1
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Bonilla SL, Jones AN, Incarnato D. Structural and biophysical dissection of RNA conformational ensembles. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2024; 88:102908. [PMID: 39146886 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2024.102908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
RNA's ability to form and interconvert between multiple secondary and tertiary structures is critical to its functional versatility and the traditional view of RNA structures as static entities has shifted towards understanding them as dynamic conformational ensembles. In this review we discuss RNA structural ensembles and their dynamics, highlighting the concept of conformational energy landscapes as a unifying framework for understanding RNA processes such as folding, misfolding, conformational changes, and complex formation. Ongoing advancements in cryo-electron microscopy and chemical probing techniques are significantly enhancing our ability to investigate multiple structures adopted by conformationally dynamic RNAs, while traditional methods such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy continue to play a crucial role in providing high-resolution, quantitative spatial and temporal information. We discuss how these methods, when used synergistically, can provide a comprehensive understanding of RNA conformational ensembles, offering new insights into their regulatory functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve L Bonilla
- Laboratory of RNA Structural Biology and Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Alisha N Jones
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, 31 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003, USA.
| | - Danny Incarnato
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute (GBB), University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
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2
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Bonilla SL, Jang K. Challenges, advances, and opportunities in RNA structural biology by Cryo-EM. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2024; 88:102894. [PMID: 39121532 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2024.102894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
RNAs are remarkably versatile molecules that can fold into intricate three-dimensional (3D) structures to perform diverse cellular and viral functions. Despite their biological importance, relatively few RNA 3D structures have been solved, and our understanding of RNA structure-function relationships remains in its infancy. This limitation partly arises from challenges posed by RNA's complex conformational landscape, characterized by structural flexibility, formation of multiple states, and a propensity to misfold. Recently, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has emerged as a powerful tool for the visualization of conformationally dynamic RNA-only 3D structures. However, RNA's characteristics continue to pose challenges. We discuss experimental methods developed to overcome these hurdles, including the engineering of modular modifications that facilitate the visualization of small RNAs, improve particle alignment, and validate structural models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve L Bonilla
- Laboratory of RNA Structural Biology and Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
| | - Karen Jang
- Laboratory of RNA Structural Biology and Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10065, USA
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3
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Bukina V, Božič A. Context-dependent structure formation of hairpin motifs in bacteriophage MS2 genomic RNA. Biophys J 2024:S0006-3495(24)00526-5. [PMID: 39118324 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2024.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 07/17/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Many functions of ribonucleic acid (RNA) rely on its ability to assume specific sequence-structure motifs. Packaging signals found in certain RNA viruses are one such prominent example of functional RNA motifs. These signals are short hairpin loops that interact with coat proteins and drive viral self-assembly. As they are found in different positions along the much longer genomic RNA, the formation of their correct structure occurs as a part of a larger context. Any changes to this context can consequently lead to changes in the structure of the motifs themselves. In fact, previous studies have shown that structure and function of RNA motifs can be highly context sensitive to the flanking sequence surrounding them. However, in what ways different flanking sequences influence the structure of an RNA motif they surround has yet to be studied in detail. We focus on a hairpin-rich region of the RNA genome of bacteriophage MS2-a well-studied RNA virus with a wide potential for use in biotechnology-and systematically examine context-dependent structural stability of 14 previously identified hairpin motifs, which include putative and confirmed packaging signals. Combining secondary and tertiary RNA structure prediction of the hairpin motifs placed in different contexts, ranging from the native genomic sequence to random RNA sequences and unstructured poly-U sequences, we determine different measures of motif structural stability. In this way, we show that while some motif structures can be stable in any context, others require specific context provided by the genome. Our results demonstrate the importance of context in RNA structure formation and how changes in the flanking sequence of an RNA motif sometimes lead to drastic changes in its structure. Structural stability of a motif in different contexts could provide additional insights into its functionality as well as assist in determining whether it remains functional when intentionally placed in other contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Bukina
- Department of Theoretical Physics, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Anže Božič
- Department of Theoretical Physics, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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4
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Allan MF, Aruda J, Plung JS, Grote SL, des Taillades YJM, de Lajarte AA, Bathe M, Rouskin S. Discovery and Quantification of Long-Range RNA Base Pairs in Coronavirus Genomes with SEARCH-MaP and SEISMIC-RNA. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4814547. [PMID: 39149495 PMCID: PMC11326378 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4814547/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
RNA molecules perform a diversity of essential functions for which their linear sequences must fold into higher-order structures. Techniques including crystallography and cryogenic electron microscopy have revealed 3D structures of ribosomal, transfer, and other well-structured RNAs; while chemical probing with sequencing facilitates secondary structure modeling of any RNAs of interest, even within cells. Ongoing efforts continue increasing the accuracy, resolution, and ability to distinguish coexisting alternative structures. However, no method can discover and quantify alternative structures with base pairs spanning arbitrarily long distances - an obstacle for studying viral, messenger, and long noncoding RNAs, which may form long-range base pairs. Here, we introduce the method of Structure Ensemble Ablation by Reverse Complement Hybridization with Mutational Profiling (SEARCH-MaP) and software for Structure Ensemble Inference by Sequencing, Mutation Identification, and Clustering of RNA (SEISMIC-RNA). We use SEARCH-MaP and SEISMIC-RNA to discover that the frameshift stimulating element of SARS coronavirus 2 base-pairs with another element 1 kilobase downstream in nearly half of RNA molecules, and that this structure competes with a pseudoknot that stimulates ribosomal frameshifting. Moreover, we identify long-range base pairs involving the frameshift stimulating element in other coronaviruses including SARS coronavirus 1 and transmissible gastroenteritis virus, and model the full genomic secondary structure of the latter. These findings suggest that long-range base pairs are common in coronaviruses and may regulate ribosomal frameshifting, which is essential for viral RNA synthesis. We anticipate that SEARCH-MaP will enable solving many RNA structure ensembles that have eluded characterization, thereby enhancing our general understanding of RNA structures and their functions. SEISMIC-RNA, software for analyzing mutational profiling data at any scale, could power future studies on RNA structure and is available on GitHub and the Python Package Index.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew F. Allan
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA 02115
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA 02139
- Computational and Systems Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA 02139
| | - Justin Aruda
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA 02115
- Harvard Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Division of Medical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA 02115
| | - Jesse S. Plung
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA 02115
- Harvard Program in Virology, Division of Medical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA 02115
| | - Scott L. Grote
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA 02115
| | | | - Albéric A. de Lajarte
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA 02115
| | - Mark Bathe
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA 02139
| | - Silvi Rouskin
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA 02115
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5
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Allan MF, Aruda J, Plung JS, Grote SL, Martin des Taillades YJ, de Lajarte AA, Bathe M, Rouskin S. Discovery and Quantification of Long-Range RNA Base Pairs in Coronavirus Genomes with SEARCH-MaP and SEISMIC-RNA. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.29.591762. [PMID: 38746332 PMCID: PMC11092567 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.29.591762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
RNA molecules perform a diversity of essential functions for which their linear sequences must fold into higher-order structures. Techniques including crystallography and cryogenic electron microscopy have revealed 3D structures of ribosomal, transfer, and other well-structured RNAs; while chemical probing with sequencing facilitates secondary structure modeling of any RNAs of interest, even within cells. Ongoing efforts continue increasing the accuracy, resolution, and ability to distinguish coexisting alternative structures. However, no method can discover and quantify alternative structures with base pairs spanning arbitrarily long distances - an obstacle for studying viral, messenger, and long noncoding RNAs, which may form long-range base pairs. Here, we introduce the method of Structure Ensemble Ablation by Reverse Complement Hybridization with Mutational Profiling (SEARCH-MaP) and software for Structure Ensemble Inference by Sequencing, Mutation Identification, and Clustering of RNA (SEISMIC-RNA). We use SEARCH-MaP and SEISMIC-RNA to discover that the frameshift stimulating element of SARS coronavirus 2 base-pairs with another element 1 kilobase downstream in nearly half of RNA molecules, and that this structure competes with a pseudoknot that stimulates ribosomal frameshifting. Moreover, we identify long-range base pairs involving the frameshift stimulating element in other coronaviruses including SARS coronavirus 1 and transmissible gastroenteritis virus, and model the full genomic secondary structure of the latter. These findings suggest that long-range base pairs are common in coronaviruses and may regulate ribosomal frameshifting, which is essential for viral RNA synthesis. We anticipate that SEARCH-MaP will enable solving many RNA structure ensembles that have eluded characterization, thereby enhancing our general understanding of RNA structures and their functions. SEISMIC-RNA, software for analyzing mutational profiling data at any scale, could power future studies on RNA structure and is available on GitHub and the Python Package Index.
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6
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Bao N, Wang Z, Fu J, Dong H, Jin Y. RNA structure in alternative splicing regulation: from mechanism to therapy. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2024. [PMID: 39034824 DOI: 10.3724/abbs.2024119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing is a highly intricate process that plays a crucial role in post-transcriptional regulation and significantly expands the functional proteome of a limited number of coding genes in eukaryotes. Its regulation is multifactorial, with RNA structure exerting a significant impact. Aberrant RNA conformations lead to dysregulation of splicing patterns, which directly affects the manifestation of disease symptoms. In this review, the molecular mechanisms of RNA secondary structure-mediated splicing regulation are summarized, with a focus on the complex interplay between aberrant RNA conformations and disease phenotypes resulted from splicing defects. This study also explores additional factors that reshape structural conformations, enriching our understanding of the mechanistic network underlying structure-mediated splicing regulation. In addition, an emphasis has been placed on the clinical role of targeting aberrant splicing corrections in human diseases. The principal mechanisms of action behind this phenomenon are described, followed by a discussion of prospective development strategies and pertinent challenges.
