1
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Hoffmann M, Poschenrieder JM, Incudini M, Baier S, Fritz A, Maier A, Hartung M, Hoffmann C, Trummer N, Adamowicz K, Picciani M, Scheibling E, Harl MV, Lesch I, Frey H, Kayser S, Wissenberg P, Schwartz L, Hafner L, Acharya A, Hackl L, Grabert G, Lee SG, Cho G, Cloward ME, Jankowski J, Lee HK, Tsoy O, Wenke N, Pedersen AG, Bønnelykke K, Mandarino A, Melograna F, Schulz L, Climente-González H, Wilhelm M, Iapichino L, Wienbrandt L, Ellinghaus D, Van Steen K, Grossi M, Furth PA, Hennighausen L, Di Pierro A, Baumbach J, Kacprowski T, List M, Blumenthal DB. Network medicine-based epistasis detection in complex diseases: ready for quantum computing. Nucleic Acids Res 2024:gkae697. [PMID: 39175109 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Most heritable diseases are polygenic. To comprehend the underlying genetic architecture, it is crucial to discover the clinically relevant epistatic interactions (EIs) between genomic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (1-3). Existing statistical computational methods for EI detection are mostly limited to pairs of SNPs due to the combinatorial explosion of higher-order EIs. With NeEDL (network-based epistasis detection via local search), we leverage network medicine to inform the selection of EIs that are an order of magnitude more statistically significant compared to existing tools and consist, on average, of five SNPs. We further show that this computationally demanding task can be substantially accelerated once quantum computing hardware becomes available. We apply NeEDL to eight different diseases and discover genes (affected by EIs of SNPs) that are partly known to affect the disease, additionally, these results are reproducible across independent cohorts. EIs for these eight diseases can be interactively explored in the Epistasis Disease Atlas (https://epistasis-disease-atlas.com). In summary, NeEDL demonstrates the potential of seamlessly integrated quantum computing techniques to accelerate biomedical research. Our network medicine approach detects higher-order EIs with unprecedented statistical and biological evidence, yielding unique insights into polygenic diseases and providing a basis for the development of improved risk scores and combination therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Hoffmann
- Data Science in Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
- Institute for Advanced Study (Lichtenbergstrasse 2 a) Technical University of Munich, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Julian M Poschenrieder
- Data Science in Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Germany
| | - Massimiliano Incudini
- Dipartimento di Informatica, Universit'a di Verona, Strada le Grazie 15 - 34137 Verona, Italy
| | - Sylvie Baier
- Data Science in Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Amelie Fritz
- Department of Health Technology, Section for Bioinformatics, Technical University of Denmark, DTU, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
- Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood (COPSAC), Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Andreas Maier
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Hartung
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Hoffmann
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nico Trummer
- Data Science in Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Klaudia Adamowicz
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mario Picciani
- Computational Mass Spectrometry, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Evelyn Scheibling
- Data Science in Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Maximilian V Harl
- Data Science in Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Neuroscience Center Zürich (ZNZ), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - Ingmar Lesch
- Data Science in Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Hunor Frey
- Data Science in Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Simon Kayser
- Data Science in Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Paul Wissenberg
- Data Science in Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Leon Schwartz
- Data Science in Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Leon Hafner
- Data Science in Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
- Institute for Advanced Study (Lichtenbergstrasse 2 a) Technical University of Munich, D-85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Aakriti Acharya
- Division Data Science in Biomedicine, Peter L. Reichertz Institute for Medical Informatics, Technische Universität Braunschweig and Hannover Medical School, Rebenring 56, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
- Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology (BRICS), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Rebenring 56, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Lena Hackl
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gordon Grabert
- Division Data Science in Biomedicine, Peter L. Reichertz Institute for Medical Informatics, Technische Universität Braunschweig and Hannover Medical School, Rebenring 56, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
- Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology (BRICS), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Rebenring 56, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Sung-Gwon Lee
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea
| | - Gyuhyeok Cho
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, Korea
| | | | - Jakub Jankowski
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Hye Kyung Lee
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Olga Tsoy
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nina Wenke
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anders Gorm Pedersen
- Department of Health Technology, Section for Bioinformatics, Technical University of Denmark, DTU, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Klaus Bønnelykke
- Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood (COPSAC), Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Antonio Mandarino
- International Centre for Theory of Quantum Technologies, University of Gdańsk, 80-309 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Federico Melograna
- BIO3 - Systems Genetics; GIGA-R Medical Genomics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- BIO3 - Systems Medicine; Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laura Schulz
- Leibniz Supercomputing Centre of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities (LRZ), Garching b. München, Germany
| | | | - Mathias Wilhelm
- Computational Mass Spectrometry, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
- Munich Data Science Institute (MDSI), Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Luigi Iapichino
- Leibniz Supercomputing Centre of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities (LRZ), Garching b. München, Germany
| | - Lars Wienbrandt
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian Albrechts University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - David Ellinghaus
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian Albrechts University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Kristel Van Steen
- BIO3 - Systems Genetics; GIGA-R Medical Genomics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- BIO3 - Systems Medicine; Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Michele Grossi
- European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva1211, Switzerland
| | - Priscilla A Furth
- Departments of Oncology & Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Lothar Hennighausen
- Institute for Advanced Study (Lichtenbergstrasse 2 a) Technical University of Munich, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Alessandra Di Pierro
- Dipartimento di Informatica, Universit'a di Verona, Strada le Grazie 15 - 34137 Verona, Italy
| | - Jan Baumbach
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Germany
- Computational BioMedicine Lab, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark
| | - Tim Kacprowski
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Neuroscience Center Zürich (ZNZ), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Zürich 8092, Switzerland
- Division Data Science in Biomedicine, Peter L. Reichertz Institute for Medical Informatics, Technische Universität Braunschweig and Hannover Medical School, Rebenring 56, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Markus List
- Data Science in Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
- Biomedical Network Science Lab, Department Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
