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Cummins M, Watson C, Edwards RJ, Mattick JS. The Evolution of Ultraconserved Elements in Vertebrates. Mol Biol Evol 2024; 41:msae146. [PMID: 39058500 PMCID: PMC11276968 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msae146] [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: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 06/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Ultraconserved elements were discovered two decades ago, arbitrarily defined as sequences that are identical over a length ≥ 200 bp in the human, mouse, and rat genomes. The definition was subsequently extended to sequences ≥ 100 bp identical in at least three of five mammalian genomes (including dog and cow), and shown to have undergone rapid expansion from ancestors in fish and strong negative selection in birds and mammals. Since then, many more genomes have become available, allowing better definition and more thorough examination of ultraconserved element distribution and evolutionary history. We developed a fast and flexible analytical pipeline for identifying ultraconserved elements in multiple genomes, dedUCE, which allows manipulation of minimum length, sequence identity, and number of species with a detectable ultraconserved element according to specified parameters. We suggest an updated definition of ultraconserved elements as sequences ≥ 100 bp and ≥97% sequence identity in ≥50% of placental mammal orders (12,813 ultraconserved elements). By mapping ultraconserved elements to ∼200 species, we find that placental ultraconserved elements appeared early in vertebrate evolution, well before land colonization, suggesting that the evolutionary pressures driving ultraconserved element selection were present in aquatic environments in the Cambrian-Devonian periods. Most (>90%) ultraconserved elements likely appeared after the divergence of gnathostomes from jawless predecessors, were largely established in sequence identity by early Sarcopterygii evolution-before the divergence of lobe-finned fishes from tetrapods-and became near fixed in the amniotes. Ultraconserved elements are mainly located in the introns of protein-coding and noncoding genes involved in neurological and skeletomuscular development, enriched in regulatory elements, and dynamically expressed throughout embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell Cummins
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Cadel Watson
- School of Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Richard J Edwards
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - John S Mattick
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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2
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Hazell Pickering S, Abdelhalim M, Collas P, Briand N. Alternative isoform expression of key thermogenic genes in human beige adipocytes. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1395750. [PMID: 38859907 PMCID: PMC11163967 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1395750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The beneficial effect of thermogenic adipocytes in maintaining body weight and protecting against metabolic disorders has raised interest in understanding the regulatory mechanisms defining white and beige adipocyte identity. Although alternative splicing has been shown to propagate adipose browning signals in mice, this has yet to be thoroughly investigated in human adipocytes. Methods We performed parallel white and beige adipogenic differentiation using primary adipose stem cells from 6 unrelated healthy subjects and assessed differential gene and isoform expression in mature adipocytes by RNA sequencing. Results We find 777 exon junctions with robust differential usage between white and beige adipocytes in all 6 subjects, mapping to 562 genes. Importantly, only 10% of these differentially spliced genes are also differentially expressed, indicating that alternative splicing constitutes an additional layer of gene expression regulation during beige adipocyte differentiation. Functional classification of alternative isoforms points to a gain of function for key thermogenic transcription factors such as PPARG and CITED1, and enzymes such as PEMT, or LPIN1. We find that a large majority of the splice variants arise from differential TSS usage, with beige-specific TSSs being enriched for PPARγ and MED1 binding compared to white-specific TSSs. Finally, we validate beige specific isoform expression at the protein level for two thermogenic regulators, PPARγ and PEMT. Discussion These results suggest that differential isoform expression through alternative TSS usage is an important regulatory mechanism for human adipocyte thermogenic specification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Hazell Pickering
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Mohamed Abdelhalim
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Philippe Collas
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nolwenn Briand
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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3
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Singh S, Shi X, Haddox S, Elfman J, Ahmad SB, Lynch S, Manley T, Piczak C, Phung C, Sun Y, Sharma A, Li H. RTCpredictor: identification of read-through chimeric RNAs from RNA sequencing data. Brief Bioinform 2024; 25:bbae251. [PMID: 38796690 PMCID: PMC11128028 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbae251] [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: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Read-through chimeric RNAs are being recognized as a means to expand the functional transcriptome and contribute to cancer tumorigenesis when mis-regulated. However, current software tools often fail to predict them. We have developed RTCpredictor, utilizing a fast ripgrep tool to search for all possible exon-exon combinations of parental gene pairs. We also added exonic variants allowing searches containing common SNPs. To our knowledge, it is the first read-through chimeric RNA specific prediction method that also provides breakpoint coordinates. Compared with 10 other popular tools, RTCpredictor achieved high sensitivity on a simulated and three real datasets. In addition, RTCpredictor has less memory requirements and faster execution time, making it ideal for applying on large datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep Singh
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, United States
| | - Xinrui Shi
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, United States
| | - Samuel Haddox
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, United States
| | - Justin Elfman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, United States
| | - Syed Basil Ahmad
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, United States
| | - Sarah Lynch
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, United States
| | - Tommy Manley
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, United States
| | - Claire Piczak
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, United States
| | - Christopher Phung
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, United States
| | - Yunan Sun
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, United States
| | - Aadi Sharma
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, United States
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, United States
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4
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Xu D, Tang L, Zhou J, Wang F, Cao H, Huang Y, Kapranov P. Evidence for widespread existence of functional novel and non-canonical human transcripts. BMC Biol 2023; 21:271. [PMID: 38001496 PMCID: PMC10675921 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01753-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fraction of functional sequence in the human genome remains a key unresolved question in Biology and the subject of vigorous debate. While a plethora of studies have connected a significant fraction of human DNA to various biochemical processes, the classical definition of function requires evidence of effects on cellular or organismal fitness that such studies do not provide. Although multiple high-throughput reverse genetics screens have been developed to address this issue, they are limited to annotated genomic elements and suffer from non-specific effects, arguing for a strong need to develop additional functional genomics approaches. RESULTS In this work, we established a high-throughput lentivirus-based insertional mutagenesis strategy as a forward genetics screen tool in aneuploid cells. Application of this approach to human cell lines in multiple phenotypic screens suggested the presence of many yet uncharacterized functional elements in the human genome, represented at least in part by novel exons of known and novel genes. The novel transcripts containing these exons can be massively, up to thousands-fold, induced by specific stresses, and at least some can represent bi-cistronic protein-coding mRNAs. CONCLUSIONS Altogether, these results argue that many unannotated and non-canonical human transcripts, including those that appear as aberrant splice products, have biological relevance under specific biological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongyang Xu
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Lu Tang
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Junjun Zhou
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Fang Wang
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Huifen Cao
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Yu Huang
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Philipp Kapranov
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China.
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5
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Xu D, Tang L, Kapranov P. Complexities of mammalian transcriptome revealed by targeted RNA enrichment techniques. Trends Genet 2023; 39:320-333. [PMID: 36681580 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2022.12.004] [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: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Studies using highly sensitive targeted RNA enrichment methods have shown that a large portion of the human transcriptome remains to be discovered and that most of the genome is transcribed in a complex, interleaved fashion characterized by a complex web of transcripts emanating from protein coding and noncoding loci. These results resonate with those from single-cell transcriptome profiling endeavors that reveal the existence of multiple novel, cell type-specific transcripts and clearly demonstrate that our understanding of the complexities of the human transcriptome is far from being complete. Here, we review the current status of the targeted RNA enrichment techniques, their application to the discovery of novel cell type-specific transcripts, and their impact on our understanding of the human genome and transcriptome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongyang Xu
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Lu Tang
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Philipp Kapranov
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen 361021, China.
