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Dias Mirandela M, Zoch A, Leismann J, Webb S, Berrens RV, Valsakumar D, Kabayama Y, Auchynnikava T, Schito M, Chowdhury T, MacLeod D, Xiang X, Zou J, Rappsilber J, Allshire RC, Voigt P, Cook AG, Barau J, O'Carroll D. Two-factor authentication underpins the precision of the piRNA pathway. Nature 2024:10.1038/s41586-024-07963-3. [PMID: 39294378 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07963-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/20/2024]
Abstract
The PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway guides the DNA methylation of young, active transposons during germline development in male mice1. piRNAs tether the PIWI protein MIWI2 (PIWIL4) to the nascent transposon transcript, resulting in DNA methylation through SPOCD1 (refs. 2-5). Transposon methylation requires great precision: every copy needs to be methylated but off-target methylation must be avoided. However, the underlying mechanisms that ensure this precision remain unknown. Here, we show that SPOCD1 interacts directly with SPIN1 (SPINDLIN1), a chromatin reader that primarily binds to H3K4me3-K9me3 (ref. 6). The prevailing assumption is that all the molecular events required for piRNA-directed DNA methylation occur after the engagement of MIWI2. We find that SPIN1 expression precedes that of both SPOCD1 and MIWI2. Furthermore, we demonstrate that young LINE1 copies, but not old ones, are marked by H3K4me3, H3K9me3 and SPIN1 before the initiation of piRNA-directed DNA methylation. We generated a Spocd1 separation-of-function allele in the mouse that encodes a SPOCD1 variant that no longer interacts with SPIN1. We found that the interaction between SPOCD1 and SPIN1 is essential for spermatogenesis and piRNA-directed DNA methylation of young LINE1 elements. We propose that piRNA-directed LINE1 DNA methylation requires a developmentally timed two-factor authentication process. The first authentication is the recruitment of SPIN1-SPOCD1 to the young LINE1 promoter, and the second is MIWI2 engagement with the nascent transcript. In summary, independent authentication events underpin the precision of piRNA-directed LINE1 DNA methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine Dias Mirandela
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ansgar Zoch
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Shaun Webb
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Rebecca V Berrens
- IDRM, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Biochemistry, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
| | - Devisree Valsakumar
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - Yuka Kabayama
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Tania Auchynnikava
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Martina Schito
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Tamoghna Chowdhury
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - David MacLeod
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Xinyu Xiang
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
| | - Juan Zou
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Juri Rappsilber
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Bioanalytics, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robin C Allshire
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Philipp Voigt
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - Atlanta G Cook
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Joan Barau
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Mainz, Germany
| | - Dónal O'Carroll
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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2
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Du L, Chen W, Zhang D, Cui Y, He Z. The functions and mechanisms of piRNAs in mediating mammalian spermatogenesis and their applications in reproductive medicine. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:379. [PMID: 39222270 PMCID: PMC11369131 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05399-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
As the most abundant small RNAs, piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) have been identified as a new class of non-coding RNAs with 24-32 nucleotides in length, and they are expressed at high levels in male germ cells. PiRNAs have been implicated in the regulation of several biological processes, including cell differentiation, development, and male reproduction. In this review, we focused on the functions and molecular mechanisms of piRNAs in controlling spermatogenesis, including genome stability, regulation of gene expression, and male germ cell development. The piRNA pathways include two major pathways, namely the pre-pachytene piRNA pathway and the pachytene piRNA pathway. In the pre-pachytene stage, piRNAs are involved in chromosome remodeling and gene expression regulation to maintain genome stability by inhibiting transposon activity. In the pachytene stage, piRNAs mediate the development of male germ cells via regulating gene expression by binding to mRNA and RNA cleavage. We further discussed the correlations between the abnormalities of piRNAs and male infertility and the prospective of piRNAs' applications in reproductive medicine and future studies. This review provides novel insights into mechanisms underlying mammalian spermatogenesis and offers new targets for diagnosing and treating male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Du
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, The Engineering Research Center of Reproduction and Translational Medicine of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, The Manufacture-Based Learning and Research Demonstration Center for Human Reproductive Health New Technology of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, China
| | - Wei Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, The Engineering Research Center of Reproduction and Translational Medicine of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, The Manufacture-Based Learning and Research Demonstration Center for Human Reproductive Health New Technology of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, China
| | - Dong Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, The Engineering Research Center of Reproduction and Translational Medicine of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, The Manufacture-Based Learning and Research Demonstration Center for Human Reproductive Health New Technology of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, China
| | - Yinghong Cui
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, The Engineering Research Center of Reproduction and Translational Medicine of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, The Manufacture-Based Learning and Research Demonstration Center for Human Reproductive Health New Technology of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, China
| | - Zuping He
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, The Engineering Research Center of Reproduction and Translational Medicine of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, The Manufacture-Based Learning and Research Demonstration Center for Human Reproductive Health New Technology of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
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Uneme Y, Maeda R, Nakayama G, Narita H, Takeda N, Hiramatsu R, Nishihara H, Nakato R, Kanai Y, Araki K, Siomi MC, Yamanaka S. Morc1 reestablishes H3K9me3 heterochromatin on piRNA-targeted transposons in gonocytes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2317095121. [PMID: 38502704 PMCID: PMC10990106 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2317095121] [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: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
To maintain fertility, male mice re-repress transposable elements (TEs) that were de-silenced in the early gonocytes before their differentiation into spermatogonia. However, the mechanism of TE silencing re-establishment remains unknown. Here, we found that the DNA-binding protein Morc1, in cooperation with the methyltransferase SetDB1, deposits the repressive histone mark H3K9me3 on a large fraction of activated TEs, leading to heterochromatin. Morc1 also triggers DNA methylation, but TEs targeted by Morc1-driven DNA methylation only slightly overlapped with those repressed by Morc1/SetDB1-dependent heterochromatin formation, suggesting that Morc1 silences TEs in two different manners. In contrast, TEs regulated by Morc1 and Miwi2, the nuclear PIWI-family protein, almost overlapped. Miwi2 binds to PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) that base-pair with TE mRNAs via sequence complementarity, while Morc1 DNA binding is not sequence specific, suggesting that Miwi2 selects its targets, and then, Morc1 acts to repress them with cofactors. A high-ordered mechanism of TE repression in gonocytes has been identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Uneme
- Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo113-0032, Japan
| | - Ryu Maeda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo113-0032, Japan
| | - Gen Nakayama
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo113-0032, Japan
| | - Haruka Narita
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo113-0032, Japan
| | - Naoki Takeda
- Division of Developmental Genetics, Institute of Resource Development and Analysis, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto860-0811, Japan
| | - Ryuji Hiramatsu
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo113-8657, Japan
| | - Hidenori Nishihara
- Department of Advanced Bioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kindai University, Nara631-8505, Japan
| | - Ryuichiro Nakato
- Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo113-0032, Japan
| | - Yoshiakira Kanai
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo113-8657, Japan
| | - Kimi Araki
- Division of Developmental Genetics, Institute of Resource Development and Analysis, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto860-0811, Japan
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Center for Metabolic Regulation of Healthy Aging, Kumamoto University, Honjo, Kumamoto860-8556, Japan
| | - Mikiko C. Siomi
- Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo113-0032, Japan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo113-0032, Japan
| | - Soichiro Yamanaka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo113-0032, Japan
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Zoch A, Konieczny G, Auchynnikava T, Stallmeyer B, Rotte N, Heep M, Berrens RV, Schito M, Kabayama Y, Schöpp T, Kliesch S, Houston B, Nagirnaja L, O'Bryan MK, Aston KI, Conrad DF, Rappsilber J, Allshire RC, Cook AG, Tüttelmann F, O'Carroll D. C19ORF84 connects piRNA and DNA methylation machineries to defend the mammalian germ line. Mol Cell 2024; 84:1021-1035.e11. [PMID: 38359823 PMCID: PMC10960678 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
In the male mouse germ line, PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), bound by the PIWI protein MIWI2 (PIWIL4), guide DNA methylation of young active transposons through SPOCD1. However, the underlying mechanisms of SPOCD1-mediated piRNA-directed transposon methylation and whether this pathway functions to protect the human germ line remain unknown. We identified loss-of-function variants in human SPOCD1 that cause defective transposon silencing and male infertility. Through the analysis of these pathogenic alleles, we discovered that the uncharacterized protein C19ORF84 interacts with SPOCD1. DNMT3C, the DNA methyltransferase responsible for transposon methylation, associates with SPOCD1 and C19ORF84 in fetal gonocytes. Furthermore, C19ORF84 is essential for piRNA-directed DNA methylation and male mouse fertility. Finally, C19ORF84 mediates the in vivo association of SPOCD1 with the de novo methylation machinery. In summary, we have discovered a conserved role for the human piRNA pathway in transposon silencing and C19ORF84, an uncharacterized protein essential for orchestrating piRNA-directed DNA methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ansgar Zoch
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK; Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK.
| | - Gabriela Konieczny
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK; Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Tania Auchynnikava
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Birgit Stallmeyer
- Institute of Reproductive Genetics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Nadja Rotte
- Institute of Reproductive Genetics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Madeleine Heep
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK; Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Rebecca V Berrens
- Institute for Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, University of Oxford, IMS-Tetsuya Nakamura Building, Old Road Campus, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX37TY, UK
| | - Martina Schito
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK; Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Yuka Kabayama
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK; Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Theresa Schöpp
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK; Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Sabine Kliesch
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, Department of Clinical and Surgical Andrology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Brendan Houston
- School of BioSciences and Bio21 Institute, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Liina Nagirnaja
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, USA
| | - Moira K O'Bryan
- School of BioSciences and Bio21 Institute, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Kenneth I Aston
- Andrology and In Vitro Fertilization Laboratory, Department of Surgery (Urology), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Donald F Conrad
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, USA; Center for Embryonic Cell and Gene Therapy, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Juri Rappsilber
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK; Bioanalytics, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Gustav-Meyer-Allee 25, 13355 Berlin, Germany
| | - Robin C Allshire
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Atlanta G Cook
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Frank Tüttelmann
- Institute of Reproductive Genetics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Dónal O'Carroll
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK; Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK.
