1
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Leisegang MS, Warwick T, Stötzel J, Brandes RP. RNA-DNA triplexes: molecular mechanisms and functional relevance. Trends Biochem Sci 2024; 49:532-544. [PMID: 38582689 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2024.03.009] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Interactions of RNA with DNA are principles of gene expression control that have recently gained considerable attention. Among RNA-DNA interactions are R-loops and RNA-DNA hybrid G-quadruplexes, as well as RNA-DNA triplexes. It is proposed that RNA-DNA triplexes guide RNA-associated regulatory proteins to specific genomic locations, influencing transcription and epigenetic decision making. Although triplex formation initially was considered solely an in vitro event, recent progress in computational, biochemical, and biophysical methods support in vivo functionality with relevance for gene expression control. Here, we review the central methodology and biology of triplexes, outline paradigms required for triplex function, and provide examples of physiologically important triplex-forming long non-coding RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias S Leisegang
- Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany; German Centre of Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner site RheinMain, Frankfurt, Germany.
| | - Timothy Warwick
- Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany; German Centre of Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner site RheinMain, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Julia Stötzel
- Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany; German Centre of Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner site RheinMain, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Ralf P Brandes
- Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany; German Centre of Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner site RheinMain, Frankfurt, Germany
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2
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Caporale LH. Evolutionary feedback from the environment shapes mechanisms that generate genome variation. J Physiol 2024; 602:2601-2614. [PMID: 38194279 DOI: 10.1113/jp284411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Darwin recognized that 'a grand and almost untrodden field of inquiry will be opened, on the causes and laws of variation.' However, because the Modern Synthesis assumes that the intrinsic probability of any individual mutation is unrelated to that mutation's potential adaptive value, attention has been focused on selection rather than on the intrinsic generation of variation. Yet many examples illustrate that the term 'random' mutation, as widely understood, is inaccurate. The probabilities of distinct classes of variation are neither evenly distributed across a genome nor invariant over time, nor unrelated to their potential adaptive value. Because selection acts upon variation, multiple biochemical mechanisms can and have evolved that increase the relative probability of adaptive mutations. In effect, the generation of heritable variation is in a feedback loop with selection, such that those mechanisms that tend to generate variants that survive recurring challenges in the environment would be captured by this survival and thus inherited and accumulated within lineages of genomes. Moreover, because genome variation is affected by a wide range of biochemical processes, genome variation can be regulated. Biochemical mechanisms that sense stress, from lack of nutrients to DNA damage, can increase the probability of specific classes of variation. A deeper understanding of evolution involves attention to the evolution of, and environmental influences upon, the intrinsic variation generated in gametes, in other words upon the biochemical mechanisms that generate variation across generations. These concepts have profound implications for the types of questions that can and should be asked, as omics databases become more comprehensive, detection methods more sensitive, and computation and experimental analyses even more high throughput and thus capable of revealing the intrinsic generation of variation in individual gametes. These concepts also have profound implications for evolutionary theory, which, upon reflection it will be argued, predicts that selection would increase the probability of generating adaptive mutations, in other words, predicts that the ability to evolve itself evolves.
