1
|
Truby NL, Kim RK, Silva GM, Qu X, Picone JA, Alemu R, Atiyeh CN, Neve RL, Liu J, Cui X, Hamilton PJ. A zinc finger transcription factor enables social behaviors while controlling transposable elements and immune response in prefrontal cortex. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:59. [PMID: 38272911 PMCID: PMC10810849 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02775-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The neurobiological origins of social behaviors are incompletely understood. Here we utilized synthetic biology approaches to reprogram the function of ZFP189, a transcription factor whose expression and function in rodent prefrontal cortex was previously demonstrated to be protective against stress-induced social deficits. We created novel synthetic ZFP189 transcription factors including ZFP189VPR, which activates the transcription of target genes and therefore exerts opposite functional control from the endogenous, transcriptionally repressive ZFP189WT. Following viral delivery of these synthetic ZFP189 transcription factors to mouse prefrontal cortex, we observe that ZFP189-mediated transcriptional control promotes mature dendritic spine morphology on transduced pyramidal neurons. Interestingly, inversion of ZFP189-mediated transcription in this brain area, achieved by viral delivery of synthetic ZFP189VPR, precipitates social behavioral deficits in terms of social interaction, motivation, and the cognition necessary for the maintenance of social hierarchy, without other observable behavioral deficits. RNA sequencing of virally manipulated prefrontal cortex tissues reveals that ZFP189 transcription factors of opposing regulatory function (ZFP189WT versus ZFP189VPR) have opposite influence on the expression of genetic transposable elements as well as genes that participate in adaptive immune functions. Collectively, this work reveals that ZFP189 function in the prefrontal cortex coordinates structural and transcriptional neuroadaptations necessary for complex social behaviors while regulating transposable element-rich regions of DNA and the expression of immune-related genes. Given the evidence for a co-evolution of social behavior and the brain immune response, we posit that ZFP189 may have evolved to augment brain transposon-associated immune function as a way of enhancing an animal's capacity for functioning in social groups.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natalie L Truby
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - R Kijoon Kim
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Gabriella M Silva
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Xufeng Qu
- Department of Biostatistics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Joseph A Picone
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Rebecca Alemu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Claire N Atiyeh
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Rachael L Neve
- Gene Delivery Technology Core, Massachusetts General Hospital, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jinze Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Xiaohong Cui
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Peter J Hamilton
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Rosspopoff O, Trono D. Take a walk on the KRAB side. Trends Genet 2023; 39:844-857. [PMID: 37716846 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2023.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
Canonical Krüppel-associated box (KRAB)-containing zinc finger proteins (KZFPs) act as major repressors of transposable elements (TEs) via the KRAB-mediated recruitment of the heterochromatin scaffold KRAB-associated protein (KAP)1. KZFP genes emerged some 420 million years ago in the last common ancestor of coelacanth, lungfish, and tetrapods, and dramatically expanded to give rise to lineage-specific repertoires in contemporary species paralleling their TE load and turnover. However, the KRAB domain displays sequence and function variations that reveal repeated diversions from a linear TE-KZFP trajectory. This Review summarizes current knowledge on the evolution of KZFPs and discusses how ancestral noncanonical KZFPs endowed with variant KRAB, SCAN or DUF3669 domains have been utilized to achieve KAP1-independent functions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olga Rosspopoff
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Didier Trono
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Li YE, Preissl S, Miller M, Johnson ND, Wang Z, Jiao H, Zhu C, Wang Z, Xie Y, Poirion O, Kern C, Pinto-Duarte A, Tian W, Siletti K, Emerson N, Osteen J, Lucero J, Lin L, Yang Q, Zhu Q, Zemke N, Espinoza S, Yanny AM, Nyhus J, Dee N, Casper T, Shapovalova N, Hirschstein D, Hodge RD, Linnarsson S, Bakken T, Levi B, Keene CD, Shang J, Lein E, Wang A, Behrens MM, Ecker JR, Ren B. A comparative atlas of single-cell chromatin accessibility in the human brain. Science 2023; 382:eadf7044. [PMID: 37824643 PMCID: PMC10852054 DOI: 10.1126/science.adf7044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in single-cell transcriptomics have illuminated the diverse neuronal and glial cell types within the human brain. However, the regulatory programs governing cell identity and function remain unclear. Using a single-nucleus assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (snATAC-seq), we explored open chromatin landscapes across 1.1 million cells in 42 brain regions from three adults. Integrating this data unveiled 107 distinct cell types and their specific utilization of 544,735 candidate cis-regulatory DNA elements (cCREs) in the human genome. Nearly a third of the cCREs demonstrated conservation and chromatin accessibility in the mouse brain cells. We reveal strong links between specific brain cell types and neuropsychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and major depression, and have developed deep learning models to predict the regulatory roles of noncoding risk variants in these disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yang Eric Li