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6
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Singh S, Shi X, Ahmad SB, Manley T, Piczak C, Phung C, Sun Y, Lynch S, Sharma A, Li H. RTCpredictor: Identification of Read-Through Chimeric RNAs from RNA Sequencing Data. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.02.526869. [PMID: 36778443 PMCID: PMC9915620 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.02.526869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Read-through chimeric RNAs are gaining attention in cancer and other research fields, yet current tools often fail in predicting them. We have thus developed the first read-through chimeric RNA specific prediction method, RTCpredictor, utilizing a fast ripgrep algorithm to search for all possible exon-exon combinations of parental gene pairs. Compared with other ten popular tools, RTCpredictor achieved top performance on both simulated and real datasets. We randomly selected up to 30 candidate read-through chimeras predicted from each software method and experimentally validated a total of 109 read-throughs and on this set, RTCpredictor outperformed all the other methods. In addition, RTCpredictor ( https://github.com/sandybioteck/RTCpredictor ) has less memory requirements and faster execution time.
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7
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Cao H, Zhang Y, Cai Y, Tang L, Gao F, Xu D, Kapranov P. Hotspots of single-strand DNA “breakome” are enriched at transcriptional start sites of genes. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:895795. [PMID: 36046604 PMCID: PMC9420937 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.895795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Single-strand breaks (SSBs) represent one of the most common types of DNA damage, yet not much is known about the genome landscapes of this type of DNA lesions in mammalian cells. Here, we found that SSBs are more likely to occur in certain positions of the human genome—SSB hotspots—in different cells of the same cell type and in different cell types. We hypothesize that the hotspots are likely to represent biologically relevant breaks. Furthermore, we found that the hotspots had a prominent tendency to be enriched in the immediate vicinity of transcriptional start sites (TSSs). We show that these hotspots are not likely to represent technical artifacts or be caused by common mechanisms previously found to cause DNA cleavage at promoters, such as apoptotic DNA fragmentation or topoisomerase type II (TOP2) activity. Therefore, such TSS-associated hotspots could potentially be generated using a novel mechanism that could involve preferential cleavage at cytosines, and their existence is consistent with recent studies suggesting a complex relationship between DNA damage and regulation of gene expression.
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8
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Vogt PH, Rauschendorf MA, Zimmer J, Drummer C, Behr R. AZFa Y gene, DDX3Y, evolved novel testis transcript variants in primates with proximal 3´UTR polyadenylation for germ cell specific translation. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8954. [PMID: 35624115 PMCID: PMC9142519 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12474-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Translational control is a major level of gene expression regulation in the male germ line. DDX3Y located in the AZFa region of the human Y chromosome encodes a conserved RNA helicase important for translational control at the G1-S phase of the cell cycle. In human, DDX3Y protein is expressed only in premeiotic male germ cells. In primates, DDX3Y evolved a second promoter producing novel testis-specific transcripts. Here, we show primate species-specific use of alternative polyadenylation (APA) sites for these testis-specific DDX3Y transcript variants. They have evolved subsequently in the 3´UTRs of the primates´ DDX3Y transcripts. Whereas a distal APA site (PAS4) is still used for polyadenylation of most DDX3Y testis transcripts in Callithrix jacchus; two proximal APAs (PAS1; PAS2) are used predominantly in Macaca mulatta, in Pan trogloydates and in human. This shift corresponds with a significant increase of DDX3Y protein expression in the macaque testis tissue. In chimpanzee and human, shift to predominant use of the most proximal APA site (PAS1) is associated with translation of these DDX3Y transcripts in only premeiotic male germ cells. We therefore assume evolution of a positive selection process for functional DDX3Y testis transcripts in these primates which increase their stability and translation efficiency to promote its cell cycle balancing function in the human male germ line.
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Affiliation(s)
- P. H. Vogt
- Division of Reproduction Genetics, Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Fertility Disorders, University Women Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 440, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - M-A. Rauschendorf
- Molecular Health GmbH, Kurfürsten-Anlage 21, D-69115 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - J. Zimmer
- Division of Reproduction Genetics, Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Fertility Disorders, University Women Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 440, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - C. Drummer
- grid.418215.b0000 0000 8502 7018Platform Degenerative Diseases, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - R. Behr
- grid.418215.b0000 0000 8502 7018Platform Degenerative Diseases, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
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9
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Cao H, Xu D, Cai Y, Han X, Tang L, Gao F, Qi Y, Cai D, Wang H, Ri M, Antonets D, Vyatkin Y, Chen Y, You X, Wang F, Nicolas E, Kapranov P. Very long intergenic non-coding (vlinc) RNAs directly regulate multiple genes in cis and trans. BMC Biol 2021; 19:108. [PMID: 34016118 PMCID: PMC8139166 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01044-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The majority of the human genome is transcribed in the form of long non-coding (lnc) RNAs. While these transcripts have attracted considerable interest, their molecular mechanisms of function and biological significance remain controversial. One of the main reasons behind this lies in the significant challenges posed by lncRNAs requiring the development of novel methods and concepts to unravel their functionality. Existing methods often lack cross-validation and independent confirmation by different methodologies and therefore leave significant ambiguity as to the authenticity of the outcomes. Nonetheless, despite all the caveats, it appears that lncRNAs may function, at least in part, by regulating other genes via chromatin interactions. Therefore, the function of a lncRNA could be inferred from the function of genes it regulates. In this work, we present a genome-wide functional annotation strategy for lncRNAs based on identification of their regulatory networks via the integration of three distinct types of approaches: co-expression analysis, mapping of lncRNA-chromatin interactions, and assaying molecular effects of lncRNA knockdowns obtained using an inducible and highly specific CRISPR/Cas13 system. RESULTS We applied the strategy to annotate 407 very long intergenic non-coding (vlinc) RNAs belonging to a novel widespread subclass of lncRNAs. We show that vlincRNAs indeed appear to regulate multiple genes encoding proteins predominantly involved in RNA- and development-related functions, cell cycle, and cellular adhesion via a mechanism involving proximity between vlincRNAs and their targets in the nucleus. A typical vlincRNAs can be both a positive and negative regulator and regulate multiple genes both in trans and cis. Finally, we show vlincRNAs and their regulatory networks potentially represent novel components of DNA damage response and are functionally important for the ability of cancer cells to survive genotoxic stress. CONCLUSIONS This study provides strong evidence for the regulatory role of the vlincRNA class of lncRNAs and a potentially important role played by these transcripts in the hidden layer of RNA-based regulation in complex biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huifen Cao
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Dongyang Xu
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Ye Cai
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Xueer Han
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Lu Tang
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Fan Gao
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Yao Qi
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - DingDing Cai
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Huifang Wang
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Maxim Ri
- AcademGene Ltd., 6, Acad. Lavrentjev ave, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
| | - Denis Antonets
- AcademGene Ltd., 6, Acad. Lavrentjev ave, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
- SRC VB "Vector" Rospotrebnadzor, Novosibirsk, Koltsovo, 630559, Russia
| | - Yuri Vyatkin
- AcademGene Ltd., 6, Acad. Lavrentjev ave, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
| | - Yue Chen
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Xiang You
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiang'an Southern Road, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Fang Wang
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Estelle Nicolas
- LBCMCP, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Philipp Kapranov
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China.