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Frew E, Sainty R, Chappell-Maor L, Bone C, Daskeviciute D, Russell S, Buhigas C, Iglesias-Platas I, Lartey J, Monk D. Differential expression of PPP1R12A transcripts, including those harbouring alternatively spliced micro-exons, in placentae from complicated pregnancies. Placenta 2024; 151:1-9. [PMID: 38615553 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Placenta-associated pregnancy complications, including pre-eclampsia (PE) and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) are conditions postulated to originate from initial failure of placentation, leading to clinical sequelae indicative of endothelial dysfunction. Vascular smooth muscle aberrations have also been implicated in the pathogenesis of both disorders via smooth muscle contractility and relaxation mediated by Myosin Light Chain Phosphatase (MLCP) and the oppositional contractile action of Myosin Light Chain Kinase. PPP1R12A is a constituent part of the MLCP complex responsible for dephosphorylation of myosin fibrils. We hypothesize that alternative splicing of micro-exons result in isoforms lacking the functional leucine zipper (LZ) domain which may give those cells expressing these alternative transcripts a tendency towards contraction and vasoconstriction. METHODS Expression was determined by qRT-PCR. Epigenetic profiling consisted of bisulphite-based DNA methylation analysis and ChIP for underlying histone modifications. RESULTS We identified several novel transcripts with alternative micro-exon inclusion that would produce LZ- PPP1R12A protein. qRT-PCR revealed some isoforms, including the PPP1R12A canonical transcript, are differentially expressed in placenta biopsies from PE and IUGR samples compared to uncomplicated pregnancies. DISCUSSION We propose that upregulation of PPP1R12A expression in complicated pregnancies may be due to enhanced promoter activity leading to increased transcription as a response to physiological stress in the placenta, which we show is independent of promoter DNA methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Frew
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Norwich, UK
| | - Rebecca Sainty
- Biomedical Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Louise Chappell-Maor
- Biomedical Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Caitlin Bone
- Biomedical Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Dagne Daskeviciute
- Biomedical Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Sarah Russell
- Biomedical Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Claudia Buhigas
- Biomedical Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Isabel Iglesias-Platas
- Neonatal Unit, Institut de Recerca, Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain; Neonatal Research, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Norwich, UK
| | - Jon Lartey
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Norwich, UK; Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - David Monk
- Biomedical Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK.
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Hyung D, Cho SY, Lee K, Yu N, Hong S, Park C. ASpedia-R: a package to retrieve junction-incorporating features and knowledge-based functions of human alternative splicing events. BIOINFORMATICS ADVANCES 2024; 4:vbae071. [PMID: 38827412 PMCID: PMC11142624 DOI: 10.1093/bioadv/vbae071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Motivation Alternative splicing (AS) is a key regulatory mechanism that confers genetic diversity and phenotypic plasticity of human. The exons and their flanking regions include comprehensive junction-incorporating sequence features like splicing factor-binding sites and protein domains. These elements involve in exon usage and finally contribute to isoform-specific biological functions. Splicing-associated sequence features are involved in the multilayered regulation encompassing DNA and proteins. However, most analysis applications have investigated limited sequence features, like protein domains. It is insufficient to explain the comprehensive cause and effect of exon-specific biological processes. Results With the advent of RNA-seq technology, global AS event analysis has deduced more precise results. As accumulating analysis results, it could be a challenge to identify multi-omics sequence features for AS events. Therefore, application to investigate multi-omics sequence features is useful to scan critical evidence. ASpedia-R is an R package to interrogate junction-incorporating sequence features for human genes. Our database collected the heterogeneous profile encompassed from DNA to protein. Additionally, knowledge-based splicing genes were collected using text-mining to test the association with specific pathway terms. Our package retrieves AS events for high-throughput data analysis results via AS event ID converter. Finally, result profile could be visualized and saved to multiple formats: sequence feature result table, genome track figure, protein-protein interaction network, and gene set enrichment test result table. Our package is a convenient tool to understand global regulation mechanisms by splicing. Availability and implementation The package source code is freely available to non-commercial users at https://github.com/ncc-bioinfo/ASpedia-R.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daejin Hyung
- Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Gyeonggi-do 10408, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Young Cho
- Department of Molecular & Life Science, Hanyang University, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do 15588, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyubin Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetic, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Namhee Yu
- Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Gyeonggi-do 10408, Republic of Korea
| | - Sehwa Hong
- Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Gyeonggi-do 10408, Republic of Korea
| | - Charny Park
- Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Gyeonggi-do 10408, Republic of Korea
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4
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Murali M, Saquing J, Lu S, Gao Z, Jordan B, Wakefield ZP, Fiszbein A, Cooper DR, Castaldi PJ, Korkin D, Sheynkman G. Biosurfer for systematic tracking of regulatory mechanisms leading to protein isoform diversity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.15.585320. [PMID: 38559226 PMCID: PMC10980011 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.15.585320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Long-read RNA sequencing has shed light on transcriptomic complexity, but questions remain about the functionality of downstream protein products. We introduce Biosurfer, a computational approach for comparing protein isoforms, while systematically tracking the transcriptional, splicing, and translational variations that underlie differences in the sequences of the protein products. Using Biosurfer, we analyzed the differences in 32,799 pairs of GENCODE annotated protein isoforms, finding a majority (70%) of variable N-termini are due to the alternative transcription start sites, while only 9% arise from 5' UTR alternative splicing. Biosurfer's detailed tracking of nucleotide-to-residue relationships helped reveal an uncommonly tracked source of single amino acid residue changes arising from the codon splits at junctions. For 17% of internal sequence changes, such split codon patterns lead to single residue differences, termed "ragged codons". Of variable C-termini, 72% involve splice- or intron retention-induced reading frameshifts. We found an unusual pattern of reading frame changes, in which the first frameshift is closely followed by a distinct second frameshift that restores the original frame, which we term a "snapback" frameshift. We analyzed long read RNA-seq-predicted proteome of a human cell line and found similar trends as compared to our GENCODE analysis, with the exception of a higher proportion of isoforms predicted to undergo nonsense-mediated decay. Biosurfer's comprehensive characterization of long-read RNA-seq datasets should accelerate insights of the functional role of protein isoforms, providing mechanistic explanation of the origins of the proteomic diversity driven by the alternative splicing. Biosurfer is available as a Python package at https://github.com/sheynkman-lab/biosurfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayank Murali
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jamie Saquing
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Senbao Lu
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, USA
- Computer Science Department, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Ziyang Gao
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, USA
- Computer Science Department, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Ben Jordan
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Zachary Peters Wakefield
- Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ana Fiszbein
- Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David R. Cooper
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Peter J. Castaldi
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dmitry Korkin
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, USA
- Computer Science Department, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Gloria Sheynkman
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- UVA Cancer Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
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5
