1
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Tocchini C, Mango SE. An adapted MS2-MCP system to visualize endogenous cytoplasmic mRNA with live imaging in Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002526. [PMID: 38427703 PMCID: PMC10936773 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002526] [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: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Live imaging of RNA molecules constitutes an invaluable means to track the dynamics of mRNAs, but live imaging in Caenorhabditis elegans has been difficult to achieve. Endogenous transcripts have been observed in nuclei, but endogenous mRNAs have not been detected in the cytoplasm, and functional mRNAs have not been generated. Here, we have adapted live imaging methods to visualize mRNA in embryonic cells. We have tagged endogenous transcripts with MS2 hairpins in the 3' untranslated region (UTR) and visualized them after adjusting MS2 Coat Protein (MCP) expression. A reduced number of these transcripts accumulates in the cytoplasm, leading to loss-of-function phenotypes. In addition, during epithelial morphogenesis, MS2-tagged mRNAs for dlg-1 fail to associate with the adherens junction, as observed for untagged, endogenous mRNAs. These defects are reversed by inactivating the nonsense-mediated decay pathway. RNA accumulates in the cytoplasm, mutant phenotypes are rescued, and dlg-1 RNA associates with the adherens junction. These data suggest that MS2 repeats can induce the degradation of endogenous RNAs and alter their cytoplasmic distribution. Although our focus is RNAs expressed in epithelial cells during morphogenesis, we find that this method can be applied to other cell types and stages.
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2
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Dave P, Roth G, Griesbach E, Mateju D, Hochstoeger T, Chao JA. Single-molecule imaging reveals translation-dependent destabilization of mRNAs. Mol Cell 2023; 83:589-606.e6. [PMID: 36731471 PMCID: PMC9957601 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The relationship between mRNA translation and decay is incompletely understood, with conflicting reports suggesting that translation can either promote decay or stabilize mRNAs. The effect of translation on mRNA decay has mainly been studied using ensemble measurements and global transcription and translation inhibitors, which can have pleiotropic effects. We developed a single-molecule imaging approach to control the translation of a specific transcript that enabled simultaneous measurement of translation and mRNA decay. Our results demonstrate that mRNA translation reduces mRNA stability, and mathematical modeling suggests that this process is dependent on ribosome flux. Furthermore, our results indicate that miRNAs mediate efficient degradation of both translating and non-translating target mRNAs and reveal a predominant role for mRNA degradation in miRNA-mediated regulation. Simultaneous observation of translation and decay of single mRNAs provides a framework to directly study how these processes are interconnected in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pratik Dave
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Gregory Roth
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Esther Griesbach
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Mateju
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Tobias Hochstoeger
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, 4003 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jeffrey A Chao
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.
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3
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Tan K, Wilkinson MF. Regulation of both transcription and RNA turnover contribute to germline specification. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:7310-7325. [PMID: 35776114 PMCID: PMC9303369 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The nuanced mechanisms driving primordial germ cells (PGC) specification remain incompletely understood since genome-wide transcriptional regulation in developing PGCs has previously only been defined indirectly. Here, using SLAMseq analysis, we determined genome-wide transcription rates during the differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) to form epiblast-like (EpiLC) cells and ultimately PGC-like cells (PGCLCs). This revealed thousands of genes undergoing bursts of transcriptional induction and rapid shut-off not detectable by RNAseq analysis. Our SLAMseq datasets also allowed us to infer RNA turnover rates, which revealed thousands of mRNAs stabilized and destabilized during PGCLC specification. mRNAs tend to be unstable in ESCs and then are progressively stabilized as they differentiate. For some classes of genes, mRNA turnover regulation collaborates with transcriptional regulation, but these processes oppose each other in a surprisingly high frequency of genes. To test whether regulated mRNA turnover has a physiological role in PGC development, we examined three genes that we found were regulated by RNA turnover: Sox2, Klf2 and Ccne1. Circumvention of their regulated RNA turnover severely impaired the ESC-to-EpiLC and EpiLC-to-PGCLC transitions. Our study demonstrates the functional importance of regulated RNA stability in germline development and provides a roadmap of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation during germline specification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Tan
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Miles F Wilkinson
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Institute of Genomic Medicine (IGM), University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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4
