of Polycomb activity are indeed implicated in human pathologies, including developmental disorders and cancer. General Polycomb repression is coordinated by three distinct activities that regulate the deposition of two histone post-translational modifications: tri-methylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27me3) and histone H2A at lysine 119 (H2AK119ub1). These activities exist in large and heterogeneous multiprotein ensembles consisting of common enzymatic cores regulated by heterogeneous non-catalytic modules composed of a large number of accessory proteins with diverse biochemical properties. Here, we have analyzed the current molecular knowledge, focusing on the functional interaction between the core enzymatic activities and their regulation mediated by distinct accessory modules. This provides a comprehensive analysis of the molecular details that control the establishment and maintenance of Polycomb repression, examining their underlying coordination and highlighting missing information and emerging new features of Polycomb-mediated transcriptional control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Tamburri
- IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Department of Experimental Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy; University of Milan, Department of Health Sciences, Via A. di Rudinì 8, 20142 Milan, Italy.
| | - Samantha Rustichelli
- IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Department of Experimental Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy
| | - Simona Amato
- IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Department of Experimental Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy
| | - Diego Pasini
- IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Department of Experimental Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy; University of Milan, Department of Health Sciences, Via A. di Rudinì 8, 20142 Milan, Italy.
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2
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Kletzien OA, Wuttke DS, Batey RT. The RNA-binding Selectivity of the RGG/RG Motifs of hnRNP U is Abolished by Elements Within the C-terminal Intrinsically Disordered Region. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168702. [PMID: 38996909 PMCID: PMC11441334 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168702] [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: 05/13/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
The abundant nuclear protein hnRNP U interacts with a broad array of RNAs along with DNA and protein to regulate nuclear chromatin architecture. The RNA-binding activity is achieved via a disordered ∼100 residue C-terminal RNA-binding domain (RBD) containing two distinct RGG/RG motifs. Although the RNA-binding capabilities of RGG/RG motifs have been widely reported, less is known about hnRNP U's RNA-binding selectivity. Furthermore, while it is well established that hnRNP U binds numerous nuclear RNAs, it remains unknown whether it selectively recognizes sequence or structural motifs in target RNAs. To address this question, we performed equilibrium binding assays using fluorescence anisotropy (FA) and electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) to quantitatively assess the ability of human hnRNP U RBD to interact with segments of cellular RNAs identified from eCLIP data. These RNAs often, but not exclusively, contain poly-uridine or 5'-AGGGAG sequence motifs. Detailed binding analysis of several target RNAs reveal that the hnRNP U RBD binds RNA in a promiscuous manner with high affinity for a broad range of structured RNAs, but with little preference for any distinct sequence motif. In contrast, the isolated RGG/RG of hnRNP U motif exhibits a strong preference for G-quadruplexes, similar to that observed for other RGG motif bearing peptides. These data reveal that the hnRNP U RBD attenuates the RNA binding selectivity of its core RGG motifs to achieve an extensive RNA interactome. We propose that a critical role of RGG/RG motifs in RNA biology is to alter binding affinity or selectivity of adjacent RNA-binding domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Otto A Kletzien
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USA.
| | - Deborah S Wuttke
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USA.
| | - Robert T Batey
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USA.
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3
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Shen J, Shentu J, Zhong C, Huang Q, Duan S. RNA splicing factor RBFOX2 is a key factor in the progression of cancer and cardiomyopathy. Clin Transl Med 2024; 14:e1788. [PMID: 39243148 PMCID: PMC11380049 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1788] [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: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alternative splicing of pre-mRNA is a fundamental regulatory process in multicellular eukaryotes, significantly contributing to the diversification of the human proteome. RNA-binding fox-1 homologue 2 (RBFOX2), a member of the evolutionarily conserved RBFOX family, has emerged as a critical splicing regulator, playing a pivotal role in the alternative splicing of pre-mRNA. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of RBFOX2, elucidating its splicing activity through direct and indirect binding mechanisms. RBFOX2 exerts substantial influence over the alternative splicing of numerous transcripts, thereby shaping essential cellular processes such as differentiation and development. MAIN BODY OF THE ABSTRACT Dysregulation of RBFOX2-mediated alternative splicing has been closely linked to a spectrum of cardiovascular diseases and malignant tumours, underscoring its potential as a therapeutic target. Despite significant progress, current research faces notable challenges. The complete structural characterisation of RBFOX2 remains elusive, limiting in-depth exploration beyond its RNA-recognition motif. Furthermore, the scarcity of studies focusing on RBFOX2-targeting drugs poses a hindrance to translating research findings into clinical applications. CONCLUSION This review critically assesses the existing body of knowledge on RBFOX2, highlighting research gaps and limitations. By delineating these areas, this analysis not only serves as a foundational reference for future studies but also provides strategic insights for bridging these gaps. Addressing these challenges will be instrumental in unlocking the full therapeutic potential of RBFOX2, paving the way for innovative and effective treatments in various diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinze Shen
- Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianqiao Shentu
- Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chenming Zhong
- Medical Genetics Center, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Qiankai Huang
- Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shiwei Duan
- Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou, China
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Song J, Yao L, Gooding AR, Thron V, Kasinath V, Cech TR. Diverse RNA Structures Induce PRC2 Dimerization and Inhibit Histone Methyltransferase Activity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.29.610323. [PMID: 39257770 PMCID: PMC11383989 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.29.610323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2024]
Abstract
Methyltransferase PRC2 (Polycomb Repressive Complex 2) introduces histone H3K27 trimethylation, a repressive chromatin mark, to tune the differential expression of genes. PRC2 is precisely regulated by accessory proteins, histone post-translational modifications and, notably, RNA. Research on PRC2-associated RNA has mostly focused on the tight-binding G-quadruplex (G4) RNAs, which inhibit PRC2 enzymatic activity in vitro and in cells. Our recent cryo-EM structure provided a molecular mechanism for G4 RNA inactivating PRC2 via dimerization, but it remained unclear how diverse RNAs associate with and regulate PRC2. Here, we show that a single-stranded G-rich RNA and an atypical G4 structure called pUG-fold unexpectedly also mediate near-identical PRC2 dimerization resulting in inhibition of PRC2 methyltransferase activity. The conformational flexibility of arginine-rich loops within subunits EZH2 and AEBP2 of PRC2 can accommodate diverse RNA secondary structures, resulting in protein-RNA and protein-protein interfaces similar to those observed previously with G4 RNA. Furthermore, we address a recent report that failed to detect PRC2-associated RNAs in living cells by demonstrating the insensitivity of PRC2-RNA interaction to photochemical crosslinking. Our results support the significance of RNA-mediated PRC2 regulation by showing that this interaction is not limited to a single RNA secondary structure, consistent with the broad PRC2 transcriptome containing many G-tract RNAs incapable of folding into G4 structures.
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Poltronieri P. Regulatory RNAs: role as scaffolds assembling protein complexes and their epigenetic deregulation. EXPLORATION OF TARGETED ANTI-TUMOR THERAPY 2024; 5:841-876. [PMID: 39280246 PMCID: PMC11390297 DOI: 10.37349/etat.2024.00252] [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: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Recently, new data have been added to the interaction between non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) and epigenetic machinery. Epigenetics includes enzymes involved in DNA methylation, histone modifications, and RNA modifications, and mechanisms underlying chromatin structure, repressive states, and active states operating in transcription. The main focus is on long ncRNAs (lncRNAs) acting as scaffolds to assemble protein complexes. This review does not cover RNA's role in sponging microRNAs, or decoy functions. Several lncRNAs were shown to regulate chromatin activation and repression by interacting with Polycomb repressive complexes and mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL) activating complexes. Various groups reported on enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) interactions with regulatory RNAs. Knowledge of the function of these complexes opens the perspective to develop new therapeutics for cancer treatment. Lastly, the interplay between lncRNAs and epitranscriptomic modifications in cancers paves the way for new targets in cancer therapy. The approach to inhibit lncRNAs interaction with protein complexes and perspective to regulate epitrascriptomics-regulated RNAs may bring new compounds as therapeuticals in various types of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Palmiro Poltronieri
- Agrofood Department, National Research Council, CNR-ISPA, 73100 Lecce, Italy
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Davis WJH, Drummond CJ, Diermeier S, Reid G. The Potential Links between lncRNAs and Drug Tolerance in Lung Adenocarcinoma. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:906. [PMID: 39062685 PMCID: PMC11276205 DOI: 10.3390/genes15070906] [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: 05/31/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer patients treated with targeted therapies frequently respond well but invariably relapse due to the development of drug resistance. Drug resistance is in part mediated by a subset of cancer cells termed "drug-tolerant persisters" (DTPs), which enter a dormant, slow-cycling state that enables them to survive drug exposure. DTPs also exhibit stem cell-like characteristics, broad epigenetic reprogramming, altered metabolism, and a mutagenic phenotype mediated by adaptive mutability. While several studies have characterised the transcriptional changes that lead to the altered phenotypes exhibited in DTPs, these studies have focused predominantly on protein coding changes. As long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are also implicated in the phenotypes altered in DTPs, it is likely that they play a role in the biology of drug tolerance. In this review, we outline how lncRNAs may contribute to the key characteristics of DTPs, their potential roles in tolerance to targeted therapies, and the emergence of genetic resistance in lung adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- William J. H. Davis
- Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; (W.J.H.D.); (C.J.D.)
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, The University of Auckland, Private Bag, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
| | - Catherine J. Drummond
- Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; (W.J.H.D.); (C.J.D.)
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, The University of Auckland, Private Bag, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
| | - Sarah Diermeier
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand;
- Amaroq Therapeutics, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Glen Reid
- Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; (W.J.H.D.); (C.J.D.)