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Sebastian Preissl
- Center for Epigenomics, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Michael Miller
- Center for Epigenomics, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | | | - Zihan Wang
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Henry Jiao
- Center for Epigenomics, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Chenxu Zhu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Zhaoning Wang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Yang Xie
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Olivier Poirion
- Center for Epigenomics, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Colin Kern
- Center for Epigenomics, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | | | - Wei Tian
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Kimberly Siletti
- Division of Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nora Emerson
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Julia Osteen
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Jacinta Lucero
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Lin Lin
- Center for Epigenomics, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Qian Yang
- Center for Epigenomics, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Quan Zhu
- Center for Epigenomics, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Nathan Zemke
- Center for Epigenomics, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Sarah Espinoza
- Center for Epigenomics, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | | | - Julie Nyhus
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Nick Dee
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Tamara Casper
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | | | | | - Sten Linnarsson
- Division of Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Trygve Bakken
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Boaz Levi
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - C Dirk Keene
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
| | - Jingbo Shang
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Ed Lein
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Allen Wang
- Center for Epigenomics, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | | | - Joseph R Ecker
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Bing Ren
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Center for Epigenomics, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
de Tribolet-Hardy J, Thorball CW, Forey R, Planet E, Duc J, Coudray A, Khubieh B, Offner S, Pulver C, Fellay J, Imbeault M, Turelli P, Trono D. Genetic features and genomic targets of human KRAB-zinc finger proteins. Genome Res 2023; 33:1409-1423. [PMID: 37730438 PMCID: PMC10547255 DOI: 10.1101/gr.277722.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Krüppel-associated box (KRAB) domain-containing zinc finger proteins (KZFPs) are one of the largest groups of transcription factors encoded by tetrapods, with 378 members in human alone. KZFP genes are often grouped in clusters reflecting amplification by gene and segment duplication since the gene family first emerged more than 400 million years ago. Previous work has revealed that many KZFPs recognize transposable element (TE)-embedded sequences as genomic targets, and that KZFPs facilitate the co-option of the regulatory potential of TEs for the benefit of the host. Here, we present a comprehensive survey of the genetic features and genomic targets of human KZFPs, notably completing past analyses by adding data on close to a hundred family members. General principles emerge from our study of the TE-KZFP regulatory system, which point to multipronged evolutionary mechanisms underlaid by highly complex and combinatorial modes of action with strong influences on human speciation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonas de Tribolet-Hardy
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christian W Thorball
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Romain Forey
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Evarist Planet
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Julien Duc
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Alexandre Coudray
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Bara Khubieh
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sandra Offner
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Cyril Pulver
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jacques Fellay
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Precision Medicine Unit, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, 1010 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michael Imbeault
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Priscilla Turelli
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Didier Trono
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland;
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
McCarthy RL, Zhang J, Zaret KS. Diverse heterochromatin states restricting cell identity and reprogramming. Trends Biochem Sci 2023; 48:513-526. [PMID: 36990958 PMCID: PMC10182259 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2023.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Heterochromatin is defined as a chromosomal domain harboring repressive H3K9me2/3 or H3K27me3 histone modifications and relevant factors that physically compact the chromatin. Heterochromatin can restrict where transcription factors bind, providing a barrier to gene activation and changes in cell identity. While heterochromatin thus helps maintain cell differentiation, it presents a barrier to overcome during efforts to reprogram cells for biomedical purposes. Recent findings have revealed complexity in the composition and regulation of heterochromatin, and shown that transiently disrupting the machinery of heterochromatin can enhance reprogramming. Here, we discuss how heterochromatin is established and maintained during development, and how our growing understanding of the mechanisms regulating H3K9me3 heterochromatin can be leveraged to improve our ability to direct changes in cell identity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan L McCarthy