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3
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Wang C, Zhao B. Epstein-Barr virus and host cell 3D genome organization. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e29234. [PMID: 37988227 PMCID: PMC10664867 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29234] [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: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
The human genome is organized in an extremely complexed yet ordered way within the nucleus. Genome organization plays a critical role in the regulation of gene expression. Viruses manipulate the host machinery to influence host genome organization to favor their survival and promote disease development. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a common human virus, whose infection is associated with various diseases, including infectious mononucleosis, cancer, and autoimmune disorders. This review summarizes our current knowledge of how EBV uses different strategies to control the cellular 3D genome organization to affect cell gene expression to transform normal cells into lymphoblasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong Wang
- Department of Diagnostic and Biological Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Bo Zhao
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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4
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Ng C, Samanta A, Mandrup OA, Tsang E, Youssef S, Klausen LH, Dong M, Nijenhuis MAD, Gothelf KV. Folding Double-Stranded DNA into Designed Shapes with Triplex-Forming Oligonucleotides. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2302497. [PMID: 37311656 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202302497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The compaction and organization of genomic DNA is a central mechanism in eukaryotic cells, but engineered architectural control over double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) is notably challenging. Here, long dsDNA templates are folded into designed shapes via triplex-mediated self-assembly. Triplex-forming oligonucleotides (TFOs) bind purines in dsDNA via normal or reverse Hoogsteen interactions. In the triplex origami methodology, these non-canonical interactions are programmed to compact dsDNA (linear or plasmid) into well-defined objects, which demonstrate a variety of structural features: hollow and raster-filled, single- and multi-layered, with custom curvatures and geometries, and featuring lattice-free, square-, or honeycomb-pleated internal arrangements. Surprisingly, the length of integrated and free-standing dsDNA loops can be modulated with near-perfect efficiency; from hundreds down to only six bp (2 nm). The inherent rigidity of dsDNA promotes structural robustness and non-periodic structures of almost 25.000 nt are therefore formed with fewer unique starting materials, compared to other DNA-based self-assembly methods. Densely triplexed structures also resist degradation by DNase I. Triplex-mediated dsDNA folding is methodologically straightforward and orthogonal to Watson-Crick-based methods. Moreover, it enables unprecedented spatial control over dsDNA templates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy Ng
- Department of Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Central Denmark Region, 8000, Denmark
| | - Anirban Samanta
- Department of Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Central Denmark Region, 8000, Denmark
| | - Ole Aalund Mandrup
- Department of Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Central Denmark Region, 8000, Denmark
| | - Emily Tsang
- Department of Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Central Denmark Region, 8000, Denmark
| | - Sarah Youssef
- Department of Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Central Denmark Region, 8000, Denmark
| | - Lasse Hyldgaard Klausen
- Department of Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Central Denmark Region, 8000, Denmark
| | - Mingdong Dong
- Department of Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Central Denmark Region, 8000, Denmark
| | - Minke A D Nijenhuis
- Department of Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Central Denmark Region, 8000, Denmark
| | - Kurt V Gothelf
- Department of Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Central Denmark Region, 8000, Denmark
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5
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Herbert A. Flipons and small RNAs accentuate the asymmetries of pervasive transcription by the reset and sequence-specific microcoding of promoter conformation. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105140. [PMID: 37544644 PMCID: PMC10474125 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of alternate DNA conformations such as Z-DNA in the regulation of transcription is currently underappreciated. These structures are encoded by sequences called flipons, many of which are enriched in promoter and enhancer regions. Through a change in their conformation, flipons provide a tunable mechanism to mechanically reset promoters for the next round of transcription. They act as actuators that capture and release energy to ensure that the turnover of the proteins at promoters is optimized to cell state. Likewise, the single-stranded DNA formed as flipons cycle facilitates the docking of RNAs that are able to microcode promoter conformations and canalize the pervasive transcription commonly observed in metazoan genomes. The strand-specific nature of the interaction between RNA and DNA likely accounts for the known asymmetry of epigenetic marks present on the histone tetramers that pair to form nucleosomes. The role of these supercoil-dependent processes in promoter choice and transcriptional interference is reviewed. The evolutionary implications are examined: the resilience and canalization of flipon-dependent gene regulation is contrasted with the rapid adaptation enabled by the spread of flipon repeats throughout the genome. Overall, the current findings underscore the important role of flipons in modulating the readout of genetic information and how little we know about their biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Herbert
- Discovery Division, InsideOutBio, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA.
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6
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Han JDJ. LncRNAs: the missing link to senescence nuclear architecture. Trends Biochem Sci 2023; 48:618-628. [PMID: 37069045 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2023.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
During cellular senescence and organismal aging, cells display various molecular and morphological changes. Although many aging-related long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are highly associated with senescence-associated secretory phenotype, the roles of lncRNAs in senescence-associated nuclear architecture and morphological changes are just starting to emerge. Here I review lncRNAs associated with nuclear structure establishment and maintenance, their aging-related changes, and then focus on the pervasive, yet underappreciated, role of RNA double-strand DNA triplexes for lncRNAs to recognize targeted genomic regions, making lncRNAs the nexus between DNA and proteins to regulate nuclear structural changes. Finally, I discuss the future of deciphering direct links of lncRNA changes to various nuclear morphology changes assisted by artificial intelligence and genetic perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Dong J Han
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Center for Quantitative Biology (CQB), Peking University, Beijing, China; International Center for Aging and Cancer (ICAC), The First Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.