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, The University of Auckland, Private Bag, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
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7
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Mishra R, Thunuguntla P, Perkin A, Duraiyan D, Bagwill K, Gonzales S, Brizuela V, Daly S, Chang YJ, Abebe M, Rajana Y, Wichmann K, Bolick C, King J, Fiala M, Fortier J, Jayasinghe R, Schroeder M, Ding L, Vij R, Silva-Fisher J. LINC01432 binds to CELF2 in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma promoting short progression-free survival to standard therapy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.27.600975. [PMID: 38979159 PMCID: PMC11230414 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.27.600975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a highly prevalent and incurable form of cancer that arises from malignant plasma cells, with over 35,000 new cases diagnosed annually in the United States. While there are a growing number of approved therapies, MM remains incurable and nearly all patients will relapse and exhaust all available treatment options. Mechanisms for disease progression are unclear and in particular, little is known regarding the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) in mediating disease progression and response to treatment. In this study, we used transcriptome sequencing to compare newly diagnosed MM patients who had short progression-free survival (PFS) to standard first-line treatment (PFS < 24 months) to patients who had prolonged PFS (PFS > 24 months). We identified 157 differentially upregulated lncRNAs with short PFS and focused our efforts on characterizing the most upregulated lncRNA, LINC01432. We investigated LINC01432 overexpression and CRISPR/Cas9 knockdown in MM cell lines to show that LINC01432 overexpression significantly increases cell viability and reduces apoptosis, while knockdown significantly reduces viability and increases apoptosis, supporting the clinical relevance of this lncRNA. Next, we used individual-nucleotide resolution cross-linking immunoprecipitation with RT-qPCR to show that LINC01432 directly interacts with the RNA binding protein, CELF2. Lastly, we showed that LINC01432-targeted locked nucleic acid antisense oligonucleotides reduce viability and increases apoptosis. In summary, this fundamental study identified lncRNAs associated with short PFS to standard NDMM treatment and further characterized LINC01432, which inhibits apoptosis.
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Moindrot B, Imaizumi Y, Feil R. Differential 3D genome architecture and imprinted gene expression: cause or consequence? Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:973-986. [PMID: 38775198 PMCID: PMC11346452 DOI: 10.1042/bst20230143] [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: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Imprinted genes provide an attractive paradigm to unravel links between transcription and genome architecture. The parental allele-specific expression of these essential genes - which are clustered in chromosomal domains - is mediated by parental methylation imprints at key regulatory DNA sequences. Recent chromatin conformation capture (3C)-based studies show differential organization of topologically associating domains between the parental chromosomes at imprinted domains, in embryonic stem and differentiated cells. At several imprinted domains, differentially methylated regions show allelic binding of the insulator protein CTCF, and linked focal retention of cohesin, at the non-methylated allele only. This generates differential patterns of chromatin looping between the parental chromosomes, already in the early embryo, and thereby facilitates the allelic gene expression. Recent research evokes also the opposite scenario, in which allelic transcription contributes to the differential genome organization, similarly as reported for imprinted X chromosome inactivation. This may occur through epigenetic effects on CTCF binding, through structural effects of RNA Polymerase II, or through imprinted long non-coding RNAs that have chromatin repressive functions. The emerging picture is that epigenetically-controlled differential genome architecture precedes and facilitates imprinted gene expression during development, and that at some domains, conversely, the mono-allelic gene expression also influences genome architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoit Moindrot
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Yui Imaizumi
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of Montpellier (IGMM), University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Robert Feil
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of Montpellier (IGMM), University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
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9
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Farhadova S, Ghousein A, Charon F, Surcis C, Gomez-Velazques M, Roidor C, Di Michele F, Borensztein M, De Sario A, Esnault C, Noordermeer D, Moindrot B, Feil R. The long non-coding RNA Meg3 mediates imprinted gene expression during stem cell differentiation. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:6183-6200. [PMID: 38613389 PMCID: PMC11194098 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The imprinted Dlk1-Dio3 domain comprises the developmental genes Dlk1 and Rtl1, which are silenced on the maternal chromosome in different cell types. On this parental chromosome, the domain's imprinting control region activates a polycistron that produces the lncRNA Meg3 and many miRNAs (Mirg) and C/D-box snoRNAs (Rian). Although Meg3 lncRNA is nuclear and associates with the maternal chromosome, it is unknown whether it controls gene repression in cis. We created mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) that carry an ectopic poly(A) signal, reducing RNA levels along the polycistron, and generated Rian-/- mESCs as well. Upon ESC differentiation, we found that Meg3 lncRNA (but not Rian) is required for Dlk1 repression on the maternal chromosome. Biallelic Meg3 expression acquired through CRISPR-mediated demethylation of the paternal Meg3 promoter led to biallelic Dlk1 repression, and to loss of Rtl1 expression. lncRNA expression also correlated with DNA hypomethylation and CTCF binding at the 5'-side of Meg3. Using Capture Hi-C, we found that this creates a Topologically Associating Domain (TAD) organization that brings Meg3 close to Dlk1 on the maternal chromosome. The requirement of Meg3 for gene repression and TAD structure may explain how aberrant MEG3 expression at the human DLK1-DIO3 locus associates with imprinting disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabina Farhadova
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of Montpellier (IGMM), Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 34090 Montpellier, France
- University of Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
- Genetic Resources Research Institute, Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS), AZ1106 Baku, Azerbaijan
| | - Amani Ghousein
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of Montpellier (IGMM), Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 34090 Montpellier, France
- University of Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - François Charon
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Caroline Surcis
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of Montpellier (IGMM), Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Melisa Gomez-Velazques
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of Montpellier (IGMM), Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 34090 Montpellier, France
- University of Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Clara Roidor
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of Montpellier (IGMM), Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 34090 Montpellier, France
- University of Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Flavio Di Michele
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of Montpellier (IGMM), Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 34090 Montpellier, France
- University of Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Maud Borensztein
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of Montpellier (IGMM), Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 34090 Montpellier, France
- University of Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Albertina De Sario
- University of Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
- PhyMedExp, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), CNRS, 34295 Montpellier, France
| | - Cyril Esnault
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of Montpellier (IGMM), Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 34090 Montpellier, France
- University of Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Daan Noordermeer
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Benoit Moindrot
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Robert Feil
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of Montpellier (IGMM), Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 34090 Montpellier, France
- University of Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
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10
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Gail EH, Healy E, Flanigan SF, Jones N, Ng XH, Uckelmann M, Levina V, Zhang Q, Davidovich C. Inseparable RNA binding and chromatin modification activities of a nucleosome-interacting surface in EZH2. Nat Genet 2024; 56:1193-1202. [PMID: 38744974 PMCID: PMC11176075 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-024-01740-8] [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: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) interacts with RNA in cells, but there is no consensus on how RNA regulates PRC2 canonical functions, including chromatin modification and the maintenance of transcription programs in lineage-committed cells. We assayed two separation-of-function mutants of the PRC2 catalytic subunit EZH2, defective in RNA binding but functional in methyltransferase activity. We find that part of the RNA-binding surface of EZH2 is required for chromatin modification, yet this activity is independent of RNA. Mechanistically, the RNA-binding surface within EZH2 is required for chromatin modification in vitro and in cells, through interactions with nucleosomal DNA. Contrarily, an RNA-binding-defective mutant exhibited normal chromatin modification activity in vitro and in lineage-committed cells, accompanied by normal gene repression activity. Collectively, we show that part of the RNA-binding surface of EZH2, rather than the RNA-binding activity per se, is required for the histone methylation in vitro and in cells, through interactions with the substrate nucleosome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma H Gail
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Evan Healy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sarena F Flanigan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Natasha Jones
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Xiao Han Ng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael Uckelmann
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Vitalina Levina
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
- South Australian immunoGENomics Cancer Institute (SAiGENCI), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
- EMBL-Australia at SAiGENCI, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
| | - Chen Davidovich
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
- EMBL-Australia, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
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11
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Lee YW, Weissbein U, Blum R, Lee JT. G-quadruplex folding in Xist RNA antagonizes PRC2 activity for stepwise regulation of X chromosome inactivation. Mol Cell 2024; 84:1870-1885.e9. [PMID: 38759625 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.04.015] [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: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
How Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is regulated by RNA remains an unsolved problem. Although PRC2 binds G-tracts with the potential to form RNA G-quadruplexes (rG4s), whether rG4s fold extensively in vivo and whether PRC2 binds folded or unfolded rG4 are unknown. Using the X-inactivation model in mouse embryonic stem cells, here we identify multiple folded rG4s in Xist RNA and demonstrate that PRC2 preferentially binds folded rG4s. High-affinity rG4 binding inhibits PRC2's histone methyltransferase activity, and stabilizing rG4 in vivo antagonizes H3 at lysine 27 (H3K27me3) enrichment on the inactive X chromosome. Surprisingly, mutagenizing the rG4 does not affect PRC2 recruitment but promotes its release and catalytic activation on chromatin. H3K27me3 marks are misplaced, however, and gene silencing is compromised. Xist-PRC2 complexes become entrapped in the S1 chromosome compartment, precluding the required translocation into the S2 compartment. Thus, Xist rG4 folding controls PRC2 activity, H3K27me3 enrichment, and the stepwise regulation of chromosome-wide gene silencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Woo Lee
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Uri Weissbein
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Roy Blum
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Jeannie T Lee
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
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12
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Guo JK, Blanco MR, Walkup WG, Bonesteele G, Urbinati CR, Banerjee AK, Chow A, Ettlin O, Strehle M, Peyda P, Amaya E, Trinh V, Guttman M. Denaturing purifications demonstrate that PRC2 and other widely reported chromatin proteins do not appear to bind directly to RNA in vivo. Mol Cell 2024; 84:1271-1289.e12. [PMID: 38387462 PMCID: PMC10997485 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.01.026] [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: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is reported to bind to many RNAs and has become a central player in reports of how long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate gene expression. Yet, there is a growing discrepancy between the biochemical evidence supporting specific lncRNA-PRC2 interactions and functional evidence demonstrating that PRC2 is often dispensable for lncRNA function. Here, we revisit the evidence supporting RNA binding by PRC2 and show that many reported interactions may not occur in vivo. Using denaturing purification of in vivo crosslinked RNA-protein complexes in human and mouse cell lines, we observe a loss of detectable RNA binding to PRC2 and chromatin-associated proteins previously reported to bind RNA (CTCF, YY1, and others), despite accurately mapping bona fide RNA-binding sites across others (SPEN, TET2, and others). Taken together, these results argue for a critical re-evaluation of the broad role of RNA binding to orchestrate various chromatin regulatory mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimmy K Guo
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Mario R Blanco
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
| | - Ward G Walkup
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Grant Bonesteele
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Carl R Urbinati
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA; Department of Biology, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA
| | - Abhik K Banerjee
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Amy Chow
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Olivia Ettlin
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Mackenzie Strehle
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Parham Peyda
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Enrique Amaya
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Vickie Trinh
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Mitchell Guttman
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
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13
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Healy E, Zhang Q, Gail EH, Agius SC, Sun G, Bullen M, Pandey V, Das PP, Polo JM, Davidovich C. The apparent loss of PRC2 chromatin occupancy as an artifact of RNA depletion. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113858. [PMID: 38416645 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113858] [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: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024] Open
