1
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Pamula MC, Lehmann R. How germ granules promote germ cell fate. Nat Rev Genet 2024:10.1038/s41576-024-00744-8. [PMID: 38890558 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-024-00744-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Germ cells are the only cells in the body capable of giving rise to a new organism, and this totipotency hinges on their ability to assemble membraneless germ granules. These specialized RNA and protein complexes are hallmarks of germ cells throughout their life cycle: as embryonic germ granules in late oocytes and zygotes, Balbiani bodies in immature oocytes, and nuage in maturing gametes. Decades of developmental, genetic and biochemical studies have identified protein and RNA constituents unique to germ granules and have implicated these in germ cell identity, genome integrity and gamete differentiation. Now, emerging research is defining germ granules as biomolecular condensates that achieve high molecular concentrations by phase separation, and it is assigning distinct roles to germ granules during different stages of germline development. This organization of the germ cell cytoplasm into cellular subcompartments seems to be critical not only for the flawless continuity through the germline life cycle within the developing organism but also for the success of the next generation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ruth Lehmann
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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2
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Salgania HK, Metz J, Jeske M. ReLo is a simple and rapid colocalization assay to identify and characterize direct protein-protein interactions. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2875. [PMID: 38570497 PMCID: PMC10991417 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47233-4] [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: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The characterization of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) is fundamental to the understanding of biochemical processes. Many methods have been established to identify and study direct PPIs; however, screening and investigating PPIs involving large or poorly soluble proteins remains challenging. Here, we introduce ReLo, a simple, rapid, and versatile cell culture-based method for detecting and investigating interactions in a cellular context. Our experiments demonstrate that ReLo specifically detects direct binary PPIs. Furthermore, we show that ReLo bridging experiments can also be used to determine the binding topology of subunits within multiprotein complexes. In addition, ReLo facilitates the identification of protein domains that mediate complex formation, allows screening for interfering point mutations, and it is sensitive to drugs that mediate or disrupt an interaction. In summary, ReLo is a simple and rapid alternative for the study of PPIs, especially when studying structurally complex proteins or when established methods fail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harpreet Kaur Salgania
- Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center (BZH), Im Neuenheimer Feld 328, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jutta Metz
- Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center (BZH), Im Neuenheimer Feld 328, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mandy Jeske
- Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center (BZH), Im Neuenheimer Feld 328, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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3
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Wahiduzzaman, Tindell SJ, Alexander E, Hackney E, Kharel K, Schmidtke R, Arkov AL. Drosophila germ granules are assembled from protein components through different modes of competing interactions with the multi-domain Tudor protein. FEBS Lett 2024; 598:774-786. [PMID: 38499396 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14846] [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: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Membraneless organelles are RNA-protein assemblies which have been implicated in post-transcriptional control. Germ cells form membraneless organelles referred to as germ granules, which contain conserved proteins including Tudor domain-containing scaffold polypeptides and their partner proteins that interact with Tudor domains. Here, we show that in Drosophila, different germ granule proteins associate with the multi-domain Tudor protein using different numbers of Tudor domains. Furthermore, these proteins compete for interaction with Tudor in vitro and, surprisingly, partition to distinct and poorly overlapping clusters in germ granules in vivo. This partition results in minimization of the competition. Our data suggest that Tudor forms structurally different configurations with different partner proteins which dictate different biophysical properties and phase separation parameters within the same granule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wahiduzzaman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, KY, USA
| | - Samuel J Tindell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, KY, USA
| | - Emma Alexander
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, KY, USA
| | - Ethan Hackney
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, KY, USA
| | - Kabita Kharel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, KY, USA
| | - Ryan Schmidtke
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, KY, USA
| | - Alexey L Arkov
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, KY, USA
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4
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Barre-Villeneuve C, Laudié M, Carpentier MC, Kuhn L, Lagrange T, Azevedo-Favory J. The unique dual targeting of AGO1 by two types of PRMT enzymes promotes phasiRNA loading in Arabidopsis thaliana. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:2480-2497. [PMID: 38321923 PMCID: PMC10954461 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Arginine/R methylation (R-met) of proteins is a widespread post-translational modification (PTM), deposited by a family of protein arginine/R methyl transferase enzymes (PRMT). Regulations by R-met are involved in key biological processes deeply studied in metazoan. Among those, post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS) can be regulated by R-met in animals and in plants. It mainly contributes to safeguard processes as protection of genome integrity in germlines through the regulation of piRNA pathway in metazoan, or response to bacterial infection through the control of AGO2 in plants. So far, only PRMT5 has been identified as the AGO/PIWI R-met writer in higher eukaryotes. We uncovered that AGO1, the main PTGS effector regulating plant development, contains unique R-met features among the AGO/PIWI superfamily, and outstanding in eukaryotes. Indeed, AGO1 contains both symmetric (sDMA) and asymmetric (aDMA) R-dimethylations and is dually targeted by PRMT5 and by another type I PRMT in Arabidopsis thaliana. We showed also that loss of sDMA didn't compromise AtAGO1 subcellular trafficking in planta. Interestingly, we underscored that AtPRMT5 specifically promotes the loading of phasiRNA in AtAGO1. All our observations bring to consider this dual regulation of AtAGO1 in plant development and response to environment, and pinpoint the complexity of AGO1 post-translational regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clément Barre-Villeneuve
- CNRS, Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes, UMR 5096, 66860 Perpignan, France
- Université Perpignan Via Domitia, Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes, UMR 5096, F-66860 Perpignan, France
| | - Michèle Laudié
- CNRS, Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes, UMR 5096, 66860 Perpignan, France
- Université Perpignan Via Domitia, Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes, UMR 5096, F-66860 Perpignan, France
| | - Marie-Christine Carpentier
- CNRS, Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes, UMR 5096, 66860 Perpignan, France
- Université Perpignan Via Domitia, Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes, UMR 5096, F-66860 Perpignan, France
| | - Lauriane Kuhn
- Plateforme protéomique Strasbourg – Esplanade, CNRS FR1589, Université de Strasbourg, IBMC, 2 allée Konrad Roentgen, F-67084 Strasbourg, France
- Fédération de Recherche CNRS FR1589, France
| | - Thierry Lagrange
- CNRS, Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes, UMR 5096, 66860 Perpignan, France
- Université Perpignan Via Domitia, Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes, UMR 5096, F-66860 Perpignan, France
| | - Jacinthe Azevedo-Favory
- CNRS, Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes, UMR 5096, 66860 Perpignan, France
- Université Perpignan Via Domitia, Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes, UMR 5096, F-66860 Perpignan, France
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5
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Bronkhorst AW, Lee CY, Möckel MM, Ruegenberg S, de Jesus Domingues AM, Sadouki S, Piccinno R, Sumiyoshi T, Siomi MC, Stelzl L, Luck K, Ketting RF. An extended Tudor domain within Vreteno interconnects Gtsf1L and Ago3 for piRNA biogenesis in Bombyx mori. EMBO J 2023; 42:e114072. [PMID: 37984437 PMCID: PMC10711660 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2023114072] [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: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) direct PIWI proteins to transposons to silence them, thereby preserving genome integrity and fertility. The piRNA population can be expanded in the ping-pong amplification loop. Within this process, piRNA-associated PIWI proteins (piRISC) enter a membraneless organelle called nuage to cleave their target RNA, which is stimulated by Gtsf proteins. The resulting cleavage product gets loaded into an empty PIWI protein to form a new piRISC complex. However, for piRNA amplification to occur, the new RNA substrates, Gtsf-piRISC, and empty PIWI proteins have to be in physical proximity. In this study, we show that in silkworm cells, the Gtsf1 homolog BmGtsf1L binds to piRNA-loaded BmAgo3 and localizes to granules positive for BmAgo3 and BmVreteno. Biochemical assays further revealed that conserved residues within the unstructured tail of BmGtsf1L directly interact with BmVreteno. Using a combination of AlphaFold modeling, atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, and in vitro assays, we identified a novel binding interface on the BmVreteno-eTudor domain, which is required for BmGtsf1L binding. Our study reveals that a single eTudor domain within BmVreteno provides two binding interfaces and thereby interconnects piRNA-loaded BmAgo3 and BmGtsf1L.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chop Y Lee
- International PhD Programme on Gene Regulation, Epigenetics & Genome StabilityMainzGermany
- Integrative Systems Biology GroupInstitute of Molecular BiologyMainzGermany
| | - Martin M Möckel
- Protein Production Core FacilityInstitute of Molecular BiologyMainzGermany
| | - Sabine Ruegenberg
- Protein Production Core FacilityInstitute of Molecular BiologyMainzGermany
| | - Antonio M de Jesus Domingues
- Biology of Non‐coding RNA GroupInstitute of Molecular BiologyMainzGermany
- Present address:
Dewpoint Therapeutics GmbHDresdenGermany
| | - Shéraz Sadouki
- Biology of Non‐coding RNA GroupInstitute of Molecular BiologyMainzGermany
| | - Rossana Piccinno
- Microscopy Core FacilityInstitute of Molecular BiologyMainzGermany
| | - Tetsutaro Sumiyoshi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of ScienceThe University of TokyoTokyoJapan
- Present address:
Department of Medical Innovations, Osaka Research Center for Drug DiscoveryOtsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.OsakaJapan
| | - Mikiko C Siomi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of ScienceThe University of TokyoTokyoJapan
| | - Lukas Stelzl
- Faculty of BiologyJohannes Gutenberg University MainzMainzGermany
- KOMET 1, Institute of PhysicsJohannes Gutenberg University MainzMainzGermany
| | - Katja Luck
- Integrative Systems Biology GroupInstitute of Molecular BiologyMainzGermany
| | - René F Ketting
- Biology of Non‐coding RNA GroupInstitute of Molecular BiologyMainzGermany
- Institute of Developmental Biology and NeurobiologyJohannes Gutenberg UniversityMainzGermany
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6
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Schmidt N, Ganskih S, Wei Y, Gabel A, Zielinski S, Keshishian H, Lareau CA, Zimmermann L, Makroczyova J, Pearce C, Krey K, Hennig T, Stegmaier S, Moyon L, Horlacher M, Werner S, Aydin J, Olguin-Nava M, Potabattula R, Kibe A, Dölken L, Smyth RP, Caliskan N, Marsico A, Krempl C, Bodem J, Pichlmair A, Carr SA, Chlanda P, Erhard F, Munschauer M. SND1 binds SARS-CoV-2 negative-sense RNA and promotes viral RNA synthesis through NSP9. Cell 2023; 186:4834-4850.e23. [PMID: 37794589 PMCID: PMC10617981 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.09.002] [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: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Regulation of viral RNA biogenesis is fundamental to productive SARS-CoV-2 infection. To characterize host RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) involved in this process, we biochemically identified proteins bound to genomic and subgenomic SARS-CoV-2 RNAs. We find that the host protein SND1 binds the 5' end of negative-sense viral RNA and is required for SARS-CoV-2 RNA synthesis. SND1-depleted cells form smaller replication organelles and display diminished virus growth kinetics. We discover that NSP9, a viral RBP and direct SND1 interaction partner, is covalently linked to the 5' ends of positive- and negative-sense RNAs produced during infection. These linkages occur at replication-transcription initiation sites, consistent with NSP9 priming viral RNA synthesis. Mechanistically, SND1 remodels NSP9 occupancy and alters the covalent linkage of NSP9 to initiating nucleotides in viral RNA. Our findings implicate NSP9 in the initiation of SARS-CoV-2 RNA synthesis and unravel an unsuspected role of a cellular protein in orchestrating viral RNA production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Schmidt
