1
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Kletzien OA, Wuttke DS, Batey RT. The RNA-binding selectivity of the RGG/RG motifs of hnRNP U is abolished by elements within the C-terminal intrinsically disordered region. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168702. [PMID: 38996909 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168702] [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: 05/13/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
The abundant nuclear protein hnRNP U interacts with a broad array of RNAs along with DNA and protein to regulate nuclear chromatin architecture. The RNA-binding activity is achieved via a disordered ∼100 residue C-terminal RNA-binding domain (RBD) containing two distinct RGG/RG motifs. Although the RNA-binding capabilities of RGG/RG motifs have been widely reported, less is known about hnRNP U's RNA-binding selectivity. Furthermore, while it is well established that hnRNP U binds numerous nuclear RNAs, it remains unknown whether it selectively recognizes sequence or structural motifs in target RNAs. To address this question, we performed equilibrium binding assays using fluorescence anisotropy (FA) and electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) to quantitatively assess the ability of human hnRNP U RBD to interact with segments of cellular RNAs identified from eCLIP data. These RNAs often, but not exclusively, contain poly-uridine or 5'-AGGGAG sequence motifs. Detailed binding analysis of several target RNAs reveal that the hnRNP U RBD binds RNA in a promiscuous manner with high affinity for a broad range of structured RNAs, but with little preference for any distinct sequence motif. In contrast, the isolated RGG/RG of hnRNP U motif exhibits a strong preference for G-quadruplexes, similar to that observed for other RGG motif bearing peptides. These data reveal that the hnRNP U RBD attenuates the RNA binding selectivity of its core RGG motifs to achieve an extensive RNA interactome. We propose that a critical role of RGG/RG motifs in RNA biology is to alter binding affinity or selectivity of adjacent RNA-binding domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Otto A Kletzien
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USA
| | - Deborah S Wuttke
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USA.
| | - Robert T Batey
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USA.
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2
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Modic M, Adamek M, Ule J. The impact of IDR phosphorylation on the RNA binding profiles of proteins. Trends Genet 2024; 40:580-586. [PMID: 38705823 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2024.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Due to their capacity to mediate repetitive protein interactions, intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) are crucial for the formation of various types of protein-RNA complexes. The functions of IDRs are strongly modulated by post-translational modifications (PTMs). Phosphorylation is the most common and well-studied modification of IDRs, which can alter homomeric or heteromeric interactions of proteins and impact their ability to phase separate. Moreover, phosphorylation can influence the RNA-binding properties of proteins, and recent studies demonstrated its selective impact on the global profiles of protein-RNA binding and regulation. These findings highlight the need for further integrative approaches to understand how signalling remodels protein-RNA networks in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miha Modic
- National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia; The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute at King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Maksimiljan Adamek
- National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia; PhD Program 'Biosciences', Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jernej Ule
- National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia; The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute at King's College London, London, UK.
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3
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Mitra R, Usher ET, Dedeoğlu S, Crotteau MJ, Fraser OA, Yennawar NH, Gadkari VV, Ruotolo BT, Holehouse AS, Salmon L, Showalter SA, Bardwell JCA. Molecular insights into the interaction between a disordered protein and a folded RNA. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.12.598678. [PMID: 38915483 PMCID: PMC11195163 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.12.598678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered protein regions (IDRs) are well-established as contributors to intermolecular interactions and the formation of biomolecular condensates. In particular, RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) often harbor IDRs in addition to folded RNA-binding domains that contribute to RBP function. To understand the dynamic interactions of an IDR-RNA complex, we characterized the RNA-binding features of a small (68 residues), positively charged IDR-containing protein, SERF. At high concentrations, SERF and RNA undergo charge-driven associative phase separation to form a protein- and RNA-rich dense phase. A key advantage of this model system is that this threshold for demixing is sufficiently high that we could use solution-state biophysical methods to interrogate the stoichiometric complexes of SERF with RNA in the one-phase regime. Herein, we describe our comprehensive characterization of SERF alone and in complex with a small fragment of the HIV-1 TAR RNA (TAR) with complementary biophysical methods and molecular simulations. We find that this binding event is not accompanied by the acquisition of structure by either molecule; however, we see evidence for a modest global compaction of the SERF ensemble when bound to RNA. This behavior likely reflects attenuated charge repulsion within SERF via binding to the polyanionic RNA and provides a rationale for the higher-order assembly of SERF in the context of RNA. We envision that the SERF-RNA system will lower the barrier to accessing the details that support IDR-RNA interactions and likewise deepen our understanding of the role of IDR-RNA contacts in complex formation and liquid-liquid phase separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rishav Mitra
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Emery T. Usher
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Biomolecular Condensates (CBC), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Selin Dedeoğlu
- Centre de Résonance Magnétique Nucléaire à Très Hauts Champs, (CRMN), UMR 5082, CNRS, ENS Lyon, UCBL, Université de Lyon, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Matthew J. Crotteau
