1
|
Kelley LH, Caldas IV, Sullenberger MT, Yongblah KE, Niazi AM, Iyer A, Li Y, Tran PM, Valen E, Ahmed-Braimah YH, Maine EM. Poly(U) polymerase activity in Caenorhabditis elegans regulates abundance and tailing of sRNA and mRNA. Genetics 2024; 228:iyae120. [PMID: 39067069 PMCID: PMC11457939 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyae120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Terminal nucleotidyltransferases add nucleotides to the 3' end of RNA to modify their stability and function. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the terminal uridyltransferases/poly(U) polymerases PUP-1 (aka CID-1, CDE-1), PUP-2, and PUP-3 affect germline identity, survival, and development. Here, we identify small RNA (sRNA) and mRNA targets of these PUPs and of a fourth predicted poly(U) polymerase, F43E2.1/PUP-4. Using genetic and RNA sequencing approaches, we identify RNA targets of each PUP and the U-tail frequency and length of those targets. At the whole organism level, PUP-1 is responsible for most sRNA U-tailing, and other PUPs contribute to modifying discrete subsets of sRNAs. Moreover, the expression of PUP-2, PUP-3, and especially PUP-4 limits uridylation on some sRNAs. The relationship between uridylation status and sRNA abundance suggests that U-tailing can have a negative or positive effect on abundance depending on context. sRNAs modified by PUP activity primarily target mRNAs that are ubiquitously expressed or most highly expressed in the germline. mRNA data obtained with a Nanopore-based method reveal that the addition of U-tails to nonadenylated mRNA is substantially reduced in the absence of PUP-3. Overall, this work identifies PUP RNA targets, defines the effect of uridylation loss on RNA abundance, and reveals the complexity of PUP regulation in C. elegans development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leanne H Kelley
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, 107 College Place, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Ian V Caldas
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, 107 College Place, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | | | - Kevin E Yongblah
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, 107 College Place, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Adnan M Niazi
- Computational Biology Unit, Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, 5008 Bergen, Norway
| | - Anoop Iyer
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, 107 College Place, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Yini Li
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, 107 College Place, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Patrick Minty Tran
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, 107 College Place, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Eivind Valen
- Computational Biology Unit, Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, 5008 Bergen, Norway
| | - Yasir H Ahmed-Braimah
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, 107 College Place, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Eleanor M Maine
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, 107 College Place, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Cao W, Fan Q, Amparado G, Begic D, Godini R, Gopal S, Pocock R. A nucleic acid binding protein map of germline regulation in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6884. [PMID: 39128930 PMCID: PMC11317507 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51212-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Fertility requires the faithful proliferation of germ cells and their differentiation into gametes. Controlling these cellular states demands precise timing and expression of gene networks. Nucleic acid binding proteins (NBPs) play critical roles in gene expression networks that influence germ cell development. There has, however, been no functional analysis of the entire NBP repertoire in controlling in vivo germ cell development. Here, we analyzed germ cell states and germline architecture to systematically investigate the function of 364 germline-expressed NBPs in the Caenorhabditis elegans germ line. Using germline-specific knockdown, automated germ cell counting, and high-content analysis of germ cell nuclei and plasma membrane organization, we identify 156 NBPs with discrete autonomous germline functions. By identifying NBPs that control the germ cell cycle, proliferation, differentiation, germline structure and fertility, we have created an atlas for mechanistic dissection of germ cell behavior and gamete production.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Cao
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia.
| | - Qi Fan
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Gemmarie Amparado
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Dean Begic
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Rasoul Godini
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Sandeep Gopal
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia.
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Roger Pocock
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Haase MAB, Lazar-Stefanita L, Ólafsson G, Wudzinska A, Shen MJ, Truong DM, Boeke JD. macroH2A1 drives nucleosome dephasing and genome instability in histone humanized yeast. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114472. [PMID: 38990716 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
In addition to replicative histones, eukaryotic genomes encode a repertoire of non-replicative variant histones, providing additional layers of structural and epigenetic regulation. Here, we systematically replace individual replicative human histones with non-replicative human variant histones using a histone replacement system in yeast. We show that variants H2A.J, TsH2B, and H3.5 complement their respective replicative counterparts. However, macroH2A1 fails to complement, and its overexpression is toxic in yeast, negatively interacting with yeast's native histones and kinetochore genes. To isolate yeast with macroH2A1 chromatin, we uncouple the effects of its macro and histone fold domains, revealing that both domains suffice to override native nucleosome positioning. Furthermore, both uncoupled constructs of macroH2A1 exhibit lower nucleosome occupancy, decreased short-range chromatin interactions (<20 kb), disrupted centromeric clustering, and increased chromosome instability. Our observations demonstrate that lack of a canonical histone H2A dramatically alters chromatin organization in yeast, leading to genome instability and substantial fitness defects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Max A B Haase
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Luciana Lazar-Stefanita
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Guðjón Ólafsson
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Aleksandra Wudzinska
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Michael J Shen
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - David M Truong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA; Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Jef D Boeke
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Mazzetto M, Gonzalez LE, Sanchez N, Reinke V. Characterization of the distribution and dynamics of chromatin states in the C. elegans germline reveals substantial H3K4me3 remodeling during oogenesis. Genome Res 2024; 34:57-69. [PMID: 38164610 PMCID: PMC10903938 DOI: 10.1101/gr.278247.123] [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: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Chromatin organization in the C. elegans germline is tightly regulated and critical for germ cell differentiation. Although certain germline epigenetic regulatory mechanisms have been identified, how they influence chromatin structure and ultimately gene expression remains unclear, in part because most genomic studies have focused on data collected from intact worms comprising both somatic and germline tissues. We therefore analyzed histone modification and chromatin accessibility data from isolated germ nuclei representing undifferentiated proliferating and meiosis I populations to define chromatin states. We correlated these states with overall transcript abundance, spatiotemporal expression patterns, and the function of small RNA pathways. Because the essential role of the germline is to transmit genetic information and establish gene expression in the early embryo, we compared epigenetic and transcriptomic profiles from undifferentiated germ cells to those of embryos to define the epigenetic changes during this developmental transition. The active histone modification H3K4me3 shows particularly dynamic remodeling as germ cells differentiate into oocytes, which suggests a mechanism for establishing early transcription of essential genes during zygotic genome activation. This analysis highlights the dynamism of the chromatin landscape across developmental transitions and provides a resource for future investigation into epigenetic regulatory mechanisms in germ cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lauren E Gonzalez