Abstract
RNA has been implicated in the recruitment of chromatin modifiers, and previous studies have provided evidence in favor and against this idea. RNase treatment of chromatin is commonly used to study RNA-mediated regulation of chromatin modifiers, but the limitations of this approach remain unclear. RNase A treatment during chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) reduces chromatin occupancy of the H3K27me3 methyltransferase Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2). This led to suggestions of an "RNA bridge" between PRC2 and chromatin. Here, we show that RNase A treatment during ChIP causes the apparent loss of all facultative heterochromatin, including both PRC2 and H3K27me3 genome-wide. We track this observation to a gain of DNA from non-targeted chromatin, sequenced at the expense of DNA from facultative heterochromatin, which reduces ChIP signals. Our results emphasize substantial limitations in using RNase A treatment for mapping RNA-dependent chromatin occupancy and invalidate conclusions that were previously established for PRC2 based on this assay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan Healy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; South Australian immunoGENomics Cancer Institute (SAiGENCI), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia; EMBL-Australia at SAiGENCI, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Emma H Gail
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Samuel C Agius
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Guizhi Sun
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Wellington Road, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Michael Bullen
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Varun Pandey
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Partha Pratim Das
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Wellington Road, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Jose M Polo
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Wellington Road, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; Adelaide Centre for Epigenetics and South Australian immunoGENomics Cancer Institute, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Chen Davidovich
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; EMBL-Australia, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
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14
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Hall Hickman A, Jenner RG. Apparent RNA bridging between PRC2 and chromatin is an artifact of non-specific chromatin precipitation upon RNA degradation. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113856. [PMID: 38416641 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113856] [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: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) modifies chromatin to maintain repression of genes specific for other cell lineages. In vitro, RNA inhibits PRC2 activity, but the effect of RNA on PRC2 in cells is less clear, with studies concluding that RNA either antagonizes or promotes PRC2 chromatin association. The addition of RNase A to chromatin immunoprecipitation reactions has been reported to reduce detection of PRC2 target sites, suggesting the existence of RNA bridges connecting PRC2 to chromatin. Here, we show that the apparent loss of PRC2 chromatin association after RNase A treatment is due to non-specific chromatin precipitation. RNA degradation precipitates chromatin out of solution, thereby masking enrichment of specific DNA sequences in chromatin immunoprecipitation reactions. Maintaining chromatin solubility by the addition of poly-L-glutamic acid rescues detection of PRC2 chromatin occupancy upon RNA degradation. These findings undermine support for the model that RNA bridges PRC2 and chromatin in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Hall Hickman
- UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK; CRUK City of London Centre, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Richard G Jenner
- UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK; CRUK City of London Centre, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
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15
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Swaminathan G, Rogel-Ayala DG, Armich A, Barreto G. Implications in Cancer of Nuclear Micro RNAs, Long Non-Coding RNAs, and Circular RNAs Bound by PRC2 and FUS. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:868. [PMID: 38473229 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16050868] [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: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The eukaryotic genome is mainly transcribed into non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including different RNA biotypes, such as micro RNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), among others. Although miRNAs are assumed to act primarily in the cytosol, mature miRNAs have been reported and functionally characterized in the nuclei of different cells. Further, lncRNAs are important regulators of different biological processes in the cell nucleus as part of different ribonucleoprotein complexes. CircRNAs constitute a relatively less-characterized RNA biotype that has a circular structure as result of a back-splicing process. However, circRNAs have recently attracted attention in different scientific fields due to their involvement in various biological processes and pathologies. In this review, we will summarize recent studies that link to cancer miRNAs that have been functionally characterized in the cell nucleus, as well as lncRNAs and circRNAs that are bound by core components of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) or the protein fused in sarcoma (FUS), highlighting mechanistic aspects and their diagnostic and therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Diana G Rogel-Ayala
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, Laboratoire IMoPA, UMR 7365, F-54000 Nancy, France
- Lung Cancer Epigenetics, Max-Planck-Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Amine Armich
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, Laboratoire IMoPA, UMR 7365, F-54000 Nancy, France
| | - Guillermo Barreto
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, Laboratoire IMoPA, UMR 7365, F-54000 Nancy, France
- Lung Cancer Epigenetics, Max-Planck-Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
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16
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Abe KM, Lim CJ. Small LEA proteins as an effective air-water interface protectant for fragile samples during cryo-EM grid plunge freezing. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.06.579238. [PMID: 38370693 PMCID: PMC10871254 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.06.579238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Sample loss due to air-water interface (AWI) interactions is a significant challenge during cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) sample grid plunge freezing. We report that small Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins, which naturally bind to AWI, can protect samples from AWI damage during plunge freezing. This protection is demonstrated with two LEA proteins from nematodes and tardigrades, which rescued the cryo-EM structural determination outcome of two fragile multisubunit protein complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn M. Abe
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Ci Ji Lim
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
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17
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Kletzien OA, Wuttke DS, Batey RT. The RNA-Binding Domain of hnRNP U Extends beyond the RGG/RG Motifs. Biochemistry 2024. [PMID: 38329035 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein U (hnRNP U) is a ubiquitously expressed protein that regulates chromatin architecture through its interactions with numerous DNA, protein, and RNA partners. The RNA-binding domain (RBD) of hnRNP U was previously mapped to an RGG/RG motif within its disordered C-terminal region, but little is understood about its binding mode and potential for selective RNA recognition. Analysis of publicly available hnRNP U enhanced UV cross-linking and immunoprecipitation (eCLIP) data identified high-confidence binding sites within human RNAs. We synthesized a set of diverse RNAs encompassing 11 of these identified cross-link sites for biochemical characterization using a combination of fluorescence anisotropy and electrophoretic mobility shift assays. These in vitro binding experiments with a rationally designed set of RNAs and hnRNP U domains revealed that the RGG/RG motif is a small part of a more expansive RBD that encompasses most of the disordered C-terminal region. This RBD contains a second, previously experimentally uncharacterized RGG/RG motif with RNA-binding properties comparable to those of the canonical RGG/RG motif. These RGG/RG motifs serve redundant functions, with neither serving as the primary RBD. While in isolation, each RGG/RG motif has modest affinity for RNA, together they significantly enhance the association of hnRNP U with RNA, enabling the binding of most of the designed RNA set with low to midnanomolar binding affinities. Identification and characterization of the complete hnRNP U RBD highlight the perils of a reductionist approach to defining biochemical activities in this system and pave the way for a detailed investigation of its RNA-binding specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Otto A Kletzien
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0596, United States
| | - Deborah S Wuttke
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0596, United States
| | - Robert T Batey
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0596, United States
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18
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Avila-Lopez P, Lauberth SM. Exploring new roles for RNA-binding proteins in epigenetic and gene regulation. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2024; 84:102136. [PMID: 38128453 PMCID: PMC11245729 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2023.102136] [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: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
A significant portion of the human proteome comprises RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) that play fundamental roles in numerous biological processes. In the last decade, there has been a staggering increase in RBP identification and classification, which has fueled interest in the evolving roles of RBPs and RBP-driven molecular mechanisms. Here, we focus on recent insights into RBP-dependent regulation of the epigenetic and transcriptional landscape. We describe advances in methodologies that define the RNA-protein interactome and machine-learning algorithms that are streamlining RBP discovery and predicting new RNA-binding regions. Finally, we present how RBP dysregulation leads to alterations in tumor-promoting gene expression and discuss the potential for targeting these RBPs for the development of new cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Avila-Lopez
- Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Shannon M Lauberth
- Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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19
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Amin HM, Abukhairan R, Szabo B, Jacksi M, Varady G, Lozsa R, Schad E, Tantos A. KMT2D preferentially binds mRNAs of the genes it regulates, suggesting a role in RNA processing. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e4847. [PMID: 38058280 PMCID: PMC10731558 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4847] [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: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Histone lysine methyltransferases (HKMTs) perform vital roles in cellular life by controlling gene expression programs through the posttranslational modification of histone tails. Since many of them are intimately involved in the development of different diseases, including several cancers, understanding the molecular mechanisms that control their target recognition and activity is vital for the treatment and prevention of such conditions. RNA binding has been shown to be an important regulatory factor in the function of several HKMTs, such as the yeast Set1 and the human Ezh2. Moreover, many HKMTs are capable of RNA binding in the absence of a canonical RNA binding domain. Here, we explored the RNA binding capacity of KMT2D, one of the major H3K4 monomethyl transferases in enhancers, using RNA immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing. We identified a broad range of coding and non-coding RNAs associated with KMT2D and confirmed their binding through RNA immunoprecipitation and quantitative PCR. We also showed that a separated RNA binding region within KMT2D is capable of binding a similar RNA pool, but differences in the binding specificity indicate the existence of other regulatory elements in the sequence of KMT2D. Analysis of the bound mRNAs revealed that KMT2D preferentially binds co-transcriptionally to the mRNAs of the genes under its control, while also interacting with super enhancer- and splicing-related non-coding RNAs. These observations, together with the nuclear colocalization of KMT2D with differentially phosphorylated forms of RNA Polymerase II suggest a so far unexplored role of KMT2D in the RNA processing of the nascent transcripts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harem Muhamad Amin
- Institute of Enzymology, HUN‐REN Research Centre for Natural SciencesBudapestHungary
- Doctoral School of Biology and Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd UniversityBudapestHungary
- Department of Biology, College of ScienceUniversity of SulaimaniSulaymaniyahIraq
| | - Rawan Abukhairan
- Institute of Enzymology, HUN‐REN Research Centre for Natural SciencesBudapestHungary
| | - Beata Szabo
- Institute of Enzymology, HUN‐REN Research Centre for Natural SciencesBudapestHungary
| | - Mevan Jacksi
- Institute of Enzymology, HUN‐REN Research Centre for Natural SciencesBudapestHungary
- Doctoral School of Biology and Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd UniversityBudapestHungary
| | - Gyorgy Varady
- Institute of Enzymology, HUN‐REN Research Centre for Natural SciencesBudapestHungary
| | - Rita Lozsa
- Institute of Enzymology, HUN‐REN Research Centre for Natural SciencesBudapestHungary
| | - Eva Schad
- Institute of Enzymology, HUN‐REN Research Centre for Natural SciencesBudapestHungary
| | - Agnes Tantos
- Institute of Enzymology, HUN‐REN Research Centre for Natural SciencesBudapestHungary
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20
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García de Herreros A. Dual role of Snail1 as transcriptional repressor and activator. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189037. [PMID: 38043804 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.189037] [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: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Snail1 transcriptional factor plays a key role in the control of epithelial to mesenchymal transition, a process that remodels tumor cells increasing their invasion and chemo-resistance as well as reprograms their metabolism and provides stemness properties. During this transition, Snail1 acts as a transcriptional repressor and, as growing evidences have demonstrated, also as a direct activator of mesenchymal genes. In this review, I describe the different proteins that interact with Snail1 and are responsible for these two different functions on gene expression; I focus on the transcriptional factors that associate to Snail1 in their target promoters, both activated and repressed. I also present working models for Snail1 action both as repressor and activator and raise some issues that still need to be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio García de Herreros
- Programa de Recerca en Càncer, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), Unidad Asociada al CSIC, Barcelona, Spain; Departament de Medicina i Ciències de la Vida, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.