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Gómez-Puerta S, Ferrero R, Hochstoeger T, Zubiri I, Chao J, Aragón T, Voigt F. Live imaging of the co-translational recruitment of XBP1 mRNA to the ER and its processing by diffuse, non-polarized IRE1α. eLife 2022; 11:e75580. [PMID: 35730412 PMCID: PMC9217131 DOI: 10.7554/elife.75580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to nucleus homeostatic signaling, known as the unfolded protein response (UPR), relies on the non-canonical splicing of XBP1 mRNA. The molecular switch that initiates splicing is the oligomerization of the ER stress sensor and UPR endonuclease IRE1α (inositol-requiring enzyme 1 alpha). While IRE1α can form large clusters that have been proposed to function as XBP1 processing centers on the ER, the actual oligomeric state of active IRE1α complexes as well as the targeting mechanism that recruits XBP1 to IRE1α oligomers remains unknown. Here, we have developed a single-molecule imaging approach to monitor the recruitment of individual XBP1 transcripts to the ER surface. Using this methodology, we confirmed that stable ER association of unspliced XBP1 mRNA is established through HR2 (hydrophobic region 2)-dependent targeting and relies on active translation. In addition, we show that IRE1α-catalyzed splicing mobilizes XBP1 mRNA from the ER membrane in response to ER stress. Surprisingly, we find that XBP1 transcripts are not recruited into large IRE1α clusters, which are only observed upon overexpression of fluorescently tagged IRE1α during ER stress. Our findings support a model where ribosome-engaged, immobilized XBP1 mRNA is processed by small IRE1α assemblies that could be dynamically recruited for processing of mRNA transcripts on the ER.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Gómez-Puerta
- Department of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of NavarraPamplonaSpain
| | - Roberto Ferrero
- Department of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of NavarraPamplonaSpain
| | - Tobias Hochstoeger
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
- University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Ivan Zubiri
- Department of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of NavarraPamplonaSpain
| | - Jeffrey Chao
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
| | - Tomás Aragón
- Department of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of NavarraPamplonaSpain
| | - Franka Voigt
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
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5
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Wallmeroth D, Lackmann JW, Kueckelmann S, Altmüller J, Dieterich C, Boehm V, Gehring NH. Human UPF3A and UPF3B enable fault-tolerant activation of nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. EMBO J 2022; 41:e109191. [PMID: 35451084 PMCID: PMC9108619 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2021109191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The paralogous human proteins UPF3A and UPF3B are involved in recognizing mRNAs targeted by nonsense‐mediated mRNA decay (NMD). UPF3B has been demonstrated to support NMD, presumably by bridging an exon junction complex (EJC) to the NMD factor UPF2. The role of UPF3A has been described either as a weak NMD activator or an NMD inhibitor. Here, we present a comprehensive functional analysis of UPF3A and UPF3B in human cells using combinatory experimental approaches. Overexpression or knockout of UPF3A as well as knockout of UPF3B did not substantially change global NMD activity. In contrast, the co‐depletion of UPF3A and UPF3B resulted in a marked NMD inhibition and a transcriptome‐wide upregulation of NMD substrates, demonstrating a functional redundancy between both NMD factors. In rescue experiments, UPF2 or EJC binding‐deficient UPF3B largely retained NMD activity. However, combinations of different mutants, including deletion of the middle domain, showed additive or synergistic effects and therefore failed to maintain NMD. Collectively, UPF3A and UPF3B emerge as fault‐tolerant, functionally redundant NMD activators in human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damaris Wallmeroth
- Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Sabrina Kueckelmann
- Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Janine Altmüller
- Cologne Center for Genomics (CCG), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Christoph Dieterich
- Section of Bioinformatics and Systems Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine III and Klaus Tschira Institute for Integrative Computational Cardiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner site Heidelberg/Mannheim, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Volker Boehm
- Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Niels H Gehring
- Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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6
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Liu J, Yang LZ, Chen LL. Understanding lncRNA-protein assemblies with imaging and single-molecule approaches. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2021; 72:128-137. [PMID: 34933201 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2021.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) associate with RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) to form lncRNA-protein complexes that act in a wide range of biological processes. Understanding the molecular mechanism of how a lncRNA-protein complex is assembled and regulated is key for their cellular functions. In this mini-review, we outline molecular methods used to identify lncRNA-protein interactions from large-scale to individual levels using bulk cells as well as those recently developed imaging and single-molecule approaches that are capable of visualizing RNA-protein assemblies in single cells and in real-time. Focusing on the latter group of approaches, we discuss their applications and limitations, which nevertheless have enabled quantification and comprehensive dissection of RNA-protein interactions possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaquan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai, 200031, China.