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Deng X, Liang S, Tang Y, Li Y, Xu R, Luo L, Wang Q, Zhang X, Liu Y. Adverse effects of bisphenol A and its analogues on male fertility: An epigenetic perspective. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 345:123393. [PMID: 38266695 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, there has been growing concern about the adverse effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on male fertility. Epigenetic modification is critical for male germline development, and has been suggested as a potential mechanism for impaired fertility induced by EDCs. Bisphenol A (BPA) has been recognized as a typical EDC. BPA and its analogues, which are still widely used in various consumer products, have garnered increasing attention due to their reproductive toxicity and the potential to induce epigenetic alteration. This literature review provides an overview of studies investigating the adverse effects of bisphenol exposures on epigenetic modifications and male fertility. Existing studies provide evidence that exposure to bisphenols can lead to adverse effects on male fertility, including declined semen quality, altered reproductive hormone levels, and adverse reproductive outcomes. Epigenetic patterns, including DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA expression, can be altered by bisphenol exposures. Transgenerational effects, which influence the fertility and epigenetic patterns of unexposed generations, have also been identified. However, the magnitude and direction of certain outcomes varied across different studies. Investigations into the dynamics of histopathological and epigenetic alterations associated with bisphenol exposures during developmental stages can enhance the understanding of the epigenetic effects of bisphenols, the implication of epigenetic alteration on male fertility, and the health of successive generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Deng
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sihan Liang
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuqian Tang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Male Reproduction and Genetics, Guangdong Provincial Reproductive Science Institute, Guangdong Provincial Fertility Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yingxin Li
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruijun Xu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lu Luo
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiling Wang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Male Reproduction and Genetics, Guangdong Provincial Reproductive Science Institute, Guangdong Provincial Fertility Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinzong Zhang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Male Reproduction and Genetics, Guangdong Provincial Reproductive Science Institute, Guangdong Provincial Fertility Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuewei Liu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
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Sohn EJ, Han ME, Park YM, Kim YH, Oh SO. The potential of piR-823 as a diagnostic biomarker in oncology: A systematic review. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0294685. [PMID: 38060527 PMCID: PMC10703285 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emerging evidence has demonstrated that PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) play important roles in various physiological processes and contribute to cancer progression. Moreover, piRNAs and PIWI protein levels are associated with the prognosis and chemoresistance of various cancers. The limitations of biomarkers challenge early detection and monitoring of chemoresistance and cancer relapse. METHODS To evaluate the potential of piRNA as a diagnostic biomarker in oncology, we systematically reviewed previous studies on the subject. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched to evaluate the diagnostic relevance of piRNAs in cancer. Eighteen studies (2,352 patients) were included. The quality of each study was evaluated with AMSTAR and QUADAS-2 tool. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS The area under the curve (AUC) values of 26 piRNAs in patients with cancer ranged from 0.624 to 0.978, with piR-9491 showing the highest value (0.978). The sensitivity of the total of 21 piRNAs in cancer patients was between 42.86 and 100, with piR-9491 showing the highest sensitivity (100). The specificity of these 21 piRNAs ranged from 60.10 to 96.67 (with piR-018569 showing the highest specificity (96.67)). Their odds ratios were between 1.61 and 44.67, and piR-12488 showed the highest odds ratio (44.67). Generally, the piRNAs in this review showed better sensitivity and AUC values than current clinical diagnostic biomarkers, although current biomarkers appear to be more specific. Reviewed piRNAs showed better diagnostic performance than currently used clinical biomarkers. Notably, piR-823 showed a significant diagnostic performance in four types of cancer (colorectal, esophageal, gastric, and renal cell cancer). However, all 18 studies included in this review were a case-control study. So, further prospective studies are required for their validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun Jung Sohn
- Research Center for Molecular Control of Cancer Cell Diversity, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Republic of Korea
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Myoung-Eun Han
- Research Center for Molecular Control of Cancer Cell Diversity, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Republic of Korea
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Mok Park
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Hak Kim
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Sae-Ock Oh
- Research Center for Molecular Control of Cancer Cell Diversity, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Republic of Korea
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Republic of Korea
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7
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Tam PLF, Leung D. The Molecular Impacts of Retrotransposons in Development and Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16418. [PMID: 38003607 PMCID: PMC10671454 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216418] [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: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Retrotransposons are invasive genetic elements that constitute substantial portions of mammalian genomes. They have the potential to influence nearby gene expression through their cis-regulatory sequences, reverse transcription machinery, and the ability to mold higher-order chromatin structures. Due to their multifaceted functions, it is crucial for host fitness to maintain strict regulation of these parasitic sequences to ensure proper growth and development. This review explores how subsets of retrotransposons have undergone evolutionary exaptation to enhance the complexity of mammalian genomes. It also highlights the significance of regulating these elements, drawing on recent studies conducted in human and murine systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phoebe Lut Fei Tam
- Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong SAR, China;
| | - Danny Leung
- Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong SAR, China;
- Center for Epigenomics Research, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong SAR, China
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8
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Chen M, Wang N, Yang H, Liu D, Gao Y, Duo L, Cui X, Hao F, Ye J, Gao F, Tu Q, Gui Y. Single-cell transcriptome analysis of the germ cells and somatic cells during mitotic quiescence stage in goats. FASEB J 2023; 37:e23244. [PMID: 37823602 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202301278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
The mitotic quiescence of prospermatogonia is the event known to occur during genesis of the male germline and is tied to the development of the spermatogenic lineage. The regulatory mechanisms and the functional importance of this process have been demonstrated in mice; however, regulation of this process in human and domestic animal is still largely unknown. In this study, we employed single-cell RNA sequencing to identify transcriptional signatures of prospermatogonia and major somatic cell types in testes of goats at E85, E105, and E125. We identified both common and specific Gene Ontology categories, transcription factor regulatory networks, and cell-cell interactions in cell types from goat testis. We also analyzed the transcriptional dynamic changes in prospermatogonia, Sertoli cells, Leydig cells, and interstitial cells. Our datasets provide a useful resource for the study of domestic animal germline development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Chen
- Guangdong and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Institute of Urology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Nan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hang Yang
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Dongjun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation & Breeding of Grassland Livestock, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Yuan Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation & Breeding of Grassland Livestock, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Lei Duo
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation & Breeding of Grassland Livestock, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Xiuhong Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fei Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation & Breeding of Grassland Livestock, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Jing Ye
- Guangdong and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Institute of Urology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Fei Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qiang Tu
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yaoting Gui
- Guangdong and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Institute of Urology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, China
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9
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Kalmykova AI, Sokolova OA. Retrotransposons and Telomeres. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2023; 88:1739-1753. [PMID: 38105195 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297923110068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) comprise a significant part of eukaryotic genomes being a major source of genome instability and mutagenesis. Cellular defense systems suppress the TE expansion at all stages of their life cycle. Piwi proteins and Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are key elements of the anti-transposon defense system, which control TE activity in metazoan gonads preventing inheritable transpositions and developmental defects. In this review, we discuss various regulatory mechanisms by which small RNAs combat TE activity. However, active transposons persist, suggesting these powerful anti-transposon defense mechanisms have a limited capacity. A growing body of evidence suggests that increased TE activity coincides with genome reprogramming and telomere lengthening in different species. In the Drosophila fruit fly, whose telomeres consist only of retrotransposons, a piRNA-mediated mechanism is required for telomere maintenance and their length control. Therefore, the efficacy of protective mechanisms must be finely balanced in order not only to suppress the activity of transposons, but also to maintain the proper length and stability of telomeres. Structural and functional relationship between the telomere homeostasis and LINE1 retrotransposon in human cells indicates a close link between selfish TEs and the vital structure of the genome, telomere. This relationship, which permits the retention of active TEs in the genome, is reportedly a legacy of the retrotransposon origin of telomeres. The maintenance of telomeres and the execution of other crucial roles that TEs acquired during the process of their domestication in the genome serve as a type of payment for such a "service."
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Affiliation(s)
- Alla I Kalmykova
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia.
| | - Olesya A Sokolova
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia
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10
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Schöpp T, Prigozhin DM, Douse C, Kaji K, Cook AG, O'Carroll D. The DUF3715 domain has a conserved role in RNA-directed transposon silencing. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2023; 29:1471-1480. [PMID: 37433650 PMCID: PMC10578480 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079693.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
RNA-directed transposon silencing operates in the mammalian soma and germline to safeguard genomic integrity. The piRNA pathway and the HUSH complex identify active transposons through recognition of their nascent transcripts, but mechanistic understanding of how these distinct pathways evolved is lacking. TASOR is an essential component of the HUSH complex. TASOR's DUF3715 domain adopts a pseudo-PARP structure and is required for transposon silencing in a manner independent of complex assembly. TEX15, an essential piRNA pathway factor, also contains the DUF3715 domain. Here, we show that TASOR's and TEX15's DUF3715 domain share extensive structural homology. We found that the DUF3715 domain arose in early eukaryotes and that in vertebrates it is restricted to TEX15, TASOR, and TASORB orthologs. While TASOR-like proteins are found throughout metazoa, TEX15 is vertebrate-specific. The branching of TEX15 and the TASOR-like DUF3715 domain likely occurred in early metazoan evolution. Remarkably, despite this vast evolutionary distance, the DUF3715 domain from divergent TEX15 sequences can functionally substitute the DUF3715 domain of TASOR and mediates transposon silencing. We have thus termed this domain of unknown function as the RNA-directed pseudo-PARP transposon silencing (RDTS) domain. In summary, we show an unexpected functional link between these critical transposon silencing pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa Schöpp
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, United Kingdom
| | - Daniil M Prigozhin
- Berkeley Center for Structural Biology, Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Christopher Douse
- Lab of Epigenetics and Chromatin Dynamics, Department of Experimental Medical Science and Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Keisuke Kaji
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, United Kingdom
| | - Atlanta G Cook
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, United Kingdom
| | - Dónal O'Carroll
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, United Kingdom
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11