- Department of Genetics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
| | - Nancy Sanchez
- Department of Genetics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
| | - Valerie Reinke
- Department of Genetics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Webster AK, Willis JH, Johnson E, Sarkies P, Phillips PC. Epigenetic context predicts gene expression variation and reproductive traits across genetically identical individuals. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.13.562270. [PMID: 37873136 PMCID: PMC10592811 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.13.562270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been the major approach to understand the biological basis of individual differences in traits and diseases. However, GWAS approaches have proven to have limited predictive power to explain individual differences, particularly for complex traits and diseases in which environmental factors play a substantial role in their etiology. Indeed, individual differences persist even in genetically identical individuals, although fully separating genetic and environmental causation is difficult or impossible in most organisms. To understand the basis of individual differences in the absence of genetic differences, we measured two quantitative reproductive traits in 180 genetically identical young adult Caenorhabditis elegans roundworms in a shared environment and performed single-individual transcriptomics on each worm. We identified hundreds of genes for which expression variation was strongly associated with reproductive traits, some of which depended on prior environmental experience and some of which was random. Multiple small sets of genes together were highly predictive of reproductive traits across individuals, explaining on average over half and over a quarter of variation in the two traits. We manipulated mRNA levels of predictive genes using RNA interference to identify a set of causal genes, demonstrating the utility of this approach for both prediction and understanding underlying biology. Finally, we found that the chromatin environment of predictive genes was enriched for H3K27 trimethylation, suggesting that individual gene expression differences underlying critical traits may be driven in part by chromatin structure. Together, this work shows that individual differences in gene expression that arise independently of underlying genetic differences are both predictive and causal in shaping reproductive traits at levels that equal or exceed genetic variation.
Collapse
|
6
|
Poulet A, Kratkiewicz AJ, Li D, van Wolfswinkel JC. Chromatin analysis of adult pluripotent stem cells reveals a unique stemness maintenance strategy. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh4887. [PMID: 37801496 PMCID: PMC10558129 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh4887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
Many highly regenerative organisms maintain adult pluripotent stem cells throughout their life, but how the long-term maintenance of pluripotency is accomplished is unclear. To decipher the regulatory logic of adult pluripotent stem cells, we analyzed the chromatin organization of stem cell genes in the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea. We identify a special chromatin state of stem cell genes, which is distinct from that of tissue-specific genes and resembles constitutive genes. Where tissue-specific promoters have detectable transcription factor binding sites, the promoters of stem cell-specific genes instead have sequence features that broadly decrease nucleosome binding affinity. This genic organization makes pluripotency-related gene expression the default state in these cells, which is maintained by the activity of chromatin remodelers ISWI and SNF2 in the stem cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Axel Poulet
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Arcadia J. Kratkiewicz
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Danyan Li
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Josien C. van Wolfswinkel
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Yale Center for RNA Science and Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Pham PD, Lu H, Han H, Zhou JJ, Madan A, Wang W, Murre C, Cho KWY. Transcriptional network governing extraembryonic endoderm cell fate choice. Dev Biol 2023; 502:20-37. [PMID: 37423592 PMCID: PMC10550205 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2023.07.002] [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: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
The mechanism by which transcription factor (TF) network instructs cell-type-specific transcriptional programs to drive primitive endoderm (PrE) progenitors to commit to parietal endoderm (PE) versus visceral endoderm (VE) cell fates remains poorly understood. To address the question, we analyzed the single-cell transcriptional signatures defining PrE, PE, and VE cell states during the onset of the PE-VE lineage bifurcation. By coupling with the epigenomic comparison of active enhancers unique to PE and VE cells, we identified GATA6, SOX17, and FOXA2 as central regulators for the lineage divergence. Transcriptomic analysis of cXEN cells, an in vitro model for PE cells, after the acute depletion of GATA6 or SOX17 demonstrated that these factors induce Mycn, imparting the self-renewal properties of PE cells. Concurrently, they suppress the VE gene program, including key genes like Hnf4a and Ttr, among others. We proceeded with RNA-seq analysis on cXEN cells with FOXA2 knockout, in conjunction with GATA6 or SOX17 depletion. We found FOXA2 acts as a potent suppressor of Mycn while simultaneously activating the VE gene program. The antagonistic gene regulatory activities of GATA6/SOX17 and FOXA2 in promoting alternative cell fates, and their physical co-bindings at the enhancers provide molecular insights to the plasticity of the PrE lineage. Finally, we show that the external cue, BMP signaling, promotes the VE cell fate by activation of VE TFs and repression of PE TFs including GATA6 and SOX17. These data reveal a putative core gene regulatory module that underpins PE and VE cell fate choice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paula Duyen Pham
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Hanbin Lu
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92039, USA
| | - Han Han
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Jeff Jiajing Zhou
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Aarushi Madan
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Wenqi Wang
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Cornelis Murre
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92039, USA
| | - Ken W Y Cho
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
McDonald K, Larkin K, Dickinson DJ, Golden A, Bai X, Doonan R. Using CRISPR knock-in of fluorescent tags to examine isoform-specific expression of EGL-19 in C. elegans. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2023; 2023:10.17912/micropub.biology.000858. [PMID: 37746064 PMCID: PMC10514701 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