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sabina Ganskih
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg, Germany
| | - Yuanjie Wei
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Gabel
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Zielinski
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Caleb A Lareau
- Program in Computational and System Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Liv Zimmermann
- Schaller Research Group, Department of Infectious Diseases, Virology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jana Makroczyova
- Schaller Research Group, Department of Infectious Diseases, Virology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Karsten Krey
- School of Medicine, Institute of Virology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Hennig
- Institute for Virology and Immunobiology, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Stegmaier
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg, Germany
| | - Lambert Moyon
- Computational Health Center, Helmholtz Center Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Marc Horlacher
- Computational Health Center, Helmholtz Center Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Simone Werner
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jens Aydin
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg, Germany
| | - Marco Olguin-Nava
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ramya Potabattula
- Institute of Human Genetics, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Anuja Kibe
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg, Germany
| | - Lars Dölken
- Institute for Virology and Immunobiology, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Redmond P Smyth
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg, Germany
| | - Neva Caliskan
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg, Germany
| | - Annalisa Marsico
- Computational Health Center, Helmholtz Center Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Christine Krempl
- Institute for Virology and Immunobiology, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jochen Bodem
- Institute for Virology and Immunobiology, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Pichlmair
- School of Medicine, Institute of Virology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Munich Partner Site, Munich, Germany
| | - Steven A Carr
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Petr Chlanda
- Schaller Research Group, Department of Infectious Diseases, Virology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Florian Erhard
- Institute for Virology and Immunobiology, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; Faculty for Computer and Data Science, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Mathias Munschauer
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg, Germany; Faculty of Medicine, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
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7
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Hakes AC, Gavis ER. Plasticity of Drosophila germ granules during germ cell development. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002069. [PMID: 37053289 PMCID: PMC10128949 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Compartmentalization of RNAs and proteins into membraneless structures called granules is a ubiquitous mechanism for organizing and regulating cohorts of RNAs. Germ granules are ribonucleoprotein (RNP) assemblies required for germline development across the animal kingdom, but their regulatory roles in germ cells are not fully understood. We show that after germ cell specification, Drosophila germ granules enlarge through fusion and this growth is accompanied by a shift in function. Whereas germ granules initially protect their constituent mRNAs from degradation, they subsequently target a subset of these mRNAs for degradation while maintaining protection of others. This functional shift occurs through the recruitment of decapping and degradation factors to the germ granules, which is promoted by decapping activators and renders these structures P body-like. Disrupting either the mRNA protection or degradation function results in germ cell migration defects. Our findings reveal plasticity in germ granule function that allows them to be repurposed at different stages of development to ensure population of the gonad by germ cells. Additionally, these results reveal an unexpected level of functional complexity whereby constituent RNAs within the same granule type can be differentially regulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C Hakes
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth R Gavis
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
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8
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Chiappetta A, Liao J, Tian S, Trcek T. Structural and functional organization of germ plasm condensates. Biochem J 2022; 479:2477-2495. [PMID: 36534469 PMCID: PMC10722471 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20210815] [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: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Reproductive success of metazoans relies on germ cells. These cells develop early during embryogenesis, divide and undergo meiosis in the adult to make sperm and oocytes. Unlike somatic cells, germ cells are immortal and transfer their genetic material to new generations. They are also totipotent, as they differentiate into different somatic cell types. The maintenance of immortality and totipotency of germ cells depends on extensive post-transcriptional and post-translational regulation coupled with epigenetic remodeling, processes that begin with the onset of embryogenesis [1, 2]. At the heart of this regulation lie germ granules, membraneless ribonucleoprotein condensates that are specific to the germline cytoplasm called the germ plasm. They are a hallmark of all germ cells and contain several proteins and RNAs that are conserved across species. Interestingly, germ granules are often structured and tend to change through development. In this review, we describe how the structure of germ granules becomes established and discuss possible functional outcomes these structures have during development.
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9
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A novel transposable element-mediated mechanism causes antiviral resistance in Drosophila through truncating the Veneno protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2122026119. [PMID: 35858337 PMCID: PMC9304006 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2122026119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Hosts are continually selected to evolve new defenses against an ever-changing array of pathogens. To understand this process, we examined the genetic basis of resistance to the Drosophila A virus in Drosophila melanogaster. In a natural population, we identified a polymorphic transposable element (TE) insertion that was associated with an ∼19,000-fold reduction in viral titers, allowing flies to largely escape the harmful effects of infection by this virulent pathogen. The insertion occurs in the protein-coding sequence of the gene Veneno, which encodes a Tudor domain protein. By mutating Veneno with CRISPR-Cas9 in flies and expressing it in cultured cells, we show that the ancestral allele of the gene has no effect on viral replication. Instead, the TE insertion is a gain-of-function mutation that creates a gene encoding a novel resistance factor. Viral titers remained reduced when we deleted the TE sequence from the transcript, indicating that resistance results from the TE truncating the Veneno protein. This is a novel mechanism of virus resistance and a new way by which TEs can contribute to adaptation.
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10
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Oksa L, Mäkinen A, Nikkilä A, Hyvärinen N, Laukkanen S, Rokka A, Haapaniemi P, Seki M, Takita J, Kauko O, Heinäniemi M, Lohi O. Arginine Methyltransferase PRMT7 Deregulates Expression of RUNX1 Target Genes in T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:2169. [PMID: 35565298 PMCID: PMC9101393 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14092169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive hematological malignancy with no well-established prognostic biomarkers. We examined the expression of protein arginine methyltransferases across hematological malignancies and discovered high levels of PRMT7 mRNA in T-ALL, particularly in the mature subtypes of T-ALL. The genetic deletion of PRMT7 by CRISPR-Cas9 reduced the colony formation of T-ALL cells and changed arginine monomethylation patterns in protein complexes associated with the RNA and DNA processing and the T-ALL pathogenesis. Among them was RUNX1, whose target gene expression was consequently deregulated. These results suggest that PRMT7 plays an active role in the pathogenesis of T-ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Oksa
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent, and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland; (A.M.); (A.N.); (N.H.); (S.L.); (O.L.)
| | - Artturi Mäkinen
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent, and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland; (A.M.); (A.N.); (N.H.); (S.L.); (O.L.)
- Fimlab Laboratories, Department of Pathology, Tampere University Hospital, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Atte Nikkilä
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent, and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland; (A.M.); (A.N.); (N.H.); (S.L.); (O.L.)
| | - Noora Hyvärinen
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent, and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland; (A.M.); (A.N.); (N.H.); (S.L.); (O.L.)
| | - Saara Laukkanen
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent, and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland; (A.M.); (A.N.); (N.H.); (S.L.); (O.L.)
| | - Anne Rokka
- Turku Bioscience Center, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, FI-20014 Turku, Finland; (A.R.); (P.H.); (O.K.)
| | - Pekka Haapaniemi
- Turku Bioscience Center, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, FI-20014 Turku, Finland; (A.R.); (P.H.); (O.K.)
| | - Masafumi Seki
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17165 Solna, Sweden;
| | - Junko Takita
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto JP-606-8501, Japan;
| | - Otto Kauko
- Turku Bioscience Center, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, FI-20014 Turku, Finland; (A.R.); (P.H.); (O.K.)
| | - Merja Heinäniemi
- The Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland;
| | - Olli Lohi
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent, and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland; (A.M.); (A.N.); (N.H.); (S.L.); (O.L.)
- Tays Cancer Center, Tampere University Hospital, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
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11
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Lim LX, Isshiki W, Iki T, Kawaguchi S, Kai T. The Tudor Domain-Containing Protein, Kotsubu (CG9925), Localizes to the Nuage and Functions in piRNA Biogenesis in D. melanogaster. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:818302. [PMID: 35425810 PMCID: PMC9002060 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.818302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Silencing of transposable elements (TEs) by Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) is crucial for maintaining germline genome integrity and fertility in animals. To repress TEs, PIWI clade Argonaute proteins cooperate with several Tudor domain-containing (Tdrd) proteins at membraneless perinuclear organelles, called nuage, to produce piRNAs to repress transposons. Here, we identify and characterize Kotsubu (Kots), one of the Drosophila Tudor domain-containing protein-1 (Tdrd1) orthologs, encoded by the CG9925 gene, that localizes to the nuage in gonads. We further show the dynamic localization of Kots in the male germline, where it shows perinuclear signals in spermatogonia but forms large cytoplasmic condensates in the spermatocytes that overlap with components of piNG-body, a nuage-associated organelle. The loss of kots results in a notable upregulation of stellate and a corresponding reduction in the suppressor of stellate piRNAs in the mutants. Furthermore, a moderate yet significant reduction of other piRNAs was observed in kots mutant testes. Taken together, we propose that Kots functions in the piRNA pathway, predominantly in the male germline by forming discrete cytoplasmic granules.