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7
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Scholten NR, Haandrikman D, Tolhuis JO, Morandi E, Incarnato D. SHAPEwarp-web: sequence-agnostic search for structurally homologous RNA regions across databases of chemical probing data. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:W362-W367. [PMID: 38709889 PMCID: PMC11223795 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
RNA molecules perform a variety of functions in cells, many of which rely on their secondary and tertiary structures. Chemical probing methods coupled with high-throughput sequencing have significantly accelerated the mapping of RNA structures, and increasingly large datasets of transcriptome-wide RNA chemical probing data are becoming available. Analogously to what has been done for decades in the protein world, this RNA structural information can be leveraged to aid the discovery of structural similarity to a known RNA (or RNA family), which, in turn, can inform about the function of transcripts. We have previously developed SHAPEwarp, a sequence-agnostic method for the search of structurally homologous RNA segments in a database of reactivity profiles derived from chemical probing experiments. In its original implementation, however, SHAPEwarp required substantial computational resources, even for moderately sized databases, as well as significant Linux command line know-how. To address these limitations, we introduce here SHAPEwarp-web, a user-friendly web interface to rapidly query large databases of RNA chemical probing data for structurally similar RNAs. Aside from featuring a completely rewritten core, which speeds up by orders of magnitude the search inside large databases, the web server hosts several high-quality chemical probing databases across multiple species. SHAPEwarp-web is available from https://shapewarp.incarnatolab.com.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niek R Scholten
- School for Life Science and Technology, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, 9747 AS Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Dennis Haandrikman
- School for Life Science and Technology, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, 9747 AS Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Joshua O Tolhuis
- School for Life Science and Technology, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, 9747 AS Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Edoardo Morandi
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute (GBB), University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Danny Incarnato
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute (GBB), University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
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8
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Shine M, Gordon J, Schärfen L, Zigackova D, Herzel L, Neugebauer KM. Co-transcriptional gene regulation in eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024; 25:534-554. [PMID: 38509203 PMCID: PMC11199108 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-024-00706-2] [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] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Many steps of RNA processing occur during transcription by RNA polymerases. Co-transcriptional activities are deemed commonplace in prokaryotes, in which the lack of membrane barriers allows mixing of all gene expression steps, from transcription to translation. In the past decade, an extraordinary level of coordination between transcription and RNA processing has emerged in eukaryotes. In this Review, we discuss recent developments in our understanding of co-transcriptional gene regulation in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes, comparing methodologies and mechanisms, and highlight striking parallels in how RNA polymerases interact with the machineries that act on nascent RNA. The development of RNA sequencing and imaging techniques that detect transient transcription and RNA processing intermediates has facilitated discoveries of transcription coordination with splicing, 3'-end cleavage and dynamic RNA folding and revealed physical contacts between processing machineries and RNA polymerases. Such studies indicate that intron retention in a given nascent transcript can prevent 3'-end cleavage and cause transcriptional readthrough, which is a hallmark of eukaryotic cellular stress responses. We also discuss how coordination between nascent RNA biogenesis and transcription drives fundamental aspects of gene expression in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Shine
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jackson Gordon
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Leonard Schärfen
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Dagmar Zigackova
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lydia Herzel
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Karla M Neugebauer
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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9
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Cao X, Zhang Y, Ding Y, Wan Y. Identification of RNA structures and their roles in RNA functions. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024:10.1038/s41580-024-00748-6. [PMID: 38926530 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-024-00748-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The development of high-throughput RNA structure profiling methods in the past decade has greatly facilitated our ability to map and characterize different aspects of RNA structures transcriptome-wide in cell populations, single cells and single molecules. The resulting high-resolution data have provided insights into the static and dynamic nature of RNA structures, revealing their complexity as they perform their respective functions in the cell. In this Review, we discuss recent technical advances in the determination of RNA structures, and the roles of RNA structures in RNA biogenesis and functions, including in transcription, processing, translation, degradation, localization and RNA structure-dependent condensates. We also discuss the current understanding of how RNA structures could guide drug design for treating genetic diseases and battling pathogenic viruses, and highlight existing challenges and future directions in RNA structure research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinang Cao
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Genome Institute of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yueying Zhang
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK
| | - Yiliang Ding
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK.
| | - Yue Wan
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Genome Institute of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
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10
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Rouse WB, Tompkins VS, O’Leary CA, Moss WN. The RNA secondary structure of androgen receptor-FL and V7 transcripts reveals novel regulatory regions. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:6596-6613. [PMID: 38554103 PMCID: PMC11194067 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae220] [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: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The androgen receptor (AR) is a ligand-dependent nuclear transcription factor belonging to the steroid hormone nuclear receptor family. Due to its roles in regulating cell proliferation and differentiation, AR is tightly regulated to maintain proper levels of itself and the many genes it controls. AR dysregulation is a driver of many human diseases including prostate cancer. Though this dysregulation often occurs at the RNA level, there are many unknowns surrounding post-transcriptional regulation of AR mRNA, particularly the role that RNA secondary structure plays. Thus, a comprehensive analysis of AR transcript secondary structure is needed. We address this through the computational and experimental analyses of two key isoforms, full length (AR-FL) and truncated (AR-V7). Here, a combination of in-cell RNA secondary structure probing experiments (targeted DMS-MaPseq) and computational predictions were used to characterize the static structural landscape and conformational dynamics of both isoforms. Additionally, in-cell assays were used to identify functionally relevant structures in the 5' and 3' UTRs of AR-FL. A notable example is a conserved stem loop structure in the 5'UTR of AR-FL that can bind to Poly(RC) Binding Protein 2 (PCBP2). Taken together, our results reveal novel features that regulate AR expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warren B Rouse
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Van S Tompkins
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Collin A O’Leary
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
- Current Address: Departments of Biology and Chemistry, Cornell College, Mount Vernon, IA 52314, USA
| | - Walter N Moss
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
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11
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Song Y, Cui J, Zhu J, Kim B, Kuo ML, Potts PR. RNATACs: Multispecific small molecules targeting RNA by induced proximity. Cell Chem Biol 2024; 31:1101-1117. [PMID: 38876100 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2024.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
RNA-targeting small molecules (rSMs) have become an attractive modality to tackle traditionally undruggable proteins and expand the druggable space. Among many innovative concepts, RNA-targeting chimeras (RNATACs) represent a new class of multispecific, induced proximity small molecules that act by chemically bringing RNA targets into proximity with an endogenous RNA effector, such as a ribonuclease (RNase). Depending on the RNA effector, RNATACs can alter the stability, localization, translation, or splicing of the target RNA. Although still in its infancy, this new modality has the potential for broad applications in the future to treat diseases with high unmet need. In this review, we discuss potential advantages of RNATACs, recent progress in the field, and challenges to this cutting-edge technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Song
- Induced Proximity Platform, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA.
| | - Jia Cui
- Induced Proximity Platform, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Jiaqiang Zhu
- Induced Proximity Platform, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Boseon Kim
- Induced Proximity Platform, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Mei-Ling Kuo
- Induced Proximity Platform, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Patrick Ryan Potts
- Induced Proximity Platform, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA.