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Gerdes P, Chan D, Lundberg M, Sanchez-Luque FJ, Bodea GO, Ewing AD, Faulkner GJ, Richardson SR. Locus-resolution analysis of L1 regulation and retrotransposition potential in mouse embryonic development. Genome Res 2023; 33:1465-1481. [PMID: 37798118 PMCID: PMC10620060 DOI: 10.1101/gr.278003.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Mice harbor ∼2800 intact copies of the retrotransposon Long Interspersed Element 1 (L1). The in vivo retrotransposition capacity of an L1 copy is defined by both its sequence integrity and epigenetic status, including DNA methylation of the monomeric units constituting young mouse L1 promoters. Locus-specific L1 methylation dynamics during development may therefore elucidate and explain spatiotemporal niches of endogenous retrotransposition but remain unresolved. Here, we interrogate the retrotransposition efficiency and epigenetic fate of source (donor) L1s, identified as mobile in vivo. We show that promoter monomer loss consistently attenuates the relative retrotransposition potential of their offspring (daughter) L1 insertions. We also observe that most donor/daughter L1 pairs are efficiently methylated upon differentiation in vivo and in vitro. We use Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) long-read sequencing to resolve L1 methylation genome-wide and at individual L1 loci, revealing a distinctive "smile" pattern in methylation levels across the L1 promoter region. Using Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) SMRT sequencing of L1 5' RACE products, we then examine DNA methylation dynamics at the mouse L1 promoter in parallel with transcription start site (TSS) distribution at locus-specific resolution. Together, our results offer a novel perspective on the interplay between epigenetic repression, L1 evolution, and genome stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Gerdes
- Mater Research Institute - University of Queensland, TRI Building, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Dorothy Chan
- Mater Research Institute - University of Queensland, TRI Building, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Mischa Lundberg
- Mater Research Institute - University of Queensland, TRI Building, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
- Translational Bioinformatics, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Sydney, New South Wales 2113, Australia
| | - Francisco J Sanchez-Luque
- Mater Research Institute - University of Queensland, TRI Building, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
- GENYO. Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research (Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government), PTS Granada, 18016, Spain
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer (IGC), University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, United Kingdom
| | - Gabriela O Bodea
- Mater Research Institute - University of Queensland, TRI Building, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Adam D Ewing
- Mater Research Institute - University of Queensland, TRI Building, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Geoffrey J Faulkner
- Mater Research Institute - University of Queensland, TRI Building, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia;
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Sandra R Richardson
- Mater Research Institute - University of Queensland, TRI Building, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia;
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12
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Abstract
Male germ cells undergo a complex sequence of developmental events throughout fetal and postnatal life that culminate in the formation of haploid gametes: the spermatozoa. Errors in these processes result in infertility and congenital abnormalities in offspring. Male germ cell development starts when pluripotent cells undergo specification to sexually uncommitted primordial germ cells, which act as precursors of both oocytes and spermatozoa. Male-specific development subsequently occurs in the fetal testes, resulting in the formation of spermatogonial stem cells: the foundational stem cells responsible for lifelong generation of spermatozoa. Although deciphering such developmental processes is challenging in humans, recent studies using various models and single-cell sequencing approaches have shed new insight into human male germ cell development. Here, we provide an overview of cellular, signaling and epigenetic cascades of events accompanying male gametogenesis, highlighting conserved features and the differences between humans and other model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Hargy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kotaro Sasaki
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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13
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de Sena Brandine G, Aston KI, Jenkins TG, Smith AD. Global effects of identity and aging on the human sperm methylome. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:127. [PMID: 37550724 PMCID: PMC10408082 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01541-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND As the average age of fatherhood increases worldwide, so too does the need for understanding effects of aging in male germline cells. Molecular change, including epigenomic alterations, may impact offspring. Age-associated change to DNA cytosine methylation in the cytosine-guanine (CpG) context is a hallmark of aging tissues, including sperm. Prior studies have led to accurate models that predict a man's age based on specific methylation features in the DNA of sperm, but the relationship between aging and global DNA methylation in sperm remains opaque. Further clarification requires a more complete survey of the methylome with assessment of variability within and between individuals. RESULTS We collected sperm methylome data in a longitudinal study of ten healthy fertile men. We used whole-genome bisulfite sequencing of samples collected 10 to 18 years apart from each donor. We found that, overall, variability between donors far exceeds age-associated variation. After controlling for donor identity, we see significant age-dependent genome-wide change to the methylome. Notably, trends of change with age depend on genomic location or annotation, with contrasting signatures that correlate with gene density and proximity to centromeres and promoter regions. CONCLUSIONS We uncovered epigenetic signatures that reflect a stable process which begins in early adulthood, progressing steadily through most of the male lifespan, and warrants consideration in any future study of the aging sperm epigenome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme de Sena Brandine
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Kenneth I Aston
- Andrology and IVF Laboratory, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, USA
| | - Timothy G Jenkins
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Brigham Young University, Provo, USA
| | - Andrew D Smith
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA.
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14
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Xiong M, Yin L, Gui Y, Lv C, Ma X, Guo S, Wu Y, Feng S, Fan X, Zhou S, Wang L, Wen Y, Wang X, Xie Q, Namekawa SH, Yuan S. ADAD2 interacts with RNF17 in P-bodies to repress the Ping-pong cycle in pachytene piRNA biogenesis. J Cell Biol 2023; 222:e202206067. [PMID: 36930220 PMCID: PMC10040813 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202206067] [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: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Pachytene piRNA biogenesis is a hallmark of the germline, distinct from another wave of pre-pachytene piRNA biogenesis with regard to the lack of a secondary amplification process known as the Ping-pong cycle. However, the underlying molecular mechanism and the venue for the suppression of the Ping-pong cycle remain elusive. Here, we showed that a testis-specific protein, ADAD2, interacts with a TDRD family member protein RNF17 and is associated with P-bodies. Importantly, ADAD2 directs RNF17 to repress Ping-pong activity in pachytene piRNA biogenesis. The P-body localization of RNF17 requires the intrinsically disordered domain of ADAD2. Deletion of Adad2 or Rnf17 causes the mislocalization of each other and subsequent Ping-pong activity derepression, secondary piRNAs overproduced, and disruption of P-body integrity at the meiotic stage, thereby leading to spermatogenesis arrested at the round spermatid stage. Collectively, by identifying the ADAD2-dependent mechanism, our study reveals a novel function of P-bodies in suppressing Ping-pong activity in pachytene piRNA biogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengneng Xiong
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Wuhan University Renmin Hospital, Wuhan, China
| | - Lisha Yin
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yiqian Gui
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chunyu Lv
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xixiang Ma
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Laboratory of Animal Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuangshuang Guo
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanqing Wu
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shenglei Feng
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xv Fan
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shumin Zhou
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Lingjuan Wang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yujiao Wen
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoli Wang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Qingzhen Xie
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Wuhan University Renmin Hospital, Wuhan, China
| | - Satoshi H. Namekawa
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Shuiqiao Yuan
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Laboratory of Animal Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Shenzhen Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Research Institute, Shenzhen, China
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15
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Wang X, Ramat A, Simonelig M, Liu MF. Emerging roles and functional mechanisms of PIWI-interacting RNAs. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2023; 24:123-141. [PMID: 36104626 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-022-00528-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 61.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs that associate with proteins of the PIWI clade of the Argonaute family. First identified in animal germ line cells, piRNAs have essential roles in germ line development. The first function of PIWI-piRNA complexes to be described was the silencing of transposable elements, which is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the germ line genome. Later studies provided new insights into the functions of PIWI-piRNA complexes by demonstrating that they regulate protein-coding genes. Recent studies of piRNA biology, including in new model organisms such as golden hamsters, have deepened our understanding of both piRNA biogenesis and piRNA function. In this Review, we discuss the most recent advances in our understanding of piRNA biogenesis, the molecular mechanisms of piRNA function and the emerging roles of piRNAs in germ line development mainly in flies and mice, and in infertility, cancer and neurological diseases in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Anne Ramat
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Martine Simonelig
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France.
| | - Mo-Fang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China. .,Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China. .,School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai, China.
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16
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The remodeling of Z-DNA in the mammalian germ line. Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:1875-1884. [PMID: 36454621 PMCID: PMC9788570 DOI: 10.1042/bst20221015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
We recently discovered a novel biological process, the scheduled remodeling of Z-DNA structures in the developing fetal mouse male germ cells [Nat. Cell Biol. 24, 1141-1153]. This process affects purine/pyrimidine dinucleotide repeat (PPR) rich sequences, which can form stable left-handed Z-DNA structures. The protein that carries out this function is identified as ZBTB43, member of a large family of ZBTB proteins. Z-DNA remodeling by ZBTB43 not only coincides with global remodeling of DNA methylation and chromatin events in the male germ line, but it also is a prerequisite for de novo DNA methylation. When ZBTB43 changes DNA structure from the left-handed zigzag shaped Z-DNA to the regular smooth right-handed B-DNA, it also generates a suitable substrate for the de novo DNA methyltransferase, DNMT3A. By instructing de novo DNA methylation at PPRs in prospermatogonia, ZBTB43 safeguards epigenomic integrity of the male gamete. PPRs are fragile sequences, sites of large deletions and rearrangements in mammalian cells, and this fragility is thought to be due to Z-DNA structure formation rather than the sequence itself. This idea is now supported by the in vivo finding that DNA double strand breaks accumulate in mutant prospermatogonia which lack ZBTB43-dependent Z-DNA remodeling. If unrepaired, double stranded DNA breaks can lead to germ line mutations. Therefore, by preventing such breaks ZBTB43 is critical for guarding genome stability between generations. Here, we discuss the significance and implications of these findings in more detail.
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17
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Ramakrishna NB, Battistoni G, Surani MA, Hannon GJ, Miska EA. Mouse primordial germ-cell-like cells lack piRNAs. Dev Cell 2022; 57:2661-2668.e5. [PMID: 36473462 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2022.11.004] [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: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are small RNAs bound by PIWI-clade Argonaute proteins that function to silence transposable elements (TEs). Following mouse primordial germ cell (mPGC) specification around E6.25, fetal piRNAs emerge in male gonocytes from E13.5 onward. The in vitro differentiation of mPGC-like cells (mPGCLCs) has raised the possibility of studying the fetal piRNA pathway in greater depth. However, using single-cell RNA-seq and RT-qPCR along mPGCLC differentiation, we find that piRNA pathway factors are not fully expressed in Day 6 mPGCLCs. Moreover, we do not detect piRNAs across a panel of Day 6 mPGCLC lines using small RNA-seq. Our combined efforts highlight that in vitro differentiated Day 6 mPGCLCs do not yet resemble E13.5 or later mouse gonocytes where the piRNA pathway is active. This Matters Arising paper is in response to von Meyenn et al. (2016), published in Developmental Cell. See also the correction by von Meyenn et al. published in this issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navin B Ramakrishna
- Wellcome/CRUK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK; Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK; Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EL, UK
| | - Giorgia Battistoni
- CRUK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - M Azim Surani
- Wellcome/CRUK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK; Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EL, UK; Wellcome/MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK.
| | - Gregory J Hannon
- CRUK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK.
| | - Eric A Miska
- Wellcome/CRUK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK; Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK; Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK.