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12
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Arkov AL. Looking at the Pretty "Phase" of Membraneless Organelles: A View From Drosophila Glia. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:801953. [PMID: 35198559 PMCID: PMC8859445 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.801953] [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: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Membraneless granules assemble in different cell types and cellular loci and are the focus of intense research due to their fundamental importance for cellular organization. These dynamic organelles are commonly assembled from RNA and protein components and exhibit soft matter characteristics of molecular condensates currently characterized with biophysical approaches and super-resolution microscopy imaging. In addition, research on the molecular mechanisms of the RNA-protein granules assembly provided insights into the formation of abnormal granules and molecular aggregates, which takes place during many neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson's diseases (PD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). While these disorders are associated with formation of abnormal granules, membraneless organelles are normally assembled in neurons and contribute to translational control and affect stability of neuronal RNAs. More recently, a new subtype of membraneless granules was identified in Drosophila glia (glial granules). Interestingly, glial granules were found to contain proteins which are the principal components of the membraneless granules in germ cells (germ granules), indicating some similarity in the functional assembly of these structures in glia and germline. This mini review highlights recent research on glial granules in the context of other membraneless organelles, including their assembly mechanisms and potential functions in the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey L Arkov
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, Murray, KY, United States
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13
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Nguyen DAH, Phillips CM. Arginine methylation promotes siRNA-binding specificity for a spermatogenesis-specific isoform of the Argonaute protein CSR-1. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4212. [PMID: 34244496 PMCID: PMC8270938 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24526-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
CSR-1 is an essential Argonaute protein that binds to a subclass of 22G-RNAs targeting most germline-expressed genes. Here we show that the two isoforms of CSR-1 have distinct expression patterns; CSR-1B is ubiquitously expressed throughout the germline and during all stages of development while CSR-1A expression is restricted to germ cells undergoing spermatogenesis. Furthermore, CSR-1A associates preferentially with 22G-RNAs mapping to spermatogenesis-specific genes whereas CSR-1B-bound small RNAs map predominantly to oogenesis-specific genes. Interestingly, the exon unique to CSR-1A contains multiple dimethylarginine modifications, which are necessary for the preferential binding of CSR-1A to spermatogenesis-specific 22G-RNAs. Thus, we have discovered a regulatory mechanism for C. elegans Argonaute proteins that allows for specificity of small RNA binding between similar Argonaute proteins with overlapping temporal and spatial localization. The Argonaute protein CSR-1 is essential for fertility and viability in C. elegans. Here the authors show that CSR-1A isoform associates preferentially with small RNAs mapping to spermatogenesis-specific genes while CSR-1B isoform binds small RNAs mapping to oogenesis-specific genes. Arginine methylation of CSR-1A promotes small RNA-binding specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dieu An H Nguyen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carolyn M Phillips
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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14
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Binding of guide piRNA triggers methylation of the unstructured N-terminal region of Aub leading to assembly of the piRNA amplification complex. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4061. [PMID: 34210982 PMCID: PMC8249470 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24351-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
PIWI proteins use guide piRNAs to repress selfish genomic elements, protecting the genomic integrity of gametes and ensuring the fertility of animal species. Efficient transposon repression depends on amplification of piRNA guides in the ping-pong cycle, which in Drosophila entails tight cooperation between two PIWI proteins, Aub and Ago3. Here we show that post-translational modification, symmetric dimethylarginine (sDMA), of Aub is essential for piRNA biogenesis, transposon silencing and fertility. Methylation is triggered by loading of a piRNA guide into Aub, which exposes its unstructured N-terminal region to the PRMT5 methylosome complex. Thus, sDMA modification is a signal that Aub is loaded with piRNA guide. Amplification of piRNA in the ping-pong cycle requires assembly of a tertiary complex scaffolded by Krimper, which simultaneously binds the N-terminal regions of Aub and Ago3. To promote generation of new piRNA, Krimper uses its two Tudor domains to bind Aub and Ago3 in opposite modification and piRNA-loading states. Our results reveal that post-translational modifications in unstructured regions of PIWI proteins and their binding by Tudor domains that are capable of discriminating between modification states is essential for piRNA biogenesis and silencing.
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15
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Courchaine EM, Barentine AES, Straube K, Lee DR, Bewersdorf J, Neugebauer KM. DMA-tudor interaction modules control the specificity of in vivo condensates. Cell 2021; 184:3612-3625.e17. [PMID: 34115980 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensation is a widespread mechanism of cellular compartmentalization. Because the "survival of motor neuron protein" (SMN) is implicated in the formation of three different membraneless organelles (MLOs), we hypothesized that SMN promotes condensation. Unexpectedly, we found that SMN's globular tudor domain was sufficient for dimerization-induced condensation in vivo, whereas its two intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) were not. Binding to dimethylarginine (DMA) modified protein ligands was required for condensate formation by the tudor domains in SMN and at least seven other fly and human proteins. Remarkably, asymmetric versus symmetric DMA determined whether two distinct nuclear MLOs-gems and Cajal bodies-were separate or "docked" to one another. This substructure depended on the presence of either asymmetric or symmetric DMA as visualized with sub-diffraction microscopy. Thus, DMA-tudor interaction modules-combinations of tudor domains bound to their DMA ligand(s)-represent versatile yet specific regulators of MLO assembly, composition, and morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward M Courchaine
- Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Andrew E S Barentine
- Cell Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Korinna Straube
- Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | | | - Joerg Bewersdorf
- Cell Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Karla M Neugebauer
- Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Cell Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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16
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Tikhomirova MA, Sheval EV. Formation of Biomolecular Condensates: Regulation of Embryogenesis at the Cellular Level. Russ J Dev Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062360421020077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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17
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Joosten J, Taşköprü E, Jansen PWTC, Pennings B, Vermeulen M, Van Rij RP. PIWI proteomics identifies Atari and Pasilla as piRNA biogenesis factors in Aedes mosquitoes. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109073. [PMID: 33951430 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
As in most arthropods, the PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway in the vector mosquito Aedes aegypti is active in diverse biological processes in both soma and germline. To gain insights into piRNA biogenesis and effector complexes, we mapped the interactomes of the somatic PIWI proteins Ago3, Piwi4, Piwi5, and Piwi6 and identify numerous specific interactors as well as cofactors associated with multiple PIWI proteins. We describe the Piwi5 interactor AAEL014965, the direct ortholog of the Drosophila splicing factor pasilla. We find that Ae. aegypti Pasilla encodes a nuclear isoform and a cytoplasmic isoform, the latter of which is required for efficient piRNA production. In addition, we characterize a splice variant of the Tudor protein AAEL008101/Atari that associates with Ago3 and forms a scaffold for PIWI proteins and target RNAs to promote ping-pong amplification of piRNAs. Our study provides a useful resource for follow-up studies of somatic piRNA biogenesis, mechanism, and function in Aedes mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joep Joosten
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Ezgi Taşköprü
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Pascal W T C Jansen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Oncode Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Bas Pennings
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Michiel Vermeulen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Oncode Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Ronald P Van Rij
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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18
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Chen X, Liao S, Makaros Y, Guo Q, Zhu Z, Krizelman R, Dahan K, Tu X, Yao X, Koren I, Xu C. Molecular basis for arginine C-terminal degron recognition by Cul2 FEM1 E3 ligase. Nat Chem Biol 2021; 17:254-262. [PMID: 33398168 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-020-00704-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Degrons are elements within protein substrates that mediate the interaction with specific degradation machineries to control proteolysis. Recently, a few classes of C-terminal degrons (C-degrons) that are recognized by dedicated cullin-RING ligases (CRLs) have been identified. Specifically, CRL2 using the related substrate adapters FEM1A/B/C was found to recognize C degrons ending with arginine (Arg/C-degron). Here, we uncover the molecular mechanism of Arg/C-degron recognition by solving a subset of structures of FEM1 proteins in complex with Arg/C-degron-bearing substrates. Our structural research, complemented by binding assays and global protein stability (GPS) analyses, demonstrates that FEM1A/C and FEM1B selectively target distinct classes of Arg/C-degrons. Overall, our study not only sheds light on the molecular mechanism underlying Arg/C-degron recognition for precise control of substrate turnover, but also provides valuable information for development of chemical probes for selectively regulating proteostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyan Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Shanhui Liao
- MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yaara Makaros
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Qiong Guo
- MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Zhongliang Zhu
- MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Rina Krizelman
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Karin Dahan
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Xiaoming Tu
- MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Xuebiao Yao
- MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Itay Koren
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
| | - Chao Xu
- MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.