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Bernett J, Blumenthal DB, List M. Cracking the black box of deep sequence-based protein-protein interaction prediction. Brief Bioinform 2024; 25:bbae076. [PMID: 38446741 PMCID: PMC10939362 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbae076] [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: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Identifying protein-protein interactions (PPIs) is crucial for deciphering biological pathways. Numerous prediction methods have been developed as cheap alternatives to biological experiments, reporting surprisingly high accuracy estimates. We systematically investigated how much reproducible deep learning models depend on data leakage, sequence similarities and node degree information, and compared them with basic machine learning models. We found that overlaps between training and test sets resulting from random splitting lead to strongly overestimated performances. In this setting, models learn solely from sequence similarities and node degrees. When data leakage is avoided by minimizing sequence similarities between training and test set, performances become random. Moreover, baseline models directly leveraging sequence similarity and network topology show good performances at a fraction of the computational cost. Thus, we advocate that any improvements should be reported relative to baseline methods in the future. Our findings suggest that predicting PPIs remains an unsolved task for proteins showing little sequence similarity to previously studied proteins, highlighting that further experimental research into the 'dark' protein interactome and better computational methods are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Bernett
- Data Science in Systems Biology, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Maximus-von-Imhof Forum 3, 85354, Freising, Germany
| | - David B Blumenthal
- Biomedical Network Science Lab, Department Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Werner-von-Siemens-Str. 61, 91052, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Markus List
- Data Science in Systems Biology, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Maximus-von-Imhof Forum 3, 85354, Freising, Germany
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6
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Song Y, Zhang C, Omenn GS, O’Meara MJ, Welch JD. Predicting the Structural Impact of Human Alternative Splicing. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.21.572928. [PMID: 38187531 PMCID: PMC10769328 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.21.572928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Protein structure prediction with neural networks is a powerful new method for linking protein sequence, structure, and function, but structures have generally been predicted for only a single isoform of each gene, neglecting splice variants. To investigate the structural implications of alternative splicing, we used AlphaFold2 to predict the structures of more than 11,000 human isoforms. We employed multiple metrics to identify splicing-induced structural alterations, including template matching score, secondary structure composition, surface charge distribution, radius of gyration, accessibility of post-translational modification sites, and structure-based function prediction. We identified examples of how alternative splicing induced clear changes in each of these properties. Structural similarity between isoforms largely correlated with degree of sequence identity, but we identified a subset of isoforms with low structural similarity despite high sequence similarity. Exon skipping and alternative last exons tended to increase the surface charge and radius of gyration. Splicing also buried or exposed numerous post-translational modification sites, most notably among the isoforms of BAX. Functional prediction nominated numerous functional differences among isoforms of the same gene, with loss of function compared to the reference predominating. Finally, we used single-cell RNA-seq data from the Tabula Sapiens to determine the cell types in which each structure is expressed. Our work represents an important resource for studying the structure and function of splice isoforms across the cell types of the human body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxuan Song
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Chengxin Zhang
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Gilbert S. Omenn
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Matthew J. O’Meara
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Joshua D. Welch
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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7
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Hoffmann M, Poschenrieder JM, Incudini M, Baier S, Fitz A, Maier A, Hartung M, Hoffmann C, Trummer N, Adamowicz K, Picciani M, Scheibling E, Harl MV, Lesch I, Frey H, Kayser S, Wissenberg P, Schwartz L, Hafner L, Acharya A, Hackl L, Grabert G, Lee SG, Cho G, Cloward M, Jankowski J, Lee HK, Tsoy O, Wenke N, Pedersen AG, Bønnelykke K, Mandarino A, Melograna F, Schulz L, Climente-González H, Wilhelm M, Iapichino L, Wienbrandt L, Ellinghaus D, Van Steen K, Grossi M, Furth PA, Hennighausen L, Di Pierro A, Baumbach J, Kacprowski T, List M, Blumenthal DB. Network medicine-based epistasis detection in complex diseases: ready for quantum computing. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.11.07.23298205. [PMID: 38076997 PMCID: PMC10705612 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.07.23298205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Most heritable diseases are polygenic. To comprehend the underlying genetic architecture, it is crucial to discover the clinically relevant epistatic interactions (EIs) between genomic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)1-3. Existing statistical computational methods for EI detection are mostly limited to pairs of SNPs due to the combinatorial explosion of higher-order EIs. With NeEDL (network-based epistasis detection via local search), we leverage network medicine to inform the selection of EIs that are an order of magnitude more statistically significant compared to existing tools and consist, on average, of five SNPs. We further show that this computationally demanding task can be substantially accelerated once quantum computing hardware becomes available. We apply NeEDL to eight different diseases and discover genes (affected by EIs of SNPs) that are partly known to affect the disease, additionally, these results are reproducible across independent cohorts. EIs for these eight diseases can be interactively explored in the Epistasis Disease Atlas (https://epistasis-disease-atlas.com). In summary, NeEDL is the first application that demonstrates the potential of seamlessly integrated quantum computing techniques to accelerate biomedical research. Our network medicine approach detects higher-order EIs with unprecedented statistical and biological evidence, yielding unique insights into polygenic diseases and providing a basis for the development of improved risk scores and combination therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Hoffmann
- Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Germany
- Institute for Advanced Study (Lichtenbergstrasse 2 a, D-85748 Garching, Germany), Technical University of Munich, Germany
- National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States of America
| | - Julian M. Poschenrieder
- Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Germany
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Germany
| | - Massimiliano Incudini
- Dipartimento di Informatica, Universit’a di Verona, Strada le Grazie 15 - 34137, Verona, Italy
| | - Sylvie Baier
- Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Germany
| | - Amelie Fitz
- Department of Health Technology, Section for Bioinformatics, Technical University of Denmark, DTU, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
- Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood (COPSAC), Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Andreas Maier
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Hartung
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Hoffmann
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nico Trummer
- Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Germany
| | - Klaudia Adamowicz
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mario Picciani
- Computational Mass Spectrometry, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Evelyn Scheibling
- Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Germany
| | - Maximilian V. Harl
- Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Germany
| | - Ingmar Lesch
- Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Germany
| | - Hunor Frey
- Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Germany
| | - Simon Kayser
- Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Germany
| | - Paul Wissenberg
- Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Germany
| | - Leon Schwartz
- Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Germany
| | - Leon Hafner
- Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Germany
- Institute for Advanced Study (Lichtenbergstrasse 2 a, D-85748 Garching, Germany), Technical University of Munich, Germany
| | - Aakriti Acharya
- Division Data Science in Biomedicine, Peter L. Reichertz Institute for Medical Informatics, Technische Universität Braunschweig and Hannover Medical School, Rebenring 56, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
- Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology (BRICS), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Rebenring 56, 38106 Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Lena Hackl
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gordon Grabert
- Division Data Science in Biomedicine, Peter L. Reichertz Institute for Medical Informatics, Technische Universität Braunschweig and Hannover Medical School, Rebenring 56, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
- Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology (BRICS), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Rebenring 56, 38106 Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Sung-Gwon Lee
- National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States of America
- School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea
| | - Gyuhyeok Cho
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, Korea
| | - Matthew Cloward
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Jakub Jankowski
- National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States of America
| | - Hye Kyung Lee
- National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States of America
| | - Olga Tsoy
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nina Wenke
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anders Gorm Pedersen
- Department of Health Technology, Section for Bioinformatics, Technical University of Denmark, DTU, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Klaus Bønnelykke
- Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood (COPSAC), Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Antonio Mandarino
- International Centre for Theory of Quantum Technologies, University of Gdańsk, 80-309 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Federico Melograna
- BIO3 - Systems Genetics; GIGA-R Medical Genomics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- BIO3 - Systems Medicine; Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laura Schulz
- Leibniz Supercomputing Centre of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities (LRZ), Garching b. München, Germany
| | | | - Mathias Wilhelm
- Computational Mass Spectrometry, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Luigi Iapichino
- Leibniz Supercomputing Centre of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities (LRZ), Garching b. München, Germany
| | - Lars Wienbrandt
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian Albrechts University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - David Ellinghaus
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian Albrechts University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Kristel Van Steen
- BIO3 - Systems Genetics; GIGA-R Medical Genomics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- BIO3 - Systems Medicine; Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Michele Grossi
- European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva 1211, Switzerland
| | - Priscilla A. Furth
- National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States of America
- Departments of Oncology & Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Lothar Hennighausen
- Institute for Advanced Study (Lichtenbergstrasse 2 a, D-85748 Garching, Germany), Technical University of Munich, Germany
- National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States of America
| | - Alessandra Di Pierro
- Dipartimento di Informatica, Universit’a di Verona, Strada le Grazie 15 - 34137, Verona, Italy
| | - Jan Baumbach
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Germany
- Computational BioMedicine Lab, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark
| | - Tim Kacprowski
- Division Data Science in Biomedicine, Peter L. Reichertz Institute for Medical Informatics, Technische Universität Braunschweig and Hannover Medical School, Rebenring 56, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
- Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology (BRICS), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Rebenring 56, 38106 Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Markus List
- Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Germany
| | - David B. Blumenthal
- Department Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering (AIBE), Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
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8
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Arora C, De Oliveira Rosa N, Matic M, Cascone M, Miglionico P, Raimondi F. EXPANSION: a webserver to explore the functional consequences of protein-coding alternative splice variants in cancer genomics. BIOINFORMATICS ADVANCES 2023; 3:vbad135. [PMID: 37810457 PMCID: PMC10560094 DOI: 10.1093/bioadv/vbad135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Summary EXPANSION (https://expansion.bioinfolab.sns.it/) is an integrated web-server to explore the functional consequences of protein-coding alternative splice variants. We combined information from Differentially Expressed (DE) protein-coding transcripts from cancer genomics, together with domain architecture, protein interaction network, and gene enrichment analysis to provide an easy-to-interpret view of the effects of protein-coding splice variants. We retrieved all the protein-coding Ensembl transcripts and mapped Interpro domains and post-translational modifications on canonical sequences to identify functionally relevant splicing events. We also retrieved isoform-specific protein-protein interactions and binding regions from IntAct to uncover isoform-specific functions via gene-set over-representation analysis. Through EXPANSION, users can analyze precalculated or user-inputted DE transcript datasets, to easily gain functional insights on any protein spliceform of interest. Availability and Implementation EXPANSION is freely available at http://expansion.bioinfolab.sns.it/. The code of the scripts used for EXPASION is available at: https://github.com/raimondilab/expansion. Datasets associated to this resource are available at the following URL: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8229120. The web-server was developed using Apache2 (https://https.apache.org/) and Flask (v2.0.2) (http://flask.pocoo.org/) for the web frontend and for the internal pipeline to handle back-end processes. We additionally used the following Python and JavaScript libraries at both back- and front-ends: D3 (v4), jQuery (v3.2.1), DataTables (v2.3.2), biopython (v1.79), gprofiler-officia l(v1.0.0), Mysql-connector-python (v8.0.31). To construct the API, Fast API library (v0.95.1) was used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chakit Arora
- Laboratorio di Biologia Bio@SNS, Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | - Natalia De Oliveira Rosa
- Laboratorio di Biologia Bio@SNS, Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | - Marin Matic
- Laboratorio di Biologia Bio@SNS, Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | - Mariastella Cascone
- Laboratorio di Biologia Bio@SNS, Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | - Pasquale Miglionico
- Laboratorio di Biologia Bio@SNS, Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | - Francesco Raimondi
- Laboratorio di Biologia Bio@SNS, Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, Pisa 56126, Italy
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9
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Goldtzvik Y, Sen N, Lam SD, Orengo C. Protein diversification through post-translational modifications, alternative splicing, and gene duplication. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2023; 81:102640. [PMID: 37354790 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
Proteins provide the basis for cellular function. Having multiple versions of the same protein within a single organism provides a way of regulating its activity or developing novel functions. Post-translational modifications of proteins, by means of adding/removing chemical groups to amino acids, allow for a well-regulated and controlled way of generating functionally distinct protein species. Alternative splicing is another method with which organisms possibly generate new isoforms. Additionally, gene duplication events throughout evolution generate multiple paralogs of the same genes, resulting in multiple versions of the same protein within an organism. In this review, we discuss recent advancements in the study of these three methods of protein diversification and provide illustrative examples of how they affect protein structure and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonathan Goldtzvik
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Neeladri Sen
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom. https://twitter.com/@NeeladriSen
| | - Su Datt Lam
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Malaysia
| | - Christine Orengo
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
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10
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Gjerga E, Naarmann-de Vries IS, Dieterich C. Characterizing alternative splicing effects on protein interaction networks with LINDA. Bioinformatics 2023; 39:i458-i464. [PMID: 37387163 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btad224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Alternative RNA splicing plays a crucial role in defining protein function. However, despite its relevance, there is a lack of tools that characterize effects of splicing on protein interaction networks in a mechanistic manner (i.e. presence or absence of protein-protein interactions due to RNA splicing). To fill this gap, we present Linear Integer programming for Network reconstruction using transcriptomics and Differential splicing data Analysis (LINDA) as a method that integrates resources of protein-protein and domain-domain interactions, transcription factor targets, and differential splicing/transcript analysis to infer splicing-dependent effects on cellular pathways and regulatory networks. RESULTS We have applied LINDA to a panel of 54 shRNA depletion experiments in HepG2 and K562 cells from the ENCORE initiative. Through computational benchmarking, we could show that the integration of splicing effects with LINDA can identify pathway mechanisms contributing to known bioprocesses better than other state of the art methods, which do not account for splicing. Additionally, we have experimentally validated some of the predicted splicing effects that the depletion of HNRNPK in K562 cells has on signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enio Gjerga