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21
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Liu J, Fan H, Liang X, Chen Y. Polycomb repressor complex: Its function in human cancer and therapeutic target strategy. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 169:115897. [PMID: 37981459 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115897] [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: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The Polycomb Repressor Complex (PRC) plays a pivotal role in gene regulation during development and disease, with dysregulation contributing significantly to various human cancers. The intricate interplay between PRC and cellular signaling pathways sheds light on cancer complexity. PRC presents promising therapeutic opportunities, with inhibitors undergoing rigorous evaluation in preclinical and clinical studies. In this review, we emphasize the critical role of PRC complex in gene regulation, particularly PcG proteins mediated chromatin compaction through phase separation. We also highlight the pathological implications of PRC complex dysregulation in various tumors, elucidating underlying mechanisms driving cancer progression. The burgeoning field of therapeutic strategies targeting PRC complexes, notably EZH2 inhibitors, has advanced significantly. However, we explore the need for combination therapies to enhance PRC targeted treatments efficacy, providing a glimpse into the future of cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingrong Liu
- Ganjiang Chinese Medicine Innovation Center, Nanchang 330000, China
| | - Hongjie Fan
- Ganjiang Chinese Medicine Innovation Center, Nanchang 330000, China
| | - Xinmiao Liang
- Ganjiang Chinese Medicine Innovation Center, Nanchang 330000, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China.
| | - Yang Chen
- Ganjiang Chinese Medicine Innovation Center, Nanchang 330000, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China.
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22
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Limouse C, Smith OK, Jukam D, Fryer KA, Greenleaf WJ, Straight AF. Global mapping of RNA-chromatin contacts reveals a proximity-dominated connectivity model for ncRNA-gene interactions. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6073. [PMID: 37770513 PMCID: PMC10539311 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41848-9] [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: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are transcribed throughout the genome and provide regulatory inputs to gene expression through their interaction with chromatin. Yet, the genomic targets and functions of most ncRNAs are unknown. Here we use chromatin-associated RNA sequencing (ChAR-seq) to map the global network of ncRNA interactions with chromatin in human embryonic stem cells and the dynamic changes in interactions during differentiation into definitive endoderm. We uncover general principles governing the organization of the RNA-chromatin interactome, demonstrating that nearly all ncRNAs exclusively interact with genes in close three-dimensional proximity to their locus and provide a model predicting the interactome. We uncover RNAs that interact with many loci across the genome and unveil thousands of unannotated RNAs that dynamically interact with chromatin. By relating the dynamics of the interactome to changes in gene expression, we demonstrate that activation or repression of individual genes is unlikely to be controlled by a single ncRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Limouse
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Owen K Smith
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - David Jukam
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Kelsey A Fryer
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | | | - Aaron F Straight
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA.
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23
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Ngubo M, Moradi F, Ito CY, Stanford WL. Tissue-Specific Tumour Suppressor and Oncogenic Activities of the Polycomb-like Protein MTF2. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1879. [PMID: 37895228 PMCID: PMC10606531 DOI: 10.3390/genes14101879] [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: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is a conserved chromatin-remodelling complex that catalyses the trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27me3), a mark associated with gene silencing. PRC2 regulates chromatin structure and gene expression during organismal and tissue development and tissue homeostasis in the adult. PRC2 core subunits are associated with various accessory proteins that modulate its function and recruitment to target genes. The multimeric composition of accessory proteins results in two distinct variant complexes of PRC2, PRC2.1 and PRC2.2. Metal response element-binding transcription factor 2 (MTF2) is one of the Polycomb-like proteins (PCLs) that forms the PRC2.1 complex. MTF2 is highly conserved, and as an accessory subunit of PRC2, it has important roles in embryonic stem cell self-renewal and differentiation, development, and cancer progression. Here, we review the impact of MTF2 in PRC2 complex assembly, catalytic activity, and spatiotemporal function. The emerging paradoxical evidence suggesting that MTF2 has divergent roles as either a tumour suppressor or an oncogene in different tissues merits further investigations. Altogether, our review illuminates the context-dependent roles of MTF2 in Polycomb group (PcG) protein-mediated epigenetic regulation. Its impact on disease paves the way for a deeper understanding of epigenetic regulation and novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mzwanele Ngubo
- The Sprott Centre for Stem Cell Research, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
- Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Fereshteh Moradi
- The Sprott Centre for Stem Cell Research, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Caryn Y. Ito
- The Sprott Centre for Stem Cell Research, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - William L. Stanford
- The Sprott Centre for Stem Cell Research, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
- Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
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24
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Song J, Gooding AR, Hemphill WO, Love BD, Robertson A, Yao L, Zon LI, North TE, Kasinath V, Cech TR. Structural basis for inactivation of PRC2 by G-quadruplex RNA. Science 2023; 381:1331-1337. [PMID: 37733873 PMCID: PMC11191771 DOI: 10.1126/science.adh0059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) silences genes through trimethylation of histone H3K27. PRC2 associates with numerous precursor messenger RNAs (pre-mRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) with a binding preference for G-quadruplex RNA. In this work, we present a 3.3-Å-resolution cryo-electron microscopy structure of PRC2 bound to a G-quadruplex RNA. Notably, RNA mediates the dimerization of PRC2 by binding both protomers and inducing a protein interface composed of two copies of the catalytic subunit EZH2, thereby blocking nucleosome DNA interaction and histone H3 tail accessibility. Furthermore, an RNA-binding loop of EZH2 facilitates the handoff between RNA and DNA, another activity implicated in PRC2 regulation by RNA. We identified a gain-of-function mutation in this loop that activates PRC2 in zebrafish. Our results reveal mechanisms for RNA-mediated regulation of a chromatin-modifying enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiarui Song
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
| | - Anne R. Gooding
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
| | - Wayne O. Hemphill
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
| | - Brittney D. Love
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology Department, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Stem Cell Program, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Anne Robertson
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology Department, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Stem Cell Program, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Liqi Yao
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
| | - Leonard I. Zon
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology Department, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Stem Cell Program, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Trista E. North
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology Department, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Stem Cell Program, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Vignesh Kasinath
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
| | - Thomas R. Cech
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
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25
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Zhu J, Guo Q, Choi M, Liang Z, Yuen KWY. Centromeric and pericentric transcription and transcripts: their intricate relationships, regulation, and functions. Chromosoma 2023:10.1007/s00412-023-00801-x. [PMID: 37401943 PMCID: PMC10356649 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-023-00801-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Centromeres are no longer considered to be silent. Both centromeric and pericentric transcription have been discovered, and their RNA transcripts have been characterized and probed for functions in numerous monocentric model organisms recently. Here, we will discuss the challenges in centromere transcription studies due to the repetitive nature and sequence similarity in centromeric and pericentric regions. Various technological breakthroughs have helped to tackle these challenges and reveal unique features of the centromeres and pericentromeres. We will briefly introduce these techniques, including third-generation long-read DNA and RNA sequencing, protein-DNA and RNA-DNA interaction detection methods, and epigenomic and nucleosomal mapping techniques. Interestingly, some newly analyzed repeat-based holocentromeres also resemble the architecture and the transcription behavior of monocentromeres. We will summarize evidences that support the functions of the transcription process and stalling, and those that support the functions of the centromeric and pericentric RNAs. The processing of centromeric and pericentric RNAs into multiple variants and their diverse structures may also provide clues to their functions. How future studies may address the separation of functions of specific centromeric transcription steps, processing pathways, and the transcripts themselves will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhu
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Qiao Guo
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Gaoke Innovation Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Guangming District, Guangqiao Road, Shenzhen, China
| | - Minjun Choi
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zhoubin Liang
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Gaoke Innovation Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Guangming District, Guangqiao Road, Shenzhen, China
| | - Karen Wing Yee Yuen
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China.