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19
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Vrettos N, Maragkakis M, Alexiou P, Sgourdou P, Ibrahim F, Palmieri D, Kirino Y, Mourelatos Z. Modulation of Aub-TDRD interactions elucidates piRNA amplification and germplasm formation. Life Sci Alliance 2021; 4:e202000912. [PMID: 33376130 PMCID: PMC7772777 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202000912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Aub guided by piRNAs ensures genome integrity by cleaving retrotransposons, and genome propagation by trapping mRNAs to form the germplasm that instructs germ cell formation. Arginines at the N-terminus of Aub (Aub-NTRs) interact with Tudor and other Tudor domain-containing proteins (TDRDs). Aub-TDRD interactions suppress active retrotransposons via piRNA amplification and form germplasm via generation of Aub-Tudor ribonucleoproteins. Here, we show that Aub-NTRs are dispensable for primary piRNA biogenesis but essential for piRNA amplification and that their symmetric dimethylation is required for germplasm formation and germ cell specification but largely redundant for piRNA amplification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Vrettos
- Division of Neuropathology, Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Manolis Maragkakis
- Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Paraskevi Sgourdou
- Departments of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Fadia Ibrahim
- Division of Neuropathology, Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Daniel Palmieri
- Division of Neuropathology, Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yohei Kirino
- Computational Medicine Center, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Zissimos Mourelatos
- Division of Neuropathology, Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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20
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Mukherjee N, Mukherjee C. Germ cell ribonucleoprotein granules in different clades of life: From insects to mammals. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2021; 12:e1642. [PMID: 33555143 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules are no newcomers in biology. Found in all life forms, ranging across taxa, these membrane-less "organelles" have been classified into different categories based on their composition, structure, behavior, function, and localization. Broadly, they can be listed as stress granules (SGs), processing bodies (PBs), neuronal granules (NGs), and germ cell granules (GCGs). Keeping in line with the topic of this review, RNP granules present in the germ cells have been implicated in a wide range of cellular functions including cellular specification, differentiation, proliferation, and so forth. The mechanisms used by them can be diverse and many of them remain partly obscure and active areas of research. GCGs can be of different types in different organisms and at different stages of development, with multiple types coexisting in the same cell. In this review, the different known subcategories of GCGs have been studied with respect to five distinct model organisms, namely, Drosophila, Caenorhabditis elegans, Xenopus, Zebrafish, and mammals. Of them, the cytoplasmic polar granules in Drosophila, P granules in C. elegans, balbiani body in Xenopus and Zebrafish, and chromatoid bodies in mammals have been specifically emphasized upon. A descriptive account of the same has been provided along with insights into our current understanding of their functional significance with respect to cellular events relating to different developmental and reproductive processes. This article is categorized under: RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > RNA-Protein Complexes RNA Export and Localization > RNA Localization RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease.
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21
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Tindell SJ, Rouchka EC, Arkov AL. Glial granules contain germline proteins in the Drosophila brain, which regulate brain transcriptome. Commun Biol 2020; 3:699. [PMID: 33219296 PMCID: PMC7679405 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01432-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Membraneless RNA-protein granules play important roles in many different cell types and organisms. In particular, granules found in germ cells have been used as a paradigm to study large and dynamic granules. These germ granules contain RNA and proteins required for germline development. Here, we unexpectedly identify large granules in specific subtypes of glial cells ("glial granules") of the adult Drosophila brain which contain polypeptides with previously characterized roles in germ cells including scaffold Tudor, Vasa, Polar granule component and Piwi family proteins. Interestingly, our super-resolution microscopy analysis shows that in the glial granules, these proteins form distinct partially overlapping clusters. Furthermore, we show that glial granule scaffold protein Tudor functions in silencing of transposable elements and in small regulatory piRNA biogenesis. Remarkably, our data indicate that the adult brain contains a small population of cells, which express both neuroblast and germ cell proteins. These distinct cells are evolutionarily conserved and expand during aging suggesting the existence of age-dependent signaling. Our work uncovers previously unknown glial granules and indicates the involvement of their components in the regulation of brain transcriptome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J Tindell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, Murray, KY, 42071, USA
| | - Eric C Rouchka
- Computer Science and Engineering Department, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA
| | - Alexey L Arkov
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, Murray, KY, 42071, USA.
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22
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Bell RT, Wolf YI, Koonin EV. Modified base-binding EVE and DCD domains: striking diversity of genomic contexts in prokaryotes and predicted involvement in a variety of cellular processes. BMC Biol 2020; 18:159. [PMID: 33148243 PMCID: PMC7641849 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-020-00885-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND DNA and RNA of all cellular life forms and many viruses contain an expansive repertoire of modified bases. The modified bases play diverse biological roles that include both regulation of transcription and translation, and protection against restriction endonucleases and antibiotics. Modified bases are often recognized by dedicated protein domains. However, the elaborate networks of interactions and processes mediated by modified bases are far from being completely understood. RESULTS We present a comprehensive census and classification of EVE domains that belong to the PUA/ASCH domain superfamily and bind various modified bases in DNA and RNA. We employ the "guilt by association" approach to make functional inferences from comparative analysis of bacterial and archaeal genomes, based on the distribution and associations of EVE domains in (predicted) operons and functional networks of genes. Prokaryotes encode two classes of EVE domain proteins, slow-evolving and fast-evolving ones. Slow-evolving EVE domains in α-proteobacteria are embedded in conserved operons, potentially involved in coupling between translation and respiration, cytochrome c biogenesis in particular, via binding 5-methylcytosine in tRNAs. In β- and γ-proteobacteria, the conserved associations implicate the EVE domains in the coordination of cell division, biofilm formation, and global transcriptional regulation by non-coding 6S small RNAs, which are potentially modified and bound by the EVE domains. In eukaryotes, the EVE domain-containing THYN1-like proteins have been reported to inhibit PCD and regulate the cell cycle, potentially, via binding 5-methylcytosine and its derivatives in DNA and/or RNA. We hypothesize that the link between PCD and cytochrome c was inherited from the α-proteobacterial and proto-mitochondrial endosymbiont and, unexpectedly, could involve modified base recognition by EVE domains. Fast-evolving EVE domains are typically embedded in defense contexts, including toxin-antitoxin modules and type IV restriction systems, suggesting roles in the recognition of modified bases in invading DNA molecules and targeting them for restriction. We additionally identified EVE-like prokaryotic Development and Cell Death (DCD) domains that are also implicated in defense functions including PCD. This function was inherited by eukaryotes, but in animals, the DCD proteins apparently were displaced by the extended Tudor family proteins, whose partnership with Piwi-related Argonautes became the centerpiece of the Piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) system. CONCLUSIONS Recognition of modified bases in DNA and RNA by EVE-like domains appears to be an important, but until now, under-appreciated, common denominator in a variety of processes including PCD, cell cycle control, antivirus immunity, stress response, and germline development in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan T Bell
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20894, USA
| | - Yuri I Wolf
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20894, USA
| | - Eugene V Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20894, USA.
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23
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Kubíková J, Reinig R, Salgania HK, Jeske M. LOTUS-domain proteins - developmental effectors from a molecular perspective. Biol Chem 2020; 402:7-23. [DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2020-0270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The LOTUS domain (also known as OST-HTH) is a highly conserved protein domain found in a variety of bacteria and eukaryotes. In animals, the LOTUS domain is present in the proteins Oskar, TDRD5/Tejas, TDRD7/TRAP/Tapas, and MARF1/Limkain B1, all of which play essential roles in animal development, in particular during oogenesis and/or spermatogenesis. This review summarizes the diverse biological as well as molecular functions of LOTUS-domain proteins and discusses their roles as helicase effectors, post-transcriptional regulators, and critical cofactors of piRNA-mediated transcript silencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Kubíková
- Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center , Im Neuenheimer Feld 328 , D-69120 Heidelberg , Germany
| | - Rebecca Reinig
- Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center , Im Neuenheimer Feld 328 , D-69120 Heidelberg , Germany
| | - Harpreet Kaur Salgania
- Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center , Im Neuenheimer Feld 328 , D-69120 Heidelberg , Germany
| | - Mandy Jeske
- Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center , Im Neuenheimer Feld 328 , D-69120 Heidelberg , Germany
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24
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Trcek T, Douglas TE, Grosch M, Yin Y, Eagle WVI, Gavis ER, Shroff H, Rothenberg E, Lehmann R. Sequence-Independent Self-Assembly of Germ Granule mRNAs into Homotypic Clusters. Mol Cell 2020; 78:941-950.e12. [PMID: 32464092 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2020.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Revised: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
mRNAs enriched in membraneless condensates provide functional compartmentalization within cells. The mechanisms that recruit transcripts to condensates are under intense study; however, how mRNAs organize once they reach a granule remains poorly understood. Here, we report on a self-sorting mechanism by which multiple mRNAs derived from the same gene assemble into discrete homotypic clusters. We demonstrate that in vivo mRNA localization to granules and self-assembly within granules are governed by different mRNA features: localization is encoded by specific RNA regions, whereas self-assembly involves the entire mRNA, does not involve sequence-specific, ordered intermolecular RNA:RNA interactions, and is thus RNA sequence independent. We propose that the ability of mRNAs to self-sort into homotypic assemblies is an inherent property of an messenger ribonucleoprotein (mRNP) that is augmented under conditions that increase RNA concentration, such as upon enrichment in RNA-protein granules, a process that appears conserved in diverse cellular contexts and organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatjana Trcek