- Section of Bioinformatics and Systems Cardiology, Klaus Tschira Institute for Integrative Computational Cardiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine III (Cardiology, Angiology, and Pneumology), University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Heidelberg/Mannheim, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Isabel S Naarmann-de Vries
- Section of Bioinformatics and Systems Cardiology, Klaus Tschira Institute for Integrative Computational Cardiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine III (Cardiology, Angiology, and Pneumology), University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Heidelberg/Mannheim, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Christoph Dieterich
- Section of Bioinformatics and Systems Cardiology, Klaus Tschira Institute for Integrative Computational Cardiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine III (Cardiology, Angiology, and Pneumology), University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Heidelberg/Mannheim, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
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11
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Karakulak T, Szklarczyk D, Saylan CC, Moch H, von Mering C, Kahraman A. CanIsoNet: a database to study the functional impact of isoform switching events in diseases. BIOINFORMATICS ADVANCES 2023; 3:vbad050. [PMID: 37123454 PMCID: PMC10133402 DOI: 10.1093/bioadv/vbad050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Motivation Alternative splicing, as an essential regulatory mechanism in normal mammalian cells, is frequently disturbed in cancer and other diseases. Switches in the expression of most dominant alternative isoforms can alter protein interaction networks of associated genes giving rise to disease and disease progression. Here, we present CanIsoNet, a database to view, browse and search isoform switching events in diseases. CanIsoNet is the first webserver that incorporates isoform expression data with STRING interaction networks and ClinVar annotations to predict the pathogenic impact of isoform switching events in various diseases. Results Data in CanIsoNet can be browsed by disease or searched by genes or isoforms in annotation-rich data tables. Various annotations for 11 811 isoforms and 14 357 unique isoform switching events across 31 different disease types are available. The network density score for each disease-specific isoform, PFAM domain IDs of disrupted interactions, domain structure visualization of transcripts and expression data of switched isoforms for each sample is given. Additionally, the genes annotated in ClinVar are highlighted in interactive interaction networks. Availability and implementation CanIsoNet is freely available at https://www.caniso.net. The source codes can be found under a Creative Common License at https://github.com/kahramanlab/CanIsoNet_Web. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics Advances online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tülay Karakulak
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich, 8057, Switzerland
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 12, Zurich, 8091, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Amphipôle, Quartier UNIL-Sorge, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland
| | - Damian Szklarczyk
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich, 8057, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Amphipôle, Quartier UNIL-Sorge, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland
| | - Cemil Can Saylan
- Computational Science and Engineering Department, Informatics Institute, Istanbul Technical University, Reşitpaşa, İTÜ Ayazağa Kampüsü, Istanbul, 34467, Türkiye
| | - Holger Moch
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 12, Zurich, 8091, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, 8006, Switzerland
| | - Christian von Mering
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich, 8057, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Amphipôle, Quartier UNIL-Sorge, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland
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12
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Hernández-Lorenzo L, Hoffmann M, Scheibling E, List M, Matías-Guiu JA, Ayala JL. On the limits of graph neural networks for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17632. [PMID: 36271229 PMCID: PMC9587223 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21491-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease whose molecular mechanisms are activated several years before cognitive symptoms appear. Genotype-based prediction of the phenotype is thus a key challenge for the early diagnosis of AD. Machine learning techniques that have been proposed to address this challenge do not consider known biological interactions between the genes used as input features, thus neglecting important information about the disease mechanisms at play. To mitigate this, we first extracted AD subnetworks from several protein-protein interaction (PPI) databases and labeled these with genotype information (number of missense variants) to make them patient-specific. Next, we trained Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) on the patient-specific networks for phenotype prediction. We tested different PPI databases and compared the performance of the GNN models to baseline models using classical machine learning techniques, as well as randomized networks and input datasets. The overall results showed that GNNs could not outperform a baseline predictor only using the APOE gene, suggesting that missense variants are not sufficient to explain disease risk beyond the APOE status. Nevertheless, our results show that GNNs outperformed other machine learning techniques and that protein-protein interactions lead to superior results compared to randomized networks. These findings highlight that gene interactions are a valuable source of information in predicting disease status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Hernández-Lorenzo
- Department of Computer Architecture and Automation, Computer Science Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, San Carlos Research Health Institute (IdISSC), Universidad Complutense, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
- Big Data in BioMedicine Group, Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - Markus Hoffmann
- Big Data in BioMedicine Group, Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstrasse 2 a, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Evelyn Scheibling
- Big Data in BioMedicine Group, Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Markus List
- Big Data in BioMedicine Group, Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jordi A Matías-Guiu
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, San Carlos Research Health Institute (IdISSC), Universidad Complutense, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose L Ayala
- Department of Computer Architecture and Automation, Computer Science Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
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13
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Exploring the Potential of Symmetric Exon Deletion to Treat Non-Ischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy by Removing Frameshift Mutations in TTN. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13061093. [PMID: 35741855 PMCID: PMC9222585 DOI: 10.3390/genes13061093] [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: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is one of the most frequent pathologies requiring cardiac transplants. Even though the etiology of this disease is complex, frameshift mutations in the giant sarcomeric protein Titin could explain up to 25% of the familial and 18% of the sporadic cases of DCM. Many studies have shown the potential of genome editing using CRISPR/Cas9 to correct truncating mutations in sarcomeric proteins and have established the grounds for myoediting. However, these therapies are still in an immature state, with only few studies showing an efficient treatment of cardiac diseases. This publication hypothesizes that the Titin (TTN)-specific gene structure allows the application of myoediting approaches in a broad range of locations to reframe TTNtvvariants and to treat DCM patients. Additionally, to pave the way for the generation of efficient myoediting approaches for DCM, we screened and selected promising target locations in TTN. We conceptually explored the deletion of symmetric exons as a therapeutic approach to restore TTN’s reading frame in cases of frameshift mutations. We identified a set of 94 potential candidate exons of TTN that we consider particularly suitable for this therapeutic deletion. With this study, we aim to contribute to the development of new therapies to efficiently treat titinopathies and other diseases caused by mutations in genes encoding proteins with modular structures, e.g., Obscurin.