| | - Liang-Zhong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Ling-Ling Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai, 200031, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China; School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.
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7
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Pseudoknot length modulates the folding, conformational dynamics, and robustness of Xrn1 resistance of flaviviral xrRNAs. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6417. [PMID: 34741027 PMCID: PMC8571300 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26616-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
To understand how RNA dynamics is regulated and connected to its function, we investigate the folding, conformational dynamics and robustness of Xrn1 resistance of a set of flaviviral xrRNAs using SAXS, smFRET and in vitro enzymatic assays. Flaviviral xrRNAs form discrete ring-like 3D structures, in which the length of a conserved long-range pseudoknot (PK2) ranges from 2 bp to 7 bp. We find that xrRNAs' folding, conformational dynamics and Xrn1 resistance are strongly correlated and highly Mg2+-dependent, furthermore, the Mg2+-dependence is modulated by PK2 length variations. xrRNAs with long PK2 require less Mg2+ to stabilize their folding, exhibit reduced conformational dynamics and strong Xrn1 resistance even at low Mg2+, and tolerate mutations at key tertiary motifs at high Mg2+, which generally are destructive to xrRNAs with short PK2. These results demonstrate an unusual regulatory mechanism of RNA dynamics providing insights into the functions and future biomedical applications of xrRNAs.
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8
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Liu L, Wang Z, Wang Y, Luan J, Morrissey JJ, Naik RR, Singamaneni S. Plasmonically Enhanced CRISPR/Cas13a-Based Bioassay for Amplification-Free Detection of Cancer-Associated RNA. Adv Healthc Mater 2021; 10:e2100956. [PMID: 34369102 PMCID: PMC8542602 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202100956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Novel methods that enable sensitive, accurate and rapid detection of RNA would not only benefit fundamental biological studies but also serve as diagnostic tools for various pathological conditions, including bacterial and viral infections and cancer. Although highly sensitive, existing methods for RNA detection involve long turn-around time and extensive capital equipment. Here, an ultrasensitive and amplification-free RNA quantification method is demonstrated by integrating CRISPR-Cas13a system with an ultrabright fluorescent nanolabel, plasmonic fluor. This plasmonically enhanced CRISPR-powered assay exhibits nearly 1000-fold lower limit-of-detection compared to conventional assay relying on enzymatic reporters. Using a xenograft tumor mouse model, it is demonstrated that this novel bioassay can be used for ultrasensitive and quantitative monitoring of cancer biomarker (lncRNA H19). The novel biodetection approach described here provides a rapid, ultrasensitive, and amplification-free strategy that can be broadly employed for detection of various RNA biomarkers, even in resource-limited settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Zheyu Wang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Yixuan Wang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Jingyi Luan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Jeremiah J. Morrissey
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Rajesh R. Naik
- 711 Human Performance Wing, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH, 45433, USA
| | - Srikanth Singamaneni
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO, 63130, USA
- Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
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9
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SMG5-SMG7 authorize nonsense-mediated mRNA decay by enabling SMG6 endonucleolytic activity. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3965. [PMID: 34172724 PMCID: PMC8233366 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24046-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic gene expression is constantly controlled by the translation-coupled nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathway. Aberrant translation termination leads to NMD activation, resulting in phosphorylation of the central NMD factor UPF1 and robust clearance of NMD targets via two seemingly independent and redundant mRNA degradation branches. Here, we uncover that the loss of the first SMG5-SMG7-dependent pathway also inactivates the second SMG6-dependent branch, indicating an unexpected functional connection between the final NMD steps. Transcriptome-wide analyses of SMG5-SMG7-depleted cells confirm exhaustive NMD inhibition resulting in massive transcriptomic alterations. Intriguingly, we find that the functionally underestimated SMG5 can substitute the role of SMG7 and individually activate NMD. Furthermore, the presence of either SMG5 or SMG7 is sufficient to support SMG6-mediated endonucleolysis of NMD targets. Our data support an improved model for NMD execution that features two-factor authentication involving UPF1 phosphorylation and SMG5-SMG7 recruitment to access SMG6 activity. Degradation of nonsense mediated mRNA decay (NMD) substrates is carried out by two seemingly independent pathways, SMG6-mediated endonucleolytic cleavage and/or SMG5-SMG7-induced accelerated deadenylation. Here the authors show that SMG5-SMG7 maintain NMD activity by permitting SMG6 activation.