- HHMI, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Tyler E Douglas
- HHMI, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Markus Grosch
- HHMI, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yandong Yin
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Whitby V I Eagle
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Elizabeth R Gavis
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Hari Shroff
- Section on High Resolution Optical Imaging, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Eli Rothenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ruth Lehmann
- HHMI, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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25
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Manage KI, Rogers AK, Wallis DC, Uebel CJ, Anderson DC, Nguyen DAH, Arca K, Brown KC, Cordeiro Rodrigues RJ, de Albuquerque BF, Ketting RF, Montgomery TA, Phillips CM. A tudor domain protein, SIMR-1, promotes siRNA production at piRNA-targeted mRNAs in C. elegans. eLife 2020; 9:56731. [PMID: 32338603 PMCID: PMC7255803 DOI: 10.7554/elife.56731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
piRNAs play a critical role in the regulation of transposons and other germline genes. In Caenorhabditis elegans, regulation of piRNA target genes is mediated by the mutator complex, which synthesizes high levels of siRNAs through the activity of an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. However, the steps between mRNA recognition by the piRNA pathway and siRNA amplification by the mutator complex are unknown. Here, we identify the Tudor domain protein, SIMR-1, as acting downstream of piRNA production and upstream of mutator complex-dependent siRNA biogenesis. Interestingly, SIMR-1 also localizes to distinct subcellular foci adjacent to P granules and Mutator foci, two phase-separated condensates that are the sites of piRNA-dependent mRNA recognition and mutator complex-dependent siRNA amplification, respectively. Thus, our data suggests a role for multiple perinuclear condensates in organizing the piRNA pathway and promoting mRNA regulation by the mutator complex. In the biological world, a process known as RNA interference helps cells to switch genes on and off and to defend themselves against harmful genetic material. This mechanism works by deactivating RNA sequences, the molecular templates cells can use to create proteins. Overall, RNA interference relies on the cell creating small RNA molecules that can target and inhibit the harmful RNA sequences that need to be silenced. More precisely, in round worms such as Caenorhabditis elegans, RNA interference happens in two steps. First, primary small RNAs identify the target sequences, which are then combatted by newly synthetised, secondary small RNAs. A number of proteins are also involved in both steps of the process. RNA interference is particularly important to preserve fertility, guarding sex cells against ‘rogue’ segments of genetic information that could be passed on to the next generation. In future sex cells, the proteins involved in RNA interference cluster together, forming a structure called a germ granule. Yet, little is known about the roles and identity of these proteins. To fill this knowledge gap, Manage et al. focused on the second stage of the RNA interference pathway in the germ granules of C. elegans, examining the molecules that physically interact with a key protein. This work revealed a new protein called SIMR-1. Looking into the role of SIMR-1 showed that the protein is required to amplify secondary small RNAs, but not to identify target sequences. However, it only promotes the creation of secondary small RNAs if a specific subtype of primary small RNAs have recognized the target RNAs for silencing. Further experiments also showed that within the germ granule, SIMR-1 is present in a separate substructure different from any compartment previously identified. This suggests that each substep of the RNA interference process takes place at a different location in the granule. In both C. elegans and humans, disruptions in the RNA interference pathway can lead to conditions such as cancer or infertility. Dissecting the roles of the proteins involved in this process in roundworms may help to better grasp how this process unfolds in mammals, and how it could be corrected in the case of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin I Manage
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Alicia K Rogers
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Dylan C Wallis
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Celja J Uebel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Dorian C Anderson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Dieu An H Nguyen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Katerina Arca
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Kristen C Brown
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, United States.,Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, United States
| | - Ricardo J Cordeiro Rodrigues
- Biology of Non-coding RNA Group, Institute of Molecular Biology, Mainz, Germany.,International PhD Programme on Gene Regulation, Epigenetics, and Genome Stability, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - René F Ketting
- Biology of Non-coding RNA Group, Institute of Molecular Biology, Mainz, Germany
| | - Taiowa A Montgomery
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, United States
| | - Carolyn Marie Phillips
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States
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26
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Chen S, Zhang W, Min J, Liu K. Lesson from a Fab-enabled co-crystallization study of TDRD2 and PIWIL1. Methods 2020; 175:72-78. [PMID: 31288074 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2019.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 06/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The interaction of Tudor domain-containing proteins (TDRDs) with P-element-induced wimpy testis (PIWI) proteins plays critical roles in transposon silencing and spermatogenesis. Most human TDRDs recognize PIWI proteins in a methylarginine-dependent manner via their extended Tudor (eTudor) domains, except TDRD2, which prefers an unmethylated PIWI protein. In order to illustrate the recognition of unmethylated PIWI proteins by TDRD2, we extensively tried co-crystallization of the TDRD2 eTudor with different PIWIL1 peptides, but to no avail. Recombinant antigen-binding fragments (Fabs) have been used to crystallize some difficult proteins in the past, so we generated Fab against the TDRD2 eTudor protein using a phage-display antibody library, and one of these Fab fragments indeed facilitated the co-crystallization of TDRD2 and PIWIL1. Structural analysis of Fab, the TDRD2 eTudor domain in complex with an unmethylated PIWIL1-derived peptide revealed that the PIWIL1 residues G3 through R8 bound between the Tudor core and SN domain of TDRD2. The C-terminal residues of the PIWIL1 peptide were not resolved, presumably due to steric competition with the heavy chain of the Fab. We propose Fab-assisted crystallization as a tool not only for structural studies of single proteins, but also for analysis of interactions between proteins and their ligands in cases where co-crystallization of native protein complexes fails.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sizhuo Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China
| | - Weilian Zhang
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Jinrong Min
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China; Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada; Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Ke Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China; Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada.
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27
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Vo HDL, Wahiduzzaman, Tindell SJ, Zheng J, Gao M, Arkov AL. Protein components of ribonucleoprotein granules from Drosophila germ cells oligomerize and show distinct spatial organization during germline development. Sci Rep 2019; 9:19190. [PMID: 31844131 PMCID: PMC6915754 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-55747-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The assembly of large RNA-protein granules occurs in germ cells of many animals and these germ granules have provided a paradigm to study structure-functional aspects of similar structures in different cells. Germ granules in Drosophila oocyte’s posterior pole (polar granules) are composed of RNA, in the form of homotypic clusters, and proteins required for germline development. In the granules, Piwi protein Aubergine binds to a scaffold protein Tudor, which contains 11 Tudor domains. Using a super-resolution microscopy, we show that surprisingly, Aubergine and Tudor form distinct clusters within the same polar granules in early Drosophila embryos. These clusters partially overlap and, after germ cells form, they transition into spherical granules with the structural organization unexpected from these interacting proteins: Aubergine shell around the Tudor core. Consistent with the formation of distinct clusters, we show that Aubergine forms homo-oligomers and using all purified Tudor domains, we demonstrate that multiple domains, distributed along the entire Tudor structure, interact with Aubergine. Our data suggest that in polar granules, Aubergine and Tudor are assembled into distinct phases, partially mixed at their “interaction hubs”, and that association of distinct protein clusters may be an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for the assembly of germ granules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hieu D L Vo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, Murray, KY, 42071, USA
| | - Wahiduzzaman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, Murray, KY, 42071, USA
| | - Samuel J Tindell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, Murray, KY, 42071, USA
| | - Jimiao Zheng
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, Murray, KY, 42071, USA
| | - Ming Gao
- Biology Department, Indiana University Northwest, Gary, IN, 46408, USA
| | - Alexey L Arkov
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, Murray, KY, 42071, USA.
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28
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Gao J, Ye K, Diwu Y, Xu C, Zhang X, Liao S, Tu X. Crystal structure of TbEsa1 presumed Tudor domain from Trypanosoma brucei. J Struct Biol 2019; 209:107406. [PMID: 31747559 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2019.107406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The essential SAS2-related acetyltransferase 1 (Esa1), as a acetyltransferase of MYST family, is indispensable for the cell cycle and transcriptional regulation. The Tudor domain consists of 60 amino acids and belongs to the Royal family, which serves as a module interacting with methylated histone and/or DNA. Although Tudor domain has been widely studied in higher eukaryotes, its structure and function remain unclear in Trypanosoma brucei (T. brucei), a protozoan unicellular parasite causing sleeping sickness in human and nagana in cattle in sub-Saharan Africa. Here, we determined a high-resolution structure of TbEsa1 presumed Tudor domain from T. brucei by X-ray crystallography. TbEsa1 Tudor domain adopts a conserved Tudor-like fold, which is comprised of a five-stranded β-barrel surrounded by two short α-helices. Furthermore, we revealed a non-specific DNA binding pattern of TbEsa1 Tudor domain. However, TbEsa1 Tudor domain showed no methyl-histone binding ability, due to the absence of key aromatic residues forming a conserved aromatic cage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Gao
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
| | - Kaiqin Ye
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, PR China; Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Science, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
| | - Yating Diwu
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
| | - Chao Xu
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
| | - Xuecheng Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
| | - Shanhui Liao
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, PR China.
| | - Xiaoming Tu
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, PR China.