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14
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Comprehensive Analysis of the Expression and Prognostic Value of LMAN2 in HER2+ Breast Cancer. J Immunol Res 2022; 2022:7623654. [PMID: 35707004 PMCID: PMC9192310 DOI: 10.1155/2022/7623654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Lectin, Mannose Binding 2 (LMAN2) encodes a type I transmembrane lectin that shuttles between the plasma membrane, the Golgi apparatus, and the endoplasmic reticulum. However, its expression, prognosis, and function in invasive breast carcinoma remain unknown. Nine databases were consulted to evaluate LMAN2 expression and prognosis in breast cancer. The possible function of LMAN2 in breast cancer was investigated in the Human Cell Landscape (HCL) database, Gene Regulatory Network database (GRNdb), and CancerSEA database. Moreover, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modifications were analyzed using the RMBase v2.0 and M6A2Target databases. Seven databases were then used to analyze the potential action mechanisms of LMAN2. Our findings suggest that LMAN2, which is expressed at a high level in breast cancer, is linked to an unfavorable prognosis. Therefore, LMAN2 has the potential to be utilized as a treatment target in breast cancer. Furthermore, the single-cell analysis illustrated that LMAN2 expression had a positive link to breast cancer stemness, proliferation, metastasis, and differentiation. Moreover, m6A modifications were found in the LMAN2 gene. Consequently, modifications to m6A methylation may influence LMAN2 expression, which is associated with the homologous recombination (HR) in its DNA damage repair pathway .
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15
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Liu Y, Xu L, Hao C, Wu J, Jia X, Ding X, Lin C, Zhu H, Zhang Y. Identification and Validation of Novel Immune-Related Alternative Splicing Signatures as a Prognostic Model for Colon Cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:866289. [PMID: 35692800 PMCID: PMC9178000 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.866289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundIndividual immune-related alternative splicing (AS) events have been found to be significant in immune regulation and cancer prognosis. However, a comprehensive analysis of AS events in cancer cells based on immune-related genes (IRGs) has not been performed, and its clinical value is unknown.MethodsColon cancer cases with AS data were obtained from TCGA, and then, we identified overall survival-related AS events (OS-ASEs) based on IRGs by univariate analyses. Using Lasso regression, multivariate Cox regression, Kaplan–Meier analysis and nomograms, we constructed an AS risk model based on the calculated risk score. Furthermore, associations of the risk score with clinical and immune features were confirmed through the Wilcoxon rank sum test, association analysis, etc. Finally, by qRT–PCR, cell coculture and CCK-8 analyses, we validated the significance of OS-ASEs in colon cancer cell lines and clinical samples.ResultsA total of 3,119 immune-related AS events and 183 OS-ASEs were identified, and 9 OS-ASEs were ultimately used to construct a comprehensive risk model for colon cancer patients. Low-risk patients had better OS and DFS rates than high risk patients. Furthermore, a high risk score corresponded to high numbers of multiple tumour-infiltrating immune cells and high expression of HLA-D region genes and immune checkpoint genes. Notably, we identified for the first time that anti-PD-L1 or anti-CTLA-4 antibodies may decrease the OS of specific colon cancer patients in the low-risk group. Additionally, the in vitro experiment validated that CD46-9652-ES and PSMC5-43011-ES are positively correlated with the infiltration of immune cells and promote the growth of colon cancer cells. CD46-9652-ES can contribute to T cell-mediated tumour cell killing. PSMC5-43011-ES was observed to induce M2 polarization of macrophages.ConclusionsThis study identified and validated immune-related prognostic AS signatures that can be used as a novel AS prognostic model and provide a novel understanding of the relationship between the immune microenvironment and clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunze Liu
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- Institute of Digestive Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Chuanchuan Hao
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Jin Wu
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Xianhong Jia
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Xia Ding
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Changwei Lin
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Third Xiang Ya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Hongmei Zhu
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Yi Zhang, ; Hongmei Zhu,
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- Institute of Digestive Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Yi Zhang, ; Hongmei Zhu,
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16
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Wang S, Wu R, Lu J, Jiang Y, Huang T, Cai YD. Protein-protein interaction networks as miners of biological discovery. Proteomics 2022; 22:e2100190. [PMID: 35567424 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202100190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) form the basis of a myriad of biological pathways and mechanism, such as the formation of protein-complexes or the components of signaling cascades. Here, we reviewed experimental methods for identifying PPI pairs, including yeast two-hybrid, mass spectrometry, co-localization, and co-immunoprecipitation. Furthermore, a range of computational methods leveraging biochemical properties, evolution history, protein structures and more have enabled identification of additional PPIs. Given the wealth of known PPIs, we reviewed important network methods to construct and analyze networks of PPIs. These methods aid biological discovery through identifying hub genes and dynamic changes in the network, and have been thoroughly applied in various fields of biological research. Lastly, we discussed the challenges and future direction of research utilizing the power of PPI networks. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Wang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Runxin Wu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jiaqi Lu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Yijia Jiang
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tao Huang
- Bio-Med Big Data Center, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu-Dong Cai
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