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Penn Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jingchao Zhang
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Penn Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kenneth S Zaret
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Penn Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Jin J, Ralls S, Wu E, Wolf G, Sun MA, Springer DA, Cosby RL, Senft AD, Macfarlan TS. CTCF barrier breaking by ZFP661 promotes protocadherin diversity in mammalian brains. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.08.539838. [PMID: 39185186 PMCID: PMC11343191 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.08.539838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Mammalian brains are larger and more densely packed with neurons than reptiles, but the genetic mechanisms underlying the increased connection complexity amongst neurons are unclear. The expression diversity of clustered protocadherins (Pcdhs), which is controlled by CTCF and cohesin, is crucial for proper dendritic arborization and cortical connectivity in vertebrates. Here, we identify a highly-conserved and mammalian-restricted protein, ZFP661, that binds antagonistically at CTCF barriers at the Pcdh locus, preventing CTCF from trapping cohesin. ZFP661 balances the usage of Pcdh isoforms and increases Pcdh expression diversity. Loss of Zfp661 causes cortical dendritic arborization defects and autism-like social deficits in mice. Our study reveals both a novel mechanism that regulates the trapping of cohesin by CTCF and a mammalian adaptation that promoted Pcdh expression diversity to accompany the expanded mammalian brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jinpu Jin
- The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sherry Ralls
- The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Elaine Wu
- The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Gernot Wolf
- The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ming-An Sun
- The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, China
| | - Danielle A. Springer
- The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Rachel L. Cosby
- The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Anna D. Senft
- The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Todd S. Macfarlan
- The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Osipovich AB, Dudek KD, Trinh LT, Kim LH, Shrestha S, Cartailler JP, Magnuson MA. ZFP92, a KRAB domain zinc finger protein enriched in pancreatic islets, binds to B1/Alu SINE transposable elements and regulates retroelements and genes. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010729. [PMID: 37155670 PMCID: PMC10166502 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010729] [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: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Repressive KRAB domain-containing zinc-finger proteins (KRAB-ZFPs) are abundant in mammalian genomes and contribute both to the silencing of transposable elements (TEs) and to the regulation of developmental stage- and cell type-specific gene expression. Here we describe studies of zinc finger protein 92 (Zfp92), an X-linked KRAB-ZFP that is highly expressed in pancreatic islets of adult mice, by analyzing global Zfp92 knockout (KO) mice. Physiological, transcriptomic and genome-wide chromatin binding studies indicate that the principal function of ZFP92 in mice is to bind to and suppress the activity of B1/Alu type of SINE elements and modulate the activity of surrounding genomic entities. Deletion of Zfp92 leads to changes in expression of select LINE and LTR retroelements and genes located in the vicinity of ZFP92-bound chromatin. The absence of Zfp92 leads to altered expression of specific genes in islets, adipose and muscle that result in modest sex-specific alterations in blood glucose homeostasis, body mass and fat accumulation. In islets, Zfp92 influences blood glucose concentration in postnatal mice via transcriptional effects on Mafb, whereas in adipose and muscle, it regulates Acacb, a rate-limiting enzyme in fatty acid metabolism. In the absence of Zfp92, a novel TE-Capn11 fusion transcript is overexpressed in islets and several other tissues due to de-repression of an IAPez TE adjacent to ZFP92-bound SINE elements in intron 3 of the Capn11 gene. Together, these studies show that ZFP92 functions both to repress specific TEs and to regulate the transcription of specific genes in discrete tissues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna B. Osipovich
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Karrie D. Dudek
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Linh T. Trinh
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Lily H. Kim
- College of Arts and Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Shristi Shrestha
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Jean-Philippe Cartailler
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Mark A. Magnuson