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12
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Chatterjee S, Xiao L, Zhong W, Feng S, Kool ET. Selective Arylation of RNA 2'-OH Groups via S NAr Reaction with Trialkylammonium Heterocycles. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202403496. [PMID: 38625814 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202403496] [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: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024]
Abstract
Small-molecule reactions at the 2'-OH groups of RNA enable useful applications for transcriptome technology and biology. To date, all reactions have involved carbonyl acylation and mechanistically related sulfonylation, limiting the types of modifications and properties that can be achieved. Here we report that electron-deficient heteroaryl species selectively react with 2'-OH groups of RNA in water via SNAr chemistry. In particular, trialkyl-ammonium (TAA)-activated aromatic heterocycles, prepared in one step from aryl chloride precursors, give high conversions to aryl ether adducts with RNAs in aqueous buffer in ~2-3 h. Remarkably, a TAA triazine previously used only for reaction with carboxylic acids, shows unprecedented selectivity for RNA over water, reacting rapidly with 2'-OH groups while exhibiting a half-life in water of >10 days. We further show that a triazine aryl species can be used as a probe at trace-level yields to map RNA structure in vitro. Finally, we prepare a number of functionalized trialkylammonium triazine reagents and show that they can be used to covalently label RNA efficiently for use in vitro and in living cells. This direct arylation chemistry offers a simple and distinct structural scaffold for post-synthetic RNA modification, with potential utility in multiple applications in transcriptome research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lu Xiao
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Wenrui Zhong
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Sheng Feng
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Eric T Kool
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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13
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Menon AP, Villanueva H, Meraviglia-Crivelli D, van Santen HM, Hellmeier J, Zheleva A, Nonateli F, Peters T, Wachsmann TL, Hernandez-Rueda M, Huppa JB, Schütz GJ, Sevcsik E, Moreno B, Pastor F. CD3 aptamers promote expansion and persistence of tumor-reactive T cells for adoptive T cell therapy in cancer. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2024; 35:102198. [PMID: 38745854 PMCID: PMC11091522 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The CD3/T cell receptor (TCR) complex is responsible for antigen-specific pathogen recognition by T cells, and initiates the signaling cascade necessary for activation of effector functions. CD3 agonistic antibodies are commonly used to expand T lymphocytes in a wide range of clinical applications, including in adoptive T cell therapy for cancer patients. A major drawback of expanding T cell populations ex vivo using CD3 agonistic antibodies is that they expand and activate T cells independent of their TCR antigen specificity. Therapeutic agents that facilitate expansion of T cells in an antigen-specific manner and reduce their threshold of T cell activation are therefore of great interest for adoptive T cell therapy protocols. To identify CD3-specific T cell agonists, several RNA aptamers were selected against CD3 using Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment combined with high-throughput sequencing. The extent and specificity of aptamer binding to target CD3 were assessed through surface plasma resonance, P32 double-filter assays, and flow cytometry. Aptamer-mediated modulation of the threshold of T cell activation was observed in vitro and in preclinical transgenic TCR mouse models. The aptamers improved efficacy and persistence of adoptive T cell therapy by low-affinity TCR-reactive T lymphocytes in melanoma-bearing mice. Thus, CD3-specific aptamers can be applied as therapeutic agents which facilitate the expansion of tumor-reactive T lymphocytes while conserving their tumor specificity. Furthermore, selected CD3 aptamers also exhibit cross-reactivity to human CD3, expanding their potential for clinical translation and application in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwathi Puravankara Menon
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, Center for Applied Medical Research, CIMA, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Helena Villanueva
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, Center for Applied Medical Research, CIMA, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Daniel Meraviglia-Crivelli
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, Center for Applied Medical Research, CIMA, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Hisse M. van Santen
- Immune System Development and Function Unit, Centro Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (CSIC/UAM), 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Joschka Hellmeier
- Institute of Applied Physics, TU Wien, Lehargasse 6, 1060 Vienna, Austria
| | - Angelina Zheleva
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, Center for Applied Medical Research, CIMA, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Francesca Nonateli
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, Center for Applied Medical Research, CIMA, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Timo Peters
- Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology, Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Mercedes Hernandez-Rueda
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, Center for Applied Medical Research, CIMA, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Johannes B. Huppa
- Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology, Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerhard J. Schütz
- Institute of Applied Physics, TU Wien, Lehargasse 6, 1060 Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva Sevcsik
- Institute of Applied Physics, TU Wien, Lehargasse 6, 1060 Vienna, Austria
| | - Beatriz Moreno
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, Center for Applied Medical Research, CIMA, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Fernando Pastor
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, Center for Applied Medical Research, CIMA, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research (IdiSNA), 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Spanish Center for Biomedical Research Network in Oncology (CIBERONC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
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14
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von Löhneysen S, Spicher T, Varenyk Y, Yao HT, Lorenz R, Hofacker I, Stadler PF. Phylogenetic and Chemical Probing Information as Soft Constraints in RNA Secondary Structure Prediction. J Comput Biol 2024; 31:549-563. [PMID: 38935442 DOI: 10.1089/cmb.2024.0519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Extrinsic, experimental information can be incorporated into thermodynamics-based RNA folding algorithms in the form of pseudo-energies. Evolutionary conservation of RNA secondary structure elements is detectable in alignments of phylogenetically related sequences and provides evidence for the presence of certain base pairs that can also be converted into pseudo-energy contributions. We show that the centroid base pairs computed from a consensus folding model such as RNAalifold result in a substantial improvement of the prediction accuracy for single sequences. Evidence for specific base pairs turns out to be more informative than a position-wise profile for the conservation of the pairing status. A comparison with chemical probing data, furthermore, strongly suggests that phylogenetic base pairing data are more informative than position-specific data on (un)pairedness as obtained from chemical probing experiments. In this context we demonstrate, in addition, that the conversion of signal from probing data into pseudo-energies is possible using thermodynamic structure predictions as a reference instead of known RNA structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah von Löhneysen
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thomas Spicher
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- UniVie Doctoral School Computer Science (DoCS), University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Yuliia Varenyk
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and Medical, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Hua-Ting Yao
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ronny Lorenz
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ivo Hofacker
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter F Stadler
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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15
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Bose E, Xiong S, Jones AN. Probing RNA structure and dynamics using nanopore and next generation sequencing. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107317. [PMID: 38677514 PMCID: PMC11145556 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107317] [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: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
It has become increasingly evident that the structures RNAs adopt are conformationally dynamic; the various structured states that RNAs sample govern their interactions with other nucleic acids, proteins, and ligands to regulate a myriad of biological processes. Although several biophysical approaches have been developed and used to study the dynamic landscape of structured RNAs, technical limitations have limited their application to all classes of RNA due to variable size and flexibility. Recent advances combining chemical probing experiments with next-generation- and direct sequencing have emerged as an alternative approach to exploring the conformational dynamics of RNA. In this review, we provide a methodological overview of the sequencing-based techniques used to study RNA conformational dynamics. We discuss how different techniques have enabled us to better understand the propensity of RNAs from a variety of different classes to sample multiple conformational states. Finally, we present examples of the ways these techniques have reshaped how we think about RNA structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Bose
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Shengwei Xiong
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Alisha N Jones
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York, USA.
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16
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Gribling-Burrer AS, Bohn P, Smyth RP. Isoform-specific RNA structure determination using Nano-DMS-MaP. Nat Protoc 2024; 19:1835-1865. [PMID: 38347203 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-024-00959-3] [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: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
RNA structure determination is essential to understand how RNA carries out its diverse biological functions. In cells, RNA isoforms are readily expressed with partial variations within their sequences due, for example, to alternative splicing, heterogeneity in the transcription start site, RNA processing or differential termination/polyadenylation. Nanopore dimethyl sulfate mutational profiling (Nano-DMS-MaP) is a method for in situ isoform-specific RNA structure determination. Unlike similar methods that rely on short sequencing reads, Nano-DMS-MaP employs nanopore sequencing to resolve the structures of long and highly similar RNA molecules to reveal their previously hidden structural differences. This Protocol describes the development and applications of Nano-DMS-MaP and outlines the main considerations for designing and implementing a successful experiment: from bench to data analysis. In cell probing experiments can be carried out by an experienced molecular biologist in 3-4 d. Data analysis requires good knowledge of command line tools and Python scripts and requires a further 3-5 d.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Sophie Gribling-Burrer
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Patrick Bohn
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Redmond P Smyth
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Würzburg, Germany.
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
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17
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Mizrahi R, Ostersetzer-Biran O. Mitochondrial RNA Helicases: Key Players in the Regulation of Plant Organellar RNA Splicing and Gene Expression. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5502. [PMID: 38791540 PMCID: PMC11122041 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial genomes of land plants are large and exhibit a complex mode of gene organization and expression, particularly at the post-transcriptional level. The primary organellar transcripts in plants undergo extensive maturation steps, including endo- and/or exo-nucleolytic cleavage, RNA-base modifications (mostly C-to-U deaminations) and both 'cis'- and 'trans'-splicing events. These essential processing steps rely on the activities of a large set of nuclear-encoded factors. RNA helicases serve as key players in RNA metabolism, participating in the regulation of transcription, mRNA processing and translation. They unwind RNA secondary structures and facilitate the formation of ribonucleoprotein complexes crucial for various stages of gene expression. Furthermore, RNA helicases are involved in RNA metabolism by modulating pre-mRNA maturation, transport and degradation processes. These enzymes are, therefore, pivotal in RNA quality-control mechanisms, ensuring the fidelity and efficiency of RNA processing and turnover in plant mitochondria. This review summarizes the significant roles played by helicases in regulating the highly dynamic processes of mitochondrial transcription, RNA processing and translation in plants. We further discuss recent advancements in understanding how dysregulation of mitochondrial RNA helicases affects the splicing of organellar genes, leading to respiratory dysfunctions, and consequently, altered growth, development and physiology of land plants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Oren Ostersetzer-Biran
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus—Givat Ram, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
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18
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Kovachka S, Tong Y, Childs-Disney JL, Disney MD. Heterobifunctional small molecules to modulate RNA function. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2024; 45:449-463. [PMID: 38641489 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2024.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
RNA has diverse cellular functionality, including regulating gene expression, protein translation, and cellular response to stimuli, due to its intricate structures. Over the past decade, small molecules have been discovered that target functional structures within cellular RNAs and modulate their function. Simple binding, however, is often insufficient, resulting in low or even no biological activity. To overcome this challenge, heterobifunctional compounds have been developed that can covalently bind to the RNA target, alter RNA sequence, or induce its cleavage. Herein, we review the recent progress in the field of RNA-targeted heterobifunctional compounds using representative case studies. We identify critical gaps and limitations and propose a strategic pathway for future developments of RNA-targeted molecules with augmented functionalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Kovachka
- Department of Chemistry, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation and Technology, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Yuquan Tong
- Department of Chemistry, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation and Technology, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA; The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Jessica L Childs-Disney
- Department of Chemistry, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation and Technology, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Matthew D Disney
- Department of Chemistry, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation and Technology, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA; The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA.