L-type voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) regulate calcium influx and excitation-contraction coupling in many types of muscle cells. Thus, VGCC mutations can cause skeletal and cardiac muscle diseases in humans, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Timothy syndrome. To better understand the genetics and native expression of VGCCs, we have chosen to use the microscopic roundworm, C. elegans . The egl-19 locus is the sole L-type VGCC gene and it encodes three distinct isoforms (a, b, and c). Isoform c is curious because the protein is truncated, lacking the transmembrane domains that form the physical calcium channel. In this study, we have characterized egl-19 expression using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to 'knock-in' fluorescent tags of differing colors, allowing us to distinguish the expression pattern of each isoform. Not surprisingly, we found that EGL-19 is expressed in all types of muscle. In addition, we provide evidence that the truncated c isoform is expressed. Finally, although we find evidence that specific isoforms can have unique subcellular distributions, we also observed some expression patterns that appear to be artifacts. Overall, our results show interesting patterns of egl-19 expression, but also highlight the need for caution when interpreting expression of reporter genes even when they represent endogenous tags.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kara McDonald
- Glow Worms Stream, Freshman Research Initiative, College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States
| | - Kerry Larkin
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
| | - Daniel J Dickinson
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States
| | - Andy Golden
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
| | - Xiaofei Bai
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States
| | - Ryan Doonan
- Glow Worms Stream, Freshman Research Initiative, College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Aljohani MD, El Mouridi S, Frøkjær-Jensen C. Characterizing short germline-specific promoters with a range of expression levels in C. elegans. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2023; 2023:10.17912/micropub.biology.000843. [PMID: 37497182 PMCID: PMC10366684 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
A core tenet of synthetic biology is that well-characterized regulatory elements are essential for engineering biological systems. Here, we characterize the specificity and expression levels of 18 short (254 to 880 bp) candidate germline promoters using a single-copy gfp reporter assay in C. elegans . Six promoters resulted in ubiquitous expression, three did not drive detectable expression, and nine were germline-specific. Several promoters drove stronger germline expression than the commonly-used mex-5 promoter. The promoters range across expression levels and facilitate, for example, low expression of toxic transgenes or high expression of gene editing enzymes, and their compactness facilitates gene synthesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed D. Aljohani
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division (BESE), KAUST Environmental Epigenetics Program (KEEP), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sonia El Mouridi
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division (BESE), KAUST Environmental Epigenetics Program (KEEP), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Christian Frøkjær-Jensen
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division (BESE), KAUST Environmental Epigenetics Program (KEEP), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Haase MAB, Lazar-Stefanita L, Ólafsson G, Wudzinska A, Shen MJ, Truong DM, Boeke JD. Human macroH2A1 drives nucleosome dephasing and genome instability in histone-humanized yeast. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.06.538725. [PMID: 37205538 PMCID: PMC10187286 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.06.538725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
In addition to replicative histones, eukaryotic genomes encode a repertoire of non-replicative variant histones providing additional layers of structural and epigenetic regulation. Here, we systematically replaced individual replicative human histones with non-replicative human variant histones using a histone replacement system in yeast. Variants H2A.J, TsH2B, and H3.5 complemented for their respective replicative counterparts. However, macroH2A1 failed to complement and its expression was toxic in yeast, negatively interacting with native yeast histones and kinetochore genes. To isolate yeast with "macroH2A1 chromatin" we decoupled the effects of its macro and histone fold domains, which revealed that both domains sufficed to override native yeast nucleosome positioning. Furthermore, both modified constructs of macroH2A1 exhibited lower nucleosome occupancy that correlated with decreased short-range chromatin interactions (<20 Kb), disrupted centromeric clustering, and increased chromosome instability. While supporting viability, macroH2A1 dramatically alters chromatin organization in yeast, leading to genome instability and massive fitness defects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Max A. B. Haase
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, 430 East 29th Street, New York, 10016, USA
- Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Luciana Lazar-Stefanita
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, 430 East 29th Street, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Guðjón Ólafsson
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, 430 East 29th Street, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Aleksandra Wudzinska
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, 430 East 29th Street, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Michael J. Shen
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, 430 East 29th Street, New York, 10016, USA
| | - David M. Truong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, USA
- Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Jef D. Boeke
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, 430 East 29th Street, New York, 10016, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Abril-Garrido J, Dienemann C, Grabbe F, Velychko T, Lidschreiber M, Wang H, Cramer P. Structural basis of transcription reduction by a promoter-proximal +1 nucleosome. Mol Cell 2023:S1097-2765(23)00255-1. [PMID: 37148879 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
At active human genes, the +1 nucleosome is located downstream of the RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) pre-initiation complex (PIC). However, at inactive genes, the +1 nucleosome is found further upstream, at a promoter-proximal location. Here, we establish a model system to show that a promoter-proximal +1 nucleosome can reduce RNA synthesis in vivo and in vitro, and we analyze its structural basis. We find that the PIC assembles normally when the edge of the +1 nucleosome is located 18 base pairs (bp) downstream of the transcription start site (TSS). However, when the nucleosome edge is located further upstream, only 10 bp downstream of the TSS, the PIC adopts an inhibited state. The transcription factor IIH (TFIIH) shows a closed conformation and its subunit XPB contacts DNA with only one of its two ATPase lobes, inconsistent with DNA opening. These results provide a mechanism for nucleosome-dependent regulation of transcription initiation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julio Abril-Garrido
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christian Dienemann
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Frauke Grabbe
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Taras Velychko
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Michael Lidschreiber
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Haibo Wang
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Patrick Cramer