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10
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McCartney AM, Hyland EM, Cormican P, Moran RJ, Webb AE, Lee KD, Hernandez-Rodriguez J, Prado-Martinez J, Creevey CJ, Aspden JL, McInerney JO, Marques-Bonet T, O'Connell MJ. Gene Fusions Derived by Transcriptional Readthrough are Driven by Segmental Duplication in Human. Genome Biol Evol 2020; 11:2678-2690. [PMID: 31400206 PMCID: PMC6764479 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evz163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene fusion occurs when two or more individual genes with independent open reading frames becoming juxtaposed under the same open reading frame creating a new fused gene. A small number of gene fusions described in detail have been associated with novel functions, for example, the hominid-specific PIPSL gene, TNFSF12, and the TWE-PRIL gene family. We use Sequence Similarity Networks and species level comparisons of great ape genomes to identify 45 new genes that have emerged by transcriptional readthrough, that is, transcription-derived gene fusion. For 35 of these putative gene fusions, we have been able to assess available RNAseq data to determine whether there are reads that map to each breakpoint. A total of 29 of the putative gene fusions had annotated transcripts (9/29 of which are human-specific). We carried out RT-qPCR in a range of human tissues (placenta, lung, liver, brain, and testes) and found that 23 of the putative gene fusion events were expressed in at least one tissue. Examining the available ribosome foot-printing data, we find evidence for translation of three of the fused genes in human. Finally, we find enrichment for transcription-derived gene fusions in regions of known segmental duplication in human. Together, our results implicate chromosomal structural variation brought about by segmental duplication with the emergence of novel transcripts and translated protein products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann M McCartney
- Bioinformatics and Molecular Evolution Group, School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Ireland.,Computational and Molecular Evolutionary Biology Group, School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, The University of Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Edel M Hyland
- Bioinformatics and Molecular Evolution Group, School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Ireland.,Institute for Global Food Security, Queens University Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Cormican
- Teagasc Animal and Bioscience Research Department, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Grange, Dunsany, County Meath, Ireland
| | - Raymond J Moran
- Bioinformatics and Molecular Evolution Group, School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Ireland.,Computational and Molecular Evolutionary Biology Group, School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, The University of Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew E Webb
- Bioinformatics and Molecular Evolution Group, School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Ireland
| | - Kate D Lee
- Bioinformatics and Molecular Evolution Group, School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Ireland.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand.,School of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, New Zealand
| | | | - Javier Prado-Martinez
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (UPF-CSIC), PRBB, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.,Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher J Creevey
- Institute for Global Food Security, Queens University Belfast, United Kingdom.,Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, United Kingdom
| | - Julie L Aspden
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, The University of Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - James O McInerney
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom.,School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, The University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Tomas Marques-Bonet
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (UPF-CSIC), PRBB, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.,Catalan Institution of Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Passeig de Lluís Companys, 23, 08010, Barcelona, Spain.,NAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri i Reixac 4, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.,Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici ICTA-ICP, c/ Columnes s/n, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallés, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mary J O'Connell
- Bioinformatics and Molecular Evolution Group, School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Ireland.,Computational and Molecular Evolutionary Biology Group, School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, The University of Leeds, United Kingdom.,School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, The University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
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11
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Balamurali D, Gorohovski A, Detroja R, Palande V, Raviv-Shay D, Frenkel-Morgenstern M. ChiTaRS 5.0: the comprehensive database of chimeric transcripts matched with druggable fusions and 3D chromatin maps. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:D825-D834. [PMID: 31747015 PMCID: PMC7145514 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz1025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2019] [Revised: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric RNA transcripts are formed when exons from two genes fuse together, often due to chromosomal translocations, transcriptional errors or trans-splicing effect. While these chimeric RNAs produce functional proteins only in certain cases, they play a significant role in disease phenotyping and progression. ChiTaRS 5.0 (http://chitars.md.biu.ac.il/) is the latest and most comprehensive chimeric transcript repository, with 111 582 annotated entries from eight species, including 23 167 known human cancer breakpoints. The database includes unique information correlating chimeric breakpoints with 3D chromatin contact maps, generated from public datasets of chromosome conformation capture techniques (Hi-C). In this update, we have added curated information on druggable fusion targets matched with chimeric breakpoints, which are applicable to precision medicine in cancers. The introduction of a new section that lists chimeric RNAs in various cell-lines is another salient feature. Finally, using text-mining techniques, novel chimeras in Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, dyslexia and other diseases were collected in ChiTaRS. Thus, this improved version is an extensive catalogue of chimeras from multiple species. It extends our understanding of the evolution of chimeric transcripts in eukaryotes and contributes to the analysis of 3D genome conformational changes and the functional role of chimeras in the etiopathogenesis of cancers and other complex diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepak Balamurali
- Laboratory of Cancer Genomics and Biocomputing of Complex Diseases, The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed 1311502, Israel
| | - Alessandro Gorohovski
- Laboratory of Cancer Genomics and Biocomputing of Complex Diseases, The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed 1311502, Israel
| | - Rajesh Detroja
- Laboratory of Cancer Genomics and Biocomputing of Complex Diseases, The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed 1311502, Israel
| | - Vikrant Palande
- Laboratory of Cancer Genomics and Biocomputing of Complex Diseases, The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed 1311502, Israel
| | - Dorith Raviv-Shay
- Laboratory of Cancer Genomics and Biocomputing of Complex Diseases, The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed 1311502, Israel
| | - Milana Frenkel-Morgenstern
- Laboratory of Cancer Genomics and Biocomputing of Complex Diseases, The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed 1311502, Israel
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12
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Aboudehen K. Regulation of mTOR signaling by long non-coding RNA. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2019; 1863:194449. [PMID: 31751821 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2019.194449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a major signaling hub that coordinates cellular and organismal responses, such as cell growth, proliferation, apoptosis, and metabolism. Dysregulation of mTOR signaling occurs in many human diseases, and there are significant ongoing efforts to pharmacologically target this pathway. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA), defined by a length > 200 nucleotides and absence of a long open-reading-frame, are a class of non-protein-coding RNAs. Mutations and dysregulations of lncRNAs are directly linked to the development and progression of many diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and neurologic disorders. Recent findings reveal diverse functions for lncRNA that include transcriptional regulation, organization of nuclear domains, and regulation of proteins or RNA molecules. Despite considerable development in our understanding of lncRNA over the past decade, only a fraction of annotated lncRNAs has been examined for biological function. In addition, lncRNAs have emerged as therapeutic targets due to their ability to modulate multiple pathways, including mTOR signaling. This review will provide an up-to-date summary of lncRNAs that are involved in regulating mTOR pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karam Aboudehen
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
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13
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A methyl-sensitive element induces bidirectional transcription in TATA-less CpG island-associated promoters. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0205608. [PMID: 30332484 PMCID: PMC6192621 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
How TATA-less promoters such as those within CpG islands (CGI) control gene expression is still a subject of active research. Here, we have identified the "CGCG element", a ten-base pair motif with a consensus sequence of TCTCGCGAGA present in a group of promoter-associated CGI-enriched in ribosomal protein and housekeeping genes. This element is evolutionarily conserved in vertebrates, found in DNase-accessible regions and employs RNA Pol II to activate gene expression. Through analysis of capped-nascent transcripts and supporting evidence from reporter assays, we demonstrate that this element activates bidirectional transcription through divergent start sites. Methylation of this element abrogates the associated promoter activity. When coincident with a TATA-box, directional transcription remains CGCG-dependent. Because the CGCG element is sufficient to drive transcription, we propose that its unmethylated form functions as a heretofore undescribed promoter element of a group of TATA-less CGI-associated promoters.