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19
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Marinus T, Foster TL, Tych KM. The application of single-molecule optical tweezers to study disease-related structural dynamics in RNA. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:899-909. [PMID: 38533854 PMCID: PMC11088911 DOI: 10.1042/bst20231232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
RNA, a dynamic and flexible molecule with intricate three-dimensional structures, has myriad functions in disease development. Traditional methods, such as X-ray crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance, face limitations in capturing real-time, single-molecule dynamics crucial for understanding RNA function. This review explores the transformative potential of single-molecule force spectroscopy using optical tweezers, showcasing its capability to directly probe time-dependent structural rearrangements of individual RNA molecules. Optical tweezers offer versatility in exploring diverse conditions, with the potential to provide insights into how environmental changes, ligands and RNA-binding proteins impact RNA behaviour. By enabling real-time observations of large-scale structural dynamics, optical tweezers emerge as an invaluable tool for advancing our comprehension of RNA structure and function. Here, we showcase their application in elucidating the dynamics of RNA elements in virology, such as the pseudoknot governing ribosomal frameshifting in SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tycho Marinus
- Chemical Biology 1, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Toshana L. Foster
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, LE12 5RD Loughborough, U.K
| | - Katarzyna M. Tych
- Chemical Biology 1, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
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20
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Wu J, Zhang Y, Nie Y, Yan F, Zirbel CL, Bisaro DM. RNA three-dimensional structure drives the sequence organization of potato spindle tuber viroid quasispecies. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012142. [PMID: 38574111 PMCID: PMC11020406 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012142] [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: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
RNA viruses and viroids exist and evolve as quasispecies due to error-prone replication. Quasispecies consist of a few dominant master sequences alongside numerous variants that contribute to genetic diversity. Upon environmental changes, certain variants within quasispecies have the potential to become the dominant sequences, leading to the emergence of novel infectious strains. However, the emergence of new infectious variants remains unpredictable. Using mutant pools prepared by saturation mutagenesis of selected stem and loop regions, our study of potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) demonstrates that mutants forming local three-dimensional (3D) structures similar to the wild type (WT) are more likely to accumulate in PSTVd quasispecies. The selection mechanisms underlying this biased accumulation are likely associated with cell-to-cell movement and long-distance trafficking. Moreover, certain trafficking-defective PSTVd mutants can be spread by functional sister genomes in the quasispecies. Our study reveals that the RNA 3D structure of stems and loops constrains the evolution of viroid quasispecies. Mutants with a structure similar to WT have a higher likelihood of being maintained within the quasispecies and can potentially give rise to novel infectious variants. These findings emphasize the potential of targeting RNA 3D structure as a more robust approach to defend against viroid infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agroproducts, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MARA and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Center for Applied Plant Sciences, Center for RNA Biology, and Infectious Diseases Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Yuhong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agroproducts, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MARA and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yuxin Nie
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agroproducts, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MARA and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Fei Yan
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agroproducts, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MARA and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Craig L. Zirbel
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, United States of America
| | - David M. Bisaro
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Center for Applied Plant Sciences, Center for RNA Biology, and Infectious Diseases Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
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21
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Price JL, Ziv O, Pinckert ML, Lim A, Miska EA. rnaCrosslinkOO: an object-oriented R package for the analysis of RNA structural data generated by RNA crosslinking experiments. Bioinformatics 2024; 40:btae193. [PMID: 38597883 PMCID: PMC11060868 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btae193] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARY RNA (ribonucleic acid) molecules have secondary and tertiary structures in vivo which play a crucial role in cellular processes such as the regulation of gene expression, RNA processing and localization. The ability to investigate these structures will enhance our understanding of their function and contribute to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases caused by RNA dysregulation. However, there are no mature pipelines or packages for processing and analyzing complex in vivo RNA structural data. Here, we present rnaCrosslinkOO (RNA Crosslink Object-Oriented), a novel software package for the comprehensive analysis of data derived from the COMRADES (Crosslinking of Matched RNA and Deep Sequencing) method. rnaCrosslinkOO offers a comprehensive pipeline from raw sequencing reads to the identification and comparison of RNA structural features. It includes read processing and alignment, clustering of duplexes, data exploration, folding and comparisons of RNA structures. rnaCrosslinkOO also enables comparisons between conditions, the identification of inter-RNA interactions, and the incorporation of reactivity data to improve structure prediction. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION rnaCrosslinkOO is freely available to noncommercial users and implemented in R, with the source code and documentation accessible at https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=rnaCrosslinkOO. The software is supported on Linux, macOS, and Windows platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan L Price
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, United Kingdom
| | - Omer Ziv
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, United Kingdom
- Eleven Therapeutics, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, United Kingdom
| | - Malte L Pinckert
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QP, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Lim
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, United Kingdom
| | - Eric A Miska
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, United Kingdom
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22
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Todisco M, Ding D, Szostak JW. Transient states during the annealing of mismatched and bulged oligonucleotides. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:2174-2187. [PMID: 38348869 PMCID: PMC10954449 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae091] [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: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Oligonucleotide hybridization is crucial in various biological, prebiotic and nanotechnological processes, including gene regulation, non-enzymatic primer extension and DNA nanodevice assembly. Although extensive research has focused on the thermodynamics and kinetics of nucleic acid hybridization, the behavior of complex mixtures and the outcome of competition for target binding remain less well understood. In this study, we investigate the impact of mismatches and bulges in a 12 bp DNA or RNA duplex on its association (kon) and dissociation (koff) kinetics. We find that such defects have relatively small effects on the association kinetics, while the dissociation kinetics vary in a position-dependent manner by up to 6 orders of magnitude. Building upon this observation, we explored a competition scenario involving multiple oligonucleotides, and observed a transient low specificity of probe hybridization to fully versus partially complementary targets in solution. We characterize these long-lived metastable states and their evolution toward equilibrium, and show that sufficiently long-lived mis-paired duplexes can serve as substrates for prebiotically relevant chemical copying reactions. Our results suggest that transient low accuracy states may spontaneously emerge within all complex nucleic acid systems comprising a large enough number of competing strands, with potential repercussions for gene regulation in the realm of modern biology and the prebiotic preservation of genetic information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Todisco
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Dian Ding
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 12 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology and Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Jack W Szostak
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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23
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Irving PS, Weeks KM. RNAvigate: efficient exploration of RNA chemical probing datasets. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:2231-2241. [PMID: 38348910 PMCID: PMC10954457 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae089] [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: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Chemical probing technologies enable high-throughput examination of diverse structural features of RNA, including local nucleotide flexibility, RNA secondary structure, protein and ligand binding, through-space interaction networks, and multistate structural ensembles. Deep understanding of RNA structure-function relationships typically requires evaluating a system under structure- and function-altering conditions, linking these data with additional information, and visualizing multilayered relationships. Current platforms lack the broad accessibility, flexibility and efficiency needed to iterate on integrative analyses of these diverse, complex data. Here, we share the RNA visualization and graphical analysis toolset RNAvigate, a straightforward and flexible Python library that automatically parses 21 standard file formats (primary sequence annotations, per- and internucleotide data, and secondary and tertiary structures) and outputs 18 plot types. RNAvigate enables efficient exploration of nuanced relationships between multiple layers of RNA structure information and across multiple experimental conditions. Compatibility with Jupyter notebooks enables nonburdensome, reproducible, transparent and organized sharing of multistep analyses and data visualization strategies. RNAvigate simplifies and accelerates discovery and characterization of RNA-centric functions in biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick S Irving
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3290, USA
| | - Kevin M Weeks
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3290, USA
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24
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Gong T, Ju F, Bu D. Accurate prediction of RNA secondary structure including pseudoknots through solving minimum-cost flow with learned potentials. Commun Biol 2024; 7:297. [PMID: 38461362 PMCID: PMC10924946 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05952-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Pseudoknots are key structure motifs of RNA and pseudoknotted RNAs play important roles in a variety of biological processes. Here, we present KnotFold, an accurate approach to the prediction of RNA secondary structure including pseudoknots. The key elements of KnotFold include a learned potential function and a minimum-cost flow algorithm to find the secondary structure with the lowest potential. KnotFold learns the potential from the RNAs with known structures using an attention-based neural network, thus avoiding the inaccuracy of hand-crafted energy functions. The specially designed minimum-cost flow algorithm used by KnotFold considers all possible combinations of base pairs and selects from them the optimal combination. The algorithm breaks the restriction of nested base pairs required by the widely used dynamic programming algorithms, thus enabling the identification of pseudoknots. Using 1,009 pseudoknotted RNAs as representatives, we demonstrate the successful application of KnotFold in predicting RNA secondary structures including pseudoknots with accuracy higher than the state-of-the-art approaches. We anticipate that KnotFold, with its superior accuracy, will greatly facilitate the understanding of RNA structures and functionalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiansu Gong
- Key Lab of Intelligent Information Processing, Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Fusong Ju
- Key Lab of Intelligent Information Processing, Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Dongbo Bu
- Key Lab of Intelligent Information Processing, Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China.
- Central China Artificial Intelligence Research Institute, Henan Academy of Sciences, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China.
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25
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Tosar JP, Castellano M, Costa B, Cayota A. Small RNA structural biochemistry in a post-sequencing era. Nat Protoc 2024; 19:595-602. [PMID: 38057624 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-023-00936-2] [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: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
High-throughput sequencing has had an enormous impact on small RNA research during the past decade. However, sequencing only offers a one-dimensional view of the transcriptome and is often highly biased. Additionally, the 'sequence, map and annotate' approach, used widely in small RNA research, can lead to flawed interpretations of the data, lacking biological plausibility, due in part to database issues. Even in the absence of technical biases, the loss of three-dimensional information is a major limitation to understanding RNA stability, turnover and function. For example, noncoding RNA-derived fragments seem to exist mainly as dimers, tetramers or as nicked forms of their parental RNAs, contrary to widespread assumptions. In this perspective, we will discuss main sources of bias during small RNA-sequencing, present several useful bias-reducing strategies and provide guidance on the interpretation of small RNA-sequencing results, with emphasis on RNA fragmentomics. As sequencing offers a one-dimensional projection of a four-dimensional reality, prior structure-level knowledge is often needed to make sense of the data. Consequently, while less-biased sequencing methods are welcomed, integration of orthologous experimental techniques is also strongly recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Pablo Tosar
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay.