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26
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Bolz SN, Schroeder M. Promiscuity in drug discovery on the verge of the structural revolution: recent advances and future chances. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2023; 18:973-985. [PMID: 37489516 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2023.2239700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Promiscuity denotes the ability of ligands and targets to specifically interact with multiple binding partners. Despite negative aspects like side effects, promiscuity is receiving increasing attention in drug discovery as it can enhance drug efficacy and provides a molecular basis for drug repositioning. The three-dimensional structure of ligand-target complexes delivers exclusive insights into the molecular mechanisms of promiscuity and structure-based methods enable the identification of promiscuous interactions. With the recent breakthrough in protein structure prediction, novel possibilities open up to reveal unknown connections in ligand-target interaction networks. AREAS COVERED This review highlights the significance of structure in the identification and characterization of promiscuity and evaluates the potential of protein structure prediction to advance our knowledge of drug-target interaction networks. It discusses the definition and relevance of promiscuity in drug discovery and explores different approaches to detecting promiscuous ligands and targets. EXPERT OPINION Examination of structural data is essential for understanding and quantifying promiscuity. The recent advancements in structure prediction have resulted in an abundance of targets that are well-suited for structure-based methods like docking. In silico approaches may eventually completely transform our understanding of drug-target networks by complementing the millions of predicted protein structures with billions of predicted drug-target interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Naomi Bolz
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), CMCB, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Michael Schroeder
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), CMCB, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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27
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Deforzh E, Kharel P, Karelin A, Ivanov P, Krichevsky AM. HOXDeRNA activates a cancerous transcription program and super-enhancers genome-wide. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.30.547275. [PMID: 37425921 PMCID: PMC10327164 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.30.547275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Background The origin and genesis of highly malignant and heterogenous glioblastoma brain tumors remain unknown. We previously identified an enhancer-associated long non-coding RNA, LINC01116 (named HOXDeRNA here), that is absent in the normal brain but is commonly expressed in malignant glioma. HOXDeRNA has a unique capacity to transform human astrocytes into glioma-like cells. This work aimed to investigate molecular events underlying the genome-wide function of this lncRNA in glial cell fate and transformation. Results Using a combination of RNA-Seq, ChIRP-Seq, and ChIP-Seq, we now demonstrate that HOXDeRNA binds in trans to the promoters of genes encoding 44 glioma-specific transcription factors distributed throughout the genome and derepresses them by removing the Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2). Among the activated transcription factors are the core neurodevelopmental regulators SOX2, OLIG2, POU3F2, and SALL2. This process requires an RNA quadruplex structure of HOXDeRNA that interacts with EZH2. Moreover, HOXDeRNA-induced astrocyte transformation is accompanied by the activation of multiple oncogenes such as EGFR, PDGFR, BRAF, and miR-21, and glioma-specific super-enhancers enriched for binding sites of glioma master transcription factors SOX2 and OLIG2. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that HOXDeRNA overrides PRC2 repression of glioma core regulatory circuitry with RNA quadruplex structure. These findings help reconstruct the sequence of events underlying the process of astrocyte transformation and suggest a driving role for HOXDeRNA and a unifying RNA-dependent mechanism of gliomagenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgeny Deforzh
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Prakash Kharel
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Anton Karelin
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Pavel Ivanov
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Anna M. Krichevsky
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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28
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Dar MS, Mensah IK, He M, McGovern S, Sohal IS, Whitlock HC, Bippus NE, Ceminsky M, Emerson ML, Tan HJ, Hall MC, Gowher H. Dnmt3bas coordinates transcriptional induction and alternative exon inclusion to promote catalytically active Dnmt3b expression. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112587. [PMID: 37294637 PMCID: PMC10592478 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112587] [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: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Embryonic expression of DNMT3B is critical for establishing de novo DNA methylation. This study uncovers the mechanism through which the promoter-associated long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) Dnmt3bas controls the induction and alternative splicing of Dnmt3b during embryonic stem cell (ESC) differentiation. Dnmt3bas recruits the PRC2 (polycomb repressive complex 2) at cis-regulatory elements of the Dnmt3b gene expressed at a basal level. Correspondingly, Dnmt3bas knockdown enhances Dnmt3b transcriptional induction, whereas overexpression of Dnmt3bas dampens it. Dnmt3b induction coincides with exon inclusion, switching the predominant isoform from the inactive Dnmt3b6 to the active Dnmt3b1. Intriguingly, overexpressing Dnmt3bas further enhances the Dnmt3b1:Dnmt3b6 ratio, attributed to its interaction with hnRNPL (heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein L), a splicing factor that promotes exon inclusion. Our data suggest that Dnmt3bas coordinates alternative splicing and transcriptional induction of Dnmt3b by facilitating the hnRNPL and RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) interaction at the Dnmt3b promoter. This dual mechanism precisely regulates the expression of catalytically active DNMT3B, ensuring fidelity and specificity of de novo DNA methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohd Saleem Dar
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Isaiah K Mensah
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Ming He
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Sarah McGovern
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Ikjot Singh Sohal
- Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | | | - Nina Elise Bippus
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Madison Ceminsky
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Martin L Emerson
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Hern J Tan
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Mark C Hall
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Humaira Gowher
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
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29
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Gil N, Perry RBT, Mukamel Z, Tuck A, Bühler M, Ulitsky I. Complex regulation of Eomes levels mediated through distinct functional features of the Meteor long non-coding RNA locus. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112569. [PMID: 37256750 PMCID: PMC10320833 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are implicated in a plethora of cellular processes, but an in-depth understanding of their functional features or their mechanisms of action is currently lacking. Here we study Meteor, a lncRNA transcribed near the gene encoding EOMES, a pleiotropic transcription factor implicated in various processes throughout development and in adult tissues. Using a wide array of perturbation techniques, we show that transcription elongation through the Meteor locus is required for Eomes activation in mouse embryonic stem cells, with Meteor repression linked to a change in the subpopulation primed to differentiate to the mesoderm lineage. We further demonstrate that a distinct functional feature of the locus-namely, the underlying DNA element-is required for suppressing Eomes expression following neuronal differentiation. Our results demonstrate the complex regulation that can be conferred by a single locus and emphasize the importance of careful selection of perturbation techniques when studying lncRNA loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noa Gil
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology and Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Rotem Ben-Tov Perry
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology and Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Zohar Mukamel
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Alex Tuck
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marc Bühler
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Igor Ulitsky
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology and Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
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30
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Cherney RE, Mills CA, Herring LE, Braceros AK, Calabrese JM. A monoclonal antibody raised against human EZH2 cross-reacts with the RNA-binding protein SAFB. Biol Open 2023; 12:bio059955. [PMID: 37283223 PMCID: PMC10259849 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) is a conserved enzyme that tri-methylates Lysine 27 on Histone 3 (H3K27me3) to promote gene silencing. PRC2 is remarkably responsive to the expression of certain long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). In the most notable example, PRC2 is recruited to the X-chromosome shortly after expression of the lncRNA Xist begins during X-chromosome inactivation. However, the mechanisms by which lncRNAs recruit PRC2 to chromatin are not yet clear. We report that a broadly used rabbit monoclonal antibody raised against human EZH2, a catalytic subunit of PRC2, cross-reacts with an RNA-binding protein called Scaffold Attachment Factor B (SAFB) in mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) under buffer conditions that are commonly used for chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). Knockout of EZH2 in ESCs demonstrated that the antibody is specific for EZH2 by western blot (no cross-reactivity). Likewise, comparison to previously published datasets confirmed that the antibody recovers PRC2-bound sites by ChIP-Seq. However, RNA-IP from formaldehyde-crosslinked ESCs using ChIP wash conditions recovers distinct peaks of RNA association that co-localize with peaks of SAFB and whose enrichment disappears upon knockout of SAFB but not EZH2. IP and mass spectrometry-based proteomics in wild-type and EZH2 knockout ESCs confirm that the EZH2 antibody recovers SAFB in an EZH2-independent manner. Our data highlight the importance of orthogonal assays when studying interactions between chromatin-modifying enzymes and RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel E. Cherney
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
- RNA Discovery Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
| | - Christine A. Mills
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
- Proteomics Core Facility, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
| | - Laura E. Herring
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
- Proteomics Core Facility, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
| | - Aki K. Braceros
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
- RNA Discovery Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
- Curriculum in Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
- Curriculum in Mechanistic, Interdisciplinary Studies of Biological Systems, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
| | - J. Mauro Calabrese
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
- RNA Discovery Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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31
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Amicone L, Marchetti A, Cicchini C. The lncRNA HOTAIR: a pleiotropic regulator of epithelial cell plasticity. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:147. [PMID: 37308974 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02725-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a trans-differentiation process that endows epithelial cells with mesenchymal properties, including motility and invasion capacity; therefore, its aberrant reactivation in cancerous cells represents a critical step to gain a metastatic phenotype. The EMT is a dynamic program of cell plasticity; many partial EMT states can be, indeed, encountered and the full inverse mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) appears fundamental to colonize distant secondary sites. The EMT/MET dynamics is granted by a fine modulation of gene expression in response to intrinsic and extrinsic signals. In this complex scenario, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) emerged as critical players. This review specifically focuses on the lncRNA HOTAIR, as a master regulator of epithelial cell plasticity and EMT in tumors. Molecular mechanisms controlling its expression in differentiated as well as trans-differentiated epithelial cells are highlighted here. Moreover, current knowledge about HOTAIR pleiotropic functions in regulation of both gene expression and protein activities are described. Furthermore, the relevance of the specific HOTAIR targeting and the current challenges of exploiting this lncRNA for therapeutic approaches to counteract the EMT are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Amicone
- Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, Rome, 00161, Italy
| | - Alessandra Marchetti
- Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, Rome, 00161, Italy
| | - Carla Cicchini
- Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, Rome, 00161, Italy.