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29
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Joosten J, Miesen P, Taşköprü E, Pennings B, Jansen PWTC, Huynen MA, Vermeulen M, Van Rij RP. The Tudor protein Veneno assembles the ping-pong amplification complex that produces viral piRNAs in Aedes mosquitoes. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:2546-2559. [PMID: 30566680 PMCID: PMC6411831 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky1266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Revised: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) comprise a class of small RNAs best known for suppressing transposable elements in germline tissues. The vector mosquito Aedes aegypti encodes seven PIWI genes, four of which are somatically expressed. This somatic piRNA pathway generates piRNAs from viral RNA during infection with cytoplasmic RNA viruses through ping-pong amplification by the PIWI proteins Ago3 and Piwi5. Yet, additional insights into the molecular mechanisms mediating non-canonical piRNA production are lacking. TUDOR-domain containing (Tudor) proteins facilitate piRNA biogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster and other model organisms. We thus hypothesized that Tudor proteins are required for viral piRNA production and performed a knockdown screen targeting all A. aegypti Tudor genes. Knockdown of the Tudor genes AAEL012437, Vreteno, Yb, SMN and AAEL008101-RB resulted in significantly reduced viral piRNA levels, with AAEL012437-depletion having the strongest effect. This protein, which we named Veneno, associates directly with Ago3 in an sDMA-dependent manner and localizes in cytoplasmic foci reminiscent of piRNA processing granules of Drosophila. Veneno-interactome analyses reveal a network of co-factors including the orthologs of the Drosophila piRNA pathway components Vasa and Yb, which in turn interacts with Piwi5. We propose that Veneno assembles a multi-protein complex for ping-pong dependent piRNA production from viral RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joep Joosten
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Pascal Miesen
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ezgi Taşköprü
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Bas Pennings
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Pascal W T C Jansen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Oncode Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Martijn A Huynen
- Center for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Michiel Vermeulen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Oncode Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ronald P Van Rij
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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30
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Trcek T, Lehmann R. Germ granules in Drosophila. Traffic 2019; 20:650-660. [PMID: 31218815 PMCID: PMC6771631 DOI: 10.1111/tra.12674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Revised: 05/26/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Germ granules are hallmarks of all germ cells. Early ultrastructural studies in Drosophila first described these membraneless granules in the oocyte and early embryo as filled with amorphous to fibrillar material mixed with RNA. Genetic studies identified key protein components and specific mRNAs that regulate germ cell‐specific functions. More recently these ultrastructural studies have been complemented by biophysical analysis describing germ granules as phase‐transitioned condensates. In this review, we provide an overview that connects the composition of germ granules with their function in controlling germ cell specification, formation and migration, and illuminate these mysterious condensates as the gatekeepers of the next generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatjana Trcek
- HHMI, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Ruth Lehmann
- HHMI, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, New York
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31
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Wang B, Wang H, Song H, Jin C, Peng M, Gao C, Yang F, Du X, Qi J, Zhang Q, Cheng J. Evolutionary significance and regulated expression of Tdrd family genes in gynogenetic Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY D-GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2019; 31:100593. [PMID: 31125834 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2019.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Revised: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Tudor domain-containing proteins (TDRDs) are highly conserved among organisms and have a function in gonads to regulate gametogenesis and genome stability through the piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway. With diverse sexual development patterns in teleost species, the evolution and function of Tdrd genes among teleosts remain unclear. Here, we identified and characterized 12 Tdrd genes (PoTdrds) in Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) which represents dramatic sexual dimorphic metrics and sex reversal during sex differentiation. Phylogenetic and comparative synteny indicated the gain and loss of Tdrd genes after teleost-specific whole-genome duplication (3R-WGD). Tdrd1, Tdrd5, Tdrd6 and Ecat8 were abundantly expressed in their gonads. Four PoTdrds (Tdrd6, Tdrd7b, Tdrd9 and Ecat8) represented significant male-biased expression in gynogenetic and wild-type Japanese flounder gonads (p < .01). This finding indicated their important roles in spermatogenesis of P. olivaceus. Some PoTdrds were either highly up-regulated in gynogenetic testis (Tdrd3, Tdrd5, Tdrd7b and Ecat8) or down-regulated in gynogenetic ovary (Tdrkh, Tdrd3, Tdrd6l) compared with wild-type gonads (p < .05). Molecular evolution tests revealed that the selective pressure of Tdrd6/6l differed between ancestral aquatic and terrestrial organisms with 13 positively selected sites found in the ancestral lineages of teleost Tdrd6. Expression profile analysis suggested that PoTdrd6 differed significantly from PoTdrd6l, indicating sub-functionalization after 3R-WGD. All these results are important for the functional annotation of Tdrd genes and can benefit the further deciphering of Tdrd functions during gonadal development and gametogenesis of teleost fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Huizhen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Haofei Song
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Chaofan Jin
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Meiting Peng
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Chen Gao
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Xinxin Du
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Jie Qi
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Quanqi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China; Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Jie Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
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32
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Gan B, Chen S, Liu H, Min J, Liu K. Structure and function of eTudor domain containing TDRD proteins. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 2019; 54:119-132. [DOI: 10.1080/10409238.2019.1603199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bing Gan
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Sizhuo Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Huan Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Jinrong Min
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, PR China
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ke Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, PR China
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33
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Xie YF, Shang F, Ding BY, Wu YB, Niu JZ, Wei D, Dou W, Christiaens O, Smagghe G, Wang JJ. Tudor knockdown disrupts ovary development in Bactrocera dorsalis. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2019; 28:136-144. [PMID: 30182401 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
One of the main functions of the piwi-interacting RNA pathway is the post-transcriptional silencing of transposable elements in the germline of many species. In insects, proteins belonging to the Tudor superfamily proteins belonging to the Tudor superfamily play an important role in to play an important role in this mechanism. In this study, we identified the tudor gene in the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis, investigated the spatiotemporal expressional profile of the gene, and performed a functional analysis using RNA interference. We identified one transcript for a tudor homologue in the B. dorsalis transcriptome, which encodes a protein containing the typical 10 Tudor domains and an Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase delta subunit signature. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the identity of this transcript as a tudor homologue in this species. The expression profile indicated a much higher expression in the adult and pupal stages compared to the larval stages (up to a 60-fold increase), and that the gene was mostly expressed in the ovaries, Malpighian tubules and fat body. Finally, gene knockdown of tudor in B. dorsalis led to clearly underdeveloped ovaries in the female adult and reductions in copulation rate and amount of oviposition, indicating its important role in reproduction. The results of this study shed more light on the role of tudor in ovary development and reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y-F Xie
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Hunan Academy of Forestry, Changsha, China
| | - F Shang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - B-Y Ding
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Y-B Wu
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - J-Z Niu
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - D Wei
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - W Dou
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - O Christiaens
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - G Smagghe
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - J-J Wang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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34
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Frankel A, Brown JI. Evaluation of kinetic data: What the numbers tell us about PRMTs. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2018; 1867:306-316. [PMID: 30342239 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2018.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Protein arginine N-methyltransferase (PRMT) kinetic parameters have been catalogued over the past fifteen years for eight of the nine mammalian enzyme family members. Like the majority of methyltransferases, these enzymes employ the highly ubiquitous cofactor S-adenosyl-l-methionine as a co-substrate to methylate arginine residues in peptidic substrates with an approximately 4-μM median KM. The median values for PRMT turnover number (kcat) and catalytic efficiency (kcat/KM) are 0.0051 s-1 and 708 M-1 s-1, respectively. When comparing PRMT metrics to entries found in the BRENDA database, we find that while PRMTs exhibit high substrate affinity relative to other enzyme-substrate pairs, PRMTs display largely lower kcat and kcat/KM values. We observe that kinetic parameters for PRMTs and arginine demethylase activity from dual-functioning lysine demethylases are statistically similar, paralleling what the broader enzyme families in which they belong reveal, and adding to the evidence in support of arginine methylation reversibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Frankel
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, 2405 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Jennifer I Brown
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, 2405 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
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35
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Kistler KE, Trcek T, Hurd TR, Chen R, Liang FX, Sall J, Kato M, Lehmann R. Phase transitioned nuclear Oskar promotes cell division of Drosophila primordial germ cells. eLife 2018; 7:37949. [PMID: 30260314 PMCID: PMC6191285 DOI: 10.7554/elife.37949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Germ granules are non-membranous ribonucleoprotein granules deemed the hubs for post-transcriptional gene regulation and functionally linked to germ cell fate across species. Little is known about the physical properties of germ granules and how these relate to germ cell function. Here we study two types of germ granules in the Drosophila embryo: cytoplasmic germ granules that instruct primordial germ cells (PGCs) formation and nuclear germ granules within early PGCs with unknown function. We show that cytoplasmic and nuclear germ granules are phase transitioned condensates nucleated by Oskar protein that display liquid as well as hydrogel-like properties. Focusing on nuclear granules, we find that Oskar drives their formation in heterologous cell systems. Multiple, independent Oskar protein domains synergize to promote granule phase separation. Deletion of Oskar’s nuclear localization sequence specifically ablates nuclear granules in cell systems. In the embryo, nuclear germ granules promote germ cell divisions thereby increasing PGC number for the next generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn E Kistler
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, NYU School of Medicine, New York, United States.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Washington, Washington, United States
| | - Tatjana Trcek
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, NYU School of Medicine, New York, United States
| | - Thomas R Hurd
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, NYU School of Medicine, New York, United States.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Ruoyu Chen
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, NYU School of Medicine, New York, United States
| | - Feng-Xia Liang
- Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, United States.,DART Microscopy Laboratory, NYU Langone Health, New York, United States
| | - Joseph Sall
- DART Microscopy Laboratory, NYU Langone Health, New York, United States
| | - Masato Kato
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Texas, United States
| | - Ruth Lehmann
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, NYU School of Medicine, New York, United States.,Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, United States
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36
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Liu J, Zhang S, Liu M, Liu Y, Nshogoza G, Gao J, Ma R, Yang Y, Wu J, Zhang J, Li F, Ruan K. Structural plasticity of the TDRD3 Tudor domain probed by a fragment screening hit. FEBS J 2018; 285:2091-2103. [DOI: 10.1111/febs.14469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Revised: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jiuyang Liu
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale School of Life Sciences University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
| | - Shuya Zhang
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale School of Life Sciences University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
| | - Mingqing Liu
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale School of Life Sciences University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
| | - Yaqian Liu
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale School of Life Sciences University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
| | - Gilbert Nshogoza
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale School of Life Sciences University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
| | - Jia Gao
- Center of Medical Physics and Technology Hefei Institute of Physical Science Chinese Academy of Science Hefei China
| | - Rongsheng Ma
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale School of Life Sciences University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
| | - Yang Yang
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale School of Life Sciences University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
| | - Jihui Wu
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale School of Life Sciences University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
| | - Jiahai Zhang
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale School of Life Sciences University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
| | - Fudong Li
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale School of Life Sciences University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
| | - Ke Ruan
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale School of Life Sciences University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
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37
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Structural insights into the sequence-specific recognition of Piwi by Drosophila Papi. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018. [PMID: 29531043 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1717116115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The Tudor domain-containing (Tdrd) family proteins play a critical role in transposon silencing in animal gonads by recognizing the symmetrically dimethylated arginine (sDMA) on the (G/A)R motif of the N-terminal of PIWI family proteins via the eTud domains. Papi, also known as "Tdrd2," is involved in Zucchini-mediated PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) 3'-end maturation. Intriguingly, a recent study showed that, in papi mutant flies, only Piwi-bound piRNAs increased in length, and not Ago3-bound or Aub-bound piRNAs. However, the molecular and structural basis of the Papi-Piwi complex is still not fully understood, which limits mechanistic understanding of the function of Papi in piRNA biogenesis. In the present study, we determined the crystal structures of Papi-eTud in the apo form and in complex with a peptide containing unmethylated or dimethylated R10 residues. Structural and biochemical analysis showed that the Papi interaction region on the Drosophila Piwi contains an RGRRR motif (R7-R11) distinct from the consensus (G/A)R motif recognized by canonical eTud. Mass spectrometry results indicated that Piwi is the major binding partner of Papi in vivo. The papi mutant flies suffered from both fertility and transposon-silencing defects, supporting the important role conferred to Papi in piRNA 3' processing through direct interaction with Piwi proteins.