- Analytical Biochemistry Unit, Center for Nuclear Research, School of Science, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
| | - Mauricio Castellano
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Biochemistry Department, School of Science, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Bruno Costa
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Analytical Biochemistry Unit, Center for Nuclear Research, School of Science, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Alfonso Cayota
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Hospital de Clínicas, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
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26
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Parmar S, Bume DD, Conelly C, Boer R, Prestwood PR, Wang Z, Labuhn H, Sinnadurai K, Feri A, Ouellet J, Homan P, Numata T, Schneekloth JS. Mechanistic Analysis of Riboswitch Ligand Interactions Provides Insights into Pharmacological Control over Gene Expression. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.23.581746. [PMID: 38903087 PMCID: PMC11188086 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.23.581746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Riboswitches are structured RNA elements that regulate gene expression upon binding to small molecule ligands. Understanding the mechanisms by which small molecules impact riboswitch activity is key to developing potent, selective ligands for these and other RNA targets. We report the structure-informed design of chemically diverse synthetic ligands for PreQ1 riboswitches. Multiple X-ray co-crystal structures of synthetic ligands with the Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis (Tte)-PreQ1 riboswitch confirm a common binding site with the cognate ligand, despite considerable chemical differences among the ligands. Structure probing assays demonstrate that one ligand causes conformational changes similar to PreQ1 in six structurally and mechanistically diverse PreQ1 riboswitch aptamers. Single-molecule force spectroscopy is used to demonstrate differential modes of riboswitch stabilization by the ligands. Binding of the natural ligand brings about the formation of a persistent, folded pseudoknot structure, whereas a synthetic ligand decreases the rate of unfolding through a kinetic mechanism. Single round transcription termination assays show the biochemical activity of the ligands, while a GFP reporter system reveals compound activity in regulating gene expression in live cells without toxicity. Taken together, this study reveals that diverse small molecules can impact gene expression in live cells by altering conformational changes in RNA structures through distinct mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaifaly Parmar
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Desta Doro Bume
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Colleen Conelly
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Robert Boer
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Peri R. Prestwood
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Zhen Wang
- Depixus SAS, 3-5 Impasse Reille, 75014 Paris, France
| | | | | | - Adeline Feri
- Depixus SAS, 3-5 Impasse Reille, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Jimmy Ouellet
- Depixus SAS, 3-5 Impasse Reille, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Philip Homan
- Center for Cancer Research Collaborative Bioinformatics Resource, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
- Advanced Biomedical Computational Science, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Tomoyuki Numata
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - John S. Schneekloth
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
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27
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Anders AG, Tidwell ED, Gadkari VV, Koutmos M, Ruotolo BT. Collision-Induced Unfolding Reveals Disease-Associated Stability Shifts in Mitochondrial Transfer Ribonucleic Acids. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:4412-4420. [PMID: 38329282 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c09230] [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] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Ribonucleic acids (RNAs) remain challenging targets for structural biology, creating barriers to understanding their vast functions in cellular biology and fully realizing their applications in biotechnology. The inherent dynamism of RNAs creates numerous obstacles in capturing their biologically relevant higher-order structures (HOSs), and as a result, many RNA functions remain unknown. In this study, we describe the development of native ion mobility-mass spectrometry and collision-induced unfolding (CIU) for the structural characterization of a variety of RNAs. We evaluate the ability of these techniques to preserve native structural features in the gas phase across a wide range of functional RNAs. Finally, we apply these tools to study the elusive mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes-associated A3243G mutation. Our data demonstrate that our experimentally determined conditions preserve some solution-state memory of RNAs via the correlated complexity of CIU fingerprints and RNA HOS, the observation of predicted stability shifts in the control RNA samples, and the retention of predicted magnesium binding events in gas-phase RNA ions. Significant differences in collision cross section and stability are observed as a function of the A3243G mutation across a subset of the mitochondrial tRNA maturation pathway. We conclude by discussing the potential application of CIU for the development of RNA-based biotherapeutics and, more broadly, transcriptomic characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna G Anders
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Elizabeth D Tidwell
- Department of Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Varun V Gadkari
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Markos Koutmos
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department of Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Brandon T Ruotolo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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28
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Camara MB, Lange B, Yesselman JD, Eichhorn C. Visualizing a two-state conformational ensemble in stem-loop 3 of the transcriptional regulator 7SK RNA. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:940-952. [PMID: 38084902 PMCID: PMC10810284 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1159] [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: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Structural plasticity is integral to RNA function; however, there are currently few methods to quantitatively resolve RNAs that have multiple structural states. NMR spectroscopy is a powerful approach for resolving conformational ensembles but is size-limited. Chemical probing is well-suited for large RNAs but provides limited structural and kinetics information. Here, we integrate the two approaches to visualize a two-state conformational ensemble for the central stem-loop 3 (SL3) of 7SK RNA, a critical element for 7SK RNA function in transcription regulation. We find that the SL3 distal end exchanges between two equally populated yet structurally distinct states in both isolated SL3 constructs and full-length 7SK RNA. We rationally designed constructs that lock SL3 into a single state and demonstrate that both chemical probing and NMR data fit to a linear combination of the two states. Comparison of vertebrate 7SK RNA sequences shows either or both states are highly conserved. These results provide new insights into 7SK RNA structural dynamics and demonstrate the utility of integrating chemical probing with NMR spectroscopy to gain quantitative insights into RNA conformational ensembles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Momodou B Camara
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska, 639 North 12 St, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Bret Lange
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska, 639 North 12 St, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Joseph D Yesselman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska, 639 North 12 St, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
- Nebraska Center for Integrated Biomolecular Communication, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Catherine D Eichhorn
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska, 639 North 12 St, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
- Nebraska Center for Integrated Biomolecular Communication, Lincoln, NE, USA
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29
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Li Z, Hu R, Li T, Zhu J, You H, Li Y, Liu BF, Li C, Li Y, Yang Y. A TeZla micromixer for interrogating the early and broad folding landscape of G-quadruplex via multistage velocity descending. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2315401121. [PMID: 38232280 PMCID: PMC10823215 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2315401121] [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: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Biomacromolecular folding kinetics involves fast folding events and broad timescales. Current techniques face limitations in either the required time resolution or the observation window. In this study, we developed the TeZla micromixer, integrating Tesla and Zigzag microstructures with a multistage velocity descending strategy. TeZla achieves a significant short mixing dead time (40 µs) and a wide time window covering four orders of magnitude (up to 300 ms). Using this unique micromixer, we explored the folding landscape of c-Myc G4 and its noncanonical-G4 derivatives with different loop lengths or G-vacancy sites. Our findings revealed that c-Myc can bypass folding intermediates and directly adopt a G4 structure in the cation-deficient buffer. Moreover, we found that the loop length and specific G-vacancy site could affect the folding pathway and significantly slow down the folding rates. These results were also cross-validated with real-time NMR and circular dichroism. In conclusion, TeZla represents a versatile tool for studying biomolecular folding kinetics, and our findings may ultimately contribute to the design of drugs targeting G4 structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences—Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan430071, China
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing10049, China
| | - Rui Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences—Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan430071, China
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing10049, China
| | - Tao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences—Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan430071, China
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing10049, China
| | - Jiang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences—Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan430071, China
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing10049, China
| | - Huijuan You
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
| | - Yiwei Li
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics—Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430074, China
| | - Bi-Feng Liu
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics—Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430074, China
| | - Conggang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences—Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan430071, China
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing10049, China
| | - Ying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences—Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan430071, China
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing10049, China
| | - Yunhuang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences—Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan430071, China
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing10049, China
- Optics Valley Laboratory, Hubei430074, China
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30
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Bose R, Saleem I, Mustoe AM. Causes, functions, and therapeutic possibilities of RNA secondary structure ensembles and alternative states. Cell Chem Biol 2024; 31:17-35. [PMID: 38199037 PMCID: PMC10842484 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.12.010] [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: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
RNA secondary structure plays essential roles in encoding RNA regulatory fate and function. Most RNAs populate ensembles of alternatively paired states and are continually unfolded and refolded by cellular processes. Measuring these structural ensembles and their contributions to cellular function has traditionally posed major challenges, but new methods and conceptual frameworks are beginning to fill this void. In this review, we provide a mechanism- and function-centric compendium of the roles of RNA secondary structural ensembles and minority states in regulating the RNA life cycle, from transcription to degradation. We further explore how dysregulation of RNA structural ensembles contributes to human disease and discuss the potential of drugging alternative RNA states to therapeutically modulate RNA activity. The emerging paradigm of RNA structural ensembles as central to RNA function provides a foundation for a deeper understanding of RNA biology and new therapeutic possibilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritwika Bose
- Therapeutic Innovation Center (THINC), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Irfana Saleem
- Therapeutic Innovation Center (THINC), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Anthony M Mustoe
- Therapeutic Innovation Center (THINC), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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31
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Balcerowicz M, Wigge PA, Di Antonio M, Chung B. Monitoring Real-Time Temperature Dynamics of a Short RNA Hairpin Using Förster Resonance Energy Transfer and Circular Dichroism. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2795:149-158. [PMID: 38594536 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3814-9_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
RNA molecules play crucial roles in gene expression regulation and cellular signaling, and these functions are governed by the formation of RNA secondary and tertiary structures. These structures are highly dynamic and subject to rapid changes in response to environmental cues, temperature in particular. Thermosensitive RNA secondary structures have been harnessed by multiple organisms to survey their temperature environment and to adjust gene expression accordingly. It is thus highly desirable to observe RNA structural changes in real time over a range of temperatures. Multiple approaches have been developed to study structural dynamics, but many of these require extensive processing of the RNA, large amounts of RNA input, and/or cannot be applied under physiological conditions. Here, we describe the use of a dually fluorescently labeled RNA oligonucleotide (containing a predicted hairpin structure) to monitor subtle RNA structural dynamics in vitro by Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. These approaches can be employed under physiologically relevant conditions over a range of temperatures and with RNA concentrations as low as 200 nM; they enable us to observe RNA structural dynamics in real time and to correlate these dynamics with changes in biological processes such as translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Balcerowicz
- Division of Plant Sciences, University of Dundee at the James Hutton Institute, Dundee, UK.