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14
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Zygmunt M, Piechota M, Rodriguez Parkitna J, Korostyński M. Decoding the transcriptional programs activated by psychotropic drugs in the brain. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2018; 18:e12511. [PMID: 30084543 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Revised: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Analysis of drug-induced gene expression in the brain has long held the promise of revealing the molecular mechanisms of drug actions as well as predicting their long-term clinical efficacy. However, despite some successes, this promise has yet to be fulfilled. Here, we present an overview of the current state of understanding of drug-induced gene expression in the brain and consider the obstacles to achieving a robust prediction of the properties of psychoactive compounds based on gene expression profiles. We begin with a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms controlling drug-inducible transcription and the complexity resulting from expression of noncoding RNAs and alternative gene isoforms. Particular interest is placed on studies that examine the associations within drug classes with regard to the effects on gene transcription, alterations in cell signaling and neuropharmacological drug properties. While the ability of gene expression signatures to distinguish specific clinical classes of psychotropic and addictive drugs remains unclear, some reports show that under specific constraints, drug properties can be predicted based on gene expression. Such signatures offer a simple and effective way to classify psychotropic drugs and screen novel psychoactive compounds. Finally, we note that the amount of data regarding molecular programs activated in the brain by drug treatment has grown exponentially in recent years and that future advances may therefore come in large part from integrating the currently available high-throughput data sets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Zygmunt
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Marcin Piechota
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Jan Rodriguez Parkitna
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Michał Korostyński
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
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15
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Cao H, Wahlestedt C, Kapranov P. Strategies to Annotate and Characterize Long Noncoding RNAs: Advantages and Pitfalls. Trends Genet 2018; 34:704-721. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2018.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Revised: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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16
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Li Y, McGrail DJ, Xu J, Mills GB, Sahni N, Yi S. Gene Regulatory Network Perturbation by Genetic and Epigenetic Variation. Trends Biochem Sci 2018; 43:576-592. [PMID: 29941230 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2018.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2018] [Revised: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 05/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Gene regulatory networks underlie biological function and cellular physiology. Alternative splicing (AS) is a fundamental step in gene regulatory networks and plays a key role in development and disease. In addition to the identification of aberrant AS events, an increasing number of studies are focusing on molecular determinants of AS, including genetic and epigenetic regulators. We review here recent efforts to identify various deregulated AS events as well as their molecular determinants that alter biological functions, and discuss clinical features of AS and their druggable potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongsheng Li
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology and Bio-Pharmaceutical Key Laboratory of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Daniel J McGrail
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Juan Xu
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology and Bio-Pharmaceutical Key Laboratory of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Gordon B Mills
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Nidhi Sahni
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Program in Quantitative and Computational Biosciences (QCB), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA; Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Smithville, TX 78957, USA.
| | - Song Yi
- Department of Oncology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cockrell School of Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
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17
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Modeling Transcriptional Rewiring in Neutrophils Through the Course of Treated Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. Sci Rep 2018; 8:7805. [PMID: 29773851 PMCID: PMC5958082 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26163-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Neutrophils in children with the polyarticular form of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) display abnormal transcriptional patterns linked to fundamental metabolic derangements. In this study, we sought to determine the effects of therapy on mRNA and miRNA expression networks in polyarticular JIA. Using exon and miRNA microarrays, we studied children with untreated active JIA (ADU, n = 35), children with active disease on therapy with methotrexate ± etanercept (ADT, n = 26), and children with inactive disease also on therapy (ID, n = 14). We compared the results to findings from healthy control children (HC, n = 35). We found substantial re-ordering of mRNA and miRNA expression networks after the initiation of therapy. Each disease state was associated with a distinct transcriptional profile, with the ADT state differing the most from HC, and ID more strongly resembling HC. Changes at the mRNA level were mirrored in changes in miRNA expression patterns. The analysis of the expression dynamics from differentially expressed genes across three disease states indicated that therapeutic response is a complex process. This process does not simply involve genes slowly correcting in a linear fashion over time. Computational modeling of miRNA and transcription factor (TF) co-regulatory networks demonstrated that combinational regulation of miRNA and TF might play an important role in dynamic transcriptome changes.
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18
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Wittchen M, Busche T, Gaspar AH, Lee JH, Ton-That H, Kalinowski J, Tauch A. Transcriptome sequencing of the human pathogen Corynebacterium diphtheriae NCTC 13129 provides detailed insights into its transcriptional landscape and into DtxR-mediated transcriptional regulation. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:82. [PMID: 29370758 PMCID: PMC5784534 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4481-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The human pathogen Corynebacterium diphtheriae is the causative agent of diphtheria. In the 1990s a large diphtheria outbreak in Eastern Europe was caused by the strain C. diphtheriae NCTC 13129. Although the genome was sequenced more than a decade ago, not much is known about its transcriptome. Our aim was to use transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) to close this knowledge gap and gain insights into the transcriptional landscape of a C. diphtheriae tox+ strain. Results We applied two different RNA-Seq techniques, one to retrieve 5′-ends of primary transcripts and the other to characterize the whole transcriptional landscape in order to gain insights into various features of the C. diphtheriae NCTC 13129 transcriptome. By examining the data we identified 1656 transcription start sites (TSS), of which 1202 were assigned to genes and 454 to putative novel transcripts. By using the TSS data promoter regions recognized by the housekeeping sigma factor σA and its motifs were analyzed in detail, revealing a well conserved −10 but an only weakly conserved −35 motif, respectively. Furthermore, with the TSS data 5’-UTR lengths were explored. The observed 5’-UTRs range from zero length (leaderless transcripts), which make up 20% of all genes, up to over 450 nt long leaders, which may harbor regulatory functions. The C. diphtheriae transcriptome consists of 471 operons which are further divided into 167 sub-operon structures. In a differential expression analysis approach, we discovered that genetic disruption of the iron-sensing transcription regulator DtxR, which controls expression of diphtheria toxin (DT), causes a strong influence on general gene expression. Nearly 15% of the genome is differentially transcribed, indicating that DtxR might have other regulatory functions in addition to regulation of iron metabolism and DT. Furthermore, our findings shed light on the transcriptional landscape of the DT encoding gene tox and present evidence for two tox antisense RNAs, which point to a new way of transcriptional regulation of toxin production. Conclusions This study presents extensive insights into the transcriptome of C. diphtheriae and provides a basis for future studies regarding gene characterization, transcriptional regulatory networks, and regulation of the tox gene in particular. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-018-4481-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Wittchen
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Tobias Busche
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany.,Institute for Biology-Microbiology, Freie Universität Berlin, D-14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrew H Gaspar
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Ju Huck Lee
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, University of Texas McGovern Medical School at Houston, Houston, USA.,Present address: Biological Resource Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, 181 Ipsin-gil, Jeollabuk-do, 56212, Republic of Korea
| | - Hung Ton-That
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, University of Texas McGovern Medical School at Houston, Houston, USA
| | - Jörn Kalinowski
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Andreas Tauch
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
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19
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RNAseq analysis of α-proteobacterium Gluconobacter oxydans 621H. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:24. [PMID: 29304737 PMCID: PMC5756330 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-017-4415-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2017] [Accepted: 12/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The acetic acid bacterium Gluconobacter oxydans 621H is characterized by its exceptional ability to incompletely oxidize a great variety of carbohydrates in the periplasm. The metabolism of this α-proteobacterium has been characterized to some extent, yet little is known about its transcriptomes and related data. In this study, we applied two different RNAseq approaches. Primary transcriptomes enriched for 5′-ends of transcripts were sequenced to detect transcription start sites, which allow subsequent analysis of promoter motifs, ribosome binding sites, and 5´-UTRs. Whole transcriptomes were sequenced to identify expressed genes and operon structures. Results Sequencing of primary transcriptomes of G. oxydans revealed 2449 TSSs, which were classified according to their genomic context followed by identification of promoter and ribosome binding site motifs, analysis of 5´-UTRs including validation of predicted cis-regulatory elements and correction of start codons. 1144 (41%) of all genes were found to be expressed monocistronically, whereas 1634 genes were organized in 571 operons. Together, TSSs and whole transcriptome data were also used to identify novel intergenic (18), intragenic (328), and antisense transcripts (313). Conclusions This study provides deep insights into the transcriptional landscapes of G. oxydans. The comprehensive transcriptome data, which we made publicly available, facilitate further analysis of promoters and other regulatory elements. This will support future approaches for rational strain development and targeted gene expression in G. oxydans. The corrections of start codons further improve the high quality genome reference and support future proteome analysis. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-017-4415-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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20