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38
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Specific Recognition of Arginine Methylated Histone Tails by JMJD5 and JMJD7. Sci Rep 2018; 8:3275. [PMID: 29459673 PMCID: PMC5818494 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-21432-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We have reported that JMJD5 and JMJD7 (JMJD5/7) are responsible for the clipping of arginine methylated histone tails to generate "tailless nucleosomes", which could release the pausing RNA polymerase II (Pol II) into productive transcription elongation. JMJD5/7 function as endopeptidases that cleave histone tails specifically adjacent to methylated arginine residues and continue to degrade N-terminal residues of histones via their aminopeptidase activity. Here, we report structural and biochemical studies on JMJD5/7 to understand the basis of substrate recognition and catalysis mechanism by this JmjC subfamily. Recognition between these enzymes and histone substrates is specific, which is reflected by the binding data between enzymes and substrates. High structural similarity between JMJD5 and JMJD7 is reflected by the shared common substrates and high binding affinity. However, JMJD5 does not bind to arginine methylated histone tails with additional lysine acetylation while JMJD7 does not bind to arginine methylated histone tails with additional lysine methylation. Furthermore, the complex structures of JMJD5 and arginine derivatives revealed a Tudor domain-like binding pocket to accommodate the methylated sidechain of arginine, but not lysine. There also exists a glutamine close to the catalytic center, which may suggest a unique imidic acid mediated catalytic mechanism for proteolysis by JMJD5/7.
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39
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Supekar S, Papageorgiou AC, Gemmecker G, Peltzer R, Johansson MP, Tripsianes K, Sattler M, Kaila VRI. Conformational Selection of Dimethylarginine Recognition by the Survival Motor Neuron Tudor Domain. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201708233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shreyas Supekar
- Department Chemie; Technische Universität München, TUM; Lichtenbergstraße 4 85747 Garching Germany
| | - Anna C. Papageorgiou
- CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology; Masaryk University; Kamenice 5 62500 Brno Czech Republic
| | - Gerd Gemmecker
- Institute of Structural Biology; Helmholtz Zentrum München; Neuherberg Germany
| | - Raphael Peltzer
- Department Chemie; Technische Universität München, TUM; Lichtenbergstraße 4 85747 Garching Germany
- Department of Chemistry and Centre for Theoretical and Computational Chemistry (CTCC); University of Oslo; P.O. Box 1033 Blindern 0315 Oslo Norway
| | - Mikael P. Johansson
- Department Chemie; Technische Universität München, TUM; Lichtenbergstraße 4 85747 Garching Germany
- Department of Chemistry; University of Helsinki; P.O. Box 55 00014 Helsinki Finland
| | - Konstantinos Tripsianes
- CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology; Masaryk University; Kamenice 5 62500 Brno Czech Republic
| | - Michael Sattler
- Department Chemie; Technische Universität München, TUM; Lichtenbergstraße 4 85747 Garching Germany
- Institute of Structural Biology; Helmholtz Zentrum München; Neuherberg Germany
| | - Ville R. I. Kaila
- Department Chemie; Technische Universität München, TUM; Lichtenbergstraße 4 85747 Garching Germany
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40
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Supekar S, Papageorgiou AC, Gemmecker G, Peltzer R, Johansson MP, Tripsianes K, Sattler M, Kaila VRI. Conformational Selection of Dimethylarginine Recognition by the Survival Motor Neuron Tudor Domain. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2018; 57:486-490. [PMID: 28980372 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201708233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Tudor domains bind to dimethylarginine (DMA) residues, which are post-translational modifications that play a central role in gene regulation in eukaryotic cells. NMR spectroscopy and quantum calculations are combined to demonstrate that DMA recognition by Tudor domains involves conformational selection. The binding mechanism is confirmed by a mutation in the aromatic cage that perturbs the native recognition mode of the ligand. General mechanistic principles are delineated from the combined results, indicating that Tudor domains utilize cation-π interactions to achieve ligand recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreyas Supekar
- Department Chemie, Technische Universität München, TUM, Lichtenbergstraße 4, 85747, Garching, Germany
| | - Anna C Papageorgiou
- CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Gerd Gemmecker
- Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Raphael Peltzer
- Department Chemie, Technische Universität München, TUM, Lichtenbergstraße 4, 85747, Garching, Germany.,Department of Chemistry and Centre for Theoretical and Computational Chemistry (CTCC), University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1033 Blindern, 0315, Oslo, Norway
| | - Mikael P Johansson
- Department Chemie, Technische Universität München, TUM, Lichtenbergstraße 4, 85747, Garching, Germany.,Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 55, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Konstantinos Tripsianes
- CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michael Sattler
- Department Chemie, Technische Universität München, TUM, Lichtenbergstraße 4, 85747, Garching, Germany.,Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Ville R I Kaila
- Department Chemie, Technische Universität München, TUM, Lichtenbergstraße 4, 85747, Garching, Germany
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41
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Structural basis for arginine methylation-independent recognition of PIWIL1 by TDRD2. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:12483-12488. [PMID: 29118143 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1711486114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The P-element-induced wimpy testis (PIWI)-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway plays a central role in transposon silencing and genome protection in the animal germline. A family of Tudor domain proteins regulates the piRNA pathway through direct Tudor domain-PIWI interactions. Tudor domains are known to fulfill this function by binding to methylated PIWI proteins in an arginine methylation-dependent manner. Here, we report a mechanism of methylation-independent Tudor domain-PIWI interaction. Unlike most other Tudor domains, the extended Tudor domain of mammalian Tudor domain-containing protein 2 (TDRD2) preferentially recognizes an unmethylated arginine-rich sequence from PIWI-like protein 1 (PIWIL1). Structural studies reveal an unexpected Tudor domain-binding mode for the PIWIL1 sequence in which the interface of Tudor and staphylococcal nuclease domains is primarily responsible for PIWIL1 peptide recognition. Mutations disrupting the TDRD2-PIWIL1 interaction compromise piRNA maturation via 3'-end trimming in vitro. Our work presented here reveals the molecular divergence of the interactions between different Tudor domain proteins and PIWI proteins.
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42
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DeHaan H, McCambridge A, Armstrong B, Cruse C, Solanki D, Trinidad JC, Arkov AL, Gao M. An in vivo proteomic analysis of the Me31B interactome in Drosophila germ granules. FEBS Lett 2017; 591:3536-3547. [PMID: 28945271 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.12854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Revised: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Drosophila Me31B is a conserved protein of germ granules, ribonucleoprotein complexes essential for germ cell development. Me31B post-transcriptionally regulates mRNAs by interacting with other germ granule proteins. However, a Me31B interactome is lacking. Here, we use an in vivo proteomics approach to show that the Me31B interactome contains polypeptides from four functional groups: RNA regulatory proteins, glycolytic enzymes, cytoskeleton/motor proteins, and germ plasm components. We further show that Me31B likely colocalizes with the germ plasm components Tudor (Tud), Vasa, and Aubergine in the nuage and germ plasm and provide evidence that Me31B may directly bind to Tud in a symmetrically dimethylated arginine-dependent manner. Our study supports the role of Me31B in RNA regulation and suggests its novel roles in germ granule assembly and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hunter DeHaan
- Biology Department, Indiana University Northwest, Gary, IN, USA
| | | | | | - Carlie Cruse
- Biology Department, Indiana University Northwest, Gary, IN, USA
| | - Dhruv Solanki
- Biology Department, Indiana University Northwest, Gary, IN, USA
| | | | - Alexey L Arkov
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, Murray, KY, USA
| | - Ming Gao
- Biology Department, Indiana University Northwest, Gary, IN, USA
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43
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Bilinski SM, Jaglarz MK, Tworzydlo W. The Pole (Germ) Plasm in Insect Oocytes. Results Probl Cell Differ 2017; 63:103-126. [PMID: 28779315 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-60855-6_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Animal germline cells are specified either through zygotic induction or cytoplasmic inheritance. Zygotic induction takes place in mid- or late embryogenesis and requires cell-to-cell signaling leading to the acquisition of germline fate de novo. In contrast, cytoplasmic inheritance involves formation of a specific, asymmetrically localized oocyte region, termed the germ (pole) plasm. This region contains maternally provided germline determinants (mRNAs, proteins) that are capable of inducing germline fate in a subset of embryonic cells. Recent data indicate that among insects, the zygotic induction represents an ancestral condition, while the cytoplasmic inheritance evolved at the base of Holometabola or in the last common ancestor of Holometabola and its sister taxon, Paraneoptera.In this chapter, we first describe subsequent stages of morphogenesis of the pole plasm and polar granules in the model organism, Drosophila melanogaster. Then, we present an overview of morphology and cytoarchitecture of the pole plasm in various holometabolan and paraneopteran insect species. Finally, we focus on phylogenetic hypotheses explaining the known distribution of two different strategies of germline specification among insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szczepan M Bilinski
- Department of Developmental Biology and Morphology of Invertebrates, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387, Krakow, Poland.
| | - Mariusz K Jaglarz
- Department of Developmental Biology and Morphology of Invertebrates, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387, Krakow, Poland
| | - Waclaw Tworzydlo
- Department of Developmental Biology and Morphology of Invertebrates, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387, Krakow, Poland
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44
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Differential expression of small RNA pathway genes associated with the Biomphalaria glabrata/Schistosoma mansoni interaction. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0181483. [PMID: 28719649 PMCID: PMC5515444 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0181483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that approximately 240 million people in 78 countries require treatment for schistosomiasis, an endemic disease caused by trematodes of the genus Schistosoma. In Brazil, Schistosoma mansoni is the only species representative of the genus whose passage through an invertebrate host, snails of the genus Biomphalaria, is obligatory before infecting a mammalian host, including humans. The availability of the genome and transcriptome of B. glabrata makes studying the regulation of gene expression, particularly the regulation of miRNA and piRNA processing pathway genes, possible. This might assist in better understanding the biology of B. glabrata as well as its relationship to the parasite S. mansoni. Some aspects of this interaction are still poorly explored, including the participation of non-coding small RNAs, such as miRNAs and piRNAs, with lengths varying from 18 to 30 nucleotides in mature form, which are potent regulators of gene expression. Using bioinformatics tools and quantitative PCR, we characterized and validated the miRNA and piRNA processing pathway genes in B. glabrata. In silico analyses showed that genes involved in miRNA and piRNA pathways were highly conserved in protein domain distribution, catalytic site residue conservation and phylogenetic analysis. Our study showed differential expression of putative Argonaute, Drosha, Piwi, Exportin-5 and Tudor genes at different snail developmental stages and during infection with S. mansoni, suggesting that the machinery is required for miRNA and piRNA processing in B. glabrata at all stages. These data suggested that the silencing pathway mediated by miRNAs and piRNAs can interfere in snail biology throughout the life cycle of the snail, thereby influencing the B. glabrata/S. mansoni interaction. Further studies are needed to confirm the participation of the small RNA processing pathway proteins in the parasite/host relationship, mainly the effective participation of small RNAs in regulating their target genes.