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18
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Di Stefano L. All Quiet on the TE Front? The Role of Chromatin in Transposable Element Silencing. Cells 2022; 11:cells11162501. [PMID: 36010577 PMCID: PMC9406493 DOI: 10.3390/cells11162501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genetic elements that constitute a sizeable portion of many eukaryotic genomes. Through their mobility, they represent a major source of genetic variation, and their activation can cause genetic instability and has been linked to aging, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Accordingly, tight regulation of TE transcription is necessary for normal development. Chromatin is at the heart of TE regulation; however, we still lack a comprehensive understanding of the precise role of chromatin marks in TE silencing and how chromatin marks are established and maintained at TE loci. In this review, I discuss evidence documenting the contribution of chromatin-associated proteins and histone marks in TE regulation across different species with an emphasis on Drosophila and mammalian systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Di Stefano
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Department (MCD), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), University of Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 31062 Toulouse, France
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19
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Bhat A, Ghatage T, Bhan S, Lahane GP, Dhar A, Kumar R, Pandita RK, Bhat KM, Ramos KS, Pandita TK. Role of Transposable Elements in Genome Stability: Implications for Health and Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:7802. [PMID: 35887150 PMCID: PMC9319628 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Most living organisms have in their genome a sizable proportion of DNA sequences capable of mobilization; these sequences are commonly referred to as transposons, transposable elements (TEs), or jumping genes. Although long thought to have no biological significance, advances in DNA sequencing and analytical technologies have enabled precise characterization of TEs and confirmed their ubiquitous presence across all forms of life. These findings have ignited intense debates over their biological significance. The available evidence now supports the notion that TEs exert major influence over many biological aspects of organismal life. Transposable elements contribute significantly to the evolution of the genome by giving rise to genetic variations in both active and passive modes. Due to their intrinsic nature of mobility within the genome, TEs primarily cause gene disruption and large-scale genomic alterations including inversions, deletions, and duplications. Besides genomic instability, growing evidence also points to many physiologically important functions of TEs, such as gene regulation through cis-acting control elements and modulation of the transcriptome through epigenetic control. In this review, we discuss the latest evidence demonstrating the impact of TEs on genome stability and the underling mechanisms, including those developed to mitigate the deleterious impact of TEs on genomic stability and human health. We have also highlighted the potential therapeutic application of TEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audesh Bhat
- Centre for Molecular Biology, Central University of Jammu, Jammu 181143, India;
| | - Trupti Ghatage
- Department of Pharmacy, BITS-Pilani Hyderabad Campus, Hyderabad 500078, India; (T.G.); (G.P.L.); (A.D.)
| | - Sonali Bhan
- Centre for Molecular Biology, Central University of Jammu, Jammu 181143, India;
| | - Ganesh P. Lahane
- Department of Pharmacy, BITS-Pilani Hyderabad Campus, Hyderabad 500078, India; (T.G.); (G.P.L.); (A.D.)
| | - Arti Dhar
- Department of Pharmacy, BITS-Pilani Hyderabad Campus, Hyderabad 500078, India; (T.G.); (G.P.L.); (A.D.)
| | - Rakesh Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Shri Mata Vaishnav Devi University, Katra 182320, India;
| | - Raj K. Pandita
- Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Krishna M. Bhat
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA;
| | - Kenneth S. Ramos
- Center for Genomics and Precision Medicine, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Tej K. Pandita
- Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
- Center for Genomics and Precision Medicine, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
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20
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Zhou W, Hinoue T, Barnes B, Mitchell O, Iqbal W, Lee SM, Foy KK, Lee KH, Moyer EJ, VanderArk A, Koeman JM, Ding W, Kalkat M, Spix NJ, Eagleson B, Pospisilik JA, Szabó PE, Bartolomei MS, Vander Schaaf NA, Kang L, Wiseman AK, Jones PA, Krawczyk CM, Adams M, Porecha R, Chen BH, Shen H, Laird PW. DNA methylation dynamics and dysregulation delineated by high-throughput profiling in the mouse. CELL GENOMICS 2022; 2:100144. [PMID: 35873672 PMCID: PMC9306256 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2022.100144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
We have developed a mouse DNA methylation array that contains 296,070 probes representing the diversity of mouse DNA methylation biology. We present a mouse methylation atlas as a rich reference resource of 1,239 DNA samples encompassing distinct tissues, strains, ages, sexes, and pathologies. We describe applications for comparative epigenomics, genomic imprinting, epigenetic inhibitors, patient-derived xenograft assessment, backcross tracing, and epigenetic clocks. We dissect DNA methylation processes associated with differentiation, aging, and tumorigenesis. Notably, we find that tissue-specific methylation signatures localize to binding sites for transcription factors controlling the corresponding tissue development. Age-associated hypermethylation is enriched at regions of Polycomb repression, while hypomethylation is enhanced at regions bound by cohesin complex members. Apc Min/+ polyp-associated hypermethylation affects enhancers regulating intestinal differentiation, while hypomethylation targets AP-1 binding sites. This Infinium Mouse Methylation BeadChip (version MM285) is widely accessible to the research community and will accelerate high-sample-throughput studies in this important model organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanding Zhou
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Corresponding author
| | - Toshinori Hinoue
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Bret Barnes
- Illumina, Inc., Bioinformatics and Instrument Software Department, San Diego, CA 92122, USA
| | - Owen Mitchell
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Waleed Iqbal
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sol Moe Lee
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kelly K. Foy
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Kwang-Ho Lee
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Ethan J. Moyer
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Alexandra VanderArk
- Department of Metabolism and Nutritional Programming, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Julie M. Koeman
- Genomics Core, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Wubin Ding
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Manpreet Kalkat
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Nathan J. Spix
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Bryn Eagleson
- Vivarium and Transgenics Core, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | | | - Piroska E. Szabó
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Marisa S. Bartolomei
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | | | - Liang Kang
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Ashley K. Wiseman
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Peter A. Jones
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Connie M. Krawczyk
- Department of Metabolism and Nutritional Programming, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Marie Adams
- Genomics Core, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Rishi Porecha
- Illumina, Inc., Bioinformatics and Instrument Software Department, San Diego, CA 92122, USA
| | | | - Hui Shen
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
- Corresponding author
| | - Peter W. Laird
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
- Corresponding author
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21
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Lee S, Kuramochi-Miyagawa S, Nagamori I, Nakano T. Effects of transgene insertion loci and copy number on Dnmt3L gene silencing through antisense transgene-derived PIWI-interacting RNAs. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 28:683-696. [PMID: 35145000 PMCID: PMC9014882 DOI: 10.1261/rna.078905.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), which are germ cell-specific small RNAs, are essential for spermatogenesis. In fetal mouse germ cells, piRNAs are synthesized from sense and antisense RNAs of transposable element sequences for retrotransposon silencing. In a previous study, we reported that transgenic mice expressing antisense-Dnmt3L under the control of the Miwi2 promoter (Tg-Miwi2P-asDnmt3L) exhibited piRNA-mediated DNMT3L down-regulation. In this study, two transgene integration loci (B3 and E1) were identified on chromosome 18 of the Tg-Miwi2P-asDnmt3L mice; these loci were weak piRNA clusters. Crossbreeding was performed to obtain mice with the transgene cassette inserted into a single locus. DNMT3L was silenced and spermatogenesis was severely impaired in mice with the transgene cassette inserted at the B3 locus (Tg-B mice). In contrast, spermatogenesis in mice bearing the transgene at the E1 locus (Tg-E mice) was normal. The number of piRNAs for Dnmt3L in Tg-B mice was eightfold higher than that in Tg-E mice. Therefore, both gene silencing and impaired spermatogenesis depended on the transgene copy number rather than on the insertion loci. Additionally, the endogenous Dnmt3L promoter was not methylated in Tg mice, suggesting that Dnmt3L silencing was caused by post-transcriptional gene silencing. Based on these data, we discuss a piRNA-dependent gene silencing mechanism against novel gene insertions.
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Affiliation(s)
- SePil Lee
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Yamada-oka 2-2 Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Satomi Kuramochi-Miyagawa
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Yamada-oka 2-2 Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Medical School, Department of Pathology, Osaka University, Yamada-oka 2-2 Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Ippei Nagamori
- Medical School, Department of Pathology, Osaka University, Yamada-oka 2-2 Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Toru Nakano
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Yamada-oka 2-2 Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Medical School, Department of Pathology, Osaka University, Yamada-oka 2-2 Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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22
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Vandewege MW, Patt RN, Merriman DK, Ray DA, Hoffmann FG. The PIWI/piRNA response is relaxed in a rodent that lacks mobilizing transposable elements. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 28:609-621. [PMID: 35064043 PMCID: PMC8925971 DOI: 10.1261/rna.078862.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are genomic parasites that can propagate throughout host genomes. Mammalian genomes are typically dominated by LINE retrotransposons and their associated SINEs, and germline mobilization is a challenge to genome integrity. There are defenses against TE proliferation and the PIWI/piRNA defense is among the most well understood. However, the PIWI/piRNA system has been investigated largely in animals with actively mobilizing TEs and it is unclear how the PIWI/piRNA system functions in the absence of mobilizing TEs. The 13-lined ground squirrel provides the opportunity to examine PIWI/piRNA and TE dynamics within the context of minimal, and possibly nonexistent, TE accumulation. To do so, we compared the PIWI/piRNA dynamics in squirrels to observations from the rabbit and mouse. Despite a lack of young insertions in squirrels, TEs were still actively transcribed at higher levels compared to mouse and rabbit. All three Piwi genes were not expressed, prior to P8 in squirrel testis, and there was little TE expression change with the onset of Piwi expression. We also demonstrated there was not a major expression change in the young squirrel LINE families in the transition from juvenile to adult testis in contrast to young mouse and rabbit LINE families. These observations lead us to conclude that PIWI suppression, was weaker for squirrel LINEs and SINEs and did not strongly reduce their transcription. We speculate that, although the PIWI/piRNA system is adaptable to novel TE threats, transcripts from TEs that are no longer threatening receive less attention from PIWI proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael W Vandewege
- Department of Biology, Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, New Mexico 88130, USA
| | - Roy N Patt
- Disease Intervention and Prevention Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas 78245-0549, USA
| | - Dana K Merriman
- Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901, USA
| | - David A Ray
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, USA
| | - Federico G Hoffmann
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762, USA
- Institute of Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762, USA
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23
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Zhou S, Sakashita A, Yuan S, Namekawa SH. Retrotransposons in the Mammalian Male Germline. Sex Dev 2022:1-19. [PMID: 35231923 DOI: 10.1159/000520683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Retrotransposons are a subset of DNA sequences that constitute a large part of the mammalian genome. They can translocate autonomously or non-autonomously, potentially jeopardizing the heritable germline genome. Retrotransposons coevolved with the host genome, and the germline is the prominent battlefield between retrotransposons and the host genome to maximize their mutual fitness. Host genomes have developed various mechanisms to suppress and control retrotransposons, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and Piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA), for their own benefit. Thus, rapidly evolved retrotransposons often acquire positive functions, including gene regulation within the germline, conferring reproductive fitness in a species over the course of evolution. The male germline serves as an ideal model to examine the regulation and evolution of retrotransposons, resulting in genomic co-evolution with the host genome. In this review, we summarize and discuss the regulatory mechanisms of retrotransposons, stage-by-stage, during male germ cell development, with a particular focus on mice as an extensively studied mammalian model, highlighting suppression mechanisms and emerging functions of retrotransposons in the male germline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shumin Zhou
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Akihiko Sakashita
- Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shuiqiao Yuan
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Shenzhen Huazhong University of Science and Technology Research Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - Satoshi H Namekawa
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Davis, California, USA
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24