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Vitale L, Caracausi M, Casadei R, Pelleri MC, Piovesan A. Difficulty in obtaining the complete mRNA coding sequence at 5' region (5' end mRNA artifact): Causes, consequences in biology and medicine and possible solutions for obtaining the actual amino acid sequence of proteins (Review). Int J Mol Med 2017; 39:1063-1071. [PMID: 28393177 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2017.2942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The known difficulty in obtaining the actual full length, complete sequence of a messenger RNA (mRNA) may lead to the erroneous determination of its coding sequence at the 5' region (5' end mRNA artifact), and consequently to the wrong assignment of the translation start codon, leading to the inaccurate prediction of the encoded polypeptide at its amino terminus. Among the known human genes whose study was affected by this artifact, we can include disco interacting protein 2 homolog A (DIP2A; KIAA0184), Down syndrome critical region 1 (DSCR1), SON DNA binding protein (SON), trefoil factor 3 (TFF3) and URB1 ribosome biogenesis 1 homolog (URB1; KIAA0539) on chromosome 21, as well as receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1, also known as GNB2L1), glutaminyl‑tRNA synthetase (QARS) and tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 2 (TDP2) along with another 474 loci, including interleukin 16 (IL16). In this review, we discuss the causes of this issue, its quantitative incidence in biomedical research, the consequences in biology and medicine, and the possible solutions for obtaining the actual amino acid sequence of proteins in the post-genomics era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenza Vitale
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), Unit of Histology, Embryology and Applied Biology, University of Bologna, I‑40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Maria Caracausi
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), Unit of Histology, Embryology and Applied Biology, University of Bologna, I‑40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Raffaella Casadei
- Department for Life Quality Studies, University of Bologna, I‑47921 Rimini, Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Pelleri
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), Unit of Histology, Embryology and Applied Biology, University of Bologna, I‑40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Allison Piovesan
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), Unit of Histology, Embryology and Applied Biology, University of Bologna, I‑40126 Bologna, Italy
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21
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Hoff AM, Johannessen B, Alagaratnam S, Zhao S, Nome T, Løvf M, Bakken AC, Hektoen M, Sveen A, Lothe RA, Skotheim RI. Novel RNA variants in colorectal cancers. Oncotarget 2017; 6:36587-602. [PMID: 26474385 PMCID: PMC4742197 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.5500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Accepted: 09/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
With an annual estimated incidence of 1.4 million, and a five-year survival rate of 60%, colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major clinical burden. To identify novel RNA variants in CRC, we analyzed exon-level microarray expression data from a cohort of 202 CRCs. We nominated 25 genes with increased expression of their 3′ parts in at least one cancer sample each. To efficiently investigate underlying transcript structures, we developed an approach using rapid amplification of cDNA ends followed by high throughput sequencing (RACE-seq). RACE products from the targeted genes in 23 CRC samples were pooled together and sequenced. We identified VWA2-TCF7L2, DHX35-BPIFA2 and CASZ1-MASP2 as private fusion events, and novel transcript structures for 17 of the 23 other candidate genes. The high-throughput approach facilitated identification of CRC specific RNA variants. These include a recurrent read-through fusion transcript between KLK8 and KLK7, and a splice variant of S100A2. Both of these were overrepresented in CRC tissue and cell lines from external RNA-seq datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas M Hoff
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital-Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,KG Jebsen Colorectal Cancer Research Centre, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Centre for Cancer Biomedicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bjarne Johannessen
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital-Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,KG Jebsen Colorectal Cancer Research Centre, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Centre for Cancer Biomedicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sharmini Alagaratnam
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital-Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,KG Jebsen Colorectal Cancer Research Centre, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Centre for Cancer Biomedicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sen Zhao
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital-Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,KG Jebsen Colorectal Cancer Research Centre, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Centre for Cancer Biomedicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Torfinn Nome
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital-Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,KG Jebsen Colorectal Cancer Research Centre, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Centre for Cancer Biomedicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marthe Løvf
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital-Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,KG Jebsen Colorectal Cancer Research Centre, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Centre for Cancer Biomedicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anne C Bakken
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital-Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,KG Jebsen Colorectal Cancer Research Centre, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Centre for Cancer Biomedicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Merete Hektoen
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital-Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,KG Jebsen Colorectal Cancer Research Centre, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Centre for Cancer Biomedicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anita Sveen
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital-Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,KG Jebsen Colorectal Cancer Research Centre, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Centre for Cancer Biomedicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ragnhild A Lothe
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital-Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,KG Jebsen Colorectal Cancer Research Centre, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Centre for Cancer Biomedicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Rolf I Skotheim
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital-Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,KG Jebsen Colorectal Cancer Research Centre, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Centre for Cancer Biomedicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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22
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Rodríguez-Martín B, Palumbo E, Marco-Sola S, Griebel T, Ribeca P, Alonso G, Rastrojo A, Aguado B, Guigó R, Djebali S. ChimPipe: accurate detection of fusion genes and transcription-induced chimeras from RNA-seq data. BMC Genomics 2017; 18:7. [PMID: 28049418 PMCID: PMC5209911 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-3404-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Accepted: 12/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chimeric transcripts are commonly defined as transcripts linking two or more different genes in the genome, and can be explained by various biological mechanisms such as genomic rearrangement, read-through or trans-splicing, but also by technical or biological artefacts. Several studies have shown their importance in cancer, cell pluripotency and motility. Many programs have recently been developed to identify chimeras from Illumina RNA-seq data (mostly fusion genes in cancer). However outputs of different programs on the same dataset can be widely inconsistent, and tend to include many false positives. Other issues relate to simulated datasets restricted to fusion genes, real datasets with limited numbers of validated cases, result inconsistencies between simulated and real datasets, and gene rather than junction level assessment. Results Here we present ChimPipe, a modular and easy-to-use method to reliably identify fusion genes and transcription-induced chimeras from paired-end Illumina RNA-seq data. We have also produced realistic simulated datasets for three different read lengths, and enhanced two gold-standard cancer datasets by associating exact junction points to validated gene fusions. Benchmarking ChimPipe together with four other state-of-the-art tools on this data showed ChimPipe to be the top program at identifying exact junction coordinates for both kinds of datasets, and the one showing the best trade-off between sensitivity and precision. Applied to 106 ENCODE human RNA-seq datasets, ChimPipe identified 137 high confidence chimeras connecting the protein coding sequence of their parent genes. In subsequent experiments, three out of four predicted chimeras, two of which recurrently expressed in a large majority of the samples, could be validated. Cloning and sequencing of the three cases revealed several new chimeric transcript structures, 3 of which with the potential to encode a chimeric protein for which we hypothesized a new role. Applying ChimPipe to human and mouse ENCODE RNA-seq data led to the identification of 131 recurrent chimeras common to both species, and therefore potentially conserved. Conclusions ChimPipe combines discordant paired-end reads and split-reads to detect any kind of chimeras, including those originating from polymerase read-through, and shows an excellent trade-off between sensitivity and precision. The chimeras found by ChimPipe can be validated in-vitro with high accuracy. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-3404-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernardo Rodríguez-Martín
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona, 08003, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.,Joint IRB-BSC Program in Computational Biology, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Jordi Girona 31, Barcelona, 08034, Spain
| | - Emilio Palumbo
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona, 08003, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Santiago Marco-Sola
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico, Baldiri Reixac, 4, Barcelona Science Park - Tower I, Barcelona, 08028, Spain
| | - Thasso Griebel
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico, Baldiri Reixac, 4, Barcelona Science Park - Tower I, Barcelona, 08028, Spain
| | - Paolo Ribeca
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico, Baldiri Reixac, 4, Barcelona Science Park - Tower I, Barcelona, 08028, Spain.,Integrative Biology, The Pirbright Institute, London, GU24 0NF, UK
| | - Graciela Alonso
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC - UAM), Nicolás Cabrera 1, Cantoblanco, Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Alberto Rastrojo
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC - UAM), Nicolás Cabrera 1, Cantoblanco, Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Begoña Aguado
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC - UAM), Nicolás Cabrera 1, Cantoblanco, Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Roderic Guigó
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona, 08003, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.,Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mediques (IMIM), Barcelona, 08003, Spain
| | - Sarah Djebali
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona, 08003, Spain. .,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain. .,GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRA, INPT, ENVT, Castanet Tolosan, France.