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Truby NL, Kim RK, Silva GM, Qu X, Picone JA, Alemu R, Neve RL, Cui X, Liu J, Hamilton PJ. A zinc finger transcription factor tunes social behaviors by controlling transposable elements and immune response in prefrontal cortex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.03.535374. [PMID: 37066210 PMCID: PMC10103968 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.03.535374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The neurobiological origins of social behaviors are incompletely understood. Here we utilized synthetic biology approaches to reprogram the function of ZFP189, a transcription factor whose expression and function in the rodent prefrontal cortex was previously determined to be protective against stress-induced social deficits. We created novel synthetic ZFP189 transcription factors including ZFP189VPR, which activates the transcription of target genes and therefore exerts opposite functional control from the endogenous, transcriptionally repressive ZFP189WT. Upon viral delivery of these synthetic ZFP189 transcription factors to mouse prefrontal cortex, we observe that ZFP189-mediated transcriptional control promotes mature dendritic spine morphology on transduced pyramidal neurons. Interestingly, dysregulation of ZFP189-mediated transcription in this brain area, achieved by delivery of synthetic ZFP189VPR, precipitates social behavioral deficits in terms of social interaction, motivation, and the cognition necessary for the maintenance of social hierarchy, without other observable behavioral deficits. By performing RNA sequencing in virally manipulated prefrontal cortex tissues, we discover that ZFP189 transcription factors of opposing regulatory function have opposite influence on the expression of genetic transposable elements as well as genes that participate in immune functions. Collectively, this work reveals that ZFP189 function in the prefrontal cortex coordinates structural and transcriptional neuroadaptations necessary for social behaviors by binding transposable element-rich regions of DNA to regulate immune-related genes. Given the evidence for a co-evolution of social behavior and the brain immune response, we posit that ZFP189 may have evolved to augment brain transposon-associated immune function as a way of enhancing an animal's capacity for functioning in social groups.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natalie L. Truby
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - R. Kijoon Kim
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Gabriella M. Silva
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Xufeng Qu
- Department of Biostatistics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Joseph A. Picone
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Rebecca Alemu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Rachael L. Neve
- Gene Delivery Technology Core, Massachusetts General Hospital, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Xiaohong Cui
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Jinze Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Peter J. Hamilton
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Yushkova E, Moskalev A. Transposable elements and their role in aging. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 86:101881. [PMID: 36773759 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.101881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are an important part of eukaryotic genomes. The role of somatic transposition in aging, carcinogenesis, and other age-related diseases has been determined. This review discusses the fundamental properties of TEs and their complex interactions with cellular processes, which are crucial for understanding the diverse effects of their activity on the genetics and epigenetics of the organism. The interactions of TEs with recombination, replication, repair, and chromosomal regulation; the ability of TEs to maintain a balance between their own activity and repression, the involvement of TEs in the creation of new or alternative genes, the expression of coding/non-coding RNA, and the role in DNA damage and modification of regulatory networks are reviewed. The contribution of the derepressed TEs to age-dependent effects in individual cells/tissues in different organisms was assessed. Conflicting information about TE activity under stress as well as theories of aging mechanisms related to TEs is discussed. On the one hand, transposition activity in response to stressors can lead to organisms acquiring adaptive innovations of great importance for evolution at the population level. On the other hand, the TE expression can cause decreased longevity and stress tolerance at the individual level. The specific features of TE effects on aging processes in germline and soma and the ways of their regulation in cells are highlighted. Recent results considering somatic mutations in normal human and animal tissues are indicated, with the emphasis on their possible functional consequences. In the context of aging, the correlation between somatic TE activation and age-related changes in the number of proteins required for heterochromatin maintenance and longevity regulation was analyzed. One of the original features of this review is a discussion of not only effects based on the TEs insertions and the associated consequences for the germline cell dynamics and somatic genome, but also the differences between transposon- and retrotransposon-mediated structural genome changes and possible phenotypic characteristics associated with aging and various age-related pathologies. Based on the analysis of published data, a hypothesis about the influence of the species-specific features of number, composition, and distribution of TEs on aging dynamics of different animal genomes was formulated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Yushkova
- Laboratory of Geroprotective and Radioprotective Technologies, Institute of Biology, Komi Science Center, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 28 Kommunisticheskaya st., 167982 Syktyvkar, Russian Federation
| | - Alexey Moskalev