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32
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Hemphill W, Fenske R, Gooding A, Cech T. PRC2 direct transfer from G-quadruplex RNA to dsDNA has implications for RNA-binding chromatin modifiers. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2220528120. [PMID: 37252986 PMCID: PMC10266057 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2220528120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The chromatin-modifying enzyme, Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2), deposits the H3K27me3 epigenetic mark to negatively regulate expression at numerous target genes, and this activity has been implicated in embryonic development, cell differentiation, and various cancers. A biological role for RNA binding in regulating PRC2 histone methyltransferase activity is generally accepted, but the nature and mechanism of this relationship remains an area of active investigation. Notably, many in vitro studies demonstrate that RNA inhibits PRC2 activity on nucleosomes through mutually antagonistic binding, while some in vivo studies indicate that PRC2's RNA-binding activity is critical for facilitating its biological function(s). Here we use biochemical, biophysical, and computational approaches to interrogate PRC2's RNA and DNA-binding kinetics. Our findings demonstrate that PRC2-polynucleotide dissociation rates are dependent on the concentration of free ligand, indicating the potential for direct transfer between nucleic acid ligands without a free-enzyme intermediate. Direct transfer explains the variation in previously reported dissociation kinetics, allows reconciliation of prior in vitro and in vivo studies, and expands the potential mechanisms of RNA-mediated PRC2 regulation. Moreover, simulations indicate that such a direct transfer mechanism could be obligatory for RNA to recruit proteins to chromatin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wayne O. Hemphill
- Department of Biochemistry, BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO80309
- HHMI, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO80309
| | - Regan Fenske
- Department of Biochemistry, BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO80309
- HHMI, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO80309
| | - Anne R. Gooding
- Department of Biochemistry, BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO80309
- HHMI, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO80309
| | - Thomas R. Cech
- Department of Biochemistry, BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO80309
- HHMI, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO80309
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33
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Mattick JS, Amaral PP, Carninci P, Carpenter S, Chang HY, Chen LL, Chen R, Dean C, Dinger ME, Fitzgerald KA, Gingeras TR, Guttman M, Hirose T, Huarte M, Johnson R, Kanduri C, Kapranov P, Lawrence JB, Lee JT, Mendell JT, Mercer TR, Moore KJ, Nakagawa S, Rinn JL, Spector DL, Ulitsky I, Wan Y, Wilusz JE, Wu M. Long non-coding RNAs: definitions, functions, challenges and recommendations. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2023; 24:430-447. [PMID: 36596869 PMCID: PMC10213152 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-022-00566-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 521] [Impact Index Per Article: 521.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Genes specifying long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) occupy a large fraction of the genomes of complex organisms. The term 'lncRNAs' encompasses RNA polymerase I (Pol I), Pol II and Pol III transcribed RNAs, and RNAs from processed introns. The various functions of lncRNAs and their many isoforms and interleaved relationships with other genes make lncRNA classification and annotation difficult. Most lncRNAs evolve more rapidly than protein-coding sequences, are cell type specific and regulate many aspects of cell differentiation and development and other physiological processes. Many lncRNAs associate with chromatin-modifying complexes, are transcribed from enhancers and nucleate phase separation of nuclear condensates and domains, indicating an intimate link between lncRNA expression and the spatial control of gene expression during development. lncRNAs also have important roles in the cytoplasm and beyond, including in the regulation of translation, metabolism and signalling. lncRNAs often have a modular structure and are rich in repeats, which are increasingly being shown to be relevant to their function. In this Consensus Statement, we address the definition and nomenclature of lncRNAs and their conservation, expression, phenotypic visibility, structure and functions. We also discuss research challenges and provide recommendations to advance the understanding of the roles of lncRNAs in development, cell biology and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- John S Mattick
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- UNSW RNA Institute, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Paulo P Amaral
- INSPER Institute of Education and Research, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Piero Carninci
- RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
- Human Technopole, Milan, Italy
| | - Susan Carpenter
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Howard Y Chang
- Center for Personal Dynamics Regulomes, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ling-Ling Chen
- CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Runsheng Chen
- Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Center for Big Data Research in Health, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Caroline Dean
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Marcel E Dinger
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- UNSW RNA Institute, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Katherine A Fitzgerald
- Division of Innate Immunity, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | | | - Mitchell Guttman
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Tetsuro Hirose
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Maite Huarte
- Department of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Center for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Institute of Health Research of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Rory Johnson
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Conway Institute for Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Chandrasekhar Kanduri
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Philipp Kapranov
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jeanne B Lawrence
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Jeannie T Lee
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joshua T Mendell
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Timothy R Mercer
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Kathryn J Moore
- Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - John L Rinn
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - David L Spector
- Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbour, NY, USA
| | - Igor Ulitsky
- Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yue Wan
- Laboratory of RNA Genomics and Structure, Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jeremy E Wilusz
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Therapeutic Innovation Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Mian Wu
- Translational Research Institute, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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Arratia F, Fierro C, Blanco A, Fuentes S, Nahuelquen D, Montecino M, Rojas A, Aguilar R. Selective Concurrence of the Long Non-Coding RNA MALAT1 and the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 to Promoter Regions of Active Genes in MCF7 Breast Cancer Cells. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:4735-4748. [PMID: 37367050 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45060301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In cancer cells, the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) MALAT1 has arisen as a key partner for the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2), an epigenetic modifier. However, it is unknown whether this partnership occurs genome-wide at the chromatin level, as most of the studies focus on single genes that are usually repressed. Due to the genomic binding properties of both macromolecules, we wondered whether there are binding sites shared by PRC2 and MALAT1. Using public genome-binding datasets for PRC2 and MALAT1 derived from independent ChIP- and CHART-seq experiments performed with the breast cancer cell line MCF7, we searched for regions containing PRC2 and MALAT1 overlapping peaks. Peak calls for each molecule were performed using MACS2 and then overlapping peaks were identified by bedtools intersect. Using this approach, we identified 1293 genomic sites where PRC2 and MALAT1 concur. Interestingly, 54.75% of those sites are within gene promoter regions (<3000 bases from the TSS). These analyses were also linked with the transcription profiles of MCF7 cells, obtained from public RNA-seq data. Hence, it is suggested that MALAT1 and PRC2 can concomitantly bind to promoters of actively-transcribed genes in MCF7 cells. Gene ontology analyses revealed an enrichment of genes related to categories including cancer malignancy and epigenetic regulation. Thus, by re-visiting occupancy and transcriptomic data, we identified a key gene subset controlled by the collaboration of MALAT1 and PRC2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Arratia
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB), Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370071, Chile
| | - Cristopher Fierro
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB), Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370071, Chile
| | - Alejandro Blanco
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB), Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370071, Chile
| | - Sebastian Fuentes
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB), Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370071, Chile
| | - Daniela Nahuelquen
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB), Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370071, Chile
| | - Martin Montecino
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB), Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370071, Chile
| | - Adriana Rojas
- Institute of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110211, Colombia
| | - Rodrigo Aguilar
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB), Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370071, Chile
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35
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Cherney RE, Mills CA, Herring LE, Braceros AK, Calabrese JM. A monoclonal antibody raised against human EZH2 cross-reacts with the RNA-binding protein SAFB. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.03.535391. [PMID: 37066147 PMCID: PMC10103960 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.03.535391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) is a conserved enzyme that tri-methylates Lysine 27 on Histone 3 (H3K27me3) to promote gene silencing. PRC2 is remarkably responsive to the expression of certain long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). In the most notable example, PRC2 is recruited to the X-chromosome shortly after expression of the lncRNA Xist begins during X-chromosome inactivation. However, the mechanisms by which lncRNAs recruit PRC2 to chromatin are not yet clear. We report that a broadly used rabbit monoclonal antibody raised against human EZH2, a catalytic subunit of PRC2, cross-reacts with an RNA-binding protein called Scaffold Attachment Factor B (SAFB) in mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) under buffer conditions that are commonly used for chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). Knockout of EZH2 in ESCs demonstrated that the antibody is specific for EZH2 by western blot (no cross-reactivity). Likewise, comparison to previously published datasets confirmed that the antibody recovers PRC2-bound sites by ChIP-Seq. However, RNA-IP from formaldehyde-crosslinked ESCs using ChIP wash conditions recovers distinct peaks of RNA association that co-localize with peaks of SAFB and whose enrichment disappears upon knockout of SAFB but not EZH2. IP and mass spectrometry-based proteomics in wild-type and EZH2 knockout ESCs confirm that the EZH2 antibody recovers SAFB in an EZH2-independent manner. Our data highlight the importance of orthogonal assays when studying interactions between chromatin-modifying enzymes and RNA.
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Weigert R, Hetzel S, Bailly N, Haggerty C, Ilik IA, Yung PYK, Navarro C, Bolondi A, Kumar AS, Anania C, Brändl B, Meierhofer D, Lupiáñez DG, Müller FJ, Aktas T, Elsässer SJ, Kretzmer H, Smith ZD, Meissner A. Dynamic antagonism between key repressive pathways maintains the placental epigenome. Nat Cell Biol 2023; 25:579-591. [PMID: 37024684 PMCID: PMC10104784 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-023-01114-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
DNA and Histone 3 Lysine 27 methylation typically function as repressive modifications and operate within distinct genomic compartments. In mammals, the majority of the genome is kept in a DNA methylated state, whereas the Polycomb repressive complexes regulate the unmethylated CpG-rich promoters of developmental genes. In contrast to this general framework, the extra-embryonic lineages display non-canonical, globally intermediate DNA methylation levels, including disruption of local Polycomb domains. Here, to better understand this unusual landscape's molecular properties, we genetically and chemically perturbed major epigenetic pathways in mouse trophoblast stem cells. We find that the extra-embryonic epigenome reflects ongoing and dynamic de novo methyltransferase recruitment, which is continuously antagonized by Polycomb to maintain intermediate, locally disordered methylation. Despite its disorganized molecular appearance, our data point to a highly controlled equilibrium between counteracting repressors within extra-embryonic cells, one that can seemingly persist indefinitely without bistable features typically seen for embryonic forms of epigenetic regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raha Weigert
- Department of Genome Regulation, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sara Hetzel
- Department of Genome Regulation, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nina Bailly
- Department of Genome Regulation, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Chuck Haggerty
- Department of Genome Regulation, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ibrahim A Ilik
- Otto Warburg Laboratories, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Philip Yuk Kwong Yung
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Ming Wai Lau Centre for Reparative Medicine, Stockholm node, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carmen Navarro
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Ming Wai Lau Centre for Reparative Medicine, Stockholm node, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Adriano Bolondi
- Department of Genome Regulation, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Abhishek Sampath Kumar
- Department of Genome Regulation, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Chiara Anania
- Epigenetics and Sex Development Group, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin-Buch, Germany
| | - Björn Brändl
- Department of Genome Regulation, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
- Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel, Zentrum für Integrative Psychiatrie gGmbH, Kiel, Germany
| | - David Meierhofer
- Mass Spectrometry Joint Facilities Scientific Service, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Darío G Lupiáñez
- Epigenetics and Sex Development Group, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin-Buch, Germany
| | - Franz-Josef Müller
- Department of Genome Regulation, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
- Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel, Zentrum für Integrative Psychiatrie gGmbH, Kiel, Germany
| | - Tugce Aktas
- Otto Warburg Laboratories, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Simon J Elsässer
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Ming Wai Lau Centre for Reparative Medicine, Stockholm node, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Helene Kretzmer
- Department of Genome Regulation, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Zachary D Smith
- Department of Genetics, Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Alexander Meissner
- Department of Genome Regulation, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany.
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, US.
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37
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McGregor LA, Zhu B, Goetz AM, Sczepanski JT. Thymine DNA Glycosylase is an RNA-Binding Protein with High Selectivity for G-Rich Sequences. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:104590. [PMID: 36889585 PMCID: PMC10124917 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104590] [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: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Thymine DNA glycosylase (TDG) is a multifaceted enzyme involved in several critical biological pathways, including transcriptional activation, DNA demethylation, and DNA repair. Recent studies have established regulatory relationships between TDG and RNA, but the molecular interactions underlying these relationships is poorly understood. Herein, we now demonstrate that TDG binds directly to RNA with nanomolar affinity. Using synthetic oligonucleotides of defined length and sequence, we show that TDG has a strong preference for binding G-rich sequences in single-stranded RNA but binds weakly to single-stranded DNA and duplex RNA. TDG also binds tightly to endogenous RNA sequences. Studies with truncated proteins indicate that TDG binds RNA primarily through its structured catalytic domain and that its disordered C-terminal domain plays a key role in regulating TDG's affinity and selectivity for RNA. Finally, we show that RNA competes with DNA for binding to TDG, resulting in inhibition of TDG-mediated excision in the presence of RNA. Together, this work provides support for and insights into a mechanism wherein TDG-mediated processes (e.g., DNA demethylation) are regulated through the direct interactions of TDG with RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A McGregor
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 77843, USA
| | - Baiyu Zhu
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 77843, USA
| | - Allison M Goetz
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 77843, USA
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Song J, Gooding AR, Hemphill WO, Kasinath V, Cech TR. Structural basis for inactivation of PRC2 by G-quadruplex RNA. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.06.527314. [PMID: 36798278 PMCID: PMC9934548 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.06.527314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The histone methyltransferase PRC2 (Polycomb Repressive Complex 2) silences genes via successively attaching three methyl groups to lysine 27 of histone H3. PRC2 associates with numerous pre-mRNA and lncRNA transcripts with a binding preference for G-quadruplex RNA. Here, we present a 3.3Ã…-resolution cryo-EM structure of PRC2 bound to a G-quadruplex RNA. Notably, RNA mediates the dimerization of PRC2 by binding both protomers and inducing a protein interface comprised of two copies of the catalytic subunit EZH2, which limits nucleosome DNA interaction and occludes H3 tail accessibility to the active site. Our results reveal an unexpected mechanism for RNA-mediated inactivation of a chromatin-modifying enzyme. Furthermore, the flexible loop of EZH2 that helps stabilize RNA binding also facilitates the handoff between RNA and DNA, an activity implicated in PRC2 regulation by RNA. One-Sentence Summary Cryo-EM structure of RNA-bound PRC2 dimer elucidates an unexpected mechanism of PRC2 inhibition by RNA.