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10
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Hochrein LM, Li H, Pierce NA. High-Performance Allosteric Conditional Guide RNAs for Mammalian Cell-Selective Regulation of CRISPR/Cas. ACS Synth Biol 2021; 10:964-971. [PMID: 33930275 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The activity of a conditional guide RNA (cgRNA) is dependent on the presence or absence of an RNA trigger, enabling cell-selective regulation of CRISPR/Cas function. cgRNAs are programmable at two levels, with the target-binding sequence controlling the target of Cas activity (edit, silence, or induce a gene of choice) and the trigger-binding sequence controlling the scope of Cas activity (subset of cells expressing the trigger RNA). Allosteric cgRNA mechanisms enable independent design of the target and trigger sequences, providing the flexibility to select the regulatory target and scope independently. Building on prior advances in dynamic RNA nanotechnology that demonstrated the cgRNA concept, here we set the goal of engineering high-performance allosteric cgRNA mechanisms for the mammalian setting, pursuing both ON → OFF logic (conditional inactivation by an RNA trigger) and OFF → ON logic (conditional activation by an RNA trigger). For each mechanism, libraries of orthogonal cgRNA/trigger pairs were designed using NUPACK. In HEK 293T cells expressing cgRNAs, triggers, and inducing dCas9: (1) a library of four ON → OFF "terminator switch" cgRNAs exhibit a median fold-change of ≈50×, a median fractional dynamic range of ≈20%, and a median crosstalk modulus of ≈9%; (2) a library of three OFF → ON "split-terminator switch" cgRNAs exhibit a median fold-change of ≈150×, a median fractional dynamic range of ≈50%, and a median crosstalk modulus of ≈4%. Further, we demonstrate that xrRNA elements that protect viral RNAs from degradation by exoribonucleases can dramatically enhance the performance of RNA synthetic biology. The high-performance allosteric cgRNAs demonstrated here for ON → OFF and OFF → ON logic in mammalian cells provide a foundation for pursuing applications of programmable cell-selective regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M Hochrein
- Division of Biology & Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Heyun Li
- Division of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Niles A Pierce
- Division of Biology & Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
- Division of Engineering & Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
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11
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Gerbracht JV, Boehm V, Britto-Borges T, Kallabis S, Wiederstein JL, Ciriello S, Aschemeier DU, Krüger M, Frese CK, Altmüller J, Dieterich C, Gehring NH. CASC3 promotes transcriptome-wide activation of nonsense-mediated decay by the exon junction complex. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:8626-8644. [PMID: 32621609 PMCID: PMC7470949 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The exon junction complex (EJC) is an essential constituent and regulator of spliced messenger ribonucleoprotein particles (mRNPs) in metazoans. As a core component of the EJC, CASC3 was described to be pivotal for EJC-dependent nuclear and cytoplasmic processes. However, recent evidence suggests that CASC3 functions differently from other EJC core proteins. Here, we have established human CASC3 knockout cell lines to elucidate the cellular role of CASC3. In the knockout cells, overall EJC composition and EJC-dependent splicing are unchanged. A transcriptome-wide analysis reveals that hundreds of mRNA isoforms targeted by nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) are upregulated. Mechanistically, recruiting CASC3 to reporter mRNAs by direct tethering or via binding to the EJC stimulates mRNA decay and endonucleolytic cleavage at the termination codon. Building on existing EJC-NMD models, we propose that CASC3 equips the EJC with the persisting ability to communicate with the NMD machinery in the cytoplasm. Collectively, our results characterize CASC3 as a peripheral EJC protein that tailors the transcriptome by promoting the degradation of EJC-dependent NMD substrates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Volker Boehm
- Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Thiago Britto-Borges
- Section of Bioinformatics and Systems Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine III and Klaus Tschira Institute for Integrative Computational Cardiology, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner site Heidelberg/Mannheim, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Kallabis
- CECAD Research Center, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Janica L Wiederstein
- CECAD Research Center, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Simona Ciriello
- Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Marcus Krüger
- CECAD Research Center, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Christian K Frese
- CECAD Research Center, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Janine Altmüller
- Cologne Center for Genomics (CCG), University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
| | - Christoph Dieterich
- Section of Bioinformatics and Systems Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine III and Klaus Tschira Institute for Integrative Computational Cardiology, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner site Heidelberg/Mannheim, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Niels H Gehring
- Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, 50674 Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
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12
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Markey FB, Parashar V, Batish M. Methods for spatial and temporal imaging of the different steps involved in RNA processing at single-molecule resolution. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2020; 12:e1608. [PMID: 32543077 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
RNA plays a quintessential role as a messenger of information from genotype (DNA) to phenotype (proteins), as well as acts as a regulatory molecule (noncoding RNAs). All steps in the journey of RNA from synthesis (transcription), splicing, transport, localization, translation, to its eventual degradation, comprise important steps in gene expression, thereby controlling the fate of the cell. This lifecycle refers to the majority of RNAs (primarily mRNAs), but not other RNAs such as tRNAs. Imaging these processes in fixed cells and in live cells has been an important tool in developing an understanding of the regulatory steps in RNAs journey. Single-cell and single-molecule imaging techniques enable a much deeper understanding of cellular biology, which is not possible with bulk studies involving RNA isolated from a large pool of cells. Classic techniques, such as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), as well as more recent aptamer-based approaches, have provided detailed insights into RNA localization, and have helped to predict the functions carried out by many RNA species. However, there are still certain processing steps that await high-resolution imaging, which is an exciting and upcoming area of research. In this review, we will discuss the methods that have revolutionized single-molecule resolution imaging in general, the steps of RNA processing in which these methods have been used, and new emerging technologies. This article is categorized under: RNA Export and Localization > RNA Localization RNA Methods > RNA Analyses in Cells RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Small Molecule-RNA Interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatu Badiane Markey
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Vijay Parashar
- Department of Medical and Molecular Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Mona Batish
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA.,Department of Medical and Molecular Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
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13
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Cialek CA, Koch AL, Galindo G, Stasevich TJ. Lighting up single-mRNA translation dynamics in living cells. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2020; 61:75-82. [PMID: 32408104 PMCID: PMC7508770 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2020.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Over the past five years, technological advances have made it possible to image the translation of single mRNA in the natural context of living cells. With these advances, researchers are beginning to shed light on when, where, and to what degree mRNA are translated with single-molecule precision. These works provide insight into the heterogeneity of translation amongst single transcripts, behavior that is averaged out in complementary bulk assays. In this review, we discuss the rapidly maturing field of live-cell, single-mRNA imaging of translation, beginning with a brief overview of recent technological advances. The remainder of the review focuses on the new biological insights gained from these technologies. We conclude with a discussion of the future of this technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte A Cialek
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA
| | - Amanda L Koch
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA
| | - Gabriel Galindo
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA
| | - Timothy J Stasevich
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA; World Research Hub Initiative, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 2268503, Japan.
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