- Laboratory of Geroprotective and Radioprotective Technologies, Institute of Biology, Komi Science Center, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 28 Kommunisticheskaya st., 167982 Syktyvkar, Russian Federation; Laboratory of Genetics and Epigenetics of Aging, Russian Clinical Research Center for Gerontology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow 129226, Russian Federation; Longaevus Technologies, London, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Ding K, Sun S, Luo Y, Long C, Zhai J, Zhai Y, Wang G. PlantCADB: A Comprehensive Plant Chromatin Accessibility Database. GENOMICS, PROTEOMICS & BIOINFORMATICS 2023; 21:311-323. [PMID: 36328151 PMCID: PMC10626055 DOI: 10.1016/j.gpb.2022.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Chromatin accessibility landscapes are essential for detecting regulatory elements, illustrating the corresponding regulatory networks, and, ultimately, understanding the molecular basis underlying key biological processes. With the advancement of sequencing technologies, a large volume of chromatin accessibility data has been accumulated and integrated for humans and other mammals. These data have greatly advanced the study of disease pathogenesis, cancer survival prognosis, and tissue development. To advance the understanding of molecular mechanisms regulating plant key traits and biological processes, we developed a comprehensive plant chromatin accessibility database (PlantCADB) from 649 samples of 37 species. These samples are abiotic stress-related (such as heat, cold, drought, and salt; 159 samples), development-related (232 samples), and/or tissue-specific (376 samples). Overall, 18,339,426 accessible chromatin regions (ACRs) were compiled. These ACRs were annotated with genomic information, associated genes, transcription factor footprint, motif, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Additionally, PlantCADB provides various tools to visualize ACRs and corresponding annotations. It thus forms an integrated, annotated, and analyzed plant-related chromatin accessibility resource, which can aid in better understanding genetic regulatory networks underlying development, important traits, stress adaptations, and evolution.PlantCADB is freely available at https://bioinfor.nefu.edu.cn/PlantCADB/.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ke Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; College of Information and Computer Engineering, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Shanwen Sun
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Yang Luo
- College of Information and Computer Engineering, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Chaoyue Long
- College of Information and Computer Engineering, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Jingwen Zhai
- College of Information and Computer Engineering, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Yixiao Zhai
- College of Information and Computer Engineering, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Guohua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; College of Information and Computer Engineering, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Wu F, Liufu Z, Liu Y, Guo L, Wu J, Cao S, Qin Y, Guo N, Fu Y, Liu H, Li Q, Shu X, Pei D, Hutchins AP, Chen J, He J. Species-specific rewiring of definitive endoderm developmental gene activation via endogenous retroviruses through TET1-mediated demethylation. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111791. [PMID: 36516776 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111791] [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: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are the major sources of lineage-specific genomic innovation and comprise nearly half of the human genome, but most of their functions remain unclear. Here, we identify that a series of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), a TE subclass, regulate the transcriptome at the definitive endoderm stage with in vitro differentiation model from human embryonic stem cell. Notably, these ERVs perform as enhancers containing binding sites for critical transcription factors for endoderm lineage specification. Genome-wide methylation analysis shows most of these ERVs are derepressed by TET1-mediated DNA demethylation. LTR6B, a representative definitive endoderm activating ERV, contains binding sites for FOXA2 and GATA4 and governs the primate-specific expression of its neighboring developmental genes such as ERBB4 in definitive endoderm. Together, our study proposes evidence that recently evolved ERVs represent potent de novo developmental regulatory elements, which, in turn, fine-tune species-specific transcriptomes during endoderm and embryonic development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fang Wu
- Center for Cell Lineage and Development, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhongqi Liufu
- Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis, Therapy and Rehabilitation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510799, China
| | - Yujian Liu
- Center for Cell Lineage and Development, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Lin Guo
- Center for Cell Lineage and Development, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Jian Wu
- Center for Cell Lineage and Development, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Shangtao Cao
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Bio-island, Guangzhou 510320, China
| | - Yue Qin
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ning Guo
- Center for Cell Lineage and Development, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Yunyun Fu
- Center for Cell Lineage and Development, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - He Liu
- Center for Cell Lineage and Atlas (CCLA), Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou 510320, China
| | - Qiuhong Li
- Center for Cell Lineage and Development, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Xiaodong Shu
- Center for Cell Lineage and Development, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Duanqing Pei
- Center for Cell Lineage and Development, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Andrew P Hutchins
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jiekai Chen
- Center for Cell Lineage and Development, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Jiangping He