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7
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Segal D, Dostie J. The Talented LncRNAs: Meshing into Transcriptional Regulatory Networks in Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3433. [PMID: 37444543 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15133433] [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: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
As a group of diseases characterized by uncontrollable cell growth, cancer is highly multifaceted in how it overrides checkpoints controlling proliferation. Amongst the regulators of these checkpoints, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can have key roles in why natural biological processes go haywire. LncRNAs represent a large class of regulatory transcripts that can localize anywhere in cells. They were found to affect gene expression on many levels from transcription to mRNA translation and even protein stability. LncRNA participation in such control mechanisms can depend on cell context, with given transcripts sometimes acting as oncogenes or tumor suppressors. Importantly, the tissue-specificity and low expression levels of lncRNAs make them attractive therapeutic targets or biomarkers. Here, we review the various cellular processes affected by lncRNAs and outline molecular strategies they use to control gene expression, particularly in cancer and in relation to transcription factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Segal
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada
- Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 1A3, Canada
| | - Josée Dostie
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada
- Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 1A3, Canada
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8
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Mattick JS, Amaral PP, Carninci P, Carpenter S, Chang HY, Chen LL, Chen R, Dean C, Dinger ME, Fitzgerald KA, Gingeras TR, Guttman M, Hirose T, Huarte M, Johnson R, Kanduri C, Kapranov P, Lawrence JB, Lee JT, Mendell JT, Mercer TR, Moore KJ, Nakagawa S, Rinn JL, Spector DL, Ulitsky I, Wan Y, Wilusz JE, Wu M. Long non-coding RNAs: definitions, functions, challenges and recommendations. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2023; 24:430-447. [PMID: 36596869 PMCID: PMC10213152 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-022-00566-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 369] [Impact Index Per Article: 369.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Genes specifying long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) occupy a large fraction of the genomes of complex organisms. The term 'lncRNAs' encompasses RNA polymerase I (Pol I), Pol II and Pol III transcribed RNAs, and RNAs from processed introns. The various functions of lncRNAs and their many isoforms and interleaved relationships with other genes make lncRNA classification and annotation difficult. Most lncRNAs evolve more rapidly than protein-coding sequences, are cell type specific and regulate many aspects of cell differentiation and development and other physiological processes. Many lncRNAs associate with chromatin-modifying complexes, are transcribed from enhancers and nucleate phase separation of nuclear condensates and domains, indicating an intimate link between lncRNA expression and the spatial control of gene expression during development. lncRNAs also have important roles in the cytoplasm and beyond, including in the regulation of translation, metabolism and signalling. lncRNAs often have a modular structure and are rich in repeats, which are increasingly being shown to be relevant to their function. In this Consensus Statement, we address the definition and nomenclature of lncRNAs and their conservation, expression, phenotypic visibility, structure and functions. We also discuss research challenges and provide recommendations to advance the understanding of the roles of lncRNAs in development, cell biology and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- John S Mattick
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- UNSW RNA Institute, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Paulo P Amaral
- INSPER Institute of Education and Research, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Piero Carninci
- RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
- Human Technopole, Milan, Italy
| | - Susan Carpenter
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Howard Y Chang
- Center for Personal Dynamics Regulomes, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ling-Ling Chen
- CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Runsheng Chen
- Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Center for Big Data Research in Health, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Caroline Dean
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Marcel E Dinger
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- UNSW RNA Institute, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Katherine A Fitzgerald
- Division of Innate Immunity, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | | | - Mitchell Guttman
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Tetsuro Hirose
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Maite Huarte
- Department of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Center for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Institute of Health Research of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Rory Johnson
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Conway Institute for Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Chandrasekhar Kanduri
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Philipp Kapranov
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jeanne B Lawrence
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Jeannie T Lee
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joshua T Mendell
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Timothy R Mercer
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Kathryn J Moore
- Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - John L Rinn
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - David L Spector
- Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbour, NY, USA
| | - Igor Ulitsky
- Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yue Wan
- Laboratory of RNA Genomics and Structure, Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jeremy E Wilusz
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Therapeutic Innovation Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Mian Wu
- Translational Research Institute, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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9
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Mattick JS. RNA out of the mist. Trends Genet 2023; 39:187-207. [PMID: 36528415 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2022.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
RNA has long been regarded primarily as the intermediate between genes and proteins. It was a surprise then to discover that eukaryotic genes are mosaics of mRNA sequences interrupted by large tracts of transcribed but untranslated sequences, and that multicellular organisms also express many long 'intergenic' and antisense noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). The identification of small RNAs that regulate mRNA translation and half-life did not disturb the prevailing view that animals and plant genomes are full of evolutionary debris and that their development is mainly supervised by transcription factors. Gathering evidence to the contrary involved addressing the low conservation, expression, and genetic visibility of lncRNAs, demonstrating their cell-specific roles in cell and developmental biology, and their association with chromatin-modifying complexes and phase-separated domains. The emerging picture is that most lncRNAs are the products of genetic loci termed 'enhancers', which marshal generic effector proteins to their sites of action to control cell fate decisions during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- John S Mattick
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; UNSW RNA Institute, UNSW, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
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10
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Fu H, Liu F, Suo T, Wang X. Regulatory roles of lncRNA in nuclear function. Cell Biol Toxicol 2022; 38:919-921. [PMID: 36418595 DOI: 10.1007/s10565-022-09780-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Huirong Fu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai, China
| | - Fangming Liu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai, China
| | - Tao Suo
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xiangdong Wang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai, China.