| | - Philip A Wigge
- Leibniz Institute for Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Grossbeeren, Germany
| | - Marco Di Antonio
- Imperial College London, Chemistry Department, Molecular Science Research Hub, London, UK.
- The Institute of Chemical Biology (ICB), Molecular Science Research Hub, London, UK.
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.
| | - Betty Chung
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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32
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Abram QH, Landry BN, Wang AB, Kothe RF, Hauch HC, Sagan SM. The myriad roles of RNA structure in the flavivirus life cycle. RNA Biol 2024; 21:14-30. [PMID: 38797925 PMCID: PMC11135854 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2024.2357857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
As positive-sense RNA viruses, the genomes of flaviviruses serve as the template for all stages of the viral life cycle, including translation, replication, and infectious particle production. Yet, they encode just 10 proteins, suggesting that the structure and dynamics of the viral RNA itself helps shepherd the viral genome through these stages. Herein, we highlight advances in our understanding of flavivirus RNA structural elements through the lens of their impact on the viral life cycle. We highlight how RNA structures impact translation, the switch from translation to replication, negative- and positive-strand RNA synthesis, and virion assembly. Consequently, we describe three major themes regarding the roles of RNA structure in flavivirus infections: 1) providing a layer of specificity; 2) increasing the functional capacity; and 3) providing a mechanism to support genome compaction. While the interactions described herein are specific to flaviviruses, these themes appear to extend more broadly across RNA viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quinn H. Abram
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Breanna N. Landry
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Alex B. Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Ronja F. Kothe
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Hannah C.H. Hauch
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Selena M. Sagan
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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33
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Wang F, Xia R, Su Y, Cai P, Xu X. Quantifying RNA structures and interactions with a unified reduced chain representation model. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:127181. [PMID: 37793523 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127181] [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: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
RNA is a pivotal molecule that plays critical roles in various cellular processes. Quantifying RNA structures and interactions is essential to understanding RNA function and developing RNA-based therapeutics. Using a unified five-bead model and a non-redundant database, this paper investigates the structural features and interactions of five commonly occurring RNA motifs, i.e., double-stranded helices, hairpin loops, internal/bulge loops, multi-branched junctions, and single-stranded terminal tails. Analyzing detailed distributions of RNA local structural features and base-base interactions reveals a preference for helical structures in both local backbone structures and base orientations. The interactions between adjacent bases exhibit motif-specific and sequence-dependent characteristics, reflecting the distinct topological constraints imposed by different loop-helix connection modes and the varying pairing and stacking interactions among different sequences. These findings shed light on the stability of RNA helices, emphasizing their significance in providing dominant base pairing and stacking interactions for RNA structures and stability. The four non-helix motifs encompass unpaired nucleotide loops and exhibit diverse base-base interactions, contributing to the structural diversity observed in RNA. Overall, the complexity of RNA structure arises from the intricate interplay of base-base interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengfei Wang
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Medical Engineering, School of Mathematics and Physics, Jiangsu University of Technology, Changzhou 213001, China
| | - Renjie Xia
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Medical Engineering, School of Mathematics and Physics, Jiangsu University of Technology, Changzhou 213001, China
| | - Yangyang Su
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Medical Engineering, School of Mathematics and Physics, Jiangsu University of Technology, Changzhou 213001, China
| | - Pinggen Cai
- Department of Applied Physics, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310023, China.
| | - Xiaojun Xu
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Medical Engineering, School of Mathematics and Physics, Jiangsu University of Technology, Changzhou 213001, China.
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34
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Aggarwal T, Wang L, Gutierrez B, Guven H, Erguven H, Izgu EC. A Small-Molecule Approach to Bypass In Vitro Selection of New Aptamers: Designer Pre-Ligands Turn Baby Spinach into Sensors for Reactive Inorganic Targets. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.29.551132. [PMID: 38168427 PMCID: PMC10760011 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.29.551132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Fluorescent light-up aptamer (FLAP) systems are promising biosensing platforms that can be genetically encoded. Here, we describe how a single FLAP that works with specific organic ligands can detect multiple, structurally unique, non-fluorogenic, and reactive inorganic targets. We developed 4-O-functionalized benzylidene imidazolinones as pre-ligands with suppressed fluorescent binding interactions with the RNA aptamer Baby Spinach. Inorganic targets, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), can specifically convert these pre-ligands into the native benzylidene imidazolinones, and thus be detected with Baby Spinach. Adaptation of this approach to live cells opened a new opportunity for top-down construction of whole-cell sensors: Escherichia coli transformed with a Baby Spinach-encoding plasmid and incubated with pre-ligands generated fluorescence in response to exogenous H2S or H2O2. Our approach eliminates the requirement of in vitro selection of a new aptamer sequence for molecular target detection, allows for the detection of short-lived targets, thereby advancing FLAP systems beyond their current capabilities. Leveraging the functional group reactivity of small molecules can lead to cell-based sensors for inorganic molecular targets, exploiting a new synergism between synthetic organic chemistry and synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tushar Aggarwal
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Liming Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Bryan Gutierrez
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Hakan Guven
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Huseyin Erguven
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Enver Cagri Izgu
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08854, USA
- Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Rutgers Center for Lipid Research, New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
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35
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Gruber C, Gursinsky T, Gago-Zachert S, Pantaleo V, Behrens SE. Effective Antiviral Application of Antisense in Plants by Exploiting Accessible Sites in the Target RNA. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17153. [PMID: 38138982 PMCID: PMC10743417 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417153] [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: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ASOs) have long been used to selectively inhibit or modulate gene expression at the RNA level, and some ASOs are approved for clinical use. However, the practicability of antisense technologies remains limited by the difficulty of reliably predicting the sites accessible to ASOs in complex folded RNAs. Recently, we applied a plant-based method that reproduces RNA-induced RNA silencing in vitro to reliably identify sites in target RNAs that are accessible to small interfering RNA (siRNA)-guided Argonaute endonucleases. Here, we show that this method is also suitable for identifying ASOs that are effective in DNA-induced RNA silencing by RNases H. We show that ASOs identified in this way that target a viral genome are comparably effective in protecting plants from infection as siRNAs with the corresponding sequence. The antiviral activity of the ASOs could be further enhanced by chemical modification. This led to two important conclusions: siRNAs and ASOs that can effectively knock down complex RNA molecules can be identified using the same approach, and ASOs optimized in this way could find application in crop protection. The technology developed here could be useful not only for effective RNA silencing in plants but also in other organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia Gruber
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Section Microbial Biotechnology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; (C.G.); (T.G.); (S.G.-Z.)
| | - Torsten Gursinsky
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Section Microbial Biotechnology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; (C.G.); (T.G.); (S.G.-Z.)
| | - Selma Gago-Zachert
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Section Microbial Biotechnology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; (C.G.); (T.G.); (S.G.-Z.)
| | - Vitantonio Pantaleo
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, Department of Biology, Agricultural and Food Sciences National Research Council, Bari Unit, I-70126 Bari, Italy;
| | - Sven-Erik Behrens
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Section Microbial Biotechnology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; (C.G.); (T.G.); (S.G.-Z.)
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36
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Szyjka CE, Strobel EJ. Observation of coordinated RNA folding events by systematic cotranscriptional RNA structure probing. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7839. [PMID: 38030633 PMCID: PMC10687018 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43395-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA begins to fold as it is transcribed by an RNA polymerase. Consequently, RNA folding is constrained by the direction and rate of transcription. Understanding how RNA folds into secondary and tertiary structures therefore requires methods for determining the structure of cotranscriptional folding intermediates. Cotranscriptional RNA chemical probing methods accomplish this by systematically probing the structure of nascent RNA that is displayed from an RNA polymerase. Here, we describe a concise, high-resolution cotranscriptional RNA chemical probing procedure called variable length Transcription Elongation Complex RNA structure probing (TECprobe-VL). We demonstrate the accuracy and resolution of TECprobe-VL by replicating and extending previous analyses of ZTP and fluoride riboswitch folding and mapping the folding pathway of a ppGpp-sensing riboswitch. In each system, we show that TECprobe-VL identifies coordinated cotranscriptional folding events that mediate transcription antitermination. Our findings establish TECprobe-VL as an accessible method for mapping cotranscriptional RNA folding pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney E Szyjka
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14260, USA
| | - Eric J Strobel
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14260, USA.