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Bio-island, Guangzhou 510320, China.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Pontis J, Pulver C, Playfoot CJ, Planet E, Grun D, Offner S, Duc J, Manfrin A, Lutolf MP, Trono D. Primate-specific transposable elements shape transcriptional networks during human development. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7178. [PMID: 36418324 PMCID: PMC9684439 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34800-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The human genome contains more than 4.5 million inserts derived from transposable elements (TEs), the result of recurrent waves of invasion and internal propagation throughout evolution. For new TE copies to be inherited, they must become integrated in the genome of the germline or pre-implantation embryo, which requires that their source TE be expressed at these stages. Accordingly, many TEs harbor DNA binding sites for the pluripotency factors OCT4, NANOG, SOX2, and KLFs and are transiently expressed during embryonic genome activation. Here, we describe how many primate-restricted TEs have additional binding sites for lineage-specific transcription factors driving their expression during human gastrulation and later steps of fetal development. These TE integrants serve as lineage-specific enhancers fostering the transcription, amongst other targets, of KRAB-zinc finger proteins (KZFPs) of comparable evolutionary age, which in turn corral the activity of TE-embedded regulatory sequences in a similarly lineage-restricted fashion. Thus, TEs and their KZFP controllers play broad roles in shaping transcriptional networks during early human development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julien Pontis
- grid.5333.60000000121839049Laboratory of Virology and Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Cyril Pulver
- grid.5333.60000000121839049Laboratory of Virology and Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christopher J. Playfoot
- grid.5333.60000000121839049Laboratory of Virology and Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Evarist Planet
- grid.5333.60000000121839049Laboratory of Virology and Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Delphine Grun
- grid.5333.60000000121839049Laboratory of Virology and Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sandra Offner
- grid.5333.60000000121839049Laboratory of Virology and Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Julien Duc
- grid.5333.60000000121839049Laboratory of Virology and Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Manfrin
- grid.5333.60000000121839049Laboratory for Stem Cell Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Matthias P. Lutolf
- grid.5333.60000000121839049Laboratory for Stem Cell Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Didier Trono
- grid.5333.60000000121839049Laboratory of Virology and Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Angileri KM, Bagia NA, Feschotte C. Transposon control as a checkpoint for tissue regeneration. Development 2022; 149:dev191957. [PMID: 36440631 PMCID: PMC10655923 DOI: 10.1242/dev.191957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Tissue regeneration requires precise temporal control of cellular processes such as inflammatory signaling, chromatin remodeling and proliferation. The combination of these processes forms a unique microenvironment permissive to the expression, and potential mobilization of, transposable elements (TEs). Here, we develop the hypothesis that TE activation creates a barrier to tissue repair that must be overcome to achieve successful regeneration. We discuss how uncontrolled TE activity may impede tissue restoration and review mechanisms by which TE activity may be controlled during regeneration. We posit that the diversification and co-evolution of TEs and host control mechanisms may contribute to the wide variation in regenerative competency across tissues and species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Krista M. Angileri
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, 526 Campus Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Nornubari A. Bagia
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, 526 Campus Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Cedric Feschotte
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, 526 Campus Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Takahashi T, Stoiljkovic M, Song E, Gao XB, Yasumoto Y, Kudo E, Carvalho F, Kong Y, Park A, Shanabrough M, Szigeti-Buck K, Liu ZW, Kristant A, Zhang Y, Sulkowski P, Glazer PM, Kaczmarek LK, Horvath TL, Iwasaki A. LINE-1 activation in the cerebellum drives ataxia. Neuron 2022; 110:3278-3287.e8. [PMID: 36070749 PMCID: PMC9588660 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Dysregulation of long interspersed nuclear element 1 (LINE-1, L1), a dominant class of transposable elements in the human genome, has been linked to neurodegenerative diseases, but whether elevated L1 expression is sufficient to cause neurodegeneration has not been directly tested. Here, we show that the cerebellar expression of L1 is significantly elevated in ataxia telangiectasia patients and strongly anti-correlated with the expression of epigenetic silencers. To examine the role of L1 in the disease etiology, we developed an approach for direct targeting of the L1 promoter for overexpression in mice. We demonstrated that L1 activation in the cerebellum led to Purkinje cell dysfunctions and degeneration and was sufficient to cause ataxia. Treatment with a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor blunted ataxia progression by reducing DNA damage, attenuating gliosis, and reversing deficits of molecular regulators for calcium homeostasis in Purkinje cells. Our study provides the first direct evidence that L1 activation can drive neurodegeneration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takehiro Takahashi
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Milan Stoiljkovic
- Department of Comparative Medicine and Yale Center for Molecular and Systems Metabolism, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Eric Song