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11
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Di Stefano M, Cavalli G. Integrative studies of 3D genome organization and chromatin structure. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2022; 77:102493. [PMID: 36335845 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2022.102493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The structural organization of the genome is emerging as a crucial regulator of the cell state, affecting gene transcription, DNA replication, and repair. Over the last twenty years, increasing evidence prompted the development of new experimental techniques to study genome structure. In parallel with the complexity of the novel techniques, computational approaches have become an essential tool in any structural genomics laboratory to analyze and model the data. For biologists to be able to apply the most appropriate modeling approach, it is fundamental to understand the conceptual bases of distinct methods and the insights they can provide. Here, we will discuss recent advances that were possible thanks to 3D genome modeling, discuss their limitations and highlight future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Di Stefano
- Institute of Human Genetics, CNRS and University of Montpellier, 34094 Cedex 5, 141 Rue de la Cardonille, 34090, Montpellier, France. https://twitter.com/@MarcDiEsse
| | - Giacomo Cavalli
- Institute of Human Genetics, CNRS and University of Montpellier, 34094 Cedex 5, 141 Rue de la Cardonille, 34090, Montpellier, France.
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12
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Warwick T, Seredinski S, Krause NM, Bains JK, Althaus L, Oo JA, Bonetti A, Dueck A, Engelhardt S, Schwalbe H, Leisegang MS, Schulz MH, Brandes RP. A universal model of RNA.DNA:DNA triplex formation accurately predicts genome-wide RNA-DNA interactions. Brief Bioinform 2022; 23:6760135. [PMID: 36239395 PMCID: PMC9677506 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbac445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA.DNA:DNA triple helix (triplex) formation is a form of RNA-DNA interaction which regulates gene expression but is difficult to study experimentally in vivo. This makes accurate computational prediction of such interactions highly important in the field of RNA research. Current predictive methods use canonical Hoogsteen base pairing rules, which whilst biophysically valid, may not reflect the plastic nature of cell biology. Here, we present the first optimization approach to learn a probabilistic model describing RNA-DNA interactions directly from motifs derived from triplex sequencing data. We find that there are several stable interaction codes, including Hoogsteen base pairing and novel RNA-DNA base pairings, which agree with in vitro measurements. We implemented these findings in TriplexAligner, a program that uses the determined interaction codes to predict triplex binding. TriplexAligner predicts RNA-DNA interactions identified in all-to-all sequencing data more accurately than all previously published tools in human and mouse and also predicts previously studied triplex interactions with known regulatory functions. We further validated a novel triplex interaction using biophysical experiments. Our work is an important step towards better understanding of triplex formation and allows genome-wide analyses of RNA-DNA interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Warwick
- Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany,DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner site Rhein-Main, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sandra Seredinski
- Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany,DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner site Rhein-Main, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Nina M Krause
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 7, D-60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jasleen Kaur Bains
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 7, D-60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Lara Althaus
- Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany,DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
| | - James A Oo
- Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany,DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner site Rhein-Main, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Alessandro Bonetti
- Translational Genomics, Discovery Sciences, Bio Pharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, 431 50 Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Anne Dueck
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Technical University of Munich, Biedersteiner Str. 29, D-80802, Munich, Germany,DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Engelhardt
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Technical University of Munich, Biedersteiner Str. 29, D-80802, Munich, Germany,DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
| | - Harald Schwalbe
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 7, D-60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Matthias S Leisegang
- Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany,DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner site Rhein-Main, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Marcel H Schulz