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Janssen SM, Lorincz MC. Interplay between chromatin marks in development and disease. Nat Rev Genet 2022; 23:137-153. [PMID: 34608297 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-021-00416-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation (DNAme) and histone post-translational modifications (PTMs) have important roles in transcriptional regulation. Although many reports have characterized the functions of such chromatin marks in isolation, recent genome-wide studies reveal surprisingly complex interactions between them. Here, we focus on the interplay between DNAme and methylation of specific lysine residues on the histone H3 tail. We describe the impact of genetic perturbation of the relevant methyltransferases in the mouse on the landscape of chromatin marks as well as the transcriptome. In addition, we discuss the specific neurodevelopmental growth syndromes and cancers resulting from pathogenic mutations in the human orthologues of these genes. Integrating these observations underscores the fundamental importance of crosstalk between DNA and histone H3 methylation in development and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanne M Janssen
- Department of Medical Genetics, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Matthew C Lorincz
- Department of Medical Genetics, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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25
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Ben Maamar M, Beck D, Nilsson E, McCarrey JR, Skinner MK. Developmental alterations in DNA methylation during gametogenesis from primordial germ cells to sperm. iScience 2022; 25:103786. [PMID: 35146397 PMCID: PMC8819394 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Because epigenetics is a critical component for gene expression, the hypothesis was tested that DNA methylation alterations are dynamic and continually change throughout gametogenesis to generate the mature sperm. Developmental alterations and stage-specific DNA methylation during gametogenesis from primordial germ cells (PGCs) to mature sperm are investigated. Individual developmental stage germ cells were isolated and analyzed for differential DNA methylation regions (DMRs). The number of DMRs was highest in the first three comparisons with mature PGCs, prospermatogonia, and spermatogonia. The most statistically significant DMRs were present at all stages of development and had variations involving both increases or decreases in DNA methylation. DMR-associated genes were identified and correlated with gene functional categories, pathways, and cellular processes. Observations identified a dynamic cascade of epigenetic changes during development that is dramatic during the early developmental stages. Complex epigenetic alterations are required to regulate genome biology and gene expression during gametogenesis. A dynamic cascade of epigenetic change throughout gametogenesis from PGC to sperm Most dramatic epigenetic alterations in PGC and spermatogenic stem cell stages Different DNA methylation regions between and within stages were identified Complex epigenetic alterations required for gene expression during gametogenesis
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Affiliation(s)
- Millissia Ben Maamar
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
| | - Daniel Beck
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
| | - Eric Nilsson
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
| | - John R McCarrey
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
| | - Michael K Skinner
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
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26
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Pradhan RK, Ramakrishna W. Transposons: Unexpected players in cancer. Gene 2022; 808:145975. [PMID: 34592349 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2021.145975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Transposons are repetitive DNA sequences encompassing about half of the human genome. They play a vital role in genome stability maintenance and contribute to genomic diversity and evolution. Their activity is regulated by various mechanisms considering the deleterious effects of these mobile elements. Various genetic risk factors and environmental stress conditions affect the regulatory pathways causing alteration of transposon expression. Our knowledge of the biological role of transposons is limited especially in various types of cancers. Retrotransposons of different types (LTR-retrotransposons, LINEs and SINEs) regulate a plethora of genes that have a role in cell reprogramming, tumor suppression, cell cycle, apoptosis, cell adhesion and migration, and DNA repair. The regulatory mechanisms of transposons, their deregulation and different mechanisms underlying transposon-mediated carcinogenesis in humans focusing on the three most prevalent types, lung, breast and colorectal cancers, were reviewed. The modes of regulation employed include alternative splicing, deletion, insertion, duplication in genes and promoters resulting in upregulation, downregulation or silencing of genes.
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27
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de Sena Brandine G, Smith AD. Fast and memory-efficient mapping of short bisulfite sequencing reads using a two-letter alphabet. NAR Genom Bioinform 2022; 3:lqab115. [PMID: 34988438 PMCID: PMC8693577 DOI: 10.1093/nargab/lqab115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA cytosine methylation is an important epigenomic mark with a wide range of functions in many organisms. Whole genome bisulfite sequencing is the gold standard to interrogate cytosine methylation genome-wide. Algorithms used to map bisulfite-converted reads often encode the four-base DNA alphabet with three letters by reducing two bases to a common letter. This encoding substantially reduces the entropy of nucleotide frequencies in the resulting reference genome. Within the paradigm of read mapping by first filtering possible candidate alignments, reduced entropy in the sequence space can increase the required computing effort. We introduce another bisulfite mapping algorithm (abismal), based on the idea of encoding a four-letter DNA sequence as only two letters, one for purines and one for pyrimidines. We show that this encoding can lead to greater specificity compared to existing encodings used to map bisulfite sequencing reads. Through the two-letter encoding, the abismal software tool maps reads in less time and using less memory than most bisulfite sequencing read mapping software tools, while attaining similar accuracy. This allows in silico methylation analysis to be performed in a wider range of computing machines with limited hardware settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme de Sena Brandine
- Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California. 1050 Child's way, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
| | - Andrew D Smith
- Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California. 1050 Child's way, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
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28
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IKEDA S, TANAKA K, OHTANI R, KANDA A, SOTOMARU Y, KONO T, OBATA Y. Disruption of piRNA machinery by deletion of ASZ1/GASZ results in the expression of aberrant chimeric transcripts in gonocytes. J Reprod Dev 2022; 68:125-136. [PMID: 35095021 PMCID: PMC8979798 DOI: 10.1262/jrd.2021-146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Shinya IKEDA
- Department of Bioscience, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo 156-8502, Japan
| | - Koki TANAKA
- Department of Bioscience, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo 156-8502, Japan
| | - Reiko OHTANI
- Department of Bioscience, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo 156-8502, Japan
| | - Akifumi KANDA
- Natural Science Center for Basic Research and Development, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| | - Yusuke SOTOMARU
- Natural Science Center for Basic Research and Development, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| | - Tomohiro KONO
- Department of Bioscience, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo 156-8502, Japan
| | - Yayoi OBATA
- Department of Bioscience, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo 156-8502, Japan
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29
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Morgan M, Kumar L, Li Y, Baptissart M. Post-transcriptional regulation in spermatogenesis: all RNA pathways lead to healthy sperm. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:8049-8071. [PMID: 34748024 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-04012-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Multiple RNA pathways are required to produce functional sperm. Here, we review RNA post-transcriptional regulation during spermatogenesis with particular emphasis on the role of 3' end modifications. From early studies in the 1970s, it became clear that spermiogenesis transcripts could be stored for days only to be translated at advanced stages of spermatid differentiation. The transition between the translationally repressed and active states was observed to correlate with the shortening of the transcripts' poly(A) tail, establishing a link between RNA 3' end metabolism and male germ cell differentiation. Since then, numerous RNA metabolic pathways have been implicated not only in the progression through spermatogenesis, but also in the maintenance of genomic integrity. Recent studies have characterized the elusive 3' biogenesis of Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), identified a critical role for messenger RNA (mRNA) 3' uridylation in meiotic progression, established the mechanisms that destabilize transcripts with long 3' untranslated regions (3'UTRs) in post-mitotic cells, and defined the physiological relevance of RNA exonucleases and deadenylases in male germ cells. In this review, we discuss RNA processing in the male germline in the light of the most recent findings. A brief recollection of different RNA-processing events will aid future studies exploring post-transcriptional regulation in spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Morgan
- Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, 27709, USA.
| | - Lokesh Kumar
- Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Yin Li
- Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Marine Baptissart
- Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, 27709, USA
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30
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Gutierrez J, Platt R, Opazo JC, Ray DA, Hoffmann F, Vandewege M. Evolutionary history of the vertebrate Piwi gene family. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12451. [PMID: 34760405 PMCID: PMC8574217 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12451] [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: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
PIWIs are regulatory proteins that belong to the Argonaute family. Piwis are primarily expressed in gonads and protect the germline against the mobilization and propagation of transposable elements (TEs) through transcriptional gene silencing. Vertebrate genomes encode up to four Piwi genes: Piwil1, Piwil2, Piwil3 and Piwil4, but their duplication history is unresolved. We leveraged phylogenetics, synteny and expression analyses to address this void. Our phylogenetic analysis suggests Piwil1 and Piwil2 were retained in all vertebrate members. Piwil4 was the result of Piwil1 duplication in the ancestor of gnathostomes, but was independently lost in ray-finned fishes and birds. Further, Piwil3 was derived from a tandem Piwil1 duplication in the common ancestor of marsupial and placental mammals, but was secondarily lost in Atlantogenata (Xenarthra and Afrotheria) and some rodents. The evolutionary rate of Piwil3 is considerably faster than any Piwi among all lineages, but an explanation is lacking. Our expression analyses suggest Piwi expression has mostly been constrained to gonads throughout vertebrate evolution. Vertebrate evolution is marked by two early rounds of whole genome duplication and many multigene families are linked to these events. However, our analyses suggest Piwi expansion was independent of whole genome duplications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Gutierrez
- Department of Biology, Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, NM, United States of America
| | - Roy Platt
- Host Pathogen Interaction Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, United States of America
| | - Juan C. Opazo
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
- Millennium Nucleus of Ion Channel-Associated Diseases (MiNICAD), Valdivia, Chile
- Integrative Biology Group, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - David A. Ray
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States of America
| | - Federico Hoffmann
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, United States of America
- Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, United States of America
| | - Michael Vandewege
- Department of Biology, Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, NM, United States of America
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31
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Modzelewski AJ, Shao W, Chen J, Lee A, Qi X, Noon M, Tjokro K, Sales G, Biton A, Anand A, Speed TP, Xuan Z, Wang T, Risso D, He L. A mouse-specific retrotransposon drives a conserved Cdk2ap1 isoform essential for development. Cell 2021; 184:5541-5558.e22. [PMID: 34644528 PMCID: PMC8787082 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Retrotransposons mediate gene regulation in important developmental and pathological processes. Here, we characterized the transient retrotransposon induction during preimplantation development of eight mammals. Induced retrotransposons exhibit similar preimplantation profiles across species, conferring gene regulatory activities, particularly through long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposon promoters. A mouse-specific MT2B2 retrotransposon promoter generates an N-terminally truncated Cdk2ap1ΔN that peaks in preimplantation embryos and promotes proliferation. In contrast, the canonical Cdk2ap1 peaks in mid-gestation and represses cell proliferation. This MT2B2 promoter, whose deletion abolishes Cdk2ap1ΔN production, reduces cell proliferation and impairs embryo implantation, is developmentally essential. Intriguingly, Cdk2ap1ΔN is evolutionarily conserved in sequence and function yet is driven by different promoters across mammals. The distinct preimplantation Cdk2ap1ΔN expression in each mammalian species correlates with the duration of its preimplantation development. Hence, species-specific transposon promoters can yield evolutionarily conserved, alternative protein isoforms, bestowing them with new functions and species-specific expression to govern essential biological divergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Modzelewski
- Division of Cellular and Developmental Biology, MCB Department, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Wanqing Shao
- Department of Genetics, Edison Family Center for Genome Science and System Biology, McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jingqi Chen
- Division of Cellular and Developmental Biology, MCB Department, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Angus Lee
- Division of Cellular and Developmental Biology, MCB Department, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Xin Qi
- Division of Cellular and Developmental Biology, MCB Department, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Mackenzie Noon
- Division of Cellular and Developmental Biology, MCB Department, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Kristy Tjokro
- Division of Cellular and Developmental Biology, MCB Department, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Gabriele Sales
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova 35122, Italy
| | - Anne Biton
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, Department of Computational Biology, USR 3756 CNRS, Institut Pasteur, Paris 75015, France
| | - Aparna Anand
- Department of Genetics, Edison Family Center for Genome Science and System Biology, McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Terence P Speed
- Bioinformatics Division, WEHI, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Zhenyu Xuan
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA
| | - Ting Wang
- Department of Genetics, Edison Family Center for Genome Science and System Biology, McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
| | - Davide Risso
- Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova 35122, Italy.