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45
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Vrettos N, Maragkakis M, Alexiou P, Mourelatos Z. Kc167, a widely used Drosophila cell line, contains an active primary piRNA pathway. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2017; 23:108-118. [PMID: 27789612 PMCID: PMC5159643 DOI: 10.1261/rna.059139.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2016] [Accepted: 10/22/2016] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
PIWI family proteins bind to small RNAs known as PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) and play essential roles in the germline by silencing transposons and by promoting germ cell specification and function. Here we report that the widely used Kc167 cell line, derived from Drosophila melanogaster embryos, expresses piRNAs that are loaded to Aub and Piwi. Kc167 piRNAs are produced by a canonical, primary piRNA biogenesis pathway, from phased processing of precursor transcripts by the Zuc endonuclease, Armi helicase, and dGasz mitochondrial scaffold protein. Kc167 piRNAs derive from cytoplasmic transcripts, notably tRNAs and mRNAs, and their abundance correlates with that of parent transcripts. The expression of Aub is robust in Kc167, that of Piwi is modest, while Ago3 is undetectable, explaining the lack of transposon-related piRNA amplification by the Aub-Ago3, ping-pong mechanism. We propose that the default state of the primary piRNA biogenesis machinery is random transcript sampling to allow generation of piRNAs from any transcript, including newly acquired retrotransposons. This state is unmasked in Kc167, likely because they do not express piRNA cluster transcripts in sufficient amounts and do not amplify transposon piRNAs. We use Kc167 to characterize an inactive isoform of Aub protein. Since most Kc167 piRNAs are genic, they can be mapped uniquely to the genome, facilitating computational analyses. Furthermore, because Kc167 is a widely used and well-characterized cell line that is easily amenable to experimental manipulations, we expect that it will serve as an excellent system to study piRNA biogenesis and piRNA-related factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Vrettos
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Neuropathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Manolis Maragkakis
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Neuropathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Panagiotis Alexiou
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Neuropathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Zissimos Mourelatos
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Neuropathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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46
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Jin W, Wang Y, Liu CP, Yang N, Jin M, Cong Y, Wang M, Xu RM. Structural basis for snRNA recognition by the double-WD40 repeat domain of Gemin5. Genes Dev 2016; 30:2391-2403. [PMID: 27881601 PMCID: PMC5131779 DOI: 10.1101/gad.291377.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Assembly of the spliceosomal small nuclear ribonucleoparticle (snRNP) core requires the participation of the multisubunit SMN (survival of motor neuron) complex, which contains SMN and several Gemin proteins. The SMN and Gemin2 subunits directly bind Sm proteins, and Gemin5 is required for snRNP biogenesis and has been implicated in snRNA recognition. The RNA sequence required for snRNP assembly includes the Sm site and an adjacent 3' stem-loop, but a precise understanding of Gemin5's RNA-binding specificity is lacking. Here we show that the N-terminal half of Gemin5, which is composed of two juxtaposed seven-bladed WD40 repeat domains, recognizes the Sm site. The tandem WD40 repeat domains are rigidly held together to form a contiguous RNA-binding surface. RNA-contacting residues are located mostly on loops between β strands on the apical surface of the WD40 domains. Structural and biochemical analyses show that base-stacking interactions involving four aromatic residues and hydrogen bonding by a pair of arginines are crucial for specific recognition of the Sm sequence. We also show that an adenine immediately 5' to the Sm site is required for efficient binding and that Gemin5 can bind short RNA oligos in an alternative mode. Our results provide mechanistic understandings of Gemin5's snRNA-binding specificity as well as valuable insights into the molecular mechanism of RNA binding by WD40 repeat proteins in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxing Jin
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yi Wang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chao-Pei Liu
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Na Yang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Mingliang Jin
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.,National Center for Protein Science Shanghai, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Yao Cong
- National Center for Protein Science Shanghai, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Mingzhu Wang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Rui-Ming Xu
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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47
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Zheng J, Gao M, Huynh N, Tindell SJ, Vo HDL, McDonald WH, Arkov AL. In vivo mapping of a dynamic ribonucleoprotein granule interactome in early Drosophila embryos. FEBS Open Bio 2016; 6:1248-1256. [PMID: 28203524 PMCID: PMC5302063 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.12144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2016] [Revised: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Macromolecular complexes and organelles play crucial roles within cells, but their native architectures are often unknown. Here, we use an evolutionarily conserved germline organelle, the germ granule, as a paradigm. In Drosophila embryos, we map one of its interactomes using a novel in vivo crosslinking approach that employs two interacting granule proteins and determines their common neighbor molecules. We identified an in vivo granule assembly of Tudor, Aubergine, motor and metabolic proteins, and RNA helicases, and provide evidence for direct interactions within this assembly using purified components. Our study indicates that germ granules contain efficient biochemical reactors involved in post‐transcriptional gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimiao Zheng
- Department of Biological Sciences Murray State University USA
| | - Ming Gao
- Biology Department Indiana University Northwest Gary IN USA
| | - Nhan Huynh
- Department of Biological Sciences Murray State University USA; Present address: University of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada
| | | | - Hieu D L Vo
- Department of Biological Sciences Murray State University USA
| | - W Hayes McDonald
- Department of Biochemistry Mass Spectrometry Research Center Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Nashville TN USA
| | - Alexey L Arkov
- Department of Biological Sciences Murray State University USA
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48
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Structural basis of arginine asymmetrical dimethylation by PRMT6. Biochem J 2016; 473:3049-63. [PMID: 27480107 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20160537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
PRMT6 is a type I protein arginine methyltransferase, generating the asymmetric dimethylarginine mark on proteins such as histone H3R2. Asymmetric dimethylation of histone H3R2 by PRMT6 acts as a repressive mark that antagonizes trimethylation of H3 lysine 4 by the MLL histone H3K4 methyltransferase. PRMT6 is overexpressed in several cancer types, including prostate, bladder and lung cancers; therefore, it is of great interest to develop potent and selective inhibitors for PRMT6. Here, we report the synthesis of a potent bisubstrate inhibitor GMS [6'-methyleneamine sinefungin, an analog of sinefungin (SNF)], and the crystal structures of human PRMT6 in complex, respectively, with S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH) and the bisubstrate inhibitor GMS that shed light on the significantly improved inhibition effect of GMS on methylation activity of PRMT6 compared with SAH and an S-adenosyl-L-methionine competitive methyltransferase inhibitor SNF. In addition, we also crystallized PRMT6 in complex with SAH and a short arginine-containing peptide. Based on the structural information here and available in the PDB database, we proposed a mechanism that can rationalize the distinctive arginine methylation product specificity of different types of arginine methyltransferases and pinpoint the structural determinant of such a specificity.
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Webster A, Li S, Hur JK, Wachsmuth M, Bois JS, Perkins EM, Patel DJ, Aravin AA. Aub and Ago3 Are Recruited to Nuage through Two Mechanisms to Form a Ping-Pong Complex Assembled by Krimper. Mol Cell 2016; 59:564-75. [PMID: 26295961 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2015.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2015] [Revised: 06/26/2015] [Accepted: 07/20/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
In Drosophila, two Piwi proteins, Aubergine (Aub) and Argonaute-3 (Ago3), localize to perinuclear "nuage" granules and use guide piRNAs to target and destroy transposable element transcripts. We find that Aub and Ago3 are recruited to nuage by two different mechanisms. Aub requires a piRNA guide for nuage recruitment, indicating that its localization depends on recognition of RNA targets. Ago3 is recruited to nuage independently of a piRNA cargo and relies on interaction with Krimper, a stable component of nuage that is able to aggregate in the absence of other nuage proteins. We show that Krimper interacts directly with Aub and Ago3 to coordinate the assembly of the ping-pong piRNA processing (4P) complex. Symmetrical dimethylated arginines are required for Aub to interact with Krimper, but they are dispensable for Ago3 to bind Krimper. Our study reveals a multi-step process responsible for the assembly and function of nuage complexes in piRNA-guided transposon repression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Webster
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Sisi Li
- Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10021 USA
| | - Junho K Hur
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Malte Wachsmuth
- Cell Biology & Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Justin S Bois
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Edward M Perkins
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Dinshaw J Patel
- Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10021 USA
| | - Alexei A Aravin
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
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Abstract
A network of reader proteins and enzymes precisely controls gene transcription through the dynamic addition, removal, and recognition of post-translational modifications (PTMs) of histone tails. Histone PTMs work in concert with this network to regulate gene transcription through the histone code, and the dysregulation of PTM maintenance is linked to a large number of diseases, including many types of cancer. A wealth of research aims to elucidate the functions of this code, but our understanding of the effects of PTMs, specifically the methylation of lysine (Lys) and arginine (Arg), is lacking. The development of new tools to study PTMs relies on a sophisticated understanding of the mechanisms that drive protein and small molecule recognition in water. In this review, we outline the physical organic concepts that drive the molecular recognition of Lys and Arg methylation by reader proteins and draw comparisons to the binding mechanisms of small molecule receptors for methylated Lys and Arg that have been developed recently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua E. Beaver
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, CB 3290, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Marcey L. Waters
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, CB 3290, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
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