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Lin S, Xu H, Pang M, Zhou X, Pan Y, Zhang L, Guan X, Wang X, Lin B, Tian R, Chen K, Zhang X, Yang Z, Ji F, Huang Y, Wei W, Gong W, Ren J, Wang JM, Guo M, Huang J. CpG Site-Specific Methylation-Modulated Divergent Expression of PRSS3 Transcript Variants Facilitates Nongenetic Intratumor Heterogeneity in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:831268. [PMID: 35480112 PMCID: PMC9035874 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.831268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal human tumors with extensive intratumor heterogeneity (ITH). Serine protease 3 (PRSS3) is an indispensable member of the trypsin family and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several malignancies, including HCC. However, the paradoxical effects of PRSS3 on carcinogenesis due to an unclear molecular basis impede the utilization of its biomarker potential. We hereby explored the contribution of PRSS3 transcripts to tumor functional heterogeneity by systematically dissecting the expression of four known splice variants of PRSS3 (PRSS3-SVs, V1~V4) and their functional relevance to HCC.MethodsThe expression and DNA methylation of PRSS3 transcripts and their associated clinical relevance in HCC were analyzed using several publicly available datasets and validated using qPCR-based assays. Functional experiments were performed in gain- and loss-of-function cell models, in which PRSS3 transcript constructs were separately transfected after deleting PRSS3 expression by CRISPR/Cas9 editing.ResultsPRSS3 was aberrantly differentially expressed toward bipolarity from very low (PRSS3Low) to very high (PRSS3High) expression across HCC cell lines and tissues. This was attributable to the disruption of PRSS3-SVs, in which PRSS3-V2 and/or PRSS3-V1 were dominant transcripts leading to PRSS3 expression, whereas PRSS3-V3 and -V4 were rarely or minimally expressed. The expression of PRSS3-V2 or -V1 was inversely associated with site-specific CpG methylation at the PRSS3 promoter region that distinguished HCC cells and tissues phenotypically between hypermethylated low-expression (mPRSS3-SVLow) and hypomethylated high-expression (umPRSS3-SVHigh) groups. PRSS3-SVs displayed distinct functions from oncogenic PRSS3-V2 to tumor-suppressive PRSS3-V1, -V3 or PRSS3-V4 in HCC cells. Clinically, aberrant expression of PRSS3-SVs was translated into divergent relevance in patients with HCC, in which significant epigenetic downregulation of PRSS3-V2 was seen in early HCC and was associated with favorable patient outcome.ConclusionsThese results provide the first evidence for the transcriptional and functional characterization of PRSS3 transcripts in HCC. Aberrant expression of divergent PRSS3-SVs disrupted by site-specific CpG methylation may integrate the effects of oncogenic PRSS3-V2 and tumor-suppressive PRSS3-V1, resulting in the molecular diversity and functional plasticity of PRSS3 in HCC. Dysregulated expression of PRSS3-V2 by site-specific CpG methylation may have potential diagnostic value for patients with early HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuye Lin
- Cancer Research Center, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Hanli Xu
- College of Life Sciences & Bioengineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China
| | - Mengdi Pang
- College of Life Sciences & Bioengineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaomeng Zhou
- College of Life Sciences & Bioengineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Chinese People’s Liberation Army of China (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yuanming Pan
- Cancer Research Center, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Lishu Zhang
- College of Life Sciences & Bioengineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Guan
- College of Life Sciences & Bioengineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyue Wang
- College of Life Sciences & Bioengineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China
| | - Bonan Lin
- College of Life Sciences & Bioengineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China
| | - Rongmeng Tian
- College of Life Sciences & Bioengineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China
| | - Keqiang Chen
- Laboratory of Cancer Immunometabolism, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Xiaochen Zhang
- College of Life Sciences & Bioengineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China
| | - Zijiang Yang
- College of Life Sciences & Bioengineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China
| | - Fengmin Ji
- College of Life Sciences & Bioengineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China
| | - Yingying Huang
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Wu Wei
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Wanghua Gong
- Basic Research Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Jianke Ren
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Ji Ming Wang
- Laboratory of Cancer Immunometabolism, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Mingzhou Guo
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Chinese People’s Liberation Army of China (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Jiaqiang Huang, ; Mingzhou Guo,
| | - Jiaqiang Huang
- Cancer Research Center, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Institute, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences & Bioengineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China
- Laboratory of Cancer Immunometabolism, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, United States
- *Correspondence: Jiaqiang Huang, ; Mingzhou Guo,
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18
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Reixachs-Solé M, Eyras E. Uncovering the impacts of alternative splicing on the proteome with current omics techniques. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2022; 13:e1707. [PMID: 34979593 PMCID: PMC9542554 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Revised: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The high‐throughput sequencing of cellular RNAs has underscored a broad effect of isoform diversification through alternative splicing on the transcriptome. Moreover, the differential production of transcript isoforms from gene loci has been recognized as a critical mechanism in cell differentiation, organismal development, and disease. Yet, the extent of the impact of alternative splicing on protein production and cellular function remains a matter of debate. Multiple experimental and computational approaches have been developed in recent years to address this question. These studies have unveiled how molecular changes at different steps in the RNA processing pathway can lead to differences in protein production and have functional effects. New and emerging experimental technologies open exciting new opportunities to develop new methods to fully establish the connection between messenger RNA expression and protein production and to further investigate how RNA variation impacts the proteome and cell function. This article is categorized under:RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing Translation > Regulation RNA Evolution and Genomics > Computational Analyses of RNA
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Reixachs-Solé
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.,EMBL Australia Partner Laboratory Network and the Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Eduardo Eyras
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.,EMBL Australia Partner Laboratory Network and the Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.,Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, Barcelona, Spain.,Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
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19
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Louadi Z, Elkjaer ML, Klug M, Lio CT, Fenn A, Illes Z, Bongiovanni D, Baumbach J, Kacprowski T, List M, Tsoy O. Functional enrichment of alternative splicing events with NEASE reveals insights into tissue identity and diseases. Genome Biol 2021; 22:327. [PMID: 34857024 PMCID: PMC8638120 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-021-02538-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS) is an important aspect of gene regulation. Nevertheless, its role in molecular processes and pathobiology is far from understood. A roadblock is that tools for the functional analysis of AS-set events are lacking. To mitigate this, we developed NEASE, a tool integrating pathways with structural annotations of protein-protein interactions to functionally characterize AS events. We show in four application cases how NEASE can identify pathways contributing to tissue identity and cell type development, and how it highlights splicing-related biomarkers. With a unique view on AS, NEASE generates unique and meaningful biological insights complementary to classical pathways analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zakaria Louadi
- Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 85354, Freising, Germany
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Notkestrasse 9, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Maria L Elkjaer
- Department of Neurology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Melissa Klug
- Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 85354, Freising, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine I, School of Medicine, University hospital rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
| | - Chit Tong Lio
- Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 85354, Freising, Germany
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Notkestrasse 9, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Amit Fenn
- Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 85354, Freising, Germany
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Notkestrasse 9, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Zsolt Illes
- Department of Neurology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Dario Bongiovanni
- Department of Internal Medicine I, School of Medicine, University hospital rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center IRCCS and Humanitas University, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Jan Baumbach
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Notkestrasse 9, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5000, Odense, Denmark
| | - Tim Kacprowski
- Division Data Science in Biomedicine, Peter L. Reichertz Institute for Medical Informatics of Technische Universität Braunschweig and Hannover Medical School, Braunschweig, Germany
- Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology (BRICS), TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Markus List
- Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 85354, Freising, Germany.
| | - Olga Tsoy
- Institute for Computational Systems Biology, University of Hamburg, Notkestrasse 9, 22607, Hamburg, Germany.
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20
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Karakulak T, Moch H, von Mering C, Kahraman A. Probing Isoform Switching Events in Various Cancer Types: Lessons From Pan-Cancer Studies. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:726902. [PMID: 34888349 PMCID: PMC8650491 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.726902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing is an essential regulatory mechanism for gene expression in mammalian cells contributing to protein, cellular, and species diversity. In cancer, alternative splicing is frequently disturbed, leading to changes in the expression of alternatively spliced protein isoforms. Advances in sequencing technologies and analysis methods led to new insights into the extent and functional impact of disturbed alternative splicing events. In this review, we give a brief overview of the molecular mechanisms driving alternative splicing, highlight the function of alternative splicing in healthy tissues and describe how alternative splicing is disrupted in cancer. We summarize current available computational tools for analyzing differential transcript usage, isoform switching events, and the pathogenic impact of cancer-specific splicing events. Finally, the strategies of three recent pan-cancer studies on isoform switching events are compared. Their methodological similarities and discrepancies are highlighted and lessons learned from the comparison are listed. We hope that our assessment will lead to new and more robust methods for cancer-specific transcript detection and help to produce more accurate functional impact predictions of isoform switching events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tülay Karakulak
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Swiss Informatics Institute, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Holger Moch
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christian von Mering
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Swiss Informatics Institute, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Abdullah Kahraman
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Swiss Informatics Institute, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
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21
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Hollander M, Do T, Will T, Helms V. Detecting Rewiring Events in Protein-Protein Interaction Networks Based on Transcriptomic Data. FRONTIERS IN BIOINFORMATICS 2021; 1:724297. [PMID: 36303788 PMCID: PMC9581068 DOI: 10.3389/fbinf.2021.724297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteins rarely carry out their cellular functions in isolation. Instead, eukaryotic proteins engage in about six interactions with other proteins on average. The aggregated protein interactome of an organism forms a “hairy ball”-type protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Yet, in a typical human cell, only about half of all proteins are expressed at a particular time. Hence, it has become common practice to prune the full PPI network to the subset of expressed proteins. If RNAseq data is available, one can further resolve the specific protein isoforms present in a cell or tissue. Here, we review various approaches, software tools and webservices that enable users to construct context-specific or tissue-specific PPI networks and how these are rewired between two cellular conditions. We illustrate their different functionalities on the example of the interactions involving the human TNR6 protein. In an outlook, we describe how PPI networks may be integrated with epigenetic data or with data on the activity of splicing factors.
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22
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Zea DJ, Laskina S, Baudin A, Richard H, Laine E. Assessing conservation of alternative splicing with evolutionary splicing graphs. Genome Res 2021; 31:1462-1473. [PMID: 34266979 PMCID: PMC8327911 DOI: 10.1101/gr.274696.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how protein function has evolved and diversified is of great importance for human genetics and medicine. Here, we tackle the problem of describing the whole transcript variability observed in several species by generalizing the definition of splicing graph. We provide a practical solution to construct parsimonious evolutionary splicing graphs where each node is a minimal transcript building block defined across species. We show a clear link between the functional relevance, tissue regulation, and conservation of alternative transcripts on a set of 50 genes. By scaling up to the whole human protein-coding genome, we identify a few thousand genes where alternative splicing modulates the number and composition of pseudorepeats. We have implemented our approach in ThorAxe, an efficient, versatile, robust, and freely available computational tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Javier Zea
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IBPS, Laboratoire de Biologie Computationnelle et Quantitative (LCQB), 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sofya Laskina
- Bioinformatics Unit (MF1), Department for Methods Development and Research Infrastructure, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexis Baudin
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, LIP6, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Hugues Richard
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IBPS, Laboratoire de Biologie Computationnelle et Quantitative (LCQB), 75005 Paris, France
- Bioinformatics Unit (MF1), Department for Methods Development and Research Infrastructure, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Elodie Laine
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IBPS, Laboratoire de Biologie Computationnelle et Quantitative (LCQB), 75005 Paris, France
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