| | - Lin He
- Division of Cellular and Developmental Biology, MCB Department, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
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32
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Production of functional oocytes requires maternally expressed PIWI genes and piRNAs in golden hamsters. Nat Cell Biol 2021; 23:1002-1012. [PMID: 34489571 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-021-00745-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Many animals have a conserved adaptive genome defence system known as the Piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway, which is essential for germ cell development and function. Disruption of individual mouse Piwi genes results in male but not female sterility, leading to the assumption that PIWI genes play little or no role in mammalian oocytes. Here, we report the generation of PIWI-defective golden hamsters, which have defects in the production of functional oocytes. The mechanisms involved vary among the hamster PIWI genes, whereby the lack of PIWIL1 has a major impact on gene expression, including hamster-specific young transposon de-silencing, whereas PIWIL3 deficiency has little impact on gene expression in oocytes, although DNA methylation was reduced to some extent in PIWIL3-deficient oocytes. Our findings serve as the foundation for developing useful models to study the piRNA pathway in mammalian oocytes, including humans.
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Onishi R, Yamanaka S, Siomi MC. piRNA- and siRNA-mediated transcriptional repression in Drosophila, mice, and yeast: new insights and biodiversity. EMBO Rep 2021; 22:e53062. [PMID: 34347367 PMCID: PMC8490990 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202153062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The PIWI‐interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway acts as a self‐defense mechanism against transposons to maintain germline genome integrity. Failures in the piRNA pathway cause DNA damage in the germline genome, disturbing inheritance of “correct” genetic information by the next generations and leading to infertility. piRNAs execute transposon repression in two ways: degrading their RNA transcripts and compacting the genomic loci via heterochromatinization. The former event is mechanistically similar to siRNA‐mediated RNA cleavage that occurs in the cytoplasm and has been investigated in many species including nematodes, fruit flies, and mammals. The latter event seems to be mechanistically parallel to siRNA‐centered kinetochore assembly and subsequent chromosome segregation, which has so far been studied particularly in fission yeast. Despite the interspecies conservations, the overall schemes of the nuclear events show clear biodiversity across species. In this review, we summarize the recent progress regarding piRNA‐mediated transcriptional silencing in Drosophila and discuss the biodiversity by comparing it with the equivalent piRNA‐mediated system in mice and the siRNA‐mediated system in fission yeast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Onishi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Soichiro Yamanaka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mikiko C Siomi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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34
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Pasquesi GIM, Perry BW, Vandewege MW, Ruggiero RP, Schield DR, Castoe TA. Vertebrate Lineages Exhibit Diverse Patterns of Transposable Element Regulation and Expression across Tissues. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 12:506-521. [PMID: 32271917 PMCID: PMC7211425 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evaa068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) comprise a major fraction of vertebrate genomes, yet little is known about their expression and regulation across tissues, and how this varies across major vertebrate lineages. We present the first comparative analysis integrating TE expression and TE regulatory pathway activity in somatic and gametic tissues for a diverse set of 12 vertebrates. We conduct simultaneous gene and TE expression analyses to characterize patterns of TE expression and TE regulation across vertebrates and examine relationships between these features. We find remarkable variation in the expression of genes involved in TE negative regulation across tissues and species, yet consistently high expression in germline tissues, particularly in testes. Most vertebrates show comparably high levels of TE regulatory pathway activity across gonadal tissues except for mammals, where reduced activity of TE regulatory pathways in ovarian tissues may be the result of lower relative germ cell densities. We also find that all vertebrate lineages examined exhibit remarkably high levels of TE-derived transcripts in somatic and gametic tissues, with recently active TE families showing higher expression in gametic tissues. Although most TE-derived transcripts originate from inactive ancient TE families (and are likely incapable of transposition), such high levels of TE-derived RNA in the cytoplasm may have secondary, unappreciated biological relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia I M Pasquesi
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington.,Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder
| | - Blair W Perry
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington
| | | | | | - Drew R Schield
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder
| | - Todd A Castoe
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington
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35
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Karahan G, Chan D, Shirane K, McClatchie T, Janssen S, Baltz JM, Lorincz M, Trasler J. Paternal MTHFR deficiency leads to hypomethylation of young retrotransposons and reproductive decline across two successive generations. Development 2021; 148:dev199492. [PMID: 34128976 PMCID: PMC8276981 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
5,10-Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is a crucial enzyme in the folate metabolic pathway with a key role in generating methyl groups. As MTHFR deficiency impacts male fertility and sperm DNA methylation, there is the potential for epimutations to be passed to the next generation. Here, we assessed whether the impact of MTHFR deficiency on testis morphology and sperm DNA methylation is exacerbated across generations in mouse. Although MTHFR deficiency in F1 fathers has only minor effects on sperm counts and testis weights and histology, F2 generation sons show further deterioration in reproductive parameters. Extensive loss of DNA methylation is observed in both F1 and F2 sperm, with >80% of sites shared between generations, suggestive of regions consistently susceptible to MTHFR deficiency. These regions are generally methylated during late embryonic germ cell development and are enriched in young retrotransposons. As retrotransposons are resistant to reprogramming of DNA methylation in embryonic germ cells, their hypomethylated state in the sperm of F1 males could contribute to the worsening reproductive phenotype observed in F2 MTHFR-deficient males, compatible with the intergenerational passage of epimutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gurbet Karahan
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C7, Canada
- Child Health and Human Development Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Donovan Chan
- Child Health and Human Development Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Kenjiro Shirane
- Department of Medical Genetics, Molecular Epigenetics Group, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Taylor McClatchie
- Chronic Disease Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Sanne Janssen
- Department of Medical Genetics, Molecular Epigenetics Group, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Jay M. Baltz
- Chronic Disease Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Matthew Lorincz
- Department of Medical Genetics, Molecular Epigenetics Group, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Jacquetta Trasler
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C7, Canada
- Child Health and Human Development Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A3, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
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36
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Judd J, Sanderson H, Feschotte C. Evolution of mouse circadian enhancers from transposable elements. Genome Biol 2021; 22:193. [PMID: 34187518 PMCID: PMC8240256 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-021-02409-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transposable elements are increasingly recognized as a source of cis-regulatory variation. Previous studies have revealed that transposons are often bound by transcription factors and some have been co-opted into functional enhancers regulating host gene expression. However, the process by which transposons mature into complex regulatory elements, like enhancers, remains poorly understood. To investigate this process, we examined the contribution of transposons to the cis-regulatory network controlling circadian gene expression in the mouse liver, a well-characterized network serving an important physiological function. RESULTS ChIP-seq analyses reveal that transposons and other repeats contribute ~ 14% of the binding sites for core circadian regulators (CRs) including BMAL1, CLOCK, PER1/2, and CRY1/2, in the mouse liver. RSINE1, an abundant murine-specific SINE, is the only transposon family enriched for CR binding sites across all datasets. Sequence analyses and reporter assays reveal that the circadian regulatory activity of RSINE1 stems from the presence of imperfect CR binding motifs in the ancestral RSINE1 sequence. These motifs matured into canonical motifs through point mutations after transposition. Furthermore, maturation occurred preferentially within elements inserted in the proximity of ancestral CR binding sites. RSINE1 also acquired motifs that recruit nuclear receptors known to cooperate with CRs to regulate circadian gene expression specifically in the liver. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that the birth of enhancers from transposons is predicated both by the sequence of the transposon and by the cis-regulatory landscape surrounding their genomic integration site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julius Judd
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Hayley Sanderson
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Cédric Feschotte
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
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37
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Molaro A, Malik HS, Bourc'his D. Dynamic Evolution of De Novo DNA Methyltransferases in Rodent and Primate Genomes. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 37:1882-1892. [PMID: 32077945 PMCID: PMC7306680 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcriptional silencing of retrotransposons via DNA methylation is paramount for mammalian fertility and reproductive fitness. During germ cell development, most mammalian species utilize the de novo DNA methyltransferases DNMT3A and DNMT3B to establish DNA methylation patterns. However, many rodent species deploy a third enzyme, DNMT3C, to selectively methylate the promoters of young retrotransposon insertions in their germline. The evolutionary forces that shaped DNMT3C’s unique function are unknown. Using a phylogenomic approach, we confirm here that Dnmt3C arose through a single duplication of Dnmt3B that occurred ∼60 Ma in the last common ancestor of muroid rodents. Importantly, we reveal that DNMT3C is composed of two independently evolving segments: the latter two-thirds have undergone recurrent gene conversion with Dnmt3B, whereas the N-terminus has instead evolved under strong diversifying selection. We hypothesize that positive selection of Dnmt3C is the result of an ongoing evolutionary arms race with young retrotransposon lineages in muroid genomes. Interestingly, although primates lack DNMT3C, we find that the N-terminus of DNMT3A has also evolved under diversifying selection. Thus, the N-termini of two independent de novo methylation enzymes have evolved under diversifying selection in rodents and primates. We hypothesize that repression of young retrotransposons might be driving the recurrent innovation of a functional domain in the N-termini on germline DNMT3s in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Molaro
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA
| | - Harmit S Malik
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA
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38