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Olivia A. Fraser
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Neela H. Yennawar
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Varun V. Gadkari
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Brandon T. Ruotolo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Alex S. Holehouse
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Biomolecular Condensates (CBC), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Loïc Salmon
- Centre de Résonance Magnétique Nucléaire à Très Hauts Champs, (CRMN), UMR 5082, CNRS, ENS Lyon, UCBL, Université de Lyon, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Scott A. Showalter
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - James C. A. Bardwell
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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4
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Zhong Y, Feng J, Koh AF, Kotecha A, Greber BJ, Ataide S. Cryo-EM structure of SRP68/72 reveals an extended dimerization domain with RNA-binding activity. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:5285-5300. [PMID: 38366771 PMCID: PMC11109942 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae107] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The signal recognition particle (SRP) is a critical component in protein sorting pathways in all domains of life. Human SRP contains six proteins bound to the 7S RNA and their structures and functions have been mostly elucidated. The SRP68/72 dimer is the largest SRP component and is essential for SRP function. Although the structures of the SRP68/72 RNA binding and dimerization domains have been previously reported, the structure and function of large portions of the SRP68/72 dimer remain unknown. Here, we analyse full-length SRP68/72 using cryo-EM and report that SRP68/72 depend on each other for stability and form an extended dimerization domain. This newly observed dimerization domain is both a protein- and RNA-binding domain. Comparative analysis with current structural models suggests that this dimerization domain undergoes dramatic translocation upon SRP docking onto SRP receptor and eventually comes close to the Alu domain. We propose that the SRP68/72 dimerization domain functions by binding and detaching the Alu domain and SRP9/14 from the ribosomal surface, thus releasing elongation arrest upon docking onto the ER membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Zhong
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Junjie Feng
- Division of Structural Biology, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Adrian F Koh
- Materials and Structural Analysis Division, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Achtseweg Noord 5, 5651 Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Abhay Kotecha
- Materials and Structural Analysis Division, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Achtseweg Noord 5, 5651 Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Basil J Greber
- Division of Structural Biology, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Sandro F Ataide
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
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5
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Kristofich J, Nicchitta CV. High-throughput quantitation of protein-RNA UV-crosslinking efficiencies as a predictive tool for high-confidence identification of RNA-binding proteins. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2024; 30:644-661. [PMID: 38423626 PMCID: PMC11098464 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079848.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
UV-crosslinking has proven to be an invaluable tool for the identification of RNA-protein interactomes. The paucity of methods for distinguishing background from bona fide RNA-protein interactions, however, makes attribution of RNA-binding function on UV-crosslinking alone challenging. To address this need, we previously reported an RNA-binding protein (RBP) confidence scoring metric (RCS), incorporating both signal-to-noise (S:N) and protein abundance determinations to distinguish high- and low-confidence candidate RBPs. Although RCS has utility, we sought a direct metric for quantification and comparative evaluation of protein-RNA interactions. Here we propose the use of protein-specific UV-crosslinking efficiency (%CL), representing the molar fraction of a protein that is crosslinked to RNA, for functional evaluation of candidate RBPs. Application to the HeLa RNA interactome yielded %CL values for 1097 proteins. Remarkably, %CL values span over five orders of magnitude. For the HeLa RNA interactome, %CL values comprise a range from high efficiency, high specificity interactions, e.g., the Elav protein HuR and the Pumilio homolog Pum2, with %CL values of 45.9 and 24.2, respectively, to very low efficiency and specificity interactions, for example, the metabolic enzymes glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, fructose-bisphosphate aldolase, and alpha-enolase, with %CL values of 0.0016, 0.006, and 0.008, respectively. We further extend the utility of %CL through prediction of protein domains and classes with known RNA-binding functions, thus establishing it as a useful metric for RNA interactome analysis. We anticipate that this approach will benefit efforts to establish functional RNA interactomes and support the development of more predictive computational approaches for RBP identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- JohnCarlo Kristofich
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Christopher V Nicchitta
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
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6
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Chen N, Yu J, Liu Z, Meng L, Li X, Wong KC. Discovering DNA shape motifs with multiple DNA shape features: generalization, methods, and validation. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:4137-4150. [PMID: 38572749 PMCID: PMC11077088 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae210] [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: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
DNA motifs are crucial patterns in gene regulation. DNA-binding proteins (DBPs), including transcription factors, can bind to specific DNA motifs to regulate gene expression and other cellular activities. Past studies suggest that DNA shape features could be subtly involved in DNA-DBP interactions. Therefore, the shape motif annotations based on intrinsic DNA topology can deepen the understanding of DNA-DBP binding. Nevertheless, high-throughput tools for DNA shape motif discovery that incorporate multiple features altogether remain insufficient. To address it, we propose a series of methods to discover non-redundant DNA shape motifs with the generalization to multiple motifs in multiple shape features. Specifically, an existing Gibbs sampling method is generalized to multiple DNA motif discovery with multiple shape features. Meanwhile, an expectation-maximization (EM) method and a hybrid method coupling EM with Gibbs sampling are proposed and developed with promising performance, convergence capability, and efficiency. The discovered DNA shape motif instances reveal insights into low-signal ChIP-seq peak summits, complementing the existing sequence motif discovery works. Additionally, our modelling captures the potential interplays across multiple DNA shape features. We provide a valuable platform of tools for DNA shape motif discovery. An R package is built for open accessibility and long-lasting impact: https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.10558980.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanjun Chen
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Jixiang Yu
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Zhe Liu
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Lingkuan Meng
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Xiangtao Li
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Jilin University, Changchun City, Jilin Province, China
| | - Ka-Chun Wong
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR
- Hong Kong Institute of Data Science, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR
- Shenzhen Research Institute, City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
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7
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Nielsen M, Ulitksy I. The links are still missing: Revisiting the role of RNA as a guide for chromatin-associated proteins. Mol Cell 2024; 84:1178-1179. [PMID: 38579673 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.03.005] [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: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
A new study in Molecular Cell by Guo et al.1 and two studies in Cell Reports by Healy et al.2 and by Hall Hickman and Jenner3 show how PRC2 and other chromatin regulators do not appear to bind RNA in vivo, challenging the importance of RNA for their function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Nielsen
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Igor Ulitksy
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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8
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Feng H, Lu XJ, Maji S, Liu L, Ustianenko D, Rudnick ND, Zhang C. Structure-based prediction and characterization of photo-crosslinking in native protein-RNA complexes. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2279. [PMID: 38480694 PMCID: PMC10937933 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46429-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
UV-crosslinking of protein and RNA in direct contacts has been widely used to study protein-RNA complexes while our understanding of the photo-crosslinking mechanisms remains poor. This knowledge gap is due to the challenge of precisely mapping the crosslink sites in protein and RNA simultaneously in their native sequence and structural contexts. Here we systematically analyze protein-RNA interactions and photo-crosslinking by bridging crosslinked nucleotides and amino acids mapped using different assays with protein-RNA complex structures. We developed a computational method PxR3D-map which reliably predicts crosslink sites using structural information characterizing protein-RNA interaction interfaces. Analysis of the informative features revealed that photo-crosslinking is facilitated by base stacking with not only aromatic residues, but also dipeptide bonds that involve glycine, and distinct mechanisms are utilized by different RNA-binding domains. Our work suggests protein-RNA photo-crosslinking is highly selective in the cellular environment, which can guide data interpretation and further technology development for UV-crosslinking-based assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huijuan Feng
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Xiang-Jun Lu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Suvrajit Maji
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Linxi Liu
- Department of Statistics, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
- Department of Statistics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA
| | - Dmytro Ustianenko
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Noam D Rudnick
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Chaolin Zhang
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
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9
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Padhy B, Amir M, Xie J, Huang CL. Leucine-Rich Repeat in Polycystin-1 Suppresses Cystogenesis in a Zebrafish ( Danio rerio) Model of Autosomal-Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2886. [PMID: 38474131 PMCID: PMC10932423 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052886] [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: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Mutations of PKD1 coding for polycystin-1 (PC1) account for most cases of autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). The extracellular region of PC1 contains many evolutionarily conserved domains for ligand interactions. Among these are the leucine-rich repeats (LRRs) in the far N-terminus of PC1. Using zebrafish (Danio rerio) as an in vivo model system, we explored the role of LRRs in the function of PC1. Zebrafish expresses two human PKD1 paralogs, pkd1a and pkd1b. Knockdown of both genes in zebrafish by morpholino antisense oligonucleotides produced phenotypes of dorsal-axis curvature and pronephric cyst formation. We found that overexpression of LRRs suppressed both phenotypes in pkd1-morphant zebrafish. Purified recombinant LRR domain inhibited proliferation of HEK cells in culture and interacted with the heterotrimeric basement membrane protein laminin-511 (α5β1γ1) in vitro. Mutations of amino acid residues in LRRs structurally predicted to bind laminin-511 disrupted LRR-laminin interaction in vitro and neutralized the ability of LRRs to inhibit cell proliferation and cystogenesis. Our data support the hypothesis that the extracellular region of PC1 plays a role in modulating PC1 interaction with the extracellular matrix and contributes to cystogenesis of PC1 deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Chou-Long Huang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA (J.X.)