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39
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Functional Relationships between Long Non-Coding RNAs and Estrogen Receptor Alpha: A New Frontier in Hormone-Responsive Breast Cancer Management. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021145. [PMID: 36674656 PMCID: PMC9863308 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021145] [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: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
In the complex and articulated machinery of the human genome, less than 2% of the transcriptome encodes for proteins, while at least 75% is actively transcribed into non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Among the non-coding transcripts, those ≥200 nucleotides long (lncRNAs) are receiving growing attention for their involvement in human diseases, particularly cancer. Genomic studies have revealed the multiplicity of processes, including neoplastic transformation and tumor progression, in which lncRNAs are involved by regulating gene expression at epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional levels by mechanism(s) that still need to be clarified. In breast cancer, several lncRNAs were identified and demonstrated to have either oncogenic or tumor-suppressive roles. The functional understanding of the mechanisms of lncRNA action in this disease could represent a potential for translational applications, as these molecules may serve as novel biomarkers of clinical use and potential therapeutic targets. This review highlights the relationship between lncRNAs and the principal hallmark of the luminal breast cancer phenotype, estrogen receptor α (ERα), providing an overview of new potential ways to inhibit estrogenic signaling via this nuclear receptor toward escaping resistance to endocrine therapy.
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40
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Zhao J, Huai J. Role of primary aging hallmarks in Alzheimer´s disease. Theranostics 2023; 13:197-230. [PMID: 36593969 PMCID: PMC9800733 DOI: 10.7150/thno.79535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease, which severely threatens the health of the elderly and causes significant economic and social burdens. The causes of AD are complex and include heritable but mostly aging-related factors. The primary aging hallmarks include genomic instability, telomere wear, epigenetic changes, and loss of protein stability, which play a dominant role in the aging process. Although AD is closely associated with the aging process, the underlying mechanisms involved in AD pathogenesis have not been well characterized. This review summarizes the available literature about primary aging hallmarks and their roles in AD pathogenesis. By analyzing published literature, we attempted to uncover the possible mechanisms of aberrant epigenetic markers with related enzymes, transcription factors, and loss of proteostasis in AD. In particular, the importance of oxidative stress-induced DNA methylation and DNA methylation-directed histone modifications and proteostasis are highlighted. A molecular network of gene regulatory elements that undergoes a dynamic change with age may underlie age-dependent AD pathogenesis, and can be used as a new drug target to treat AD.
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41
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Cabrera A, Edelstein HI, Glykofrydis F, Love KS, Palacios S, Tycko J, Zhang M, Lensch S, Shields CE, Livingston M, Weiss R, Zhao H, Haynes KA, Morsut L, Chen YY, Khalil AS, Wong WW, Collins JJ, Rosser SJ, Polizzi K, Elowitz MB, Fussenegger M, Hilton IB, Leonard JN, Bintu L, Galloway KE, Deans TL. The sound of silence: Transgene silencing in mammalian cell engineering. Cell Syst 2022; 13:950-973. [PMID: 36549273 PMCID: PMC9880859 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2022.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
To elucidate principles operating in native biological systems and to develop novel biotechnologies, synthetic biology aims to build and integrate synthetic gene circuits within native transcriptional networks. The utility of synthetic gene circuits for cell engineering relies on the ability to control the expression of all constituent transgene components. Transgene silencing, defined as the loss of expression over time, persists as an obstacle for engineering primary cells and stem cells with transgenic cargos. In this review, we highlight the challenge that transgene silencing poses to the robust engineering of mammalian cells, outline potential molecular mechanisms of silencing, and present approaches for preventing transgene silencing. We conclude with a perspective identifying future research directions for improving the performance of synthetic gene circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Cabrera
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA; Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Hailey I Edelstein
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; The Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Fokion Glykofrydis
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033-9080, USA
| | - Kasey S Love
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Sebastian Palacios
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Josh Tycko
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Meng Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Sarah Lensch
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Cara E Shields
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Mark Livingston
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Ron Weiss
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Huimin Zhao
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Karmella A Haynes
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Leonardo Morsut
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033-9080, USA
| | - Yvonne Y Chen
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy Center at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Ahmad S Khalil
- Biological Design Center and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Wilson W Wong
- Biological Design Center and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - James J Collins
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033-9080, USA; Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA; Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Susan J Rosser
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Karen Polizzi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, UK; Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, South Kensington Campus, London, UK
| | - Michael B Elowitz
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Martin Fussenegger
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel 4058, Switzerland; Faculty of Science, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel 4058, Switzerland
| | - Isaac B Hilton
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Joshua N Leonard
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; The Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Lacramioara Bintu
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kate E Galloway
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Tara L Deans
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
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42
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Wen Z, He K, Zhan M, Li Y, Liu F, He X, Wei Y, Zhao W, Zhang Y, Xue Y, Xia Y, Wang F, Xia Z, Xin Y, Wu Y, Duan X, Xiao J, Shen F, Feng Y, Xiang G, Lu L. Distinct binding pattern of EZH2 and JARID2 on RNAs and DNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma development. Front Oncol 2022; 12:904633. [PMID: 36578923 PMCID: PMC9792092 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.904633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most malignant cancers worldwide, with high mortality. However, the molecular regulatory mechanisms of liver cancer, especially transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms, should be further studied. Here we used chromatin and cross-linking immunoprecipitation with high throughput sequencing methods (ChIP-seq and CLIP-seq) to capture the global binding profiles on RNAs and DNAs of Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) and its partner Jumonji And AT-Rich Interaction Domain Containing 2 (JARID2) in liver carcinoma cell lines (HepG2) and normal liver cell line (THLE-2), respectively. We also integrated HCC transcriptome data from the TCGA to analyze the expression pattern of bound genes. We found that EZH2 and JARID2 both showed distinct binding profiles between HepG2 and THLE-2 cells. By binding to the primary RNAs, bound transcripts of EZH2 and JARID2 in HepG2 showed significantly increased transcriptional levels in HCC patients. By performing gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), the bound transcripts were also highly related to HCC development. We also found EZH2 and JARID2 could specifically bind to several long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), including H19. By exploring the DNA binding profile, we detected a dramatically repressed DNA binding ability of EZH2 in HepG2 cells. We also found that the EZH2-bound genes showed slightly increased transcriptional levels in HepG2 cells. Integrating analysis of the RNA and DNA binding profiles suggests EZH2 and JARID2 shift their binding ability from DNA to RNA in HepG2 cells to promote cancer development in HCC. Our study provided a comprehensive and distinct binding profile on RNAs and DNAs of EZH2 and JARID2 in liver cancer cell lines, suggesting their potential novel functional manners to promote HCC development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhili Wen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Infectious Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Ke He
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Meixiao Zhan
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Yong Li
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xu He
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Yanli Wei
- Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Zhao
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Center for Genome Analysis, ABLife Inc., Wuhan, China
| | - Yaqiang Xue
- Center for Genome Analysis, ABLife Inc., Wuhan, China
- Laboratory of Human Health and Genome Regulation, ABLife Inc., Wuhan, China
| | - Yong Xia
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fenfen Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Zhenglin Xia
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yongjie Xin
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Yeye Wu
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaopeng Duan
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Xiao
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Feng Shen
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuliang Feng
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Guoan Xiang
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ligong Lu
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
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Richter WF, Nayak S, Iwasa J, Taatjes DJ. The Mediator complex as a master regulator of transcription by RNA polymerase II. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2022; 23:732-749. [PMID: 35725906 PMCID: PMC9207880 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-022-00498-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The Mediator complex, which in humans is 1.4 MDa in size and includes 26 subunits, controls many aspects of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) function. Apart from its size, a defining feature of Mediator is its intrinsic disorder and conformational flexibility, which contributes to its ability to undergo phase separation and to interact with a myriad of regulatory factors. In this Review, we discuss Mediator structure and function, with emphasis on recent cryogenic electron microscopy data of the 4.0-MDa transcription preinitiation complex. We further discuss how Mediator and sequence-specific DNA-binding transcription factors enable enhancer-dependent regulation of Pol II function at distal gene promoters, through the formation of molecular condensates (or transcription hubs) and chromatin loops. Mediator regulation of Pol II reinitiation is also discussed, in the context of transcription bursting. We propose a working model for Mediator function that combines experimental results and theoretical considerations related to enhancer-promoter interactions, which reconciles contradictory data regarding whether enhancer-promoter communication is direct or indirect. We conclude with a discussion of Mediator's potential as a therapeutic target and of future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- William F Richter
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Shraddha Nayak
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Janet Iwasa
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Dylan J Taatjes
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA.