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Ishino K, Hasuwa H, Yoshimura J, Iwasaki YW, Nishihara H, Seki NM, Hirano T, Tsuchiya M, Ishizaki H, Masuda H, Kuramoto T, Saito K, Sakakibara Y, Toyoda A, Itoh T, Siomi MC, Morishita S, Siomi H. Hamster PIWI proteins bind to piRNAs with stage-specific size variations during oocyte maturation. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:2700-2720. [PMID: 33590099 PMCID: PMC7969018 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
In animal gonads, transposable elements are actively repressed to preserve genome integrity through the PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway. In mice, piRNAs are abundantly expressed in male germ cells, and form effector complexes with three distinct PIWIs. The depletion of individual Piwi genes causes male-specific sterility with no discernible phenotype in female mice. Unlike mice, most other mammals have four PIWI genes, some of which are expressed in the ovary. Here, purification of PIWI complexes from oocytes of the golden hamster revealed that the size of the PIWIL1-associated piRNAs changed during oocyte maturation. In contrast, PIWIL3, an ovary-specific PIWI in most mammals, associates with short piRNAs only in metaphase II oocytes, which coincides with intense phosphorylation of the protein. An improved high-quality genome assembly and annotation revealed that PIWIL1- and PIWIL3-associated piRNAs appear to share the 5'-ends of common piRNA precursors and are mostly derived from unannotated sequences with a diminished contribution from TE-derived sequences, most of which correspond to endogenous retroviruses. Our findings show the complex and dynamic nature of biogenesis of piRNAs in hamster oocytes, and together with the new genome sequence generated, serve as the foundation for developing useful models to study the piRNA pathway in mammalian oocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyoko Ishino
- Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Hasuwa
- Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Jun Yoshimura
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Yuka W Iwasaki
- Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology (PRESTO), Saitama, Japan
| | - Hidenori Nishihara
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kanagawa 226-8501, Japan
| | - Naomi M Seki
- Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Takamasa Hirano
- Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- National Institute of Genetics, Mishima 411-8540, Japan
| | - Marie Tsuchiya
- Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | | | - Harumi Masuda
- Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Tae Kuramoto
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kanagawa 226-8501, Japan
| | - Kuniaki Saito
- Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- National Institute of Genetics, Mishima 411-8540, Japan
| | - Yasubumi Sakakibara
- Department of Biosciences and Informatics, Keio University, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan
| | | | - Takehiko Itoh
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kanagawa 226-8501, Japan
| | - Mikiko C Siomi
- Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Shinichi Morishita
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Siomi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
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39
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Eastwood EL, Jara KA, Bornelöv S, Munafò M, Frantzis V, Kneuss E, Barbar EJ, Czech B, Hannon GJ. Dimerisation of the PICTS complex via LC8/Cut-up drives co-transcriptional transposon silencing in Drosophila. eLife 2021; 10:e65557. [PMID: 33538693 PMCID: PMC7861614 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In animal gonads, the PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway guards genome integrity in part through the co-transcriptional gene silencing of transposon insertions. In Drosophila ovaries, piRNA-loaded Piwi detects nascent transposon transcripts and instructs heterochromatin formation through the Panoramix-induced co-transcriptional silencing (PICTS) complex, containing Panoramix, Nxf2 and Nxt1. Here, we report that the highly conserved dynein light chain LC8/Cut-up (Ctp) is an essential component of the PICTS complex. Loss of Ctp results in transposon de-repression and a reduction in repressive chromatin marks specifically at transposon loci. In turn, Ctp can enforce transcriptional silencing when artificially recruited to RNA and DNA reporters. We show that Ctp drives dimerisation of the PICTS complex through its interaction with conserved motifs within Panoramix. Artificial dimerisation of Panoramix bypasses the necessity for its interaction with Ctp, demonstrating that conscription of a protein from a ubiquitous cellular machinery has fulfilled a fundamental requirement for a transposon silencing complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn L Eastwood
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing CentreCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Kayla A Jara
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State UniversityCorvallisUnited States
| | - Susanne Bornelöv
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing CentreCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Marzia Munafò
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing CentreCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Vasileios Frantzis
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing CentreCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Emma Kneuss
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing CentreCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Elisar J Barbar
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State UniversityCorvallisUnited States
| | - Benjamin Czech
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing CentreCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Gregory J Hannon
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing CentreCambridgeUnited Kingdom
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40
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Wang C, Lin H. Roles of piRNAs in transposon and pseudogene regulation of germline mRNAs and lncRNAs. Genome Biol 2021; 22:27. [PMID: 33419460 PMCID: PMC7792047 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-020-02221-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
PIWI proteins, a subfamily of PAZ/PIWI Domain family RNA-binding proteins, are best known for their function in silencing transposons and germline development by partnering with small noncoding RNAs called PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs). However, recent studies have revealed multifaceted roles of the PIWI-piRNA pathway in regulating the expression of other major classes of RNAs in germ cells. In this review, we summarize how PIWI proteins and piRNAs regulate the expression of many disparate RNAs, describing a highly complex global genomic regulatory relationship at the RNA level through which piRNAs functionally connect all major constituents of the genome in the germline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Wang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Haifan Lin
- Yale Stem Cell Center and Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA.
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41
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Nohara K, Nakabayashi K, Okamura K, Suzuki T, Suzuki S, Hata K. Gestational arsenic exposure induces site-specific DNA hypomethylation in active retrotransposon subfamilies in offspring sperm in mice. Epigenetics Chromatin 2020; 13:53. [PMID: 33267854 PMCID: PMC7709384 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-020-00375-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Environmental impacts on a fetus can disrupt germ cell development leading to epimutations in mature germ cells. Paternal inheritance of adverse health effects through sperm epigenomes, including DNA methylomes, has been recognized in human and animal studies. However, the impacts of gestational exposure to a variety of environmental factors on the germ cell epigenomes are not fully investigated. Arsenic, a naturally occurring contaminant, is one of the most concerning environmental chemicals, that is causing serious health problems, including an increase in cancer, in highly contaminated areas worldwide. We previously showed that gestational arsenic exposure of pregnant C3H mice paternally induces hepatic tumor increase in the second generation (F2). In the present study, we have investigated the F1 sperm DNA methylomes genome-widely by one-base resolution analysis using a reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) method. Results We have clarified that gestational arsenic exposure increases hypomethylated cytosines in all the chromosomes and they are significantly overrepresented in the retrotransposon LINEs and LTRs, predominantly in the intergenic regions. Closer analyses of detailed annotated DNA sequences showed that hypomethylated cytosines are especially accumulated in the promoter regions of the active full-length L1MdA subfamily in LINEs, and 5′LTRs of the active IAPE subfamily in LTRs. This is the first report that has identified the specific positions of methylomes altered in the retrotransposon elements by environmental exposure, by genome-wide methylome analysis. Conclusion Lowered DNA methylation potentially enhances L1MdA retrotransposition and cryptic promoter activity of 5′LTR for coding genes and non-coding RNAs. The present study has illuminated the environmental impacts on sperm DNA methylome establishment that can lead to augmented retrotransposon activities in germ cells and can cause harmful effects in the following generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiko Nohara
- Center for Health and Environmental Risk Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, 305-8506, Japan.
| | - Kazuhiko Nakabayashi
- Department of Maternal-Fetal Biology, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, 157-8535, Japan
| | - Kazuyuki Okamura
- Center for Health and Environmental Risk Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, 305-8506, Japan
| | - Takehiro Suzuki
- Center for Health and Environmental Risk Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, 305-8506, Japan
| | - Shigekatsu Suzuki
- Center for Environmental Biology and Ecosystem Studies, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, 305-8506, Japan
| | - Kenichiro Hata
- Department of Maternal-Fetal Biology, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, 157-8535, Japan
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42
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Apoptosis in the fetal testis eliminates developmentally defective germ cell clones. Nat Cell Biol 2020; 22:1423-1435. [DOI: 10.1038/s41556-020-00603-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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43
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Zhou S, Feng S, Qin W, Wang X, Tang Y, Yuan S. Epigenetic Regulation of Spermatogonial Stem Cell Homeostasis: From DNA Methylation to Histone Modification. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2020; 17:562-580. [PMID: 32939648 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-020-10044-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Spermatogonial stem cells(SSCs)are the ultimate germline stem cells with the potential of self-renewal and differentiation, and a dynamic balance of SSCs play an essential role in spermatogenesis. During the gene expression process, genomic DNA and nuclear protein, working together, contribute to SSC homeostasis. Recently, emerging studies have shown that epigenome-related molecules such as chromatin modifiers play an important role in SSC homeostasis through regulating target gene expression. Here, we focus on two types of epigenetic events, including DNA methylation and histone modification, and summarize their function in SSC homeostasis. Understanding the molecular mechanism during SSC homeostasis will promote the recognition of epigenetic biomarkers in male infertility, and bring light into therapies of infertile patients.Graphical Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shumin Zhou
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
| | - Shenglei Feng
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
| | - Weibing Qin
- NHC Key Laboratory of Male Reproduction and Genetics, Family Planning Research Institute of Guangdong Province, 510500, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoli Wang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
| | - Yunge Tang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Male Reproduction and Genetics, Family Planning Research Institute of Guangdong Province, 510500, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Shuiqiao Yuan
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China. .,Shenzhen Huazhong University of Science and Technology Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518057, China.