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Schorr AL, Mejia AF, Miranda MY, Mangone M. An updated C. elegans nuclear body muscle transcriptome for studies in muscle formation and function. Skelet Muscle 2023; 13:4. [PMID: 36859305 PMCID: PMC9979539 DOI: 10.1186/s13395-023-00314-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The body muscle is an important tissue used in organisms for proper viability and locomotion. Although this tissue is generally well studied and characterized, and many pathways have been elucidated throughout the years, we still lack a comprehensive understanding of its transcriptome and how it controls muscle development and function. Here, we have updated a nuclear FACS sorting-based methodology to isolate and sequence a high-quality muscle transcriptome from Caenorhabditis elegans mixed-stage animals. We have identified 2848 muscle-specific protein-coding genes, including 78 transcription factors and 206 protein-coding genes containing an RNA binding domain. We studied their interaction network, performed a detailed promoter analysis, and identified novel muscle-specific cis-acting elements. We have also identified 16 high-quality muscle-specific miRNAs, studied their function in vivo using fluorochrome-based analyses, and developed a high-quality C. elegans miRNA interactome incorporating other muscle-specific datasets produced by our lab and others.Our study expands our understanding of how muscle tissue functions in C. elegans andin turn provides results that can in the future be applied to humans to study muscular-related diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna L. Schorr
- grid.215654.10000 0001 2151 2636Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ USA ,grid.215654.10000 0001 2151 2636Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, 1001 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ USA ,grid.215654.10000 0001 2151 2636School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, 751 E Lemon Mall, Tempe, AZ 85287 USA
| | - Alejandro Felix Mejia
- grid.215654.10000 0001 2151 2636School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, 751 E Lemon Mall, Tempe, AZ 85287 USA
| | - Martina Y. Miranda
- grid.250942.80000 0004 0507 3225Helios Scholars at the Translational Genomics Research Institute, 445 N 5th St 4th Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85004 USA
| | - Marco Mangone
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA. .,Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, 1001 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ, USA. .,School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, 751 E Lemon Mall, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Godbole AA, Gopalan S, Nguyen TK, Munden AL, Lui DS, Fanelli MJ, Vo P, Lewis CA, Spinelli JB, Fazzio TG, Walker AK. S-adenosylmethionine synthases specify distinct H3K4me3 populations and gene expression patterns during heat stress. eLife 2023; 12:e79511. [PMID: 36756948 PMCID: PMC9984191 DOI: 10.7554/elife.79511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Methylation is a widely occurring modification that requires the methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and acts in regulation of gene expression and other processes. SAM is synthesized from methionine, which is imported or generated through the 1-carbon cycle (1 CC). Alterations in 1 CC function have clear effects on lifespan and stress responses, but the wide distribution of this modification has made identification of specific mechanistic links difficult. Exploiting a dynamic stress-induced transcription model, we find that two SAM synthases in Caenorhabditis elegans, SAMS-1 and SAMS-4, contribute differently to modification of H3K4me3, gene expression and survival. We find that sams-4 enhances H3K4me3 in heat shocked animals lacking sams-1, however, sams-1 cannot compensate for sams-4, which is required to survive heat stress. This suggests that the regulatory functions of SAM depend on its enzymatic source and that provisioning of SAM may be an important regulatory step linking 1 CC function to phenotypes in aging and stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adwait A Godbole
- Program in Molecular Medicine, UMASS Chan Medical SchoolWorcesterUnited States
| | - Sneha Gopalan
- Cancer Center, UMASS Chan Medical SchoolWorcesterUnited States
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Cancer Biology, UMASS Chan Medical SchoolWorcesterUnited States
| | - Thien-Kim Nguyen
- Program in Molecular Medicine, UMASS Chan Medical SchoolWorcesterUnited States
| | - Alexander L Munden
- Program in Molecular Medicine, UMASS Chan Medical SchoolWorcesterUnited States
| | - Dominique S Lui
- Program in Molecular Medicine, UMASS Chan Medical SchoolWorcesterUnited States
| | - Matthew J Fanelli
- Program in Molecular Medicine, UMASS Chan Medical SchoolWorcesterUnited States
| | - Paula Vo
- Program in Molecular Medicine, UMASS Chan Medical SchoolWorcesterUnited States
| | - Caroline A Lewis
- Program in Molecular Medicine, UMASS Chan Medical SchoolWorcesterUnited States
| | - Jessica B Spinelli
- Program in Molecular Medicine, UMASS Chan Medical SchoolWorcesterUnited States
- Cancer Center, UMASS Chan Medical SchoolWorcesterUnited States
| | - Thomas G Fazzio
- Cancer Center, UMASS Chan Medical SchoolWorcesterUnited States
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Cancer Biology, UMASS Chan Medical SchoolWorcesterUnited States
| | - Amy K Walker
- Program in Molecular Medicine, UMASS Chan Medical SchoolWorcesterUnited States
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Cancer Biology, UMASS Chan Medical SchoolWorcesterUnited States
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Lampersberger L, Conte F, Ghosh S, Xiao Y, Price J, Jordan D, Matus DQ, Sarkies P, Beli P, Miska EA, Burton NO. Loss of the E3 ubiquitin ligases UBR-5 or HECD-1 restores Caenorhabditis elegans development in the absence of SWI/SNF function. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2217992120. [PMID: 36689659 PMCID: PMC9945973 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2217992120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
SWItch/sucrose non-fermenting (SWI/SNF) complexes are a family of chromatin remodelers that are conserved across eukaryotes. Mutations in subunits of SWI/SNF cause a multitude of different developmental disorders in humans, most of which have no current treatment options. Here, we identify an alanine-to-valine-causing mutation in the SWI/SNF subunit snfc-5 (SMARCB1 in humans) that prevents embryonic lethality in Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes harboring a loss-of-function mutation in the SWI/SNF subunit swsn-1 (SMARCC1/2 in humans). Furthermore, we found that the combination of this specific mutation in snfc-5 and a loss-of-function mutation in either of the E3 ubiquitin ligases ubr-5 (UBR5 in humans) or hecd-1 (HECTD1 in humans) can restore development to adulthood in swsn-1 loss-of-function mutants that otherwise die as embryos. Using these mutant models, we established a set of 335 genes that are dysregulated in SWI/SNF mutants that arrest their development embryonically but exhibit near wild-type levels of expression in the presence of suppressor mutations that prevent embryonic lethality, suggesting that SWI/SNF promotes development by regulating some subset of these 335 genes. In addition, we show that SWI/SNF protein levels are reduced in swsn-1; snfc-5 double mutants and partly restored to wild-type levels in swsn-1; snfc-5; ubr-5 triple mutants, consistent with a model in which UBR-5 regulates SWI/SNF levels by tagging the complex for proteasomal degradation. Our findings establish a link between two E3 ubiquitin ligases and SWI/SNF function and suggest that UBR5 and HECTD1 could be potential therapeutic targets for the many developmental disorders caused by missense mutations in SWI/SNF subunits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Lampersberger
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1QN, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 3EH, UK
| | | | - Subhanita Ghosh
- Medical Research Council London Institute of Medical Sciences, LondonW12 0NN, UK
| | - Yutong Xiao
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, NY11790
| | - Jonathan Price
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1QN, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 3EH, UK
| | - David Jordan
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1QN, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 3EH, UK
| | - David Q. Matus
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, NY11790
| | - Peter Sarkies
- Medical Research Council London Institute of Medical Sciences, LondonW12 0NN, UK
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3QU, UK
| | - Petra Beli
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Mainz55128, Germany
| | - Eric A. Miska
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1QN, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 3EH, UK
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1QW, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, CambridgeCB10 1SA, UK
| | - Nicholas O. Burton