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45
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Hernández-Romero IA, Valdes VJ. De Novo Polycomb Recruitment and Repressive Domain Formation. EPIGENOMES 2022; 6:25. [PMID: 35997371 PMCID: PMC9397058 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes6030025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Every cell of an organism shares the same genome; even so, each cellular lineage owns a different transcriptome and proteome. The Polycomb group proteins (PcG) are essential regulators of gene repression patterning during development and homeostasis. However, it is unknown how the repressive complexes, PRC1 and PRC2, identify their targets and elicit new Polycomb domains during cell differentiation. Classical recruitment models consider the pre-existence of repressive histone marks; still, de novo target binding overcomes the absence of both H3K27me3 and H2AK119ub. The CpG islands (CGIs), non-core proteins, and RNA molecules are involved in Polycomb recruitment. Nonetheless, it is unclear how de novo targets are identified depending on the physiological context and developmental stage and which are the leading players stabilizing Polycomb complexes at domain nucleation sites. Here, we examine the features of de novo sites and the accessory elements bridging its recruitment and discuss the first steps of Polycomb domain formation and transcriptional regulation, comprehended by the experimental reconstruction of the repressive domains through time-resolved genomic analyses in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Victor Julian Valdes
- Department of Cell Biology and Development, Institute of Cellular Physiology (IFC), National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City 04510, Mexico
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46
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Sommerauer C, Kutter C. Noncoding RNAs in liver physiology and metabolic diseases. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2022; 323:C1003-C1017. [PMID: 35968891 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00232.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The liver holds central roles in detoxification, energy metabolism and whole-body homeostasis but can develop malignant phenotypes when being chronically overwhelmed with fatty acids and glucose. The global rise of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is already affecting a quarter of the global population. Pharmaceutical treatment options against different stages of MAFLD do not yet exist and several clinical trials against hepatic transcription factors and other proteins have failed. However, emerging roles of noncoding RNAs, including long (lncRNA) and short noncoding RNAs (sRNA), in various cellular processes pose exciting new avenues for treatment interventions. Actions of noncoding RNAs mostly rely on interactions with proteins, whereby the noncoding RNA fine-tunes protein function in a process termed riboregulation. The developmental stage-, disease stage- and cell type-specific nature of noncoding RNAs harbors enormous potential to precisely target certain cellular pathways in a spatio-temporally defined manner. Proteins interacting with RNAs can be categorized into canonical or non-canonical RNA binding proteins (RBPs) depending on the existence of classical RNA binding domains. Both, RNA- and RBP-centric methods have generated new knowledge of the RNA-RBP interface and added an additional regulatory layer. In this review, we summarize recent advances of how of RBP-lncRNA interactions and various sRNAs shape cellular physiology and the development of liver diseases such as MAFLD and hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Sommerauer
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, grid.4714.6Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Claudia Kutter
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, grid.4714.6Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
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47
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Kuo FC, Neville MJ, Sabaratnam R, Wesolowska-Andersen A, Phillips D, Wittemans LBL, van Dam AD, Loh NY, Todorčević M, Denton N, Kentistou KA, Joshi PK, Christodoulides C, Langenberg C, Collas P, Karpe F, Pinnick KE. HOTAIR interacts with PRC2 complex regulating the regional preadipocyte transcriptome and human fat distribution. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111136. [PMID: 35905723 PMCID: PMC10073411 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms governing regional human adipose tissue (AT) development remain undefined. Here, we show that the long non-coding RNA HOTAIR (HOX transcript antisense RNA) is exclusively expressed in gluteofemoral AT, where it is essential for adipocyte development. We find that HOTAIR interacts with polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) and we identify core HOTAIR-PRC2 target genes involved in adipocyte lineage determination. Repression of target genes coincides with PRC2 promoter occupancy and H3K27 trimethylation. HOTAIR is also involved in modifying the gluteal adipocyte transcriptome through alternative splicing. Gluteal-specific expression of HOTAIR is maintained by defined regions of open chromatin across the HOTAIR promoter. HOTAIR expression levels can be modified by hormonal (estrogen, glucocorticoids) and genetic variation (rs1443512 is a HOTAIR eQTL associated with reduced gynoid fat mass). These data identify HOTAIR as a dynamic regulator of the gluteal adipocyte transcriptome and epigenome with functional importance for human regional AT development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng-Chih Kuo
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Headington OX3 7LE, UK; Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defence Medical Centre, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Matt J Neville
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Headington OX3 7LE, UK; NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, OUH Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Rugivan Sabaratnam
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Headington OX3 7LE, UK; Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense C, Denmark; Steno Diabetes Center Odense, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
| | | | - Daniel Phillips
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Headington OX3 7LE, UK
| | - Laura B L Wittemans
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK; The Big Data Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Andrea D van Dam
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Headington OX3 7LE, UK
| | - Nellie Y Loh
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Headington OX3 7LE, UK
| | - Marijana Todorčević
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Headington OX3 7LE, UK
| | - Nathan Denton
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Headington OX3 7LE, UK
| | - Katherine A Kentistou
- Centre for Global Health Research, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place, Edinburgh EH8 9AG, UK; Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Peter K Joshi
- Centre for Global Health Research, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place, Edinburgh EH8 9AG, UK
| | - Constantinos Christodoulides
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Headington OX3 7LE, UK
| | - Claudia Langenberg
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Philippe Collas
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Fredrik Karpe
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Headington OX3 7LE, UK; NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, OUH Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
| | - Katherine E Pinnick
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Headington OX3 7LE, UK.
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Gregoricchio S, Polit L, Esposito M, Berthelet J, Delestré L, Evanno E, Diop M, Gallais I, Aleth H, Poplineau M, Zwart W, Rosenbauer F, Rodrigues-Lima F, Duprez E, Boeva V, Guillouf C. HDAC1 and PRC2 mediate combinatorial control in SPI1/PU.1-dependent gene repression in murine erythroleukaemia. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:7938-7958. [PMID: 35871293 PMCID: PMC9371914 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Although originally described as transcriptional activator, SPI1/PU.1, a major player in haematopoiesis whose alterations are associated with haematological malignancies, has the ability to repress transcription. Here, we investigated the mechanisms underlying gene repression in the erythroid lineage, in which SPI1 exerts an oncogenic function by blocking differentiation. We show that SPI1 represses genes by binding active enhancers that are located in intergenic or gene body regions. HDAC1 acts as a cooperative mediator of SPI1-induced transcriptional repression by deacetylating SPI1-bound enhancers in a subset of genes, including those involved in erythroid differentiation. Enhancer deacetylation impacts on promoter acetylation, chromatin accessibility and RNA pol II occupancy. In addition to the activities of HDAC1, polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) reinforces gene repression by depositing H3K27me3 at promoter sequences when SPI1 is located at enhancer sequences. Moreover, our study identified a synergistic relationship between PRC2 and HDAC1 complexes in mediating the transcriptional repression activity of SPI1, ultimately inducing synergistic adverse effects on leukaemic cell survival. Our results highlight the importance of the mechanism underlying transcriptional repression in leukemic cells, involving complex functional connections between SPI1 and the epigenetic regulators PRC2 and HDAC1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Gregoricchio
- Inserm U1170, Université Paris-Saclay, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus , F- 94800 Villejuif, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer , France
- Division of Oncogenomics, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute , Amsterdam , The Netherlands
| | - Lélia Polit
- CNRS UMR8104, Inserm U1016, Université Paris Cité, Cochin Institute , F-75014 Paris , France
| | - Michela Esposito
- Inserm U1170, Université Paris-Saclay, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus , F- 94800 Villejuif, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer , France
| | | | - Laure Delestré
- Inserm U1170, Université Paris-Saclay, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus , F- 94800 Villejuif, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer , France
| | - Emilie Evanno
- Curie Institute , Inserm U830, F- 75005 Paris, France
| | - M’Boyba Diop
- Inserm U1170, Université Paris-Saclay, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus , F- 94800 Villejuif, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer , France
| | | | - Hanna Aleth
- Institute of Molecular Tumor Biology, University of Münster , Münster, Germany
| | - Mathilde Poplineau
- CNRS UMR7258, Inserm U1068, Université Aix Marseille, Paoli-Calmettes Institute , CRCM, F-13009 Marseille , France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer , France
| | - Wilbert Zwart
- Division of Oncogenomics, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute , Amsterdam , The Netherlands
| | - Frank Rosenbauer
- Institute of Molecular Tumor Biology, University of Münster , Münster, Germany
| | | | - Estelle Duprez
- CNRS UMR7258, Inserm U1068, Université Aix Marseille, Paoli-Calmettes Institute , CRCM, F-13009 Marseille , France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer , France
| | - Valentina Boeva
- CNRS UMR8104, Inserm U1016, Université Paris Cité, Cochin Institute , F-75014 Paris , France
- Department of Computer Science and Department of Biology , ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich , Switzerland
| | - Christel Guillouf
- Inserm U1170, Université Paris-Saclay, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus , F- 94800 Villejuif, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer , France
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Ilieva M, Uchida S. Long Non-Coding RNAs in Cardiac and Pulmonary Fibroblasts and Fibrosis. Noncoding RNA 2022; 8:ncrna8040053. [PMID: 35893236 PMCID: PMC9326574 DOI: 10.3390/ncrna8040053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The cardiopulmonary system delivers oxygen throughout the body via blood circulation. It is an essential part of the body to sustain the lives of organisms. The integral parts of the cardiopulmonary system—the heart and lungs—are constantly exposed to damaging agents (e.g., dust, viruses), and can be greatly affected by injuries caused by dysfunction in tissues (e.g., myocardial infarction). When damaged, mesenchymal cells, such as fibroblasts, are activated to become myofibroblasts to initiate fibrosis as part of a regenerative mechanism. In diseased states, the excess accumulation of extracellular matrices secreted by myofibroblasts results in further dysfunction in the damaged organs. These fibrotic tissues cannot easily be removed. Thus, there is a growing interest in understanding the fibrotic process, as well as finding biomolecules that can be targets for slowing down or potentially stopping fibrosis. Among these biomolecules, the interest in studying long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs; any non-protein-coding RNAs longer than 200 nucleotides) has intensified in recent years. In this commentary, we summarize the current status of lncRNA research in the cardiopulmonary system by focusing on cardiac and pulmonary fibrosis.
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50
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Liu X, Liu X. PRC2, Chromatin Regulation, and Human Disease: Insights From Molecular Structure and Function. Front Oncol 2022; 12:894585. [PMID: 35800061 PMCID: PMC9255955 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.894585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is a multisubunit histone-modifying enzyme complex that mediates methylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27). Trimethylated H3K27 (H3K27me3) is an epigenetic hallmark of gene silencing. PRC2 plays a crucial role in a plethora of fundamental biological processes, and PRC2 dysregulation has been repeatedly implicated in cancers and developmental disorders. Here, we review the current knowledge on mechanisms of cellular regulation of PRC2 function, particularly regarding H3K27 methylation and chromatin targeting. PRC2-related disease mechanisms are also discussed. The mode of action of PRC2 in gene regulation is summarized, which includes competition between H3K27 methylation and acetylation, crosstalk with transcription machinery, and formation of high-order chromatin structure. Recent progress in the structural biology of PRC2 is highlighted from the aspects of complex assembly, enzyme catalysis, and chromatin recruitment, which together provide valuable insights into PRC2 function in close-to-atomic detail. Future studies on the molecular function and structure of PRC2 in the context of native chromatin and in the presence of other regulators like RNAs will continue to deepen our understanding of the stability and plasticity of developmental transcriptional programs broadly impacted by PRC2.
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