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23
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Kang HG, Seo H, Lim JH, Kim JI, Han KH, Park HW, Koo JW, Kim KH, Kim JH, Cheong HI, Ha IS. Markers of disease and steroid responsiveness in paediatric idiopathic nephrotic syndrome: Whole-transcriptome sequencing of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. J Int Med Res 2017. [PMID: 28639503 PMCID: PMC5536413 DOI: 10.1177/0300060516652762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To identify markers of disease and steroid responsiveness in paediatric idiopathic nephrotic syndrome. Methods Whole-transcriptome sequencing was performed of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with NS. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in patients with active NS vs those in remission, and those with steroid-sensitive NS (SSNS) vs steroid-resistant NS (SRNS). Results A total of 1065 DEGs were identified in patients with NS (n = 10) vs those in remission (n = 9). These DEGs correlated with cytokine and/or immune system signalling and the extracellular matrix. Comparisons between SSNS (n = 6) and SRNS (n = 4) identified 1890 DEGs. These markers of steroid responsiveness were enriched with genes related to the cell cycle, targets of microRNAs, and genes related to cytokines. Conclusions Meaningful DEGs were identified. Additional studies with larger numbers of patients will provide more comprehensive data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hee Gyung Kang
- 1 Department of Paediatrics, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,2 Research Coordination Centre for Rare Diseases, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Heewon Seo
- 3 Seoul National University Biomedical Informatics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,4 Systems Biomedical Informatics Research Centre, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Hyun Lim
- 3 Seoul National University Biomedical Informatics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,4 Systems Biomedical Informatics Research Centre, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Il Kim
- 5 Genomic Medicine Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung Hee Han
- 6 Department of Paediatrics, Jeju University Hospital, Jeju, Korea
| | - Hye Won Park
- 7 Department of Paediatrics, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Ja Wook Koo
- 8 Department of Paediatrics, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kee Hyuck Kim
- 9 Department of Paediatrics, National Health Insurance Corporation Ilsan Hospital, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Ju Han Kim
- 3 Seoul National University Biomedical Informatics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,4 Systems Biomedical Informatics Research Centre, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hae Il Cheong
- 1 Department of Paediatrics, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,2 Research Coordination Centre for Rare Diseases, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,10 Kidney Research Institute, Medical Research Centre, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Il-Soo Ha
- 1 Department of Paediatrics, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,10 Kidney Research Institute, Medical Research Centre, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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24
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Gorohovski A, Tagore S, Palande V, Malka A, Raviv-Shay D, Frenkel-Morgenstern M. ChiTaRS-3.1-the enhanced chimeric transcripts and RNA-seq database matched with protein-protein interactions. Nucleic Acids Res 2016; 45:D790-D795. [PMID: 27899596 PMCID: PMC5210585 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw1127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2016] [Revised: 10/26/2016] [Accepted: 10/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Discovery of chimeric RNAs, which are produced by chromosomal translocations as well as the joining of exons from different genes by trans-splicing, has added a new level of complexity to our study and understanding of the transcriptome. The enhanced ChiTaRS-3.1 database (http://chitars.md.biu.ac.il) is designed to make widely accessible a wealth of mined data on chimeric RNAs, with easy-to-use analytical tools built-in. The database comprises 34 922 chimeric transcripts along with 11 714 cancer breakpoints. In this latest version, we have included multiple cross-references to GeneCards, iHop, PubMed, NCBI, Ensembl, OMIM, RefSeq and the Mitelman collection for every entry in the ‘Full Collection’. In addition, for every chimera, we have added a predicted chimeric protein–protein interaction (ChiPPI) network, which allows for easy visualization of protein partners of both parental and fusion proteins for all human chimeras. The database contains a comprehensive annotation for 34 922 chimeric transcripts from eight organisms, and includes the manual annotation of 200 sense-antiSense (SaS) chimeras. The current improvements in the content and functionality to the ChiTaRS database make it a central resource for the study of chimeric transcripts and fusion proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Gorohovski
- Faculty of Medicine in Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Henrietta Szold 8, Safed 13195, Israel
| | - Somnath Tagore
- Faculty of Medicine in Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Henrietta Szold 8, Safed 13195, Israel
| | - Vikrant Palande
- Faculty of Medicine in Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Henrietta Szold 8, Safed 13195, Israel
| | - Assaf Malka
- Faculty of Medicine in Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Henrietta Szold 8, Safed 13195, Israel
| | - Dorith Raviv-Shay
- Faculty of Medicine in Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Henrietta Szold 8, Safed 13195, Israel
| | - Milana Frenkel-Morgenstern
- Faculty of Medicine in Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Henrietta Szold 8, Safed 13195, Israel. Corresponding author:
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25
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Bouckenheimer J, Assou S, Riquier S, Hou C, Philippe N, Sansac C, Lavabre-Bertrand T, Commes T, Lemaître JM, Boureux A, De Vos J. Long non-coding RNAs in human early embryonic development and their potential in ART. Hum Reprod Update 2016; 23:19-40. [PMID: 27655590 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmw035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2016] [Revised: 07/20/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are an emerging category of transcripts with increasingly documented functional roles during development. LncRNAs and roles during human early embryo development have recently begun to be unravelled. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE This review summarizes the most recent knowledge on lncRNAs and focuses on their expression patterns and role during early human embryo development and in pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). Public mRNA sequencing (mRNA-seq) data were used to illustrate these expression signatures. SEARCH METHODS The PubMed and EMBASE databases were first interrogated using specific terms, such as 'lncRNAs', to get an extensive overview on lncRNAs up to February 2016, and then using 'human lncRNAs' and 'embryo', 'development', or 'PSCs' to focus on lncRNAs involved in human embryo development or in PSC.Recently published RNA-seq data from human oocytes and pre-implantation embryos (including single-cell data), PSC and a panel of normal and malignant adult tissues were used to describe the specific expression patterns of some lncRNAs in early human embryos. OUTCOMES The existence and the crucial role of lncRNAs in many important biological phenomena in each branch of the life tree are now well documented. The number of identified lncRNAs is rapidly increasing and has already outnumbered that of protein-coding genes. Unlike small non-coding RNAs, a variety of mechanisms of action have been proposed for lncRNAs. The functional role of lncRNAs has been demonstrated in many biological and developmental processes, including cell pluripotency induction, X-inactivation or gene imprinting. Analysis of RNA-seq data highlights that lncRNA abundance changes significantly during human early embryonic development. This suggests that lncRNAs could represent candidate biomarkers for developing non-invasive tests for oocyte or embryo quality. Finally, some of these lncRNAs are also expressed in human cancer tissues, suggesting that reactivation of an embryonic lncRNA program may contribute to human malignancies. WIDER IMPLICATIONS LncRNAs are emerging potential key players in gene expression regulation. Analysis of RNA-seq data from human pre-implantation embryos identified lncRNA signatures that are specific to this critical step. We anticipate that further studies will show that these new transcripts are major regulators of embryo development. These findings might also be used to develop new tests/treatments for improving the pregnancy success rate in IVF procedures or for regenerative medicine applications involving PSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Bouckenheimer
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy, CHU Montpellier, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France.,INSERM, U1183, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Université de Montpellier, Montpellier F 34000, France
| | - Said Assou
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy, CHU Montpellier, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France.,INSERM, U1183, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Université de Montpellier, Montpellier F 34000, France