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44
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Zoch A, Auchynnikava T, Berrens RV, Kabayama Y, Schöpp T, Heep M, Vasiliauskaitė L, Pérez-Rico YA, Cook AG, Shkumatava A, Rappsilber J, Allshire RC, O'Carroll D. SPOCD1 is an essential executor of piRNA-directed de novo DNA methylation. Nature 2020; 584:635-639. [PMID: 32674113 PMCID: PMC7612247 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2557-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In mammals, the acquisition of the germline from the soma provides the germline with an essential challenge: the need to erase and reset genomic methylation1. In the male germline, RNA-directed DNA methylation silences young, active transposable elements2-4. The PIWI protein MIWI2 (PIWIL4) and its associated PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) instruct DNA methylation of transposable elements3,5. piRNAs are proposed to tether MIWI2 to nascent transposable element transcripts; however, the mechanism by which MIWI2 directs the de novo methylation of transposable elements is poorly understood, although central to the immortality of the germline. Here we define the interactome of MIWI2 in mouse fetal gonocytes undergoing de novo genome methylation and identify a previously unknown MIWI2-associated factor, SPOCD1, that is essential for the methylation and silencing of young transposable elements. The loss of Spocd1 in mice results in male-specific infertility but does not affect either piRNA biogenesis or the localization of MIWI2 to the nucleus. SPOCD1 is a nuclear protein whose expression is restricted to the period of de novo genome methylation. It co-purifies in vivo with DNMT3L and DNMT3A, components of the de novo methylation machinery, as well as with constituents of the NURD and BAF chromatin remodelling complexes. We propose a model whereby tethering of MIWI2 to a nascent transposable element transcript recruits repressive chromatin remodelling activities and the de novo methylation apparatus through SPOCD1. In summary, we have identified a previously unrecognized and essential executor of mammalian piRNA-directed DNA methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ansgar Zoch
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Tania Auchynnikava
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Rebecca V Berrens
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Cambridge, UK
| | - Yuka Kabayama
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Theresa Schöpp
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Madeleine Heep
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Lina Vasiliauskaitė
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Yuvia A Pérez-Rico
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR 3215, INSERM U934, Paris, France
| | - Atlanta G Cook
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Alena Shkumatava
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR 3215, INSERM U934, Paris, France
| | - Juri Rappsilber
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Bioanalytics Unit, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robin C Allshire
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Dónal O'Carroll
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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Schöpp T, Zoch A, Berrens RV, Auchynnikava T, Kabayama Y, Vasiliauskaitė L, Rappsilber J, Allshire RC, O’Carroll D. TEX15 is an essential executor of MIWI2-directed transposon DNA methylation and silencing. Nat Commun 2020; 11:3739. [PMID: 32719317 PMCID: PMC7385494 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17372-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The PIWI protein MIWI2 and its associated PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) instruct DNA methylation of young active transposable elements (TEs) in the male germline. piRNAs are proposed to recruit MIWI2 to the transcriptionally active TE loci by base pairing to nascent transcripts, however the downstream mechanisms and effector proteins utilized by MIWI2 in directing de novo TE methylation remain incompletely understood. Here, we show that MIWI2 associates with TEX15 in foetal gonocytes. TEX15 is predominantly a nuclear protein that is not required for piRNA biogenesis but is essential for piRNA-directed TE de novo methylation and silencing. In summary, TEX15 is an essential executor of mammalian piRNA-directed DNA methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa Schöpp
- 0000 0004 1936 7988grid.4305.2Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU UK ,0000 0004 1936 7988grid.4305.2Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF UK
| | - Ansgar Zoch
- 0000 0004 1936 7988grid.4305.2Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU UK ,0000 0004 1936 7988grid.4305.2Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF UK
| | - Rebecca V. Berrens
- 0000000121885934grid.5335.0Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE UK
| | - Tania Auchynnikava
- 0000 0004 1936 7988grid.4305.2Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF UK
| | - Yuka Kabayama
- 0000 0004 1936 7988grid.4305.2Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU UK ,0000 0004 1936 7988grid.4305.2Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF UK
| | - Lina Vasiliauskaitė
- 0000 0004 1936 7988grid.4305.2Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU UK
| | - Juri Rappsilber
- 0000 0004 1936 7988grid.4305.2Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF UK ,0000 0001 2292 8254grid.6734.6Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robin C. Allshire
- 0000 0004 1936 7988grid.4305.2Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF UK
| | - Dónal O’Carroll
- 0000 0004 1936 7988grid.4305.2Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU UK ,0000 0004 1936 7988grid.4305.2Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF UK
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Law NC, Oatley JM. Developmental underpinnings of spermatogonial stem cell establishment. Andrology 2020; 8:852-861. [PMID: 32356598 DOI: 10.1111/andr.12810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The germline serves as a conduit for transmission of genetic and epigenetic information from one generation to the next. In males, spermatozoa are the final carriers of inheritance and their continual production is supported by a foundational population of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) that forms from prospermatogonial precursors during the early stages of neonatal development. In mammals, the timing for which SSCs are specified and the underlying mechanisms guiding this process remain to be completely understood. OBJECTIVES To propose an evolving concept for how the foundational SSC population is established. MATERIALS AND METHODS This review summarizes recent and historical findings from peer-reviewed publications made primarily with mouse models while incorporating limited studies from humans and livestock. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION Establishment of the SSC population appears to follow a biphasic pattern involving a period of fate programming followed by an establishment phase that culminates in formation of the SSC population. This model for establishment of the foundational SSC population from precursors is anticipated to extend across mammalian species and include humans and livestock, albeit on different timescales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan C Law
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Jon M Oatley
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
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Transposon Reactivation in the Germline May Be Useful for Both Transposons and Their Host Genomes. Cells 2020; 9:cells9051172. [PMID: 32397241 PMCID: PMC7290860 DOI: 10.3390/cells9051172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are long-term residents of eukaryotic genomes that make up a large portion of these genomes. They can be considered as perfectly fine members of genomes replicating with resident genes and being transmitted vertically to the next generation. However, unlike regular genes, TEs have the ability to send new copies to new sites. As such, they have been considered as parasitic members ensuring their own replication. In another view, TEs may also be considered as symbiotic sequences providing shared benefits after mutualistic interactions with their host genome. In this review, we recall the relationship between TEs and their host genome and discuss why transient relaxation of TE silencing within specific developmental windows may be useful for both.
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Yang F, Lan Y, Pandey RR, Homolka D, Berger SL, Pillai RS, Bartolomei MS, Wang PJ. TEX15 associates with MILI and silences transposable elements in male germ cells. Genes Dev 2020; 34:745-750. [PMID: 32381626 PMCID: PMC7263141 DOI: 10.1101/gad.335489.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Here, Yang et al. report that TEX15, a testis-specific protein, is required for transposable element (TE) silencing. They show that loss of Tex15 causes TE desilencing with intact piRNA production, and their findings identify TEX15 as a new essential epigenetic regulator that may function as a nuclear effector of MILI to silence TEs by DNA methylation. DNA methylation is a major silencing mechanism of transposable elements (TEs). Here we report that TEX15, a testis-specific protein, is required for TE silencing. TEX15 is expressed in embryonic germ cells and functions during genome-wide epigenetic reprogramming. The Tex15 mutant exhibits DNA hypomethylation in TEs at a level similar to Mili and Dnmt3c but not Miwi2 mutants. TEX15 is associated with MILI in testis. As loss of Tex15 causes TE desilencing with intact piRNA production, our results identify TEX15 as a new essential epigenetic regulator that may function as a nuclear effector of MILI to silence TEs by DNA methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Yang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Yemin Lan
- Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Radha Raman Pandey
- Department of Molecular Biology, Science III, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - David Homolka
- Department of Molecular Biology, Science III, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Shelley L Berger
- Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Ramesh S Pillai
- Department of Molecular Biology, Science III, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Marisa S Bartolomei
- Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - P Jeremy Wang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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Mahadevan IA, Kumar S, Rao MRS. Linker histone variant H1t is closely associated with repressed repeat-element chromatin domains in pachytene spermatocytes. Epigenetics Chromatin 2020; 13:9. [PMID: 32131873 PMCID: PMC7057672 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-020-00335-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background H1t is the major linker histone variant in pachytene spermatocytes, where it constitutes 50–60% of total H1. This linker histone variant was previously reported to localize in the nucleolar rDNA element in mouse spermatocytes. Our main aim was to determine the extra-nucleolar localization of this linker histone variant in pachytene spermatocytes. Results We generated H1t-specific antibodies in rabbits and validated its specificity by multiple assays like ELISA, western blot, etc. Genome-wide occupancy studies, as determined by ChIP-sequencing in P20 mouse testicular cells revealed that H1t did not closely associate with active gene promoters and open chromatin regions. Annotation of H1t-bound genomic regions revealed that H1t is depleted from DSB hotspots and TSS, but are predominantly associated with retrotransposable repeat elements like LINE and LTR in pachytene spermatocytes. These chromatin domains are repressed based on co-association of H1t observed with methylated CpGs and repressive histone marks like H3K9me3 and H4K20me3 in vivo. Mass spectrometric analysis of proteins associated with H1t-containing oligonucleosomes identified piRNA–PIWI pathway proteins, repeat repression-associated proteins and heterochromatin proteins confirming the association with repressed repeat-element genomic regions. We validated the interaction of key proteins with H1t-containing oligonucleosomes by use of ChIP-western blot assays. On the other hand, we observe majority of H1t peaks to be associated with the intergenic spacer of the rDNA element, also in association with SINE elements of the rDNA element. Thus, we have identified the genomic and chromatin features of both nucleolar and extranucleolar localization patterns of linker histone H1t in the context of pachytene spermatocytes. Conclusions H1t-containing repeat-element LINE and LTR chromatin domains are associated with repressive marks like methylated CpGs, histone modifications H3K9me3 and H4K20me3, and heterochromatin proteins like HP1β, Trim28, PIWIL1, etc. Apart from localization of H1t at the rDNA element, we demonstrate the extranucleolar association of this linker histone variant at repeat-associated chromatin domains in pachytene spermatocytes. We hypothesize that H1t might induce local chromatin relaxation to recruit heterochromatin and repeat repression-associated protein factors necessary for TE (transposable element) repression, the final biological effect being formation of closed chromatin repressed structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iyer Aditya Mahadevan
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India
| | - Sanjeev Kumar
- BioCOS Life Sciences Private Limited, SAAMI Building, 851/A, AECS Layout, B-Block, Singasandra Hosur Road, Bangalore, India
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Restricted and non-essential redundancy of RNAi and piRNA pathways in mouse oocytes. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008261. [PMID: 31860668 PMCID: PMC6944382 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Germline genome defense evolves to recognize and suppress retrotransposons. One of defensive mechanisms is the PIWI-associated RNA (piRNA) pathway, which employs small RNAs for sequence-specific repression. The loss of the piRNA pathway in mice causes male sterility while females remain fertile. Unlike spermatogenic cells, mouse oocytes posses also RNA interference (RNAi), another small RNA pathway capable of retrotransposon suppression. To examine whether RNAi compensates the loss of the piRNA pathway, we produced a new RNAi pathway mutant DicerSOM and crossed it with a catalytically-dead mutant of Mili, an essential piRNA gene. Normal follicular and oocyte development in double mutants showed that RNAi does not suppress a strong ovarian piRNA knock-out phenotype. However, we observed redundant and non-redundant targeting of specific retrotransposon families illustrating stochasticity of recognition and targeting of invading retrotransposons. Intracisternal A Particle retrotransposon was mainly targeted by the piRNA pathway, MaLR and RLTR10 retrotransposons were targeted mainly by RNAi. Double mutants showed accumulations of LINE-1 retrotransposon transcripts. However, we did not find strong evidence for transcriptional activation and mobilization of retrotransposition competent LINE-1 elements suggesting that while both defense pathways are simultaneously expendable for ovarian oocyte development, yet another transcriptional silencing mechanism prevents mobilization of LINE-1 elements. Retrotransposons are mobile genomic parasites causing mutations. Germ cells need protection against retrotransposons to prevent heritable transmission of their new insertions. The piRNA pathway is an ancient germline defense system analogous to acquired immunity: once a retrotransposon jumps into a piRNA-producing locus, which provides a kind of a “genomic sensor” for actively transposing elements, it is recognized and suppressed. Remarkably, the murine piRNA pathway is essential for spermatogenesis but not oocyte development. In contrast, zebrafish lacking the piRNA pathway do not develop any germ cells. It was hypothesized that RNA interference pathway could rescue oocyte development in mice lacking the piRNA pathway. RNA interference also targets retrotransposons and is particularly enhanced in mouse oocytes. To test this hypothesis, we engineered mice lacking both pathways and observed that oocytes in these mice develop normally, which argues against the hypothesis. Furthermore, analysis of individual retrotransposon groups revealed that in specific cases the two pathways mutually compensate each other. However, this redundancy apparently evolved stochastically and is restricted to specific retrotransposon groups. Finally, our results indicate that there must be yet another layer of retrotransposon silencing in mouse oocytes, which prevents high retrotransposon activity in the absence of piRNA and RNA interference pathways.
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