- Corresponding authors. Ralf P. Brandes, Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. E-mail: ; Marcel H. Schulz, Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. E-mail:
| | - Ralf P Brandes
- Corresponding authors. Ralf P. Brandes, Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. E-mail: ; Marcel H. Schulz, Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. E-mail:
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13
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High-throughput techniques enable advances in the roles of DNA and RNA secondary structures in transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene regulation. Genome Biol 2022; 23:159. [PMID: 35851062 PMCID: PMC9290270 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-022-02727-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The most stable structure of DNA is the canonical right-handed double helix termed B DNA. However, certain environments and sequence motifs favor alternative conformations, termed non-canonical secondary structures. The roles of DNA and RNA secondary structures in transcriptional regulation remain incompletely understood. However, advances in high-throughput assays have enabled genome wide characterization of some secondary structures. Here, we describe their regulatory functions in promoters and 3’UTRs, providing insights into key mechanisms through which they regulate gene expression. We discuss their implication in human disease, and how advances in molecular technologies and emerging high-throughput experimental methods could provide additional insights.
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Esposito A, Abraham A, Conte M, Vercellone F, Prisco A, Bianco S, Chiariello AM. The Physics of DNA Folding: Polymer Models and Phase-Separation. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14091918. [PMID: 35567087 PMCID: PMC9104579 DOI: 10.3390/polym14091918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Within cell nuclei, several biophysical processes occur in order to allow the correct activities of the genome such as transcription and gene regulation. To quantitatively investigate such processes, polymer physics models have been developed to unveil the molecular mechanisms underlying genome functions. Among these, phase-separation plays a key role since it controls gene activity and shapes chromatin spatial structure. In this paper, we review some recent experimental and theoretical progress in the field and show that polymer physics in synergy with numerical simulations can be helpful for several purposes, including the study of molecular condensates, gene-enhancer dynamics, and the three-dimensional reconstruction of real genomic regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Esposito
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Napoli Federico II, INFN Napoli, Complesso Universitario di Monte Sant’Angelo, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.E.); (A.A.); (M.C.); (F.V.)
| | - Alex Abraham
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Napoli Federico II, INFN Napoli, Complesso Universitario di Monte Sant’Angelo, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.E.); (A.A.); (M.C.); (F.V.)
| | - Mattia Conte
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Napoli Federico II, INFN Napoli, Complesso Universitario di Monte Sant’Angelo, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.E.); (A.A.); (M.C.); (F.V.)
| | - Francesca Vercellone
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Napoli Federico II, INFN Napoli, Complesso Universitario di Monte Sant’Angelo, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.E.); (A.A.); (M.C.); (F.V.)
| | | | - Simona Bianco
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Napoli Federico II, INFN Napoli, Complesso Universitario di Monte Sant’Angelo, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.E.); (A.A.); (M.C.); (F.V.)
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max-Delbrück Centre (MDC) for Molecular Medicine, 10115 Berlin, Germany
- Correspondence: (S.B.); (A.M.C.)
| | - Andrea M. Chiariello
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Napoli Federico II, INFN Napoli, Complesso Universitario di Monte Sant’Angelo, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.E.); (A.A.); (M.C.); (F.V.)
- Correspondence: (S.B.); (A.M.C.)
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RNA gradients: Shapers of 3D genome architecture. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2022; 74:7-12. [PMID: 34998095 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2021.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
A growing body of evidence points to a role of nuclear RNAs (nucRNAs) in shaping the three-dimensional (3D) architecture of the genome within the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell. nucRNAs are non-homogeneously distributed within the nucleus where they can form global and local gradients that might contribute to instructing the formation and coordinating the function of different types of 3D genome structures. In this article, we highlight the available literature supporting a role of nucRNAs as 3D genome shapers and propose that nucRNA gradients are key mediators of genome structure and function.
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