| | - Sébastien Riquier
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy, CHU Montpellier, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France.,INSERM, U1183, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Université de Montpellier, Montpellier F 34000, France
| | - Cyrielle Hou
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy, CHU Montpellier, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France.,INSERM, U1183, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Université de Montpellier, Montpellier F 34000, France
| | - Nicolas Philippe
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy, CHU Montpellier, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France.,INSERM, U1183, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Université de Montpellier, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Coretec, Montpellier, France
| | - Caroline Sansac
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy, CHU Montpellier, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France.,INSERM, U1183, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Université de Montpellier, Montpellier F 34000, France
| | | | - Thérèse Commes
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy, CHU Montpellier, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France.,INSERM, U1183, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Université de Montpellier, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Institut de Biologie Computationnelle, Montpellier F 34000, France
| | - Jean-Marc Lemaître
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy, CHU Montpellier, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France .,INSERM, U1183, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Stem Cell Core Facility SAFE-iPSC, INGESTEM, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France
| | - Anthony Boureux
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy, CHU Montpellier, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France.,INSERM, U1183, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Université de Montpellier, Montpellier F 34000, France
| | - John De Vos
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy, CHU Montpellier, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France .,INSERM, U1183, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Université de Montpellier, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Institut de Biologie Computationnelle, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Stem Cell Core Facility SAFE-iPSC, INGESTEM, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France.,Department of Cell and Tissue Engineering, CHU Montpellier, Saint-Eloi Hospital, Montpellier F 34000, France
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26
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Abstract
Gene fusions and their encoded products (fusion RNAs and proteins) are viewed as one of the hallmarks of cancer. Traditionally, they were thought to be generated solely by chromosomal rearrangements. However, recent discoveries of trans-splicing and cis-splicing events between neighboring genes, suggest that there are other mechanisms to generate chimeric fusion RNAs without corresponding changes in DNA. In addition, chimeric RNAs have been detected in normal physiology, complicating the use of fusions in cancer detection and therapy. On the other hand, "intergenically spliced" fusion RNAs represent a new repertoire of biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Here, we review current knowledge on chimeric RNAs and implications for cancer detection and treatment, and discuss outstanding questions for the advancement of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuemeng Jia
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Zhongqiu Xie
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
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27
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Hu Z, Jiang K, Frank MB, Chen Y, Jarvis JN. Complexity and Specificity of the Neutrophil Transcriptomes in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. Sci Rep 2016; 6:27453. [PMID: 27271962 PMCID: PMC4895221 DOI: 10.1038/srep27453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2015] [Accepted: 05/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
NIH projects such as ENCODE and Roadmap Epigenomics have revealed surprising complexity in the transcriptomes of mammalian cells. In this study, we explored transcriptional complexity in human neutrophils, cells generally regarded as nonspecific in their functions and responses. We studied distinct human disease phenotypes and found that, at the gene, gene isoform, and miRNA level, neutrophils exhibit considerable specificity in their transcriptomes. Thus, even cells whose responses are considered non-specific show tailoring of their transcriptional repertoire toward specific physiologic or pathologic contexts. We also found that miRNAs had a global impact on neutrophil transcriptome and are associated with innate immunity in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). These findings have important implications for our understanding of the link between genes, non-coding transcripts and disease phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihua Hu
- Center for Computational Research, New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics &Life Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Department of Biostatistics, Department of Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA.,SUNY Eye Institute, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Kaiyu Jiang
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy/Immunology/Rheumatology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Mark Barton Frank
- Arthritis &Immunology Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Yanmin Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy/Immunology/Rheumatology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - James N Jarvis
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy/Immunology/Rheumatology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA.,Graduate Program in Genetics, Genomics, &Bioinformatics, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
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28
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Latysheva NS, Babu MM. Discovering and understanding oncogenic gene fusions through data intensive computational approaches. Nucleic Acids Res 2016; 44:4487-503. [PMID: 27105842 PMCID: PMC4889949 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2016] [Accepted: 03/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Although gene fusions have been recognized as important drivers of cancer for decades, our understanding of the prevalence and function of gene fusions has been revolutionized by the rise of next-generation sequencing, advances in bioinformatics theory and an increasing capacity for large-scale computational biology. The computational work on gene fusions has been vastly diverse, and the present state of the literature is fragmented. It will be fruitful to merge three camps of gene fusion bioinformatics that appear to rarely cross over: (i) data-intensive computational work characterizing the molecular biology of gene fusions; (ii) development research on fusion detection tools, candidate fusion prioritization algorithms and dedicated fusion databases and (iii) clinical research that seeks to either therapeutically target fusion transcripts and proteins or leverages advances in detection tools to perform large-scale surveys of gene fusion landscapes in specific cancer types. In this review, we unify these different-yet highly complementary and symbiotic-approaches with the view that increased synergy will catalyze advancements in gene fusion identification, characterization and significance evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha S Latysheva
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Ave, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - M Madan Babu
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Ave, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
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29
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St Laurent G, Vyatkin Y, Antonets D, Ri M, Qi Y, Saik O, Shtokalo D, de Hoon MJL, Kawaji H, Itoh M, Lassmann T, Arner E, Forrest ARR, Nicolas E, McCaffrey TA, Carninci P, Hayashizaki Y, Wahlestedt C, Kapranov P. Functional annotation of the vlinc class of non-coding RNAs using systems biology approach. Nucleic Acids Res 2016; 44:3233-52. [PMID: 27001520 PMCID: PMC4838384 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2015] [Accepted: 03/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Functionality of the non-coding transcripts encoded by the human genome is the coveted goal of the modern genomics research. While commonly relied on the classical methods of forward genetics, integration of different genomics datasets in a global Systems Biology fashion presents a more productive avenue of achieving this very complex aim. Here we report application of a Systems Biology-based approach to dissect functionality of a newly identified vast class of very long intergenic non-coding (vlinc) RNAs. Using highly quantitative FANTOM5 CAGE dataset, we show that these RNAs could be grouped into 1542 novel human genes based on analysis of insulators that we show here indeed function as genomic barrier elements. We show that vlinc RNAs genes likely function in cisto activate nearby genes. This effect while most pronounced in closely spaced vlinc RNA-gene pairs can be detected over relatively large genomic distances. Furthermore, we identified 101 vlinc RNA genes likely involved in early embryogenesis based on patterns of their expression and regulation. We also found another 109 such genes potentially involved in cellular functions also happening at early stages of development such as proliferation, migration and apoptosis. Overall, we show that Systems Biology-based methods have great promise for functional annotation of non-coding RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georges St Laurent