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI49503
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Carelli FN, Cerrato C, Dong Y, Appert A, Dernburg A, Ahringer J. Widespread transposon co-option in the Caenorhabditis germline regulatory network. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabo4082. [PMID: 36525485 PMCID: PMC9757741 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo4082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The movement of selfish DNA elements can lead to widespread genomic alterations with potential to create novel functions. We show that transposon expansions in Caenorhabditis nematodes led to extensive rewiring of germline transcriptional regulation. We find that about one-third of Caenorhabditis elegans germline-specific promoters have been co-opted from two related miniature inverted repeat transposable elements (TEs), CERP2 and CELE2. These promoters are regulated by HIM-17, a THAP domain-containing transcription factor related to a transposase. Expansion of CERP2 occurred before radiation of the Caenorhabditis genus, as did fixation of mutations in HIM-17 through positive selection, whereas CELE2 expanded only in C. elegans. Through comparative analyses in Caenorhabditis briggsae, we find not only evolutionary conservation of most CERP2 co-opted promoters but also a substantial fraction that are species-specific. Our work reveals the emergence and evolutionary conservation of a novel transcriptional network driven by TE co-option with a major impact on regulatory evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Nicola Carelli
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Chiara Cerrato
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Yan Dong
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Alex Appert
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Abby Dernburg
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 4000 Jones Bridge Road, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
- Biological Sciences and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Julie Ahringer
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Rumley JD, Preston EA, Cook D, Peng FL, Zacharias AL, Wu L, Jileaeva I, Murray JI. pop-1/TCF, ref-2/ZIC and T-box factors regulate the development of anterior cells in the C. elegans embryo. Dev Biol 2022; 489:34-46. [PMID: 35660370 PMCID: PMC9378603 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2022.05.019] [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: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Patterning of the anterior-posterior axis is fundamental to animal development. The Wnt pathway plays a major role in this process by activating the expression of posterior genes in animals from worms to humans. This observation raises the question of whether the Wnt pathway or other regulators control the expression of the many anterior-expressed genes. We found that the expression of five anterior-specific genes in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos depends on the Wnt pathway effectors pop-1/TCF and sys-1/β-catenin. We focused further on one of these anterior genes, ref-2/ZIC, a conserved transcription factor expressed in multiple anterior lineages. Live imaging of ref-2 mutant embryos identified defects in cell division timing and position in anterior lineages. Cis-regulatory dissection identified three ref-2 transcriptional enhancers, one of which is necessary and sufficient for anterior-specific expression. This enhancer is activated by the T-box transcription factors TBX-37 and TBX-38, and surprisingly, concatemerized TBX-37/38 binding sites are sufficient to drive anterior-biased expression alone, despite the broad expression of TBX-37 and TBX-38. Taken together, our results highlight the diverse mechanisms used to regulate anterior expression patterns in the embryo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D Rumley
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Elicia A Preston
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Dylan Cook
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Felicia L Peng
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Amanda L Zacharias
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45267, USA
| | - Lucy Wu
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Ilona Jileaeva
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - John Isaac Murray
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Gajic Z, Kaur D, Ni J, Zhu Z, Zhebrun A, Gajic M, Kim M, Hong J, Priyadarshini M, Frøkjær-Jensen C, Gu S. Target-dependent suppression of siRNA production modulates the levels of endogenous siRNAs in the Caenorhabditis elegans germline. Development 2022; 149:dev200692. [PMID: 35876680 PMCID: PMC9481970 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Despite the prominent role of endo-siRNAs in transposon silencing, their expression is not limited to these 'nonself' DNA elements. Transcripts of protein-coding genes ('self' DNA) in some cases also produce endo-siRNAs in yeast, plants and animals. How cells distinguish these two populations of siRNAs to prevent unwanted silencing of active genes in animals is not well understood. To address this question, we inserted various self-gene or gfp fragments into an LTR retrotransposon that produces abundant siRNAs and examined the propensity of these gene fragments to produce ectopic siRNAs in the Caenorhabditis elegans germline. We found that fragments of germline genes are generally protected from production of ectopic siRNAs. This phenomenon, which we termed 'target-directed suppression of siRNA production' (or siRNA suppression), is dependent on the germline expression of target mRNA and requires germline P-granule components. We found that siRNA suppression can also occur in naturally produced endo-siRNAs. We suggest that siRNA suppression plays an important role in regulating siRNA expression and preventing self-genes from aberrant epigenetic silencing. This article has an associated 'The people behind the papers' interview.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zoran Gajic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Diljeet Kaur
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Julie Ni
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Zhaorong Zhu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Anna Zhebrun
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Maria Gajic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Matthew Kim
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Julia Hong
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Monika Priyadarshini
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955–6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Christian Frøkjær-Jensen
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955–6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Sam Gu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Sawh AN, Mango SE. Chromosome organization in 4D: insights from C. elegans development. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2022; 75:101939. [PMID: 35759905 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2022.101939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic genome organization is ordered and multilayered, from the nucleosome to chromosomal scales. These layers are not static during development, but are remodeled over time and between tissues. Thus, animal model studies with high spatiotemporal resolution are necessary to understand the various forms and functions of genome organization in vivo. In C. elegans, sequencing- and imaging-based advances have provided insight on how histone modifications, regulatory elements, and large-scale chromosome conformations are established and changed. Recent observations include unexpected physiological roles for topologically associating domains, different roles for the nuclear lamina at different chromatin scales, cell-type-specific enhancer and promoter regulatory grammars, and prevalent compartment variability in early development. Here, we summarize these and other recent findings in C. elegans, and suggest future avenues of research to enrich our in vivo knowledge of the forms and functions of nuclear organization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ahilya N Sawh
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, 4056 Basel-Stadt, Switzerland.