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Xiao-Bing Gao
- Department of Comparative Medicine and Yale Center for Molecular and Systems Metabolism, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Yuki Yasumoto
- Department of Comparative Medicine and Yale Center for Molecular and Systems Metabolism, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Eriko Kudo
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Fernando Carvalho
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Yong Kong
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Annsea Park
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Marya Shanabrough
- Department of Comparative Medicine and Yale Center for Molecular and Systems Metabolism, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Klara Szigeti-Buck
- Department of Comparative Medicine and Yale Center for Molecular and Systems Metabolism, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Zhong-Wu Liu
- Department of Comparative Medicine and Yale Center for Molecular and Systems Metabolism, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Ashley Kristant
- Department of Comparative Medicine and Yale Center for Molecular and Systems Metabolism, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Yalan Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Parker Sulkowski
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Peter M Glazer
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Leonard K Kaczmarek
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Tamas L Horvath
- Department of Comparative Medicine and Yale Center for Molecular and Systems Metabolism, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
| | - Akiko Iwasaki
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Duffy EE, Finander B, Choi G, Carter AC, Pritisanac I, Alam A, Luria V, Karger A, Phu W, Sherman MA, Assad EG, Pajarillo N, Khitun A, Crouch EE, Ganesh S, Chen J, Berger B, Sestan N, O'Donnell-Luria A, Huang EJ, Griffith EC, Forman-Kay JD, Moses AM, Kalish BT, Greenberg ME. Developmental dynamics of RNA translation in the human brain. Nat Neurosci 2022; 25:1353-1365. [PMID: 36171426 PMCID: PMC10198132 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01164-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The precise regulation of gene expression is fundamental to neurodevelopment, plasticity and cognitive function. Although several studies have profiled transcription in the developing human brain, there is a gap in understanding of accompanying translational regulation. In this study, we performed ribosome profiling on 73 human prenatal and adult cortex samples. We characterized the translational regulation of annotated open reading frames (ORFs) and identified thousands of previously unknown translation events, including small ORFs that give rise to human-specific and/or brain-specific microproteins, many of which we independently verified using proteomics. Ribosome profiling in stem-cell-derived human neuronal cultures corroborated these findings and revealed that several neuronal activity-induced non-coding RNAs encode previously undescribed microproteins. Physicochemical analysis of brain microproteins identified a class of proteins that contain arginine-glycine-glycine (RGG) repeats and, thus, may be regulators of RNA metabolism. This resource expands the known translational landscape of the human brain and illuminates previously unknown brain-specific protein products.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erin E Duffy
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | | | - GiHun Choi
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ava C Carter
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Iva Pritisanac
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Gottfried Schatz Research Center for Cell Signaling, Metabolism and Aging, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Aqsa Alam
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Victor Luria
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Amir Karger
- IT-Research Computing, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - William Phu
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maxwell A Sherman
- Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Elena G Assad
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Naomi Pajarillo
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexandra Khitun
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elizabeth E Crouch
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sanika Ganesh
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jin Chen
- Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Bonnie Berger
- Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nenad Sestan
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Anne O'Donnell-Luria
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eric J Huang
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Pathology Service 113B, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Eric C Griffith
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Julie D Forman-Kay
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Alan M Moses
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Brian T Kalish
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Paediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Patoori S, Barnada SM, Large C, Murray JI, Trizzino M. Young transposable elements rewired gene regulatory networks in human and chimpanzee hippocampal intermediate progenitors. Development 2022; 149:dev200413. [PMID: 36052683 PMCID: PMC9641669 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The hippocampus is associated with essential brain functions, such as learning and memory. Human hippocampal volume is significantly greater than expected compared with that of non-human apes, suggesting a recent expansion. Intermediate progenitors, which are able to undergo multiple rounds of proliferative division before a final neurogenic division, may have played a role in evolutionary hippocampal expansion. To investigate the evolution of gene regulatory networks underpinning hippocampal neurogenesis in apes, we leveraged the differentiation of human and chimpanzee induced pluripotent stem cells into TBR2 (or EOMES)-positive hippocampal intermediate progenitor cells (hpIPCs). We found that the gene networks active in hpIPCs are significantly different between humans and chimpanzees, with ∼2500 genes being differentially expressed. We demonstrate that species-specific transposon-derived enhancers contribute to these transcriptomic differences. Young transposons, predominantly endogenous retroviruses and SINE-Vntr-Alus (SVAs), were co-opted as enhancers in a species-specific manner. Human-specific SVAs provided substrates for thousands of novel TBR2-binding sites, and CRISPR-mediated repression of these SVAs attenuated the expression of ∼25% of the genes that are upregulated in human intermediate progenitors relative to the same cell population in the chimpanzee.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sruti Patoori
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Samantha M. Barnada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Christopher Large
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - John I. Murray
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Marco Trizzino
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Playfoot CJ, Sheppard S, Planet E, Trono D. Transposable elements contribute to the spatiotemporal microRNA landscape in human brain development. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 28:1157-1171. [PMID: 35732404 PMCID: PMC9380744 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079100.122] [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: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) contribute to the evolution of gene regulatory networks and are dynamically expressed throughout human brain development and disease. One gene regulatory mechanism influenced by TEs is the miRNA system of post-transcriptional control. miRNA sequences frequently overlap TE loci and this miRNA expression landscape is crucial for control of gene expression in adult brain and different cellular contexts. Despite this, a thorough investigation of the spatiotemporal expression of TE-embedded miRNAs in human brain development is lacking. Here, we identify a spatiotemporally dynamic TE-embedded miRNA expression landscape between childhood and adolescent stages of human brain development. These miRNAs sometimes arise from two apposed TEs of the same subfamily, such as for L2 or MIR elements, but in the majority of cases stem from solo TEs. They give rise to in silico predicted high-confidence pre-miRNA hairpin structures, likely represent functional miRNAs, and have predicted genic targets associated with neurogenesis. TE-embedded miRNA expression is distinct in the cerebellum when compared to other brain regions, as has previously been described for gene and TE expression. Furthermore, we detect expression of previously nonannotated TE-embedded miRNAs throughout human brain development, suggestive of a previously undetected miRNA control network. Together, as with non-TE-embedded miRNAs, TE-embedded sequences give rise to spatiotemporally dynamic miRNA expression networks, the implications of which for human brain development constitute extensive avenues of future experimental research. To facilitate interactive exploration of these spatiotemporal miRNA expression dynamics, we provide the "Brain miRTExplorer" web application freely accessible for the community.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Playfoot
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Shaoline Sheppard
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Evarist Planet
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Didier Trono
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Pagni S, Mills JD, Frankish A, Mudge JM, Sisodiya SM. Non-coding regulatory elements: Potential roles in disease and the case of epilepsy. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2021; 48:e12775. [PMID: 34820881 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Non-coding DNA (ncDNA) refers to the portion of the genome that does not code for proteins and accounts for the greatest physical proportion of the human genome. ncDNA includes sequences that are transcribed into RNA molecules, such as ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and un-transcribed sequences that have regulatory functions, including gene promoters and enhancers. Variation in non-coding regions of the genome have an established role in human disease, with growing evidence from many areas, including several cancers, Parkinson's disease and autism. Here, we review the features and functions of the regulatory elements that are present in the non-coding genome and the role that these regions have in human disease. We then review the existing research in epilepsy and emphasise the potential value of further exploring non-coding regulatory elements in epilepsy. In addition, we outline the most widely used techniques for recognising regulatory elements throughout the genome, current methodologies for investigating variation and the main challenges associated with research in the field of non-coding DNA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susanna Pagni
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK.,Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Chalfont St Peter, UK
| | - James D Mills
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK.,Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Chalfont St Peter, UK.,Amsterdam UMC, Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Adam Frankish
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jonathan M Mudge
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sanjay M Sisodiya
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK.,Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Chalfont St Peter, UK
| |
Collapse
|