- St. Laurent Institute, 317 New Boston St., Suite 201, Woburn, MA 01801, USA Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Yuri Vyatkin
- St. Laurent Institute, 317 New Boston St., Suite 201, Woburn, MA 01801, USA AcademGene Ltd., 6, Acad. Lavrentjev ave., Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Denis Antonets
- AcademGene Ltd., 6, Acad. Lavrentjev ave., Novosibirsk 630090, Russia State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology 'Vector', Novosibirsk, Russia A. P. Ershov Institute of Informatics Systems SB RAS, 6, Acad. Lavrentjev ave., Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Maxim Ri
- St. Laurent Institute, 317 New Boston St., Suite 201, Woburn, MA 01801, USA AcademGene Ltd., 6, Acad. Lavrentjev ave., Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Yao Qi
- Institute of Genomics, School of Biomedical Sciences, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Olga Saik
- St. Laurent Institute, 317 New Boston St., Suite 201, Woburn, MA 01801, USA AcademGene Ltd., 6, Acad. Lavrentjev ave., Novosibirsk 630090, Russia Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, 10, Acad. Lavrentjev ave., Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Dmitry Shtokalo
- St. Laurent Institute, 317 New Boston St., Suite 201, Woburn, MA 01801, USA AcademGene Ltd., 6, Acad. Lavrentjev ave., Novosibirsk 630090, Russia A. P. Ershov Institute of Informatics Systems SB RAS, 6, Acad. Lavrentjev ave., Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Michiel J L de Hoon
- RIKEN Omics Science Center (OSC), 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, Division of Genomic Technologies, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Hideya Kawaji
- RIKEN Omics Science Center (OSC), 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, Division of Genomic Technologies, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan RIKEN Preventive Medicine and Diagnosis Innovation Program (PMI), 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Masayoshi Itoh
- RIKEN Omics Science Center (OSC), 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, Division of Genomic Technologies, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan RIKEN Preventive Medicine and Diagnosis Innovation Program (PMI), 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Timo Lassmann
- RIKEN Omics Science Center (OSC), 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, Division of Genomic Technologies, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, 100 Roberts Road, Subiaco, Subiaco, 6008, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Erik Arner
- RIKEN Omics Science Center (OSC), 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, Division of Genomic Technologies, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Alistair R R Forrest
- RIKEN Omics Science Center (OSC), 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, Division of Genomic Technologies, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | | | - Estelle Nicolas
- LBCMCP, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, France
| | - Timothy A McCaffrey
- The George Washington University Medical Center, Department of Medicine, Division of Genomic Medicine, 2300 I St. NW, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Piero Carninci
- RIKEN Omics Science Center (OSC), 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, Division of Genomic Technologies, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Yoshihide Hayashizaki
- RIKEN Omics Science Center (OSC), 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan RIKEN Preventive Medicine and Diagnosis Innovation Program (PMI), 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Claes Wahlestedt
- Center for Therapeutic Innovation and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1501 NW 10th Ave., Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Philipp Kapranov
- Institute of Genomics, School of Biomedical Sciences, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen 361021, China St. Laurent Institute, 317 New Boston St., Suite 201, Woburn, MA 01801, USA
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30
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Yang JX, Rastetter RH, Wilhelm D. Non-coding RNAs: An Introduction. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2016; 886:13-32. [PMID: 26659485 DOI: 10.1007/978-94-017-7417-8_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
For many years the main role of RNA, it addition to the housekeeping functions of for example tRNAs and rRNAs, was believed to be a messenger between the genes encoded on the DNA and the functional units of the cell, the proteins. This changed drastically with the identification of the first small non-coding RNA, termed microRNA, some 20 years ago. This discovery opened the field of regulatory RNAs with no or little protein-coding potential. Since then many new classes of regulatory non-coding RNAs, including endogenous small interfering RNAs (endo-siRNAs), PIWI-associated RNAs (piRNAs), and long non-coding RNAs, have been identified and we have made amazing progress in elucidating their expression, biogenesis, mechanisms and mode of action, and function in many, if not all, biological processes. In this chapter we provide an introduction about the current knowledge of the main classes of non-coding RNAs, what is know about their biogenesis and mechanism of function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer X Yang
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Raphael H Rastetter
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Dagmar Wilhelm
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Medical Building (181) Grattan Street, Parkville, VIC, 3800, Australia.
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31
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Lu G, Wu J, Zhao G, Wang Z, Chen W, Mu S. Abundant and broad expression of transcription-induced chimeras and protein products in mammalian genomes. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2015; 470:759-765. [PMID: 26718406 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.12.084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 12/19/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The expression of transcription-induced chimeras (TICs) was underestimated due to strategic and logical reasons. In order to thoroughly examine TICs, systematic survey of TIC events was conducted in mammalian genomes using ESTs, followed by experimental validation using RT-PCR and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). The expression of ∼98% TIC events in at least one tissue or cell line from both mouse and human was verified. Besides, ∼40% TICs were broadly expressed, and ∼33% of TICs showed expression levels comparable to or higher than their upstream parental genes. We further identified putative chimeric proteins in public databases and validated two using Western blotting. GO analysis revealed that proteins resided in one multi-protein complex or functioning in metabolic or signaling pathway tended to produce fused products. Taken together, we have shown substantial evidence for the underestimated TIC events; and TICs could be a novel regulated way to further increases the proteome complexity in mammalian genomes. Possible regulation mechanisms and evolution of TICs were also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanting Lu
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, 710032, Xi'an, China
| | - Jin Wu
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | | | - Zhiqiang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Genome Science and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Weihua Chen
- Key Laboratory of Genome Science and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Shijie Mu
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, 710032, Xi'an, China.
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Li S, Wang L, He X, Xie Y, Zhang Z. Identification and analysis of the promoter region of the STGC3 gene. Arch Med Sci 2015; 11:1095-100. [PMID: 26528355 PMCID: PMC4624735 DOI: 10.5114/aoms.2015.49213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2012] [Revised: 12/18/2012] [Accepted: 03/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a common malignant tumor of the head and neck. The STGC3 gene is related to development of nasopharyngeal cancer. The aim of this study is to explore the promoter region of the STGC3 gene. MATERIAL AND METHODS The bioinformatic technique was applied to predict its promoter region and construct the gene promoter region luciferase for the gene vector and transfection of the human embryonic kidney epithelial 293T cell line, human nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE2 cell line and immortalized nasopharyngeal epithelial NP69 cell line. The recombinant plasmid pGL3-en283, pGL3-en281, pGL3-en571, empty plasmid pGL3-control, negative control pGL3-enhance and internal control of marine intestine luciferase expression vector pRL-SV40 were transfected into NP69 cells, 293T cells and CNE2 cells. Dual luