1
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Chen YL, Jones AN, Crawford A, Sattler M, Ettinger A, Torres-Padilla ME. Determinants of minor satellite RNA function in chromosome segregation in mouse embryonic stem cells. J Cell Biol 2024; 223:e202309027. [PMID: 38625077 PMCID: PMC11022885 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202309027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The centromere is a fundamental higher-order structure in chromosomes ensuring their faithful segregation upon cell division. Centromeric transcripts have been described in several species and suggested to participate in centromere function. However, low sequence conservation of centromeric repeats appears inconsistent with a role in recruiting highly conserved centromeric proteins. Here, we hypothesized that centromeric transcripts may function through a secondary structure rather than sequence conservation. Using mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs), we show that an imbalance in the levels of forward or reverse minor satellite (MinSat) transcripts leads to severe chromosome segregation defects. We further show that MinSat RNA adopts a stem-loop secondary structure, which is conserved in human α-satellite transcripts. We identify an RNA binding region in CENPC and demonstrate that MinSat transcripts function through the structured region of the RNA. Importantly, mutants that disrupt MinSat secondary structure do not cause segregation defects. We propose that the conserved role of centromeric transcripts relies on their secondary RNA structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yung-Li Chen
- Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells (IES), Helmholtz Munich, München, Germany
| | - Alisha N. Jones
- Institute of Structural Biology, Molecular Targets and Therapeutics Center, Helmholtz Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Amy Crawford
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael Sattler
- Institute of Structural Biology, Molecular Targets and Therapeutics Center, Helmholtz Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Bioscience, Bavarian NMR Center, School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Andreas Ettinger
- Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells (IES), Helmholtz Munich, München, Germany
| | - Maria-Elena Torres-Padilla
- Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells (IES), Helmholtz Munich, München, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, München, Germany
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2
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Wang Y, Zhou F, Li Y, Yu X, Wang Y, Zhao Q, Feng X, Chen J, Lou Q. Characterization of the CsCENH3 protein and centromeric DNA profiles reveal the structures of centromeres in cucumber. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2024; 11:uhae127. [PMID: 38966863 PMCID: PMC11220175 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhae127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Centromeres in eukaryotes mediate the accurate segregation of chromosomes during cell division. They serve as essential functional units of chromosomes and play a core role in the process of genome evolution. Centromeres are composed of satellite repeats and highly repetitive centromeric retrotransposons (CRs), which vary greatly even among closely related species. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is a globally cultivated and economically important vegetable and the only species in the Cucumis genus with seven pairs of chromosomes. Therefore, studying the centromeres of the Cucumis subgenus may yield valuable insights into its genome structure and evolution. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) techniques, we isolated centromeric DNA from cucumber reference line 9930. Our investigation into cucumber centromeres uncovered the centromeric satellite sequence, designated as CentCs, and the prevalence of Ty1/Copia long terminal repeat retrotransposons. In addition, active genes were identified in the CsCENH3 nucleosome regions with low transcription levels. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that characterization of centromeres has been achieved in cucumber. Meanwhile, our results on the distribution of CentCs and CsCRs in the subgenus Cucumis indicate that the content of centromeric repeats in the wild variants was significantly reduced compared with the cultivated cucumber. The results provide evidence for centromeric DNA amplification that occurred during the domestication process from wild to cultivated cucumber. Furthermore, these findings may offer new information for enhancing our understanding of phylogenetic relationships in the Cucumis genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang Street No.1, Xuanwu District, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Fang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang Street No.1, Xuanwu District, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yangang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang Street No.1, Xuanwu District, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Xiaqing Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang Street No.1, Xuanwu District, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yuhui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang Street No.1, Xuanwu District, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Qinzheng Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang Street No.1, Xuanwu District, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Xianbo Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang Street No.1, Xuanwu District, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Jinfeng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang Street No.1, Xuanwu District, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Qunfeng Lou
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang Street No.1, Xuanwu District, Nanjing 210095, China
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3
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Teng Z, Yang L, Zhang Q, Chen Y, Wang X, Zheng Y, Tian A, Tian D, Lin Z, Deng WM, Liu H. Topoisomerase I is an evolutionarily conserved key regulator for satellite DNA transcription. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5151. [PMID: 38886382 PMCID: PMC11183047 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49567-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
RNA Polymerase (RNAP) II transcription on non-coding repetitive satellite DNAs plays an important role in chromosome segregation, but a little is known about the regulation of satellite transcription. We here show that Topoisomerase I (TopI), not TopII, promotes the transcription of α-satellite DNAs, the main type of satellite DNAs on human centromeres. Mechanistically, TopI localizes to centromeres, binds RNAP II and facilitates RNAP II elongation. Interestingly, in response to DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs), α-satellite transcription is dramatically stimulated in a DNA damage checkpoint-independent but TopI-dependent manner, and these DSB-induced α-satellite RNAs form into strong speckles in the nucleus. Remarkably, TopI-dependent satellite transcription also exists in mouse 3T3 and Drosophila S2 cells and in Drosophila larval imaginal wing discs and tumor tissues. Altogether, our findings herein reveal an evolutionally conserved mechanism with TopI as a key player for the regulation of satellite transcription at both cellular and animal levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Teng
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Lu Yang
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Qian Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Yujue Chen
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Xianfeng Wang
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Yiran Zheng
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Aiguo Tian
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
- Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
- Tulane Aging Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Di Tian
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Zhen Lin
- Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Wu-Min Deng
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
- Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Hong Liu
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.
- Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.
- Tulane Aging Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.
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4
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Santinello B, Sun R, Amjad A, Hoyt SJ, Ouyang L, Courret C, Drennan R, Leo L, Larracuente AM, Core L, O'Neill RJ, Mellone BG. Transcription of a centromere-enriched retroelement and local retention of its RNA are significant features of the CENP-A chromatin landscape. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.14.574223. [PMID: 38293134 PMCID: PMC10827089 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.14.574223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Centromeres depend on chromatin containing the conserved histone H3 variant CENP-A for function and inheritance, while the role of centromeric DNA repeats remains unclear. Retroelements are prevalent at centromeres across taxa and represent a potential mechanism for promoting transcription to aid in CENP-A incorporation or for generating RNA transcripts to maintain centromere integrity. Here, we probe into the transcription and RNA localization of the centromere-enriched retroelement G2/Jockey-3 (hereafter referred to as Jockey-3 ) in Drosophila melanogaster , currently the only in vivo model with assembled centromeres. We find that Jockey-3 is a major component of the centromeric transcriptome and produces RNAs that localize to centromeres in metaphase. Leveraging the polymorphism of Jockey-3 and a de novo centromere system, we show that these RNAs remain associated with their cognate DNA sequences in cis , suggesting they are unlikely to perform a sequence-specific function at all centromeres. We show that Jockey-3 transcription is positively correlated with the presence of CENP-A, and that recent Jockey-3 transposition events have occurred preferentially at CENP-A-containing chromatin. We propose that Jockey-3 contributes to the epigenetic maintenance of centromeres by promoting chromatin transcription, while inserting preferentially within these regions, selfishly ensuring its continued expression and transmission. Given the conservation of retroelements as centromere components through evolution, our findings have broad implications in understanding this association in other species.
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5
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Teng Z, Yang L, Zhang Q, Chen Y, Wang X, Zheng Y, Tian A, Tian D, Lin Z, Deng WM, Liu H. Topoisomerase I is an Evolutionarily Conserved Key Regulator for Satellite DNA Transcription. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.03.592391. [PMID: 38746280 PMCID: PMC11092777 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.03.592391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Repetitive satellite DNAs, divergent in nucleic-acid sequence and size across eukaryotes, provide a physical site for centromere assembly to orchestrate chromosome segregation during the cell cycle. These non-coding DNAs are transcribed by RNA polymerase (RNAP) II and the transcription has been shown to play a role in chromosome segregation, but a little is known about the regulation of centromeric transcription, especially in higher organisms with tandemly-repeated-DNA-sequence centromeres. Using RNA interference knockdown, chemical inhibition and AID/IAA degradation, we show that Topoisomerase I (TopI), not TopII, promotes the transcription of α-satellite DNAs, the main type of satellite on centromeres in human cells. Mechanistically, TopI localizes to centromeres, binds RNAP II and facilitates RNAP II elongation on centromeres. Interestingly, in response to DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs) induced by chemotherapy drugs or CRSPR/Cas9, α-satellite transcription is dramatically stimulated in a DNA damage checkpoint-independent but TopI-dependent manner. These DSB-induced α-satellite RNAs were predominantly derived from the α-satellite high-order repeats of human centromeres and forms into strong speckles in the nucleus. Remarkably, TopI-dependent satellite transcription also exists in mouse 3T3 and Drosophila S2 cells and in Drosophila larval imaginal wing discs and tumor tissues. Altogether, our findings herein reveal an evolutionally conserved mechanism with TopI as a key player for the regulation of satellite transcription at both cellular and animal levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Teng
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Contribute equally
| | - Lu Yang
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Contribute equally
| | - Qian Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Contribute equally
| | - Yujue Chen
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Xianfeng Wang
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Yiran Zheng
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Aiguo Tian
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Tulane Aging Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Di Tian
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Zhen Lin
- Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Wu-Min Deng
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Hong Liu
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
- Tulane Aging Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
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6
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Ramakrishnan Chandra J, Kalidass M, Demidov D, Dabravolski SA, Lermontova I. The role of centromeric repeats and transcripts in kinetochore assembly and function. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 118:982-996. [PMID: 37665331 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16445] [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: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Centromeres are the chromosomal domains, where the kinetochore protein complex is formed, mediating proper segregation of chromosomes during cell division. Although the function of centromeres has remained conserved during evolution, centromeric DNA is highly variable, even in closely related species. In addition, the composition of the kinetochore complexes varies among organisms. Therefore, it is assumed that the centromeric position is determined epigenetically, and the centromeric histone H3 (CENH3) serves as an epigenetic marker. The loading of CENH3 onto centromeres depends on centromere-licensing factors, chaperones, and transcription of centromeric repeats. Several proteins that regulate CENH3 loading and kinetochore assembly interact with the centromeric transcripts and DNA in a sequence-independent manner. However, the functional aspects of these interactions are not fully understood. This review discusses the variability of centromeric sequences in different organisms and the regulation of their transcription through the RNA Pol II and RNAi machinery. The data suggest that the interaction of proteins involved in CENH3 loading and kinetochore assembly with centromeric DNA and transcripts plays a role in centromere, and possibly neocentromere, formation in a sequence-independent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Manikandan Kalidass
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse 3, D-06466, Seeland, Germany
| | - Dmitri Demidov
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse 3, D-06466, Seeland, Germany
| | - Siarhei A Dabravolski
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Braude Academic College of Engineering, Snunit 51, Karmiel, 2161002, Israel
| | - Inna Lermontova
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse 3, D-06466, Seeland, Germany
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7
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Graham E, Esashi F. DNA strand breaks at centromeres: Friend or foe? Semin Cell Dev Biol 2024; 156:141-151. [PMID: 37872040 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.10.004] [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: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Centromeres are large structural regions in the genomic DNA, which are essential for accurately transmitting a complete set of chromosomes to daughter cells during cell division. In humans, centromeres consist of highly repetitive α-satellite DNA sequences and unique epigenetic components, forming large proteinaceous structures required for chromosome segregation. Despite their biological importance, there is a growing body of evidence for centromere breakage across the cell cycle, including periods of quiescence. In this review, we provide an up-to-date examination of the distinct centromere environments at different stages of the cell cycle, highlighting their plausible contribution to centromere breakage. Additionally, we explore the implications of these breaks on centromere function, both in terms of negative consequences and potential positive effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Graham
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Fumiko Esashi
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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8
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Contreras A, Perea-Resa C. Transcriptional repression across mitosis: mechanisms and functions. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:455-464. [PMID: 38372373 PMCID: PMC10903446 DOI: 10.1042/bst20231071] [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: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Transcription represents a central aspect of gene expression with RNA polymerase machineries (RNA Pol) driving the synthesis of RNA from DNA template molecules. In eukaryotes, a total of three RNA Pol enzymes generate the plethora of RNA species and RNA Pol II is the one transcribing all protein-coding genes. A high number of cis- and trans-acting factors orchestrates RNA Pol II-mediated transcription by influencing the chromatin recruitment, activation, elongation, and/or termination steps. The levels of DNA accessibility, defining open-euchromatin versus close-heterochromatin, delimits RNA Pol II activity as well as the encounter with other factors acting on chromatin such as the DNA replication or DNA repair machineries. The stage of the cell cycle highly influences RNA Pol II activity with mitosis representing the major challenge. In fact, there is a massive inhibition of transcription during the mitotic entry coupled with chromatin dissociation of most of the components of the transcriptional machinery. Mitosis, as a consequence, highly compromises the transcriptional memory and the perpetuation of cellular identity. Once mitosis ends, transcription levels immediately recover to define the cell fate and to safeguard the proper progression of daughter cells through the cell cycle. In this review, we evaluate our current understanding of the transcriptional repression associated with mitosis with a special focus on the molecular mechanisms involved, on the potential function behind the general repression, and on the transmission of the transcriptional machinery into the daughter cells. We finally discuss the contribution that errors in the inheritance of the transcriptional machinery across mitosis might play in stem cell aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Contreras
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CBMSO-CSIC), C/Nicolas Cabrera 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - C. Perea-Resa
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CBMSO-CSIC), C/Nicolas Cabrera 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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9
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Sales-Oliveira VC, Dos Santos RZ, Goes CAG, Calegari RM, Garrido-Ramos MA, Altmanová M, Ezaz T, Liehr T, Porto-Foresti F, Utsunomia R, Cioffi MB. Evolution of ancient satellite DNAs in extant alligators and caimans (Crocodylia, Reptilia). BMC Biol 2024; 22:47. [PMID: 38413947 PMCID: PMC10900743 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01847-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Crocodilians are one of the oldest extant vertebrate lineages, exhibiting a combination of evolutionary success and morphological resilience that has persisted throughout the history of life on Earth. This ability to endure over such a long geological time span is of great evolutionary importance. Here, we have utilized the combination of genomic and chromosomal data to identify and compare the full catalogs of satellite DNA families (satDNAs, i.e., the satellitomes) of 5 out of the 8 extant Alligatoridae species. As crocodilian genomes reveal ancestral patterns of evolution, by employing this multispecies data collection, we can investigate and assess how satDNA families evolve over time. RESULTS Alligators and caimans displayed a small number of satDNA families, ranging from 3 to 13 satDNAs in A. sinensis and C. latirostris, respectively. Together with little variation both within and between species it highlighted long-term conservation of satDNA elements throughout evolution. Furthermore, we traced the origin of the ancestral forms of all satDNAs belonging to the common ancestor of Caimaninae and Alligatorinae. Fluorescence in situ experiments showed distinct hybridization patterns for identical orthologous satDNAs, indicating their dynamic genomic placement. CONCLUSIONS Alligators and caimans possess one of the smallest satDNA libraries ever reported, comprising only four sets of satDNAs that are shared by all species. Besides, our findings indicated limited intraspecific variation in satellite DNA, suggesting that the majority of new satellite sequences likely evolved from pre-existing ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa C Sales-Oliveira
- Departamento de Genética E Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Manuel A Garrido-Ramos
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Marie Altmanová
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, 27721, Liběchov, Czech Republic
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 12844, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tariq Ezaz
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia
| | - Thomas Liehr
- Institute of Human Genetics, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany.
| | | | | | - Marcelo B Cioffi
- Departamento de Genética E Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
- Institute of Human Genetics, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
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10
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Zhang L, Hu C, Xu Z, Li H, Ye B, Li X, Czajkowsky DM, Shao Z. Quantitative catalogue of mammalian mitotic chromosome-associated RNAs. Sci Data 2024; 11:43. [PMID: 38184632 PMCID: PMC10771512 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-02884-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The faithful transmission of a cell's identity and functionality to its daughters during mitosis requires the proper assembly of mitotic chromosomes from interphase chromatin in a process that involves significant changes in the genome-bound material, including the RNA. However, our understanding of the RNA that is associated with the mitotic chromosome is presently limited. Here, we present complete and quantitative characterizations of the full-length mitotic chromosome-associated RNAs (mCARs) for 3 human cell lines, a monkey cell line, and a mouse cell line derived from high-depth RNA sequencing (3 replicates, 47 M mapped read pairs for each replicate). Overall, we identify, on average, more than 20,400 mCAR species per cell-type (including isoforms), more than 5,200 of which are enriched on the chromosome. Notably, overall, more than 2,700 of these mCARs were previously unknown, which thus also expands the annotated genome of these species. We anticipate that these datasets will provide an essential resource for future studies to better understand the functioning of mCARs on the mitotic chromosome and in the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Chuansheng Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Zeqian Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Hua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Bishan Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Xinhui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
| | - Daniel M Czajkowsky
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
| | - Zhifeng Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
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11
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Kyriacou E, Heun P. Centromere structure and function: lessons from Drosophila. Genetics 2023; 225:iyad170. [PMID: 37931172 PMCID: PMC10697814 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster serves as a powerful model organism for advancing our understanding of biological processes, not just by studying its similarities with other organisms including ourselves but also by investigating its differences to unravel the underlying strategies that evolved to achieve a common goal. This is particularly true for centromeres, specialized genomic regions present on all eukaryotic chromosomes that function as the platform for the assembly of kinetochores. These multiprotein structures play an essential role during cell division by connecting chromosomes to spindle microtubules in mitosis and meiosis to mediate accurate chromosome segregation. Here, we will take a historical perspective on the study of fly centromeres, aiming to highlight not only the important similarities but also the differences identified that contributed to advancing centromere biology. We will discuss the current knowledge on the sequence and chromatin organization of fly centromeres together with advances for identification of centromeric proteins. Then, we will describe both the factors and processes involved in centromere organization and how they work together to provide an epigenetic identity to the centromeric locus. Lastly, we will take an evolutionary point of view of centromeres and briefly discuss current views on centromere drive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eftychia Kyriacou
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Heun
- Wellcome Centre of Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3BF Edinburgh, UK
- Department of Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
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12
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Baumann C, Zhang X, Viveiros MM, De La Fuente R. Pericentric major satellite transcription is essential for meiotic chromosome stability and spindle pole organization. Open Biol 2023; 13:230133. [PMID: 37935356 PMCID: PMC10645078 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.230133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
In somatic cells, mitotic transcription of major satellite non-coding RNAs is tightly regulated and essential for heterochromatin formation and the maintenance of genome integrity. We recently demonstrated that major satellite transcripts are expressed, and chromatin-bound during mouse oocyte meiosis. Pericentric satellite RNAs are also expressed in human oocytes. However, the specific biological function(s) during oocyte meiosis remain to be established. Here, we use validated locked nucleic acid gapmers for major satellite RNA depletion followed by live cell imaging, and superresolution analysis to determine the role of pericentric non-coding RNAs during female meiosis. Depletion of satellite RNA induces mesoscale changes in pericentric heterochromatin structure leading to chromosome instability, kinetochore attachment errors and abnormal chromosome alignment. Chromosome misalignment is associated with spindle defects, microtubule instability and, unexpectedly, loss of acentriolar microtubule organizing centre (aMTOC) tethering to spindle poles. Pericentrin fragmentation and failure to assemble ring-like aMTOCs with loss of associated polo-like kinase 1 provide critical insight into the mechanisms leading to impaired spindle pole integrity. Inhibition of transcription or RNA splicing phenocopies the chromosome alignment errors and spindle defects, suggesting that pericentric transcription during oocyte meiosis is required to regulate heterochromatin structure, chromosome segregation and maintenance of spindle organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Baumann
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-0002, USA
| | - Xiangyu Zhang
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-0002, USA
| | - Maria M Viveiros
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-0002, USA
- Regenerative Biosciences Center (RBC), University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-0002, USA
| | - Rabindranath De La Fuente
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-0002, USA
- Regenerative Biosciences Center (RBC), University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-0002, USA
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13
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Gambelli A, Ferrando A, Boncristiani C, Schoeftner S. Regulation and function of R-loops at repetitive elements. Biochimie 2023; 214:141-155. [PMID: 37619810 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2023.08.013] [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: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
R-loops are atypical, three-stranded nucleic acid structures that contain a stretch of RNA:DNA hybrids and an unpaired, single stranded DNA loop. R-loops are physiological relevant and can act as regulators of gene expression, chromatin structure, DNA damage repair and DNA replication. However, unscheduled and persistent R-loops are mutagenic and can mediate replication-transcription conflicts, leading to DNA damage and genome instability if left unchecked. Detailed transcriptome analysis unveiled that 85% of the human genome, including repetitive regions, hold transcriptional activity. This anticipates that R-loops management plays a central role for the regulation and integrity of genomes. This function is expected to have a particular relevance for repetitive sequences that make up to 75% of the human genome. Here, we review the impact of R-loops on the function and stability of repetitive regions such as centromeres, telomeres, rDNA arrays, transposable elements and triplet repeat expansions and discuss their relevance for associated pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Gambelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Via E. Weiss 2, 34127, Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessandro Ferrando
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Via E. Weiss 2, 34127, Trieste, Italy
| | - Chiara Boncristiani
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Via E. Weiss 2, 34127, Trieste, Italy
| | - Stefan Schoeftner
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Via E. Weiss 2, 34127, Trieste, Italy.
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14
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Reifová R, Ament-Velásquez SL, Bourgeois Y, Coughlan J, Kulmuni J, Lipinska AP, Okude G, Stevison L, Yoshida K, Kitano J. Mechanisms of Intrinsic Postzygotic Isolation: From Traditional Genic and Chromosomal Views to Genomic and Epigenetic Perspectives. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2023; 15:a041607. [PMID: 37696577 PMCID: PMC10547394 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Intrinsic postzygotic isolation typically appears as reduced viability or fertility of interspecific hybrids caused by genetic incompatibilities between diverged parental genomes. Dobzhansky-Muller interactions among individual genes, and chromosomal rearrangements causing problems with chromosome synapsis and recombination in meiosis, have both long been considered as major mechanisms behind intrinsic postzygotic isolation. Recent research has, however, suggested that the genetic basis of intrinsic postzygotic isolation can be more complex and involves, for example, overall divergence of the DNA sequence or epigenetic changes. Here, we review the mechanisms of intrinsic postzygotic isolation from genic, chromosomal, genomic, and epigenetic perspectives across diverse taxa. We provide empirical evidence for these mechanisms, discuss their importance in the speciation process, and highlight questions that remain unanswered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radka Reifová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 128 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Yann Bourgeois
- DIADE, University of Montpellier, CIRAD, IRD, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Jenn Coughlan
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
| | - Jonna Kulmuni
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, Department of Evolutionary and Population Biology, University of Amsterdam, 1012 Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Organismal & Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, University of Helsinki, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Agnieszka P Lipinska
- Department of Algal Development and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Biology, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
- CNRS, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Sorbonne Université, Station Biologique de Roscoff, 29680 Roscoff, France
| | - Genta Okude
- Department of Genomics and Evolutionary Biology, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Laurie Stevison
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA
| | - Kohta Yoshida
- Department of Genomics and Evolutionary Biology, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Jun Kitano
- Department of Genomics and Evolutionary Biology, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
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15
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Ninomiya K, Yamazaki T, Hirose T. Satellite RNAs: emerging players in subnuclear architecture and gene regulation. EMBO J 2023; 42:e114331. [PMID: 37526230 PMCID: PMC10505914 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2023114331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Satellite DNA is characterized by long, tandemly repeated sequences mainly found in centromeres and pericentromeric chromosomal regions. The recent advent of telomere-to-telomere sequencing data revealed the complete sequences of satellite regions, including centromeric α-satellites and pericentromeric HSat1-3, which together comprise ~ 5.7% of the human genome. Despite possessing constitutive heterochromatin features, these regions are transcribed to produce long noncoding RNAs with highly repetitive sequences that associate with specific sets of proteins to play various regulatory roles. In certain stress or pathological conditions, satellite RNAs are induced to assemble mesoscopic membraneless organelles. Specifically, under heat stress, nuclear stress bodies (nSBs) are scaffolded by HSat3 lncRNAs, which sequester hundreds of RNA-binding proteins. Upon removal of the stressor, nSBs recruit additional regulatory proteins, including protein kinases and RNA methylases, which modify the previously sequestered nSB components. The sequential recruitment of substrates and enzymes enables nSBs to efficiently regulate the splicing of hundreds of pre-mRNAs under limited temperature conditions. This review discusses the structural features and regulatory roles of satellite RNAs in intracellular architecture and gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kensuke Ninomiya
- Graduate School of Frontier BiosciencesOsaka UniversitySuitaJapan
| | | | - Tetsuro Hirose
- Graduate School of Frontier BiosciencesOsaka UniversitySuitaJapan
- Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives (OTRI)Osaka UniversitySuitaJapan
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16
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Patrasso EA, Raikundalia S, Arango D. Regulation of the epigenome through RNA modifications. Chromosoma 2023; 132:231-246. [PMID: 37138119 PMCID: PMC10524150 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-023-00794-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Chemical modifications of nucleotides expand the complexity and functional properties of genomes and transcriptomes. A handful of modifications in DNA bases are part of the epigenome, wherein DNA methylation regulates chromatin structure, transcription, and co-transcriptional RNA processing. In contrast, more than 150 chemical modifications of RNA constitute the epitranscriptome. Ribonucleoside modifications comprise a diverse repertoire of chemical groups, including methylation, acetylation, deamination, isomerization, and oxidation. Such RNA modifications regulate all steps of RNA metabolism, including folding, processing, stability, transport, translation, and RNA's intermolecular interactions. Initially thought to influence all aspects of the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression exclusively, recent findings uncovered a crosstalk between the epitranscriptome and the epigenome. In other words, RNA modifications feedback to the epigenome to transcriptionally regulate gene expression. The epitranscriptome achieves this feat by directly or indirectly affecting chromatin structure and nuclear organization. This review highlights how chemical modifications in chromatin-associated RNAs (caRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) encoding factors involved in transcription, chromatin structure, histone modifications, and nuclear organization affect gene expression transcriptionally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmely A Patrasso
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Program, IMC University of Applied Sciences, Krems, Austria
| | - Sweta Raikundalia
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Daniel Arango
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
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17
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Nassar R, Thompson L, Fouquerel E. Molecular mechanisms protecting centromeres from self-sabotage and implications for cancer therapy. NAR Cancer 2023; 5:zcad019. [PMID: 37180029 PMCID: PMC10167631 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcad019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Centromeres play a crucial role in DNA segregation by mediating the cohesion and separation of sister chromatids during cell division. Centromere dysfunction, breakage or compromised centromeric integrity can generate aneuploidies and chromosomal instability, which are cellular features associated with cancer initiation and progression. Maintaining centromere integrity is thus essential for genome stability. However, the centromere itself is prone to DNA breaks, likely due to its intrinsically fragile nature. Centromeres are complex genomic loci that are composed of highly repetitive DNA sequences and secondary structures and require the recruitment and homeostasis of a centromere-associated protein network. The molecular mechanisms engaged to preserve centromere inherent structure and respond to centromeric damage are not fully understood and remain a subject of ongoing research. In this article, we provide a review of the currently known factors that contribute to centromeric dysfunction and the molecular mechanisms that mitigate the impact of centromere damage on genome stability. Finally, we discuss the potential therapeutic strategies that could arise from a deeper understanding of the mechanisms preserving centromere integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rim Nassar
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
| | - Lily Thompson
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Elise Fouquerel
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
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18
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Malik KK, Sridhara SC, Lone KA, Katariya PD, Pulimamidi D, Tyagi S. MLL methyltransferases regulate H3K4 methylation to ensure CENP-A assembly at human centromeres. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002161. [PMID: 37379335 PMCID: PMC10335677 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The active state of centromeres is epigenetically defined by the presence of CENP-A interspersed with histone H3 nucleosomes. While the importance of dimethylation of H3K4 for centromeric transcription has been highlighted in various studies, the identity of the enzyme(s) depositing these marks on the centromere is still unknown. The MLL (KMT2) family plays a crucial role in RNA polymerase II (Pol II)-mediated gene regulation by methylating H3K4. Here, we report that MLL methyltransferases regulate transcription of human centromeres. CRISPR-mediated down-regulation of MLL causes loss of H3K4me2, resulting in an altered epigenetic chromatin state of the centromeres. Intriguingly, our results reveal that loss of MLL, but not SETD1A, increases co-transcriptional R-loop formation, and Pol II accumulation at the centromeres. Finally, we report that the presence of MLL and SETD1A is crucial for kinetochore maintenance. Altogether, our data reveal a novel molecular framework where both the H3K4 methylation mark and the methyltransferases regulate stability and identity of the centromere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kausika Kumar Malik
- Laboratory of Cell Cycle Regulation, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Uppal, Hyderabad, India
- Graduate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Sreerama Chaitanya Sridhara
- Laboratory of Cell Cycle Regulation, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Uppal, Hyderabad, India
| | - Kaisar Ahmad Lone
- Laboratory of Cell Cycle Regulation, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Uppal, Hyderabad, India
- Graduate Studies, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, India
| | - Payal Deepakbhai Katariya
- Laboratory of Cell Cycle Regulation, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Uppal, Hyderabad, India
- Graduate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Deepshika Pulimamidi
- Laboratory of Cell Cycle Regulation, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Uppal, Hyderabad, India
| | - Shweta Tyagi
- Laboratory of Cell Cycle Regulation, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Uppal, Hyderabad, India
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19
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Silva BSML, Picorelli ACR, Kuhn GCS. In Silico Identification and Characterization of Satellite DNAs in 23 Drosophila Species from the Montium Group. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14020300. [PMID: 36833227 PMCID: PMC9957191 DOI: 10.3390/genes14020300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Satellite DNA (satDNA) is a class of tandemly repeated non-protein coding DNA sequences which can be found in abundance in eukaryotic genomes. They can be functional, impact the genomic architecture in many ways, and their rapid evolution has consequences for species diversification. We took advantage of the recent availability of sequenced genomes from 23 Drosophila species from the montium group to study their satDNA landscape. For this purpose, we used publicly available whole-genome sequencing Illumina reads and the TAREAN (tandem repeat analyzer) pipeline. We provide the characterization of 101 non-homologous satDNA families in this group, 93 of which are described here for the first time. Their repeat units vary in size from 4 bp to 1897 bp, but most satDNAs show repeat units < 100 bp long and, among them, repeats ≤ 10 bp are the most frequent ones. The genomic contribution of the satDNAs ranges from ~1.4% to 21.6%. There is no significant correlation between satDNA content and genome sizes in the 23 species. We also found that at least one satDNA originated from an expansion of the central tandem repeats (CTRs) present inside a Helitron transposon. Finally, some satDNAs may be useful as taxonomic markers for the identification of species or subgroups within the group.
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20
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Despot-Slade E, Širca S, Mravinac B, Castagnone-Sereno P, Plohl M, Meštrović N. Satellitome analyses in nematodes illuminate complex species history and show conserved features in satellite DNAs. BMC Biol 2022; 20:259. [PMCID: PMC9673304 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01460-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Satellite DNAs (satDNAs) are tandemly repeated non-coding DNA sequences that belong to the most abundant and the fastest evolving parts of the eukaryotic genome. A satellitome represents the collection of different satDNAs in a genome. Due to extreme diversity and methodological difficulties to characterize and compare satDNA collection in complex genomes, knowledge on their putative functional constraints and capacity to participate in genome evolution remains rather elusive. SatDNA transcripts have been detected in many species, however comparative studies of satDNA transcriptome between species are extremely rare.
Results
We conducted a genome-wide survey and comparative analyses of satellitomes among different closely related Meloidogyne spp. nematodes. The evolutionary trends of satDNAs suggest that each round of proposed polyploidization in the evolutionary history is concomitant with the addition of a new set of satDNAs in the satellitome of any particular Meloidogyne species. Successive incorporation of new sets of satDNAs in the genome along the process of polyploidization supports multiple hybridization events as the main factor responsible for the formation of these species. Through comparative analyses of 83 distinct satDNAs, we found a CENP-B box-like sequence motif conserved among 11 divergent satDNAs (similarity ranges from 36 to 74%). We also found satDNAs that harbor a splice leader (SL) sequence which, in spite of overall divergence, shows conservation across species in two putative functional regions, the 25-nt SL exon and the Sm binding site. Intra- and interspecific comparative expression analyses of the complete satDNA set in the analyzed Meloidogyne species revealed transcription profiles including a subset of 14 actively transcribed satDNAs. Among those, 9 show active transcription in every species where they are found in the genome and throughout developmental stages.
Conclusions
Our results demonstrate the feasibility and power of comparative analysis of the non-coding repetitive genome for elucidation of the origin of species with a complex history. Although satDNAs generally evolve extremely quickly, the comparative analyses of 83 satDNAs detected in the analyzed Meloidogyne species revealed conserved sequence features in some satDNAs suggesting sequence evolution under selective pressure. SatDNAs that are actively transcribed in related genomes and throughout nematode development support the view that their expression is not stochastic.
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21
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Zhang C, Wang D, Hao Y, Wu S, Luo J, Xue Y, Wang D, Li G, Liu L, Shao C, Li H, Yuan J, Zhu M, Fu XD, Yang X, Chen R, Teng Y. LncRNA CCTT-mediated RNA-DNA and RNA-protein interactions facilitate the recruitment of CENP-C to centromeric DNA during kinetochore assembly. Mol Cell 2022; 82:4018-4032.e9. [PMID: 36332605 PMCID: PMC9648614 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2022.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Kinetochore assembly on centromeres is central for chromosome segregation, and defects in this process cause mitotic errors and aneuploidy. Besides the well-established protein network, emerging evidence suggests the involvement of regulatory RNA in kinetochore assembly; however, it has remained elusive about the identity of such RNA, let alone its mechanism of action in this critical process. Here, we report CCTT, a previously uncharacterized long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) transcribed from the arm of human chromosome 17, which plays a vital role in kinetochore assembly. We show that CCTT highly localizes to all centromeres via the formation of RNA-DNA triplex and specifically interacts with CENP-C to help engage this blueprint protein in centromeres, and consequently, CCTT loss triggers extensive mitotic errors and aneuploidy. These findings uncover a non-centromere-derived lncRNA that recruits CENP-C to centromeres and shed critical lights on the function of centromeric DNA sequences as anchor points for kinetochore assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Dongpeng Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yajing Hao
- CAS Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Institute of Genomic Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Shuheng Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Jianjun Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yuanchao Xue
- CAS Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Di Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Guohong Li
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Lihui Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Changwei Shao
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Institute of Genomic Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Huiyan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Jinfeng Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Maoxiang Zhu
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Radiobiology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Xiang-Dong Fu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Institute of Genomic Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| | - Xiao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China.
| | - Runsheng Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Yan Teng
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China.
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22
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Zhou J, Liu Y, Guo X, Birchler JA, Han F, Su H. Centromeres: From chromosome biology to biotechnology applications and synthetic genomes in plants. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2022; 20:2051-2063. [PMID: 35722725 PMCID: PMC9616519 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Centromeres are the genomic regions that organize and regulate chromosome behaviours during cell cycle, and their variations are associated with genome instability, karyotype evolution and speciation in eukaryotes. The highly repetitive and epigenetic nature of centromeres were documented during the past half century. With the aid of rapid expansion in genomic biotechnology tools, the complete sequence and structural organization of several plant and human centromeres were revealed recently. Here, we systematically summarize the current knowledge of centromere biology with regard to the DNA compositions and the histone H3 variant (CENH3)-dependent centromere establishment and identity. We discuss the roles of centromere to ensure cell division and to maintain the three-dimensional (3D) genomic architecture in different species. We further highlight the potential applications of manipulating centromeres to generate haploids or to induce polyploids offspring in plant for breeding programs, and of targeting centromeres with CRISPR/Cas for chromosome engineering and speciation. Finally, we also assess the challenges and strategies for de novo design and synthesis of centromeres in plant artificial chromosomes. The biotechnology applications of plant centromeres will be of great potential for the genetic improvement of crops and precise synthetic breeding in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwei Zhou
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryShenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed DesignChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Xianrui Guo
- Laboratory of Plant Chromosome Biology and Genomic Breeding, School of Life SciencesLinyi UniversityLinyiChina
| | - James A. Birchler
- Division of Biological SciencesUniversity of MissouriColumbiaMissouriUSA
| | - Fangpu Han
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed DesignChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Handong Su
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryShenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at ShenzhenChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesShenzhenChina
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23
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Targueta CP, Gatto KP, Vittorazzi SE, Recco-Pimentel SM, Lourenço LB. High diversity of 5S ribosomal DNA and evidence of recombination with the satellite DNA PcP190 in frogs. Gene 2022; 851:147015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.147015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Kitaoka M, Smith OK, Straight AF, Heald R. Molecular conflicts disrupting centromere maintenance contribute to Xenopus hybrid inviability. Curr Biol 2022; 32:3939-3951.e6. [PMID: 35973429 PMCID: PMC9529917 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.07.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Although central to evolution, the causes of hybrid inviability that drive reproductive isolation are poorly understood. Embryonic lethality occurs when the eggs of the frog X. tropicalis are fertilized with either X. laevis or X. borealis sperm. We observed that distinct subsets of paternal chromosomes failed to assemble functional centromeres, causing their mis-segregation during embryonic cell divisions. Core centromere DNA sequence analysis revealed little conservation among the three species, indicating that epigenetic mechanisms that normally operate to maintain centromere integrity are disrupted on specific paternal chromosomes in hybrids. In vitro reactions combining X. tropicalis egg extract with either X. laevis or X. borealis sperm chromosomes revealed that paternally matched or overexpressed centromeric histone CENP-A and its chaperone HJURP could rescue centromere assembly on affected chromosomes in interphase nuclei. However, although the X. laevis chromosomes maintained centromeric CENP-A in metaphase, X. borealis chromosomes did not and also displayed ultra-thin regions containing ribosomal DNA. Both centromere assembly and morphology of X. borealis mitotic chromosomes could be rescued by inhibiting RNA polymerase I or preventing the collapse of stalled DNA replication forks. These results indicate that specific paternal centromeres are inactivated in hybrids due to the disruption of associated chromatin regions that interfere with CENP-A incorporation, at least in some cases due to conflicts between replication and transcription machineries. Thus, our findings highlight the dynamic nature of centromere maintenance and its susceptibility to disruption in vertebrate interspecies hybrids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maiko Kitaoka
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200, USA
| | - Owen K Smith
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5307, USA
| | - Aaron F Straight
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5307, USA
| | - Rebecca Heald
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200, USA.
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25
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Naughton C, Huidobro C, Catacchio CR, Buckle A, Grimes GR, Nozawa RS, Purgato S, Rocchi M, Gilbert N. Human centromere repositioning activates transcription and opens chromatin fibre structure. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5609. [PMID: 36153345 PMCID: PMC9509383 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33426-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractHuman centromeres appear as constrictions on mitotic chromosomes and form a platform for kinetochore assembly in mitosis. Biophysical experiments led to a suggestion that repetitive DNA at centromeric regions form a compact scaffold necessary for function, but this was revised when neocentromeres were discovered on non-repetitive DNA. To test whether centromeres have a special chromatin structure we have analysed the architecture of a neocentromere. Centromere repositioning is accompanied by RNA polymerase II recruitment and active transcription to form a decompacted, negatively supercoiled domain enriched in ‘open’ chromatin fibres. In contrast, centromerisation causes a spreading of repressive epigenetic marks to surrounding regions, delimited by H3K27me3 polycomb boundaries and divergent genes. This flanking domain is transcriptionally silent and partially remodelled to form ‘compact’ chromatin, similar to satellite-containing DNA sequences, and exhibits genomic instability. We suggest transcription disrupts chromatin to provide a foundation for kinetochore formation whilst compact pericentromeric heterochromatin generates mechanical rigidity.
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26
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Repetitive Sequence Transcription in Breast Cancer. Cells 2022; 11:cells11162522. [PMID: 36010599 PMCID: PMC9406339 DOI: 10.3390/cells11162522] [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: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Repetitive sequences represent about half of the human genome. They are actively transcribed and play a role during development and in epigenetic regulation. The altered activity of repetitive sequences can lead to genomic instability and they can contribute to the establishment or the progression of degenerative diseases and cancer transformation. In this work, we analyzed the expression profiles of DNA repetitive sequences in the breast cancer specimens of the HMUCC cohort. Satellite expression is generally upregulated in breast cancers, with specific families upregulated per histotype: in HER2-enriched cancers, they are the human satellite II (HSATII), in luminal A and B, they are part of the ALR family and in triple-negative, they are part of SAR and GSAT families, together with a perturbation in the transcription from endogenous retroviruses and their LTR sequences. We report that the background expression of repetitive sequences in healthy tissues of cancer patients differs from the tissues of non-cancerous controls. To conclude, peculiar patterns of expression of repetitive sequences are reported in each specimen, especially in the case of transcripts arising from satellite repeats.
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27
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Hedouin S, Logsdon GA, Underwood JG, Biggins S. A transcriptional roadblock protects yeast centromeres. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:7801-7815. [PMID: 35253883 PMCID: PMC9371891 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Centromeres are the chromosomal loci essential for faithful chromosome segregation during cell division. Although centromeres are transcribed and produce non-coding RNAs (cenRNAs) that affect centromere function, we still lack a mechanistic understanding of how centromere transcription is regulated. Here, using a targeted RNA isoform sequencing approach, we identified the transcriptional landscape at and surrounding all centromeres in budding yeast. Overall, cenRNAs are derived from transcription readthrough of pericentromeric regions but rarely span the entire centromere and are a complex mixture of molecules that are heterogeneous in abundance, orientation, and sequence. While most pericentromeres are transcribed throughout the cell cycle, centromere accessibility to the transcription machinery is restricted to S-phase. This temporal restriction is dependent on Cbf1, a centromere-binding transcription factor, that we demonstrate acts locally as a transcriptional roadblock. Cbf1 deletion leads to an accumulation of cenRNAs at all phases of the cell cycle which correlates with increased chromosome mis-segregation that is partially rescued when the roadblock activity is restored. We propose that a Cbf1-mediated transcriptional roadblock protects yeast centromeres from untimely transcription to ensure genomic stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrine Hedouin
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Glennis A Logsdon
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Jason G Underwood
- Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) of California, Incorporated, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Sue Biggins
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
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28
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Fingerhut JM, Yamashita YM. The regulation and potential functions of intronic satellite DNA. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 128:69-77. [PMID: 35469677 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Satellite DNAs are arrays of tandem repeats found in the eukaryotic genome. They are mainly found in pericentromeric heterochromatin and have been believed to be mostly inert, leading satellite DNAs to be erroneously regarded as junk. Recent studies have started to elucidate the function of satellite DNA, yet little is known about the peculiar case where satellite DNA is found within the introns of protein coding genes, resulting in incredibly large introns, a phenomenon termed intron gigantism. Studies in Drosophila demonstrated that satellite DNA-containing introns are transcribed with the gene and require specialized mechanisms to overcome the burdens imposed by the extremely long stretches of repetitive DNA. Whether intron gigantism confers any benefit or serves any functional purpose for cells and/or organisms remains elusive. Here we review our current understanding of intron gigantism: where it is found, the challenges it imposes, how it is regulated and what purpose it may serve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaclyn M Fingerhut
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Yukiko M Yamashita
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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29
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Cross-species incompatibility between a DNA satellite and the Drosophila Spartan homolog poisons germline genome integrity. Curr Biol 2022; 32:2962-2971.e4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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30
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The ins and outs of CENP-A: Chromatin dynamics of the centromere-specific histone. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 135:24-34. [PMID: 35422390 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Centromeres are highly specialised chromosome domains defined by the presence of an epigenetic mark, the specific histone H3 variant called CENP-A (centromere protein A). They constitute the genomic regions on which kinetochores form and when defective cause segregation defects that can lead to aneuploidy and cancer. Here, we discuss how CENP-A is established and maintained to propagate centromere identity while subjected to dynamic chromatin remodelling during essential cellular processes like DNA repair, replication, and transcription. We highlight parallels and identify conserved mechanisms between different model organism with a particular focus on 1) the establishment of CENP-A at centromeres, 2) CENP-A maintenance during transcription and replication, and 3) the mechanisms that help preventing CENP-A localization at non-centromeric sites. We then give examples of how timely loading of new CENP-A to the centromere, maintenance of old CENP-A during S-phase and transcription, and removal of CENP-A at non-centromeric sites are coordinated and controlled by an intricate network of factors whose identity is slowly being unravelled.
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31
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Molecular Dynamics and Evolution of Centromeres in the Genus Equus. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23084183. [PMID: 35457002 PMCID: PMC9024551 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23084183] [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: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The centromere is the chromosomal locus essential for proper chromosome segregation. While the centromeric function is well conserved and epigenetically specified, centromeric DNA sequences are typically composed of satellite DNA and represent the most rapidly evolving sequences in eukaryotic genomes. The presence of satellite sequences at centromeres hampered the comprehensive molecular analysis of these enigmatic loci. The discovery of functional centromeres completely devoid of satellite repetitions and fixed in some animal and plant species represented a turning point in centromere biology, definitively proving the epigenetic nature of the centromere. The first satellite-free centromere, fixed in a vertebrate species, was discovered in the horse. Later, an extraordinary number of satellite-free neocentromeres had been discovered in other species of the genus Equus, which remains the only mammalian genus with numerous satellite-free centromeres described thus far. These neocentromeres arose recently during evolution and are caught in a stage of incomplete maturation. Their presence made the equids a unique model for investigating, at molecular level, the minimal requirements for centromere seeding and evolution. This model system provided new insights on how centromeres are established and transmitted to the progeny and on the role of satellite DNA in different aspects of centromere biology.
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32
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Hoyt SJ, Storer JM, Hartley GA, Grady PGS, Gershman A, de Lima LG, Limouse C, Halabian R, Wojenski L, Rodriguez M, Altemose N, Rhie A, Core LJ, Gerton JL, Makalowski W, Olson D, Rosen J, Smit AFA, Straight AF, Vollger MR, Wheeler TJ, Schatz MC, Eichler EE, Phillippy AM, Timp W, Miga KH, O’Neill RJ. From telomere to telomere: The transcriptional and epigenetic state of human repeat elements. Science 2022; 376:eabk3112. [PMID: 35357925 PMCID: PMC9301658 DOI: 10.1126/science.abk3112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 59.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Mobile elements and repetitive genomic regions are sources of lineage-specific genomic innovation and uniquely fingerprint individual genomes. Comprehensive analyses of such repeat elements, including those found in more complex regions of the genome, require a complete, linear genome assembly. We present a de novo repeat discovery and annotation of the T2T-CHM13 human reference genome. We identified previously unknown satellite arrays, expanded the catalog of variants and families for repeats and mobile elements, characterized classes of complex composite repeats, and located retroelement transduction events. We detected nascent transcription and delineated CpG methylation profiles to define the structure of transcriptionally active retroelements in humans, including those in centromeres. These data expand our insight into the diversity, distribution, and evolution of repetitive regions that have shaped the human genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savannah J. Hoyt
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | | | - Gabrielle A. Hartley
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Patrick G. S. Grady
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Ariel Gershman
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Charles Limouse
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Reza Halabian
- Institute of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Luke Wojenski
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Matias Rodriguez
- Institute of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Nicolas Altemose
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Arang Rhie
- Genome Informatics Section, Computational and Statistical Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Leighton J. Core
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | | | - Wojciech Makalowski
- Institute of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Daniel Olson
- Department of Computer Science, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Jeb Rosen
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Mitchell R. Vollger
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Travis J. Wheeler
- Department of Computer Science, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Michael C. Schatz
- Department of Computer Science and Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Evan E. Eichler
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Adam M. Phillippy
- Genome Informatics Section, Computational and Statistical Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Winston Timp
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Karen H. Miga
- UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Rachel J. O’Neill
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
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33
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Vourc’h C, Dufour S, Timcheva K, Seigneurin-Berny D, Verdel A. HSF1-Activated Non-Coding Stress Response: Satellite lncRNAs and Beyond, an Emerging Story with a Complex Scenario. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13040597. [PMID: 35456403 PMCID: PMC9032817 DOI: 10.3390/genes13040597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In eukaryotes, the heat shock response is orchestrated by a transcription factor named Heat Shock Factor 1 (HSF1). HSF1 is mostly characterized for its role in activating the expression of a repertoire of protein-coding genes, including the heat shock protein (HSP) genes. Remarkably, a growing set of reports indicate that, upon heat shock, HSF1 also targets various non-coding regions of the genome. Focusing primarily on mammals, this review aims at reporting the identity of the non-coding genomic sites directly bound by HSF1, and at describing the molecular function of the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) produced in response to HSF1 binding. The described non-coding genomic targets of HSF1 are pericentric Satellite DNA repeats, (sub)telomeric DNA repeats, Short Interspersed Nuclear Element (SINE) repeats, transcriptionally active enhancers and the NEAT1 gene. This diverse set of non-coding genomic sites, which already appears to be an integral part of the cellular response to stress, may only represent the first of many. Thus, the study of the evolutionary conserved heat stress response has the potential to emerge as a powerful cellular context to study lncRNAs, produced from repeated or unique DNA regions, with a regulatory function that is often well-documented but a mode of action that remains largely unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Vourc’h
- Université de Grenoble Alpes (UGA), 38700 La Tronche, France
- Correspondence: (C.V.); (A.V.)
| | - Solenne Dufour
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Centre de Recherche UGA/Inserm U 1209/CNRS UMR 5309, Site Santé-Allée des Alpes, 38700 La Tronche, France; (S.D.); (K.T.); (D.S.-B.)
| | - Kalina Timcheva
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Centre de Recherche UGA/Inserm U 1209/CNRS UMR 5309, Site Santé-Allée des Alpes, 38700 La Tronche, France; (S.D.); (K.T.); (D.S.-B.)
| | - Daphné Seigneurin-Berny
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Centre de Recherche UGA/Inserm U 1209/CNRS UMR 5309, Site Santé-Allée des Alpes, 38700 La Tronche, France; (S.D.); (K.T.); (D.S.-B.)
| | - André Verdel
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Centre de Recherche UGA/Inserm U 1209/CNRS UMR 5309, Site Santé-Allée des Alpes, 38700 La Tronche, France; (S.D.); (K.T.); (D.S.-B.)
- Correspondence: (C.V.); (A.V.)
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34
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Arunkumar G, Baek S, Sturgill D, Bui M, Dalal Y. Oncogenic lncRNAs alter epigenetic memory at a fragile chromosomal site in human cancer cells. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabl5621. [PMID: 35235361 PMCID: PMC8890707 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abl5621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Chromosome instability is a critical event in cancer progression. Histone H3 variant CENP-A plays a fundamental role in defining centromere identity, structure, and function but is innately overexpressed in several types of solid cancers. In the cancer background, excess CENP-A is deposited ectopically on chromosome arms, including 8q24/cMYC locus, by invading transcription-coupled H3.3 chaperone pathways. Up-regulation of lncRNAs in many cancers correlates with poor prognosis and recurrence in patients. We report that transcription of 8q24-derived oncogenic lncRNAs plays an unanticipated role in altering the 8q24 chromatin landscape by H3.3 chaperone-mediated deposition of CENP-A-associated complexes. Furthermore, a transgene cassette carrying specific 8q24-derived lncRNA integrated into a naïve chromosome locus recruits CENP-A to the new location in a cis-acting manner. These data provide a plausible mechanistic link between locus-specific oncogenic lncRNAs, aberrant local chromatin structure, and the generation of new epigenetic memory at a fragile site in human cancer cells.
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35
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Ghosh S, Lehner CF. Incorporation of CENP-A/CID into centromeres during early Drosophila embryogenesis does not require RNA polymerase II-mediated transcription. Chromosoma 2022; 131:1-17. [PMID: 35015118 PMCID: PMC9079035 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-022-00767-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
In many species, centromere identity is specified epigenetically by special nucleosomes containing a centromere-specific histone H3 variant, designated as CENP-A in humans and CID in Drosophila melanogaster. After partitioning of centromere-specific nucleosomes onto newly replicated sister centromeres, loading of additional CENP-A/CID into centromeric chromatin is required for centromere maintenance in proliferating cells. Analyses with cultured cells have indicated that transcription of centromeric DNA by RNA polymerase II is required for deposition of new CID into centromere chromatin. However, a dependence of centromeric CID loading on transcription is difficult to reconcile with the notion that the initial embryonic stages appear to proceed in the absence of transcription in Drosophila, as also in many other animal species. To address the role of RNA polymerase II–mediated transcription for CID loading in early Drosophila embryos, we have quantified the effects of alpha-amanitin and triptolide on centromeric CID-EGFP levels. Our analyses demonstrate that microinjection of these two potent inhibitors of RNA polymerase II–mediated transcription has at most a marginal effect on centromeric CID deposition during progression through the early embryonic cleavage cycles. Thus, we conclude that at least during early Drosophila embryogenesis, incorporation of CID into centromeres does not depend on RNA polymerase II–mediated transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samadri Ghosh
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christian F Lehner
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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36
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Francisco J. Ruiz-Ruano
- Department of Organismal Biology – Systematic Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- School of Biological Sciences, Norwich Research Park University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
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37
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Abstract
Repeat-enriched genomic regions evolve rapidly and yet support strictly conserved functions like faithful chromosome transmission and the preservation of genome integrity. The leading resolution to this paradox is that DNA repeat-packaging proteins evolve adaptively to mitigate deleterious changes in DNA repeat copy number, sequence, and organization. Exciting new research has tested this model of coevolution by engineering evolutionary mismatches between adaptively evolving chromatin proteins of one species and the DNA repeats of a close relative. Here, we review these innovative evolution-guided functional analyses. The studies demonstrate that vital, chromatin-mediated cellular processes, including transposon suppression, faithful chromosome transmission, and chromosome retention depend on species-specific versions of chromatin proteins that package species-specific DNA repeats. In many cases, the ever-evolving repeats are selfish genetic elements, raising the possibility that chromatin is a battleground of intragenomic conflict.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara L Brand
- Department of Biology and Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA;
| | - Mia T Levine
- Department of Biology and Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA;
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38
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Abstract
The centromere performs a universally conserved function, to accurately partition genetic information upon cell division. Yet, centromeres are among the most rapidly evolving regions of the genome and are bound by a varying assortment of centromere-binding factors that are themselves highly divergent at the protein-sequence level. A common thread in most species is the dependence on the centromere-specific histone variant CENP-A for the specification of the centromere site. However, CENP-A is not universally required in all species or cell types, making the identification of a general mechanism for centromere specification challenging. In this review, we examine our current understanding of the mechanisms of centromere specification in CENP-A-dependent and independent systems, focusing primarily on recent work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara G Mellone
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, and Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
| | - Daniele Fachinetti
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR 144, 26 rue d'Ulm, F-75005 Paris, France.
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39
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Racca C, Britton S, Hédouin S, Francastel C, Calsou P, Larminat F. BRCA1 prevents R-loop-associated centromeric instability. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:896. [PMID: 34599155 PMCID: PMC8486751 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-04189-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Centromeres are defined by chromatin containing the histone H3 variant CENP-A assembled onto repetitive α-satellite sequences, which are actively transcribed throughout the cell cycle. Centromeres play an essential role in chromosome inheritance and genome stability through coordinating kinetochores assembly during mitosis. Structural and functional alterations of the centromeres cause aneuploidy and chromosome aberrations which can induce cell death. In human cells, the tumor suppressor BRCA1 associates with centromeric chromatin in the absence of exogenous damage. While we previously reported that BRCA1 contributes to proper centromere homeostasis, the mechanism underlying its centromeric function and recruitment was not fully understood. Here, we show that BRCA1 association with centromeric chromatin depends on the presence of R-loops, which are non-canonical three-stranded structures harboring a DNA:RNA hybrid and are frequently formed during transcription. Subsequently, BRCA1 counteracts the accumulation of R-loops at centromeric α-satellite repeats. Strikingly, BRCA1-deficient cells show impaired localization of CENP-A, higher transcription of centromeric RNA, increased breakage at centromeres and formation of acentric micronuclei, all these features being R-loop-dependent. Finally, BRCA1 depletion reveals a Rad52-dependent hyper-recombination process between centromeric satellite repeats, associated with centromere instability and missegregation. Altogether, our findings provide molecular insights into the key function of BRCA1 in maintaining centromere stability and identity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carine Racca
- Institut de Pharmacologie et Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France.,Equipe Labellisée Ligue contre le Cancer, 2018, Toulouse, France
| | - Sébastien Britton
- Institut de Pharmacologie et Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France.,Equipe Labellisée Ligue contre le Cancer, 2018, Toulouse, France
| | - Sabrine Hédouin
- Université de Paris, Epigénétique et Destin Cellulaire, CNRS, Paris, F-75013, France.,Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Claire Francastel
- Université de Paris, Epigénétique et Destin Cellulaire, CNRS, Paris, F-75013, France
| | - Patrick Calsou
- Institut de Pharmacologie et Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France.,Equipe Labellisée Ligue contre le Cancer, 2018, Toulouse, France
| | - Florence Larminat
- Institut de Pharmacologie et Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France. .,Equipe Labellisée Ligue contre le Cancer, 2018, Toulouse, France.
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Garrido-Ramos MA. The Genomics of Plant Satellite DNA. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR AND SUBCELLULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 60:103-143. [PMID: 34386874 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-74889-0_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
The twenty-first century began with a certain indifference to the research of satellite DNA (satDNA). Neither genome sequencing projects were able to accurately encompass the study of satDNA nor classic methodologies were able to go further in undertaking a better comprehensive study of the whole set of satDNA sequences of a genome. Nonetheless, knowledge of satDNA has progressively advanced during this century with the advent of new analytical techniques. The enormous advantages that genome-wide approaches have brought to its analysis have now stimulated a renewed interest in the study of satDNA. At this point, we can look back and try to assess more accurately many of the key questions that were left unsolved in the past about this enigmatic and important component of the genome. I review here the understanding gathered on plant satDNAs over the last few decades with an eye on the near future.
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DeBose-Scarlett EM, Sullivan BA. Genomic and Epigenetic Foundations of Neocentromere Formation. Annu Rev Genet 2021; 55:331-348. [PMID: 34496611 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-071719-020924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Centromeres are essential to genome inheritance, serving as the site of kinetochore assembly and coordinating chromosome segregation during cell division. Abnormal centromere function is associated with birth defects, infertility, and cancer. Normally, centromeres are assembled and maintained at the same chromosomal location. However, ectopic centromeres form spontaneously at new genomic locations and contribute to genome instability and developmental defects as well as to acquired and congenital human disease. Studies in model organisms have suggested that certain regions of the genome, including pericentromeres, heterochromatin, and regions of open chromatin or active transcription, support neocentromere activation. However, there is no universal mechanism that explains neocentromere formation. This review focuses on recent technological and intellectual advances in neocentromere research and proposes future areas of study. Understanding neocentromere biology will provide a better perspective on chromosome and genome organization and functional context for information generated from the Human Genome Project, ENCODE, and other large genomic consortia. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Genetics, Volume 55 is November 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evon M DeBose-Scarlett
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA;
| | - Beth A Sullivan
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA;
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Kuhn GCS, Heringer P, Dias GB. Structure, Organization, and Evolution of Satellite DNAs: Insights from the Drosophila repleta and D. virilis Species Groups. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR AND SUBCELLULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 60:27-56. [PMID: 34386871 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-74889-0_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The fact that satellite DNAs (satDNAs) in eukaryotes are abundant genomic components, can perform functional roles, but can also change rapidly across species while being homogenous within a species, makes them an intriguing and fascinating genomic component to study. It is also becoming clear that satDNAs represent an important piece in genome architecture and that changes in their structure, organization, and abundance can affect the evolution of genomes and species in many ways. Since the discovery of satDNAs more than 50 years ago, species from the Drosophila genus have continuously been used as models to study several aspects of satDNA biology. These studies have been largely concentrated in D. melanogaster and closely related species from the Sophophora subgenus, even though the vast majority of all Drosophila species belong to the Drosophila subgenus. This chapter highlights some studies on the satDNA structure, organization, and evolution in two species groups from the Drosophila subgenus: the repleta and virilis groups. We also discuss and review the classification of other abundant tandem repeats found in these species in the light of the current information available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo C S Kuhn
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
| | - Pedro Heringer
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Borges Dias
- Department of Genetics and Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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Zhuravlev AV, Zakharov GA, Anufrieva EV, Medvedeva AV, Nikitina EA, Savvateeva-Popova EV. Chromatin Structure and "DNA Sequence View": The Role of Satellite DNA in Ectopic Pairing of the Drosophila X Polytene Chromosome. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:8713. [PMID: 34445413 PMCID: PMC8395981 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromatin 3D structure plays a crucial role in regulation of gene activity. Previous studies have envisioned spatial contact formations between chromatin domains with different epigenetic properties, protein compositions and transcription activity. This leaves specific DNA sequences that affect chromosome interactions. The Drosophila melanogaster polytene chromosomes are involved in non-allelic ectopic pairing. The mutant strain agnts3, a Drosophila model for Williams-Beuren syndrome, has an increased frequency of ectopic contacts (FEC) compared to the wild-type strain Canton-S (CS). Ectopic pairing can be mediated by some specific DNA sequences. In this study, using our Homology Segment Analysis software, we estimated the correlation between FEC and frequency of short matching DNA fragments (FMF) for all sections of the X chromosome of Drosophila CS and agnts3 strains. With fragment lengths of 50 nucleotides (nt), CS showed a specific FEC-FMF correlation for 20% of the sections involved in ectopic contacts. The correlation was unspecific in agnts3, which may indicate the alternative epigenetic mechanisms affecting FEC in the mutant strain. Most of the fragments that specifically contributed to FMF were related to 1.688 or 372-bp middle repeats. Thus, middle repetitive DNA may serve as an organizer of ectopic pairing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandr V. Zhuravlev
- Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia; (G.A.Z.); (A.V.M.); (E.A.N.); (E.V.S.-P.)
| | - Gennadii A. Zakharov
- Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia; (G.A.Z.); (A.V.M.); (E.A.N.); (E.V.S.-P.)
- EPAM Systems Inc., Saint Petersburg 197110, Russia
| | - Ekaterina V. Anufrieva
- Faculty of Biology, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, 191186 Saint Petersburg, Russia;
| | - Anna V. Medvedeva
- Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia; (G.A.Z.); (A.V.M.); (E.A.N.); (E.V.S.-P.)
| | - Ekaterina A. Nikitina
- Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia; (G.A.Z.); (A.V.M.); (E.A.N.); (E.V.S.-P.)
- Faculty of Biology, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, 191186 Saint Petersburg, Russia;
| | - Elena V. Savvateeva-Popova
- Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia; (G.A.Z.); (A.V.M.); (E.A.N.); (E.V.S.-P.)
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45
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Wu T, Lane SIR, Morgan SL, Tang F, Jones KT. Loss of centromeric RNA activates the spindle assembly checkpoint in mammalian female meiosis I. J Cell Biol 2021; 220:212548. [PMID: 34379093 PMCID: PMC8360762 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202011153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The repetitive sequences of DNA centromeric regions form the structural basis for kinetochore assembly. Recently they were found to be transcriptionally active in mitosis, with their RNAs providing noncoding functions. Here we explore the role, in mouse oocytes, of transcripts generated from within the minor satellite repeats. Depletion of minor satellite transcripts delayed progression through meiosis I by activation of the spindle assembly checkpoint. Arrested oocytes had poorly congressed chromosomes, and centromeres were frequently split by microtubules. Thus, we have demonstrated that the centromeric RNA plays a specific role in female meiosis I compared with mitosis and is required for maintaining the structural integrity of centromeres. This may contribute to the high aneuploidy rates observed in female meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyu Wu
- Department of Central Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory, Jing'an District Centre Hospital of Shanghai, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Simon I R Lane
- Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Stephanie L Morgan
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Feng Tang
- Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Keith T Jones
- Genome Damage and Stability Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
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46
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Wei X, Eickbush DG, Speece I, Larracuente AM. Heterochromatin-dependent transcription of satellite DNAs in the Drosophila melanogaster female germline. eLife 2021; 10:e62375. [PMID: 34259629 PMCID: PMC8321551 DOI: 10.7554/elife.62375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Large blocks of tandemly repeated DNAs-satellite DNAs (satDNAs)-play important roles in heterochromatin formation and chromosome segregation. We know little about how satDNAs are regulated; however, their misregulation is associated with genomic instability and human diseases. We use the Drosophila melanogaster germline as a model to study the regulation of satDNA transcription and chromatin. Here we show that complex satDNAs (>100-bp repeat units) are transcribed into long noncoding RNAs and processed into piRNAs (PIWI interacting RNAs). This satDNA piRNA production depends on the Rhino-Deadlock-Cutoff complex and the transcription factor Moonshiner-a previously described non-canonical pathway that licenses heterochromatin-dependent transcription of dual-strand piRNA clusters. We show that this pathway is important for establishing heterochromatin at satDNAs. Therefore, satDNAs are regulated by piRNAs originating from their own genomic loci. This novel mechanism of satDNA regulation provides insight into the role of piRNA pathways in heterochromatin formation and genome stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolu Wei
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterUnited States
| | - Danna G Eickbush
- Department of Biology, University of RochesterRochesterUnited States
| | - Iain Speece
- Department of Biology, University of RochesterRochesterUnited States
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Chen Y, Zhang Q, Teng Z, Liu H. Centromeric transcription maintains centromeric cohesion in human cells. J Cell Biol 2021; 220:e202008146. [PMID: 33881484 PMCID: PMC8065269 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202008146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Centromeric transcription has been shown to play an important role in centromere functions. However, lack of approaches to specifically manipulate centromeric transcription calls into question that the proposed functions are a direct consequence of centromeric transcription. By monitoring nascent RNAs, we found that several transcriptional inhibitors exhibited distinct, even opposing, efficacies on the suppression of ongoing gene and centromeric transcription in human cells, whereas under the same conditions, total centromeric RNAs were changed to a lesser extent. The inhibitor suppressing ongoing centromeric transcription weakened centromeric cohesion, whereas the inhibitor increasing ongoing centromeric transcription strengthened centromeric cohesion. Furthermore, expression of CENP-B DNA-binding domain or CENP-B knockdown moderately increased centromeric transcription without altering gene transcription; as a result, centromeric cohesion was accordingly strengthened. Targeting of the Kox1-KRAB domain with CENP-B DB to centromeres specifically decreased centromeric transcription and weakened centromeric cohesion. Thus, based on these findings, we propose that a major function of centromeric transcription is to maintain centromeric cohesion in human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujue Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
| | - Qian Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
| | - Zhen Teng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
| | - Hong Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
- Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
- Tulane Aging Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
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48
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Alfeghaly C, Aigueperse C, Maenner S, Behm-Ansmant I. Non-Coding RNA Silencing in Mammalian Cells by Antisense LNA GapmeRs Transfection. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2300:31-37. [PMID: 33792869 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1386-3_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The assessment of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) functions highly relies on loss of function studies. However, due to their exclusive or partial nuclear localization, many small and long ncRNAs are not efficiently silenced by RNA interference. Antisense LNA GapmeRs constitute a good alternative to RNAi. They allow an effective knockdown of ncRNAs with sizes greater than 80 nucleotides, regardless of their cellular localization. This chapter focuses on the silencing of two different nuclear ncRNAs (ANRIL and SATIII RNAs) in mammalian cells using antisense LNA GapmeRs with two different transfection methods: calcium phosphate-mediated transfection and LipofectamineTM 2000.
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49
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Wei KHC, Chan C, Bachtrog D. Establishment of H3K9me3-dependent heterochromatin during embryogenesis in Drosophila miranda. eLife 2021; 10:55612. [PMID: 34128466 PMCID: PMC8285105 DOI: 10.7554/elife.55612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Heterochromatin is a key architectural feature of eukaryotic genomes crucial for silencing of repetitive elements. During Drosophila embryonic cellularization, heterochromatin rapidly appears over repetitive sequences, but the molecular details of how heterochromatin is established are poorly understood. Here, we map the genome-wide distribution of H3K9me3-dependent heterochromatin in individual embryos of Drosophila miranda at precisely staged developmental time points. We find that canonical H3K9me3 enrichment is established prior to cellularization and matures into stable and broad heterochromatin domains through development. Intriguingly, initial nucleation sites of H3K9me3 enrichment appear as early as embryonic stage 3 over transposable elements (TEs) and progressively broaden, consistent with spreading to neighboring nucleosomes. The earliest nucleation sites are limited to specific regions of a small number of recently active retrotransposon families and often appear over promoter and 5' regions of LTR retrotransposons, while late nucleation sites develop broadly across the entirety of most TEs. Interestingly, early nucleating TEs are strongly associated with abundant maternal piRNAs and show early zygotic transcription. These results support a model of piRNA-associated co-transcriptional silencing while also suggesting additional mechanisms for site-restricted H3K9me3 nucleation at TEs in pre-cellular Drosophila embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin H-C Wei
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Carolus Chan
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Doris Bachtrog
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
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50
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Lashkevich KA, Dmitriev SE. mRNA Targeting, Transport and Local Translation in Eukaryotic Cells: From the Classical View to a Diversity of New Concepts. Mol Biol 2021; 55:507-537. [PMID: 34092811 PMCID: PMC8164833 DOI: 10.1134/s0026893321030080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Spatial organization of protein biosynthesis in the eukaryotic cell has been studied for more than fifty years, thus many facts have already been included in textbooks. According to the classical view, mRNA transcripts encoding secreted and transmembrane proteins are translated by ribosomes associated with endoplasmic reticulum membranes, while soluble cytoplasmic proteins are synthesized on free polysomes. However, in the last few years, new data has emerged, revealing selective translation of mRNA on mitochondria and plastids, in proximity to peroxisomes and endosomes, in various granules and at the cytoskeleton (actin network, vimentin intermediate filaments, microtubules and centrosomes). There are also long-standing debates about the possibility of protein synthesis in the nucleus. Localized translation can be determined by targeting signals in the synthesized protein, nucleotide sequences in the mRNA itself, or both. With RNA-binding proteins, many transcripts can be assembled into specific RNA condensates and form RNP particles, which may be transported by molecular motors to the sites of active translation, form granules and provoke liquid-liquid phase separation in the cytoplasm, both under normal conditions and during cell stress. The translation of some mRNAs occurs in specialized "translation factories," assemblysomes, transperons and other structures necessary for the correct folding of proteins, interaction with functional partners and formation of oligomeric complexes. Intracellular localization of mRNA has a significant impact on the efficiency of its translation and presumably determines its response to cellular stress. Compartmentalization of mRNAs and the translation machinery also plays an important role in viral infections. Many viruses provoke the formation of specific intracellular structures, virus factories, for the production of their proteins. Here we review the current concepts of the molecular mechanisms of transport, selective localization and local translation of cellular and viral mRNAs, their effects on protein targeting and topogenesis, and on the regulation of protein biosynthesis in different compartments of the eukaryotic cell. Special attention is paid to new systems biology approaches, providing new cues to the study of localized translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kseniya A Lashkevich
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia.,Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia
| | - Sergey E Dmitriev
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia.,Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia.,Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
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