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10
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Williams TD, Winaya A, Joshua I, Rousseau A. Proteasome assembly chaperone translation upon stress requires Ede1 phase separation at the plasma membrane. iScience 2024; 27:108732. [PMID: 38235332 PMCID: PMC10792233 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Proteome adaptation is key to cells surviving stresses. Increased translation of proteasome assembly chaperones (PACs) is critical for increasing proteasome assembly and cell degradative capacity. The endocytic protein Ede1 recruits PAC mRNA to cortical actin patches in Saccharomyces cerevisiae for translation upon stress. We show, through genetic and pharmacological studies, that this is mediated by the capacity of Ede1 to phase separate. PAC expression is maintained when we exchange the phase separating domains from Ede1 for those of unrelated proteins. Without these phase separating regions, PAC expression is not induced upon stress, preventing increased proteasome assembly, causing cell death. This work identifies a mechanism underpinning Ede1-mediated increased translation of specific mRNAs at a time when general translation is repressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D. Williams
- MRC-PPU, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD5 1EH, UK
| | - Aurellia Winaya
- MRC-PPU, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD5 1EH, UK
| | - Ifeoluwapo Joshua
- MRC-PPU, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD5 1EH, UK
| | - Adrien Rousseau
- MRC-PPU, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD5 1EH, UK
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11
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Lo R, Gonçalves-Carneiro D. Sensing nucleotide composition in virus RNA. Biosci Rep 2023; 43:BSR20230372. [PMID: 37606964 PMCID: PMC10500230 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20230372] [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: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Nucleotide composition plays a crucial role in the structure, function and recognition of RNA molecules. During infection, virus RNA is exposed to multiple endogenous proteins that detect local or global compositional biases and interfere with virus replication. Recent advancements in RNA:protein mapping technologies have enabled the identification of general RNA-binding preferences in the human proteome at basal level and in the context of virus infection. In this review, we explore how cellular proteins recognise nucleotide composition in virus RNA and the impact these interactions have on virus replication. Protein-binding G-rich and C-rich sequences are common examples of how host factors detect and limit infection, and, in contrast, viruses may have evolved to purge their genomes from such motifs. We also give examples of how human RNA-binding proteins inhibit virus replication, not only by destabilising virus RNA, but also by interfering with viral protein translation and genome encapsidation. Understanding the interplay between cellular proteins and virus RNA composition can provide insights into host-virus interactions and uncover potential targets for antiviral strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymon Lo
- Imperial College London, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, U.K
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12
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Li Q, Kang C. Targeting RNA-binding proteins with small molecules: Perspectives, pitfalls and bifunctional molecules. FEBS Lett 2023; 597:2031-2047. [PMID: 37519019 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14710] [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: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play vital roles in organisms through binding with RNAs to regulate their functions. Small molecules affecting the function of RBPs have been developed, providing new avenues for drug discovery. Herein, we describe the perspectives on developing small molecule regulators of RBPs. The following types of small molecule modulators are of great interest in drug discovery: small molecules binding to RBPs to affect interactions with RNA molecules, bifunctional molecules binding to RNA or RBP to influence their interactions, and other types of molecules that affect the stability of RNA or RBPs. Moreover, we emphasize that the bifunctional molecules may play important roles in small molecule development to overcome the challenges encountered in the process of drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingxin Li
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Biomass High Value Utilization, Institute of Biological and Medical Engineering, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Congbao Kang
- Experimental Drug Development Centre, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
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