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37
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Stringer BW, Gabryelska M, Marri S, Clark L, Lin H, Gantley L, Liu R, Wilusz JE, Conn VM, Conn SJ. Versatile toolkit for highly-efficient and scarless overexpression of circular RNAs. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.21.568171. [PMID: 38045421 PMCID: PMC10690289 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.21.568171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of single-stranded, covalently closed RNA that contain a unique back-splice junction (bsj) sequence created by the ligation of their 5' and 3' ends via spliceosome-catalyzed back-splicing. A key step in illuminating the cellular roles of specific circRNAs is via increasing their expression. This is frequently done by transfecting cells with plasmid DNA containing cloned exons from which the circRNA is transcribed, flanked by sequences that promote back-splicing. We observed that commonly used plasmids lead to the production of circRNAs with molecular scars at the circRNA bsj. Stepwise redesign of the cloning vector corrected this problem, ensuring bona fide circRNAs are produced with their natural bsj at high efficiency. The fidelity of circRNAs produced from this new construct was validated by RNA sequencing and also functionally validated. To increase the utility of this modified resource for expressing circRNA, we developed an expanded set of vectors incorporating this design that (i) enables selection with a variety of antibiotics and fluorescent proteins, (ii) employs a range of promoters varying in promoter strength and (iii) generated a complementary set of lentiviral plasmids for difficult-to-transfect cells. These resources provide a novel and versatile toolkit for high-efficiency and scarless overexpression of circular RNAs that fulfill a critical need for the investigation of circRNA function.
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38
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Chorostecki U, Bologna NG, Ariel F. The plant noncoding transcriptome: a versatile environmental sensor. EMBO J 2023; 42:e114400. [PMID: 37735935 PMCID: PMC10577639 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2023114400] [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: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant noncoding RNA transcripts have gained increasing attention in recent years due to growing evidence that they can regulate developmental plasticity. In this review article, we comprehensively analyze the relationship between noncoding RNA transcripts in plants and their response to environmental cues. We first provide an overview of the various noncoding transcript types, including long and small RNAs, and how the environment modulates their performance. We then highlight the importance of noncoding RNA secondary structure for their molecular and biological functions. Finally, we discuss recent studies that have unveiled the functional significance of specific long noncoding transcripts and their molecular partners within ribonucleoprotein complexes during development and in response to biotic and abiotic stress. Overall, this review sheds light on the fascinating and complex relationship between dynamic noncoding transcription and plant environmental responses, and highlights the need for further research to uncover the underlying molecular mechanisms and exploit the potential of noncoding transcripts for crop resilience in the context of global warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uciel Chorostecki
- Faculty of Medicine and Health SciencesUniversitat Internacional de CatalunyaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Nicolas G. Bologna
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG)CSIC‐IRTA‐UAB‐UBBarcelonaSpain
| | - Federico Ariel
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnologia del Litoral, CONICET, FBCBUniversidad Nacional del LitoralSanta FeArgentina
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39
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Schneider B, Sweeney BA, Bateman A, Cerny J, Zok T, Szachniuk M. When will RNA get its AlphaFold moment? Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:9522-9532. [PMID: 37702120 PMCID: PMC10570031 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The protein structure prediction problem has been solved for many types of proteins by AlphaFold. Recently, there has been considerable excitement to build off the success of AlphaFold and predict the 3D structures of RNAs. RNA prediction methods use a variety of techniques, from physics-based to machine learning approaches. We believe that there are challenges preventing the successful development of deep learning-based methods like AlphaFold for RNA in the short term. Broadly speaking, the challenges are the limited number of structures and alignments making data-hungry deep learning methods unlikely to succeed. Additionally, there are several issues with the existing structure and sequence data, as they are often of insufficient quality, highly biased and missing key information. Here, we discuss these challenges in detail and suggest some steps to remedy the situation. We believe that it is possible to create an accurate RNA structure prediction method, but it will require solving several data quality and volume issues, usage of data beyond simple sequence alignments, or the development of new less data-hungry machine learning methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bohdan Schneider
- Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prumyslova 595, CZ-252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Blake Alexander Sweeney
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Alex Bateman
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Jiri Cerny
- Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prumyslova 595, CZ-252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Tomasz Zok
- Institute of Computing Science and European Centre for Bioinformatics and Genomics, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 2, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
| | - Marta Szachniuk
- Institute of Computing Science and European Centre for Bioinformatics and Genomics, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 2, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704 Poznan, Poland
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40
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Dohno C, Kimura M, Fujiwara Y, Nakatani K. Photoswitchable molecular glue for RNA: reversible photocontrol of structure and function of the ribozyme. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:9533-9541. [PMID: 37615580 PMCID: PMC10570050 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Single-stranded RNA folds into a variety of secondary and higher-order structures. Distributions and dynamics of multiple RNA conformations are responsible for the biological function of RNA. We here developed a photoswitchable molecular glue for RNA, which could reversibly control the association of two unpaired RNA regions in response to light stimuli. The photoswitchable molecular glue, NCTA, is an RNA-binding ligand possessing a photoisomerizable azobenzene moiety. Z-NCTA is an active ligand for the target RNA containing 5'-WGG-3'/5'-WGG-3' (W = U or A) site and stabilizes its hybridized state, while its isomer E-NCTA is not. Photoreversible isomerization of NCTA enabled control of the secondary and tertiary structure of the target RNA. The RNA-cleaving activity of hammerhead ribozyme, where appropriate RNA folding is necessary, could be reversibly regulated by photoirradiation in cells treated with NCTA, demonstrating precise photocontrol of RNA structure and function by the photoswitchable molecular glue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chikara Dohno
- Department of Regulatory Bioorganic Chemistry, SANKEN (The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research), Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047, Japan
| | - Maki Kimura
- Department of Regulatory Bioorganic Chemistry, SANKEN (The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research), Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047, Japan
| | - Yusuke Fujiwara
- Department of Regulatory Bioorganic Chemistry, SANKEN (The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research), Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Nakatani
- Department of Regulatory Bioorganic Chemistry, SANKEN (The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research), Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047, Japan
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41
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Chen Q, Zhou T. Emerging functional principles of tRNA-derived small RNAs and other regulatory small RNAs. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105225. [PMID: 37673341 PMCID: PMC10562873 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advancements in small RNA sequencing have unveiled a previously hidden world of regulatory small noncoding RNAs (sncRNAs) that extend beyond the well-studied small interfering RNAs, microRNAs, and piwi-interacting RNAs. This exploration, starting with tRNA-derived small RNAs, has led to the discovery of a diverse universe of sncRNAs derived from various longer structured RNAs such as rRNAs, small nucleolar RNAs, small nuclear RNAs, Y RNAs, and vault RNAs, with exciting uncharted functional possibilities. In this perspective, we discuss the emerging functional principles of sncRNAs beyond the well-known RNAi-like mechanisms, focusing on those that operate independent of linear sequence complementarity but rather function in an aptamer-like fashion. Aptamers use 3D structure for specific interactions with ligands and are modulated by RNA modifications and subcellular environments. Given that aptamer-like sncRNA functions are widespread and present in species lacking RNAi, they may represent an ancient functional principle that predates RNAi. We propose a rethinking of the origin of RNAi and its relationship with these aptamer-like functions in sncRNAs and how these complementary mechanisms shape biological processes. Lastly, the aptamer-like function of sncRNAs highlights the need for caution in using small RNA mimics in research and therapeutics, as their specificity is not restricted solely to linear sequence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Chen
- Molecular Medicine Program, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
| | - Tong Zhou
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, Reno, Nevada, USA.
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42
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Meyer MO, Yamagami R, Choi S, Keating CD, Bevilacqua PC. RNA folding studies inside peptide-rich droplets reveal roles of modified nucleosides at the origin of life. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh5152. [PMID: 37729412 PMCID: PMC10511188 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh5152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Compartmentalization of RNA in biopolymer-rich membraneless organelles is now understood to be pervasive and critical for the function of extant biology and has been proposed as a prebiotically plausible way to accumulate RNA. However, compartment-RNA interactions that drive encapsulation have the potential to influence RNA structure and function in compartment- and RNA sequence-dependent ways. Here, we detail next-generation sequencing (NGS) experiments performed in membraneless compartments called complex coacervates to characterize the fold of many different transfer RNAs (tRNAs) simultaneously under the potentially denaturing conditions of these compartments. Notably, we find that natural modifications favor the native fold of tRNAs in these compartments. This suggests that covalent RNA modifications could have played a critical role in metabolic processes at the origin of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- McCauley O. Meyer
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Center for RNA Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Ryota Yamagami
- Center for RNA Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Saehyun Choi
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Christine D. Keating
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Philip C. Bevilacqua
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Center for RNA Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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43
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Shenasa H, Bentley DL. Pre-mRNA splicing and its cotranscriptional connections. Trends Genet 2023; 39:672-685. [PMID: 37236814 PMCID: PMC10524715 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2023.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Transcription of eukaryotic genes by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) yields RNA precursors containing introns that must be spliced out and the flanking exons ligated together. Splicing is catalyzed by a dynamic ribonucleoprotein complex called the spliceosome. Recent evidence has shown that a large fraction of splicing occurs cotranscriptionally as the RNA chain is extruded from Pol II at speeds of up to 5 kb/minute. Splicing is more efficient when it is tethered to the transcription elongation complex, and this linkage permits functional coupling of splicing with transcription. We discuss recent progress that has uncovered a network of connections that link splicing to transcript elongation and other cotranscriptional RNA processing events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Shenasa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, PO Box 6511, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - David L Bentley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, PO Box 6511, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
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44
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Mathez G, Cagno V. Small Molecules Targeting Viral RNA. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13500. [PMID: 37686306 PMCID: PMC10487773 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The majority of antivirals available target viral proteins; however, RNA is emerging as a new and promising antiviral target due to the presence of highly structured RNA in viral genomes fundamental for their replication cycle. Here, we discuss methods for the identification of RNA-targeting compounds, starting from the determination of RNA structures either from purified RNA or in living cells, followed by in silico screening on RNA and phenotypic assays to evaluate viral inhibition. Moreover, we review the small molecules known to target the programmed ribosomal frameshifting element of SARS-CoV-2, the internal ribosomal entry site of different viruses, and RNA elements of HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Valeria Cagno
- Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital of Lausanne, University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
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45
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Hidalgo M, Ramos C, Zolla G. Analysis of lncRNAs in Lupinus mutabilis (Tarwi) and Their Potential Role in Drought Response. Noncoding RNA 2023; 9:48. [PMID: 37736894 PMCID: PMC10514842 DOI: 10.3390/ncrna9050048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Lupinus mutabilis is a legume with high agronomic potential and available transcriptomic data for which lncRNAs have not been studied. Therefore, our objective was to identify, characterize, and validate the drought-responsive lncRNAs in L. mutabilis. To achieve this, we used a multilevel approach based on lncRNA prediction, annotation, subcellular location, thermodynamic characterization, structural conservation, and validation. Thus, 590 lncRNAs were identified by at least two algorithms of lncRNA identification. Annotation with the PLncDB database showed 571 lncRNAs unique to tarwi and 19 lncRNAs with homology in 28 botanical families including Solanaceae (19), Fabaceae (17), Brassicaceae (17), Rutaceae (17), Rosaceae (16), and Malvaceae (16), among others. In total, 12 lncRNAs had homology in more than 40 species. A total of 67% of lncRNAs were located in the cytoplasm and 33% in exosomes. Thermodynamic characterization of S03 showed a stable secondary structure with -105.67 kcal/mol. This structure included three regions, with a multibranch loop containing a hairpin with a SECIS-like element. Evaluation of the structural conservation by CROSSalign revealed partial similarities between L. mutabilis (S03) and S. lycopersicum (Solyc04r022210.1). RT-PCR validation demonstrated that S03 was upregulated in a drought-tolerant accession of L. mutabilis. Finally, these results highlighted the importance of lncRNAs in tarwi improvement under drought conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Hidalgo
- Programa de Estudio de Medicina Humana, Universidad Privada Antenor Orrego, Av. América Sur 3145, Trujillo 13008, Peru; (M.H.); (C.R.)
| | - Cynthia Ramos
- Programa de Estudio de Medicina Humana, Universidad Privada Antenor Orrego, Av. América Sur 3145, Trujillo 13008, Peru; (M.H.); (C.R.)
| | - Gaston Zolla
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Molecular de Plantas del Programa de Cereales y Granos Nativos, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima 12, Peru
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46
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Camara MB, Lange B, Yesselman JD, Eichhorn CD. Visualizing a two-state conformational ensemble in stem-loop 3 of the transcriptional regulator 7SK RNA. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.09.552709. [PMID: 37609139 PMCID: PMC10441402 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.09.552709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Structural plasticity is integral to RNA function; however, there are currently few methods to quantitatively resolve RNAs that have multiple structural states. NMR spectroscopy is a powerful approach for resolving conformational ensembles but is size-limited. Chemical probing is well-suited for large RNAs but provides limited structural and no kinetics information. Here, we integrate the two approaches to visualize a two-state conformational ensemble for the central stem-loop 3 (SL3) of 7SK RNA, a critical element for 7SK RNA function in transcription regulation. We find that the SL3 distal end exchanges between two equally populated yet structurally distinct states in both isolated SL3 constructs and full-length 7SK RNA. We rationally designed constructs that lock SL3 into a single state and demonstrate that both chemical probing and NMR data fit to a linear combination of the two states. Comparison of vertebrate 7SK RNA sequences shows conservation of both states, suggesting functional importance. These results provide new insights into 7SK RNA structural dynamics and demonstrate the utility of integrating chemical probing with NMR spectroscopy to gain quantitative insights into RNA conformational ensembles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Momodou B. Camara
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska, 639 North 12th St, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Bret Lange
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska, 639 North 12th St, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Joseph D. Yesselman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska, 639 North 12th St, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
- Nebraska Center for Integrated Biomolecular Communication
| | - Catherine D. Eichhorn
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska, 639 North 12th St, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
- Nebraska Center for Integrated Biomolecular Communication
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47
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Gor K, Duss O. Emerging Quantitative Biochemical, Structural, and Biophysical Methods for Studying Ribosome and Protein-RNA Complex Assembly. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13050866. [PMID: 37238735 DOI: 10.3390/biom13050866] [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: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Ribosome assembly is one of the most fundamental processes of gene expression and has served as a playground for investigating the molecular mechanisms of how protein-RNA complexes (RNPs) assemble. A bacterial ribosome is composed of around 50 ribosomal proteins, several of which are co-transcriptionally assembled on a ~4500-nucleotide-long pre-rRNA transcript that is further processed and modified during transcription, the entire process taking around 2 min in vivo and being assisted by dozens of assembly factors. How this complex molecular process works so efficiently to produce an active ribosome has been investigated over decades, resulting in the development of a plethora of novel approaches that can also be used to study the assembly of other RNPs in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Here, we review biochemical, structural, and biophysical methods that have been developed and integrated to provide a detailed and quantitative understanding of the complex and intricate molecular process of bacterial ribosome assembly. We also discuss emerging, cutting-edge approaches that could be used in the future to study how transcription, rRNA processing, cellular factors, and the native cellular environment shape ribosome assembly and RNP assembly at large.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kavan Gor
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Collaboration for Joint PhD Degree between EMBL and Heidelberg University, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Olivier Duss
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
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48
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Incarnato D. Sequencing-based analysis of RNA structures in living cells with 2A3 via SHAPE-MaP. Methods Enzymol 2023; 691:153-181. [PMID: 37914444 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2023.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Chemical probing of RNA 2'-hydroxyl groups by selective 2'-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension (SHAPE) is a rapid and powerful approach for querying RNA structures in living cells. At reverse transcription, sites of chemical modification can be encoded as mutations in the cDNA, a process called mutational profiling (MaP), enabling their detection via high-throughput sequencing. This chapter describes how to synthesize the SHAPE probe 2-aminopyridine-3-carboxylic acid imidazolide (2A3), how to use it to probe RNA structures in living bacteria, and how to generate Illumina-compatible SHAPE-MaP sequencing libraries. The protocol further describes data analysis using the RNA Framework, from raw sequencing data processing to experimentally-driven RNA secondary structure model generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danny Incarnato
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute (GBB), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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49
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Garner AL. Contemporary Progress and Opportunities in RNA-Targeted Drug Discovery. ACS Med Chem Lett 2023; 14:251-259. [PMID: 36923915 PMCID: PMC10009794 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The surprising discovery that RNAs are the predominant gene products to emerge from the human genome catalyzed a renaissance in RNA biology. It is now well-understood that RNAs act as more than just a messenger and comprise a large and diverse family of ribonucleic acids of differing sizes, structures, and functions. RNAs play expansive roles in the cell, contributing to the regulation and fine-tuning of nearly all aspects of gene expression and genome architecture. In line with the significance of these functions, we have witnessed an explosion in discoveries connecting RNAs with a variety of human diseases. Consequently, the targeting of RNAs, and more broadly RNA biology, has emerged as an untapped area of drug discovery, making the search for RNA-targeted therapeutics of great interest. In this Microperspective, I highlight contemporary learnings in the field and present my views on how to catapult us toward the systematic discovery of RNA-targeted medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda L. Garner
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry,
College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan, 1600 Huron Parkway, NCRC B520, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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50
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Velema WA, Lu Z. Chemical RNA Cross-Linking: Mechanisms, Computational Analysis, and Biological Applications. JACS AU 2023; 3:316-332. [PMID: 36873678 PMCID: PMC9975857 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.2c00625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, RNA has emerged as a multifaceted biomolecule that is involved in virtually every function of the cell and is critical for human health. This has led to a substantial increase in research efforts to uncover the many chemical and biological aspects of RNA and target RNA for therapeutic purposes. In particular, analysis of RNA structures and interactions in cells has been critical for understanding their diverse functions and druggability. In the last 5 years, several chemical methods have been developed to achieve this goal, using chemical cross-linking combined with high-throughput sequencing and computational analysis. Applications of these methods resulted in important new insights into RNA functions in a variety of biological contexts. Given the rapid development of new chemical technologies, a thorough perspective on the past and future of this field is provided. In particular, the various RNA cross-linkers and their mechanisms, the computational analysis and challenges, and illustrative examples from recent literature are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willem A. Velema
- Institute
for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6500 HC, The Netherlands
| | - Zhipeng Lu
- Department
of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033, United States
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