| | - Susan E Mango
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, 4056 Basel-Stadt, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Higgins DP, Weisman CM, Lui DS, D'Agostino FA, Walker AK. Defining characteristics and conservation of poorly annotated genes in Caenorhabditis elegans using WormCat 2.0. Genetics 2022; 221:6588682. [PMID: 35587742 PMCID: PMC9339291 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Omics tools provide broad datasets for biological discovery. However, the computational tools for identifying important genes or pathways in RNA-seq, proteomics, or GWAS (Genome-Wide Association Study) data depend on Gene Ontogeny annotations and are biased toward well-described pathways. This limits their utility as poorly annotated genes, which could have novel functions, are often passed over. Recently, we developed an annotation and category enrichment tool for Caenorhabditis elegans genomic data, WormCat, which provides an intuitive visualization output. Unlike Gene Ontogeny-based enrichment tools, which exclude genes with no annotation information, WormCat 2.0 retains these genes as a special UNASSIGNED category. Here, we show that the UNASSIGNED gene category enrichment exhibits tissue-specific expression patterns and can include genes with biological functions identified in published datasets. Poorly annotated genes are often considered to be potentially species-specific and thus, of reduced interest to the biomedical community. Instead, we find that around 3% of the UNASSIGNED genes have human orthologs, including some linked to human diseases. These human orthologs themselves have little annotation information. A recently developed method that incorporates lineage relationships (abSENSE) indicates that the failure of BLAST to detect homology explains the apparent lineage specificity for many UNASSIGNED genes. This suggests that a larger subset could be related to human genes. WormCat provides an annotation strategy that allows the association of UNASSIGNED genes with specific phenotypes and known pathways. Building these associations in C. elegans, with its robust genetic tools, provides a path to further functional study and insight into these understudied genes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P Higgins
- Program in Molecular Medicine, UMASS Chan Medical School, Worcester MA 01605, USA
| | - Caroline M Weisman
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Quantitative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Dominique S Lui
- Program in Molecular Medicine, UMASS Chan Medical School, Worcester MA 01605, USA
| | - Frank A D'Agostino
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Harvard University, Cambridge MA 02138, USA
| | - Amy K Walker
- Program in Molecular Medicine, UMASS Chan Medical School, Worcester MA 01605, USA
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Rodriguez-Crespo D, Nanchen M, Rajopadhye S, Wicky C. The zinc-finger transcription factor LSL-1 is a major regulator of the germline transcriptional program in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2022; 221:iyac039. [PMID: 35262739 PMCID: PMC9071529 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Specific gene transcriptional programs are required to ensure the proper proliferation and differentiation processes underlying the production of specialized cells during development. Gene activity is mainly regulated by the concerted action of transcription factors and chromatin proteins. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, mechanisms that silence improper transcriptional programs in germline and somatic cells have been well studied, however, how are tissue-specific sets of genes turned on is less known. LSL-1 is herein defined as a novel crucial transcriptional regulator of germline genes in C. elegans. LSL-1 is first detected in the P4 blastomere and remains present at all stages of germline development, from primordial germ cell proliferation to the end of meiotic prophase. lsl-1 loss-of-function mutants exhibit many defects including meiotic prophase progression delay, a high level of germline apoptosis, and production of almost no functional gametes. Transcriptomic analysis and ChIP-seq data show that LSL-1 binds to promoters and acts as a transcriptional activator of germline genes involved in various processes, including homologous chromosome pairing, recombination, and genome stability. Furthermore, we show that LSL-1 functions by antagonizing the action of the heterochromatin proteins HPL-2/HP1 and LET-418/Mi2 known to be involved in the repression of germline genes in somatic cells. Based on our results, we propose LSL-1 to be a major regulator of the germline transcriptional program during development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Magali Nanchen
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg 1700, Switzerland
| | - Shweta Rajopadhye
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg 1700, Switzerland
| | - Chantal Wicky
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg 1700, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Toker IA, Lev I, Mor Y, Gurevich Y, Fisher D, Houri-Zeevi L, Antonova O, Doron H, Anava S, Gingold H, Hadany L, Shaham S, Rechavi O. Transgenerational inheritance of sexual attractiveness via small RNAs enhances evolvability in C. elegans. Dev Cell 2022; 57:298-309.e9. [PMID: 35134343 PMCID: PMC8826646 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2022.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
It is unknown whether transient transgenerational epigenetic responses to environmental challenges affect the process of evolution, which typically unfolds over many generations. Here, we show that in C. elegans, inherited small RNAs control genetic variation by regulating the crucial decision of whether to self-fertilize or outcross. We found that under stressful temperatures, younger hermaphrodites secrete a male-attracting pheromone. Attractiveness transmits transgenerationally to unstressed progeny via heritable small RNAs and the Argonaute Heritable RNAi Deficient-1 (HRDE-1). We identified an endogenous small interfering RNA pathway, enriched in endo-siRNAs that target sperm genes, that transgenerationally regulates sexual attraction, male prevalence, and outcrossing rates. Multigenerational mating competition experiments and mathematical simulations revealed that over generations, animals that inherit attractiveness mate more and their alleles spread in the population. We propose that the sperm serves as a "stress-sensor" that, via small RNA inheritance, promotes outcrossing in challenging environments when increasing genetic variation is advantageous.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Itai Antoine Toker
- Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Life Sciences & Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| | - Itamar Lev
- Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Life Sciences & Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| | - Yael Mor
- Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Life Sciences & Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| | - Yael Gurevich
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Doron Fisher
- Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Life Sciences & Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Leah Houri-Zeevi
- Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Life Sciences & Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Olga Antonova
- Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Life Sciences & Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Hila Doron
- Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Life Sciences & Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sarit Anava
- Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Life Sciences & Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Hila Gingold
- Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Life Sciences & Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Lilach Hadany
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Shai Shaham
- Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Oded Rechavi
- Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Life Sciences & Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Katsanos D, Barkoulas M. Targeted DamID in C. elegans reveals a direct role for LIN-22 and NHR-25 in antagonizing the epidermal stem cell fate. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabk3141. [PMID: 35119932 PMCID: PMC8816332 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abk3141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Transcription factors are key players in gene networks controlling cell fate specification during development. In multicellular organisms, they display complex patterns of expression and binding to their targets, hence, tissue specificity is required in the characterization of transcription factor-target interactions. We introduce here targeted DamID (TaDa) as a method for tissue-specific transcription factor target identification in intact Caenorhabditis elegans animals. We use TaDa to recover targets in the epidermis for two factors, the HES1 homolog LIN-22, and the NR5A1/2 nuclear hormone receptor NHR-25. We demonstrate a direct link between LIN-22 and the Wnt signaling pathway through repression of the Frizzled receptor lin-17. We report a direct role for NHR-25 in promoting cell differentiation via repressing the expression of stem cell-promoting GATA factors. Our results expand our understanding of the epidermal gene network and highlight the potential of TaDa to dissect the architecture of tissue-specific gene regulatory networks.
Collapse
|
23
|
Lin Z, Xie Y, Nong W, Ren X, Li R, Zhao Z, Hui JHL, Yuen KWY. Formation of artificial chromosomes in Caenorhabditis elegans and analyses of their segregation in mitosis, DNA sequence composition and holocentromere organization. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:9174-9193. [PMID: 34417622 PMCID: PMC8450109 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
To investigate how exogenous DNA concatemerizes to form episomal artificial chromosomes (ACs), acquire equal segregation ability and maintain stable holocentromeres, we injected DNA sequences with different features, including sequences that are repetitive or complex, and sequences with different AT-contents, into the gonad of Caenorhabditis elegans to form ACs in embryos, and monitored AC mitotic segregation. We demonstrated that AT-poor sequences (26% AT-content) delayed the acquisition of segregation competency of newly formed ACs. We also co-injected fragmented Saccharomyces cerevisiae genomic DNA, differentially expressed fluorescent markers and ubiquitously expressed selectable marker to construct a less repetitive, more complex AC. We sequenced the whole genome of a strain which propagates this AC through multiple generations, and de novo assembled the AC sequences. We discovered CENP-AHCP-3 domains/peaks are distributed along the AC, as in endogenous chromosomes, suggesting a holocentric architecture. We found that CENP-AHCP-3 binds to the unexpressed marker genes and many fragmented yeast sequences, but is excluded in the yeast extremely high-AT-content centromeric and mitochondrial DNA (> 83% AT-content) on the AC. We identified A-rich motifs in CENP-AHCP-3 domains/peaks on the AC and on endogenous chromosomes, which have some similarity with each other and similarity to some non-germline transcription factor binding sites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhongyang Lin
- School of Biological Sciences, the University of Hong Kong, Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong
| | - Yichun Xie
- School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Wenyan Nong
- School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Xiaoliang Ren
- Department of Biology, Baptist University of Hong Kong, Sir Run Run Shaw Building, Ho Sin Hang Campus, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
| | - Runsheng Li
- Department of Biology, Baptist University of Hong Kong, Sir Run Run Shaw Building, Ho Sin Hang Campus, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
| | - Zhongying Zhao
- Department of Biology, Baptist University of Hong Kong, Sir Run Run Shaw Building, Ho Sin Hang Campus, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
| | - Jerome Ho Lam Hui
- School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Karen Wing Yee Yuen
- School of Biological Sciences, the University of Hong Kong, Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Cooper JF, Guasp RJ, Arnold ML, Grant BD, Driscoll M. Stress increases in exopher-mediated neuronal extrusion require lipid biosynthesis, FGF, and EGF RAS/MAPK signaling. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2101410118. [PMID: 34475208 PMCID: PMC8433523 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2101410118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In human neurodegenerative diseases, neurons can transfer toxic protein aggregates to surrounding cells, promoting pathology via poorly understood mechanisms. In Caenorhabditis elegans, proteostressed neurons can expel neurotoxic proteins in large, membrane-bound vesicles called exophers. We investigated how specific stresses impact neuronal trash expulsion to show that neuronal exopher production can be markedly elevated by oxidative and osmotic stress. Unexpectedly, we also found that fasting dramatically increases exophergenesis. Mechanistic dissection focused on identifying nonautonomous factors that sense and activate the fasting-induced exopher response revealed that DAF16/FOXO-dependent and -independent processes are engaged. Fasting-induced exopher elevation requires the intestinal peptide transporter PEPT-1, lipid synthesis transcription factors Mediator complex MDT-15 and SBP-1/SREPB1, and fatty acid synthase FASN-1, implicating remotely initiated lipid signaling in neuronal trash elimination. A conserved fibroblast growth factor (FGF)/RAS/MAPK signaling pathway that acts downstream of, or in parallel to, lipid signaling also promotes fasting-induced neuronal exopher elevation. A germline-based epidermal growth factor (EGF) signal that acts through neurons is also required for exopher production. Our data define a nonautonomous network that links food availability changes to remote, and extreme, neuronal homeostasis responses relevant to aggregate transfer biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jason F Cooper
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854
| | - Ryan J Guasp
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854
| | - Meghan Lee Arnold
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854
| | - Barth D Grant
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854
- Rutgers Center for Lipid Research, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
| | - Monica Driscoll
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854;
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Katsanos D, Ferrando-Marco M, Razzaq I, Aughey G, Southall TD, Barkoulas M. Gene expression profiling of epidermal cell types in C. elegans using Targeted DamID. Development 2021; 148:dev199452. [PMID: 34397094 PMCID: PMC7613258 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The epidermis of Caenorhabditis elegans is an essential tissue for survival because it contributes to the formation of the cuticle barrier as well as facilitating developmental progression and animal growth. Most of the epidermis consists of the hyp7 hypodermal syncytium, the nuclei of which are largely generated by the seam cells, which exhibit stem cell-like behaviour during development. How seam cell progenitors differ transcriptionally from the differentiated hypodermis is poorly understood. Here, we introduce Targeted DamID (TaDa) in C. elegans as a method for identifying genes expressed within a tissue of interest without cell isolation. We show that TaDa signal enrichment profiles can be used to identify genes transcribed in the epidermis and use this method to resolve differences in gene expression between the seam cells and the hypodermis. Finally, we predict and functionally validate new transcription and chromatin factors acting in seam cell development. These findings provide insights into cell type-specific gene expression profiles likely associated with epidermal cell fate patterning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dimitris Katsanos
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Mar Ferrando-Marco
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Iqrah Razzaq
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Gabriel Aughey
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Tony D. Southall
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Michalis Barkoulas
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Lambert J, Lloret-Fernández C, Laplane L, Poole RJ, Jarriault S. On the origins and conceptual frameworks of natural plasticity-Lessons from single-cell models in C. elegans. Curr Top Dev Biol 2021; 144:111-159. [PMID: 33992151 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2021.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
How flexible are cell identities? This problem has fascinated developmental biologists for several centuries and can be traced back to Abraham Trembley's pioneering manipulations of Hydra to test its regeneration abilities in the 1700s. Since the cell theory in the mid-19th century, developmental biology has been dominated by a single framework in which embryonic cells are committed to specific cell fates, progressively and irreversibly acquiring their differentiated identities. This hierarchical, unidirectional and irreversible view of cell identity has been challenged in the past decades through accumulative evidence that many cell types are more plastic than previously thought, even in intact organisms. The paradigm shift introduced by such plasticity calls into question several other key traditional concepts, such as how to define a differentiated cell or more generally cellular identity, and has brought new concepts, such as distinct cellular states. In this review, we want to contribute to this representation by attempting to clarify the conceptual and theoretical frameworks of cell plasticity and identity. In the context of these new frameworks we describe here an atlas of natural plasticity of cell identity in C. elegans, including our current understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms at play. The worm further provides interesting cases at the borderlines of cellular plasticity that highlight the conceptual challenges still ahead. We then discuss a set of future questions and perspectives arising from the studies of natural plasticity in the worm that are shared with other reprogramming and plasticity events across phyla.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julien Lambert
- IGBMC, Development and Stem Cells Department, CNRS UMR7104, INSERM U1258, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Carla Lloret-Fernández
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lucie Laplane
- CNRS UMR 8590, University Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, IHPST, Paris, France
| | - Richard J Poole
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Sophie Jarriault
- IGBMC, Development and Stem Cells Department, CNRS UMR7104, INSERM U1258, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Berkyurek AC, Furlan G, Lampersberger L, Beltran T, Weick E, Nischwitz E, Cunha Navarro I, Braukmann F, Akay A, Price J, Butter F, Sarkies P, Miska EA. The RNA polymerase II subunit RPB-9 recruits the integrator complex to terminate Caenorhabditis elegans piRNA transcription. EMBO J 2021; 40:e105565. [PMID: 33533030 PMCID: PMC7917558 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2020105565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are genome-encoded small RNAs that regulate germ cell development and maintain germline integrity in many animals. Mature piRNAs engage Piwi Argonaute proteins to silence complementary transcripts, including transposable elements and endogenous genes. piRNA biogenesis mechanisms are diverse and remain poorly understood. Here, we identify the RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) core subunit RPB-9 as required for piRNA-mediated silencing in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We show that rpb-9 initiates heritable piRNA-mediated gene silencing at two DNA transposon families and at a subset of somatic genes in the germline. We provide genetic and biochemical evidence that RPB-9 is required for piRNA biogenesis by recruiting the Integrator complex at piRNA genes, hence promoting transcriptional termination. We conclude that, as a part of its rapid evolution, the piRNA pathway has co-opted an ancient machinery for high-fidelity transcription.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ahmet C Berkyurek
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon InstituteUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Department of GeneticsUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Giulia Furlan
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon InstituteUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Department of GeneticsUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Lisa Lampersberger
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon InstituteUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Department of GeneticsUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Toni Beltran
- MRC London Institute of Medical SciencesLondonUK
- Institute of Clinical SciencesImperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - Eva‐Maria Weick
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon InstituteUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Present address:
Structural Biology ProgramSloan Kettering InstituteMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Emily Nischwitz
- Quantitative ProteomicsInstitute of Molecular BiologyMainzGermany
| | - Isabela Cunha Navarro
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon InstituteUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Department of GeneticsUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Fabian Braukmann
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon InstituteUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Department of GeneticsUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Alper Akay
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon InstituteUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Department of GeneticsUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Present address:
School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwich, NorfolkUK
| | - Jonathan Price
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon InstituteUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Department of GeneticsUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Falk Butter
- Quantitative ProteomicsInstitute of Molecular BiologyMainzGermany
| | - Peter Sarkies
- MRC London Institute of Medical SciencesLondonUK
- Institute of Clinical SciencesImperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - Eric A Miska
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon InstituteUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Department of GeneticsUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Wellcome Sanger InstituteWellcome Trust Genome CampusCambridgeUK
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Abstract
Periodic occurrences of oligonucleotide sequences can impact the physical properties of DNA. For example, DNA bendability is modulated by 10-bp periodic occurrences of WW (W = A/T) dinucleotides. We present periodicDNA, an R package to identify k-mer periodicity and generate continuous tracks of k-mer periodicity over genomic loci of interest, such as regulatory elements. periodicDNA will facilitate investigation and improve understanding of how periodic DNA sequence features impact function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacques Serizay
- The Gurdon Institute and Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Julie Ahringer
- The Gurdon Institute and Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Aljohani MD, El Mouridi S, Priyadarshini M, Vargas-Velazquez AM, Frøkjær-Jensen C. Engineering rules that minimize germline silencing of transgenes in simple extrachromosomal arrays in C. elegans. Nat Commun 2020; 11:6300. [PMID: 33298957 PMCID: PMC7725773 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19898-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Transgenes are prone to progressive silencing due to their structure, copy number, and genomic location. In C. elegans, repressive mechanisms are particularly strong in the germline with almost fully penetrant transgene silencing in simple extrachromosomal arrays and frequent silencing of single-copy transgene insertions. A class of non-coding DNA, Periodic An/Tn Clusters (PATCs) can prevent transgene-silencing in repressive chromatin or from small interfering RNAs (piRNAs). Here, we describe design rules (codon-optimization, intron and PATC inclusion, elevated temperature (25 °C), and vector backbone removal) for efficient germline expression from arrays in wildtype animals. We generate web-based tools to analyze PATCs and reagents for the convenient assembly of PATC-rich transgenes. An extensive collection of silencing resistant fluorescent proteins (e.g., gfp, mCherry, and tagBFP) can be used for dissecting germline regulatory elements and a set of enhanced enzymes (Mos1 transposase, Cas9, Cre, and Flp recombinases) enable efficient genetic engineering in C. elegans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed D Aljohani
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division (BESE), KAUST Environmental Epigenetics Program (KEEP), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sonia El Mouridi
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division (BESE), KAUST Environmental Epigenetics Program (KEEP), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Monika Priyadarshini
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division (BESE), KAUST Environmental Epigenetics Program (KEEP), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amhed M Vargas-Velazquez
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division (BESE), KAUST Environmental Epigenetics Program (KEEP), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Christian Frøkjær-Jensen
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division (BESE), KAUST Environmental Epigenetics Program (KEEP), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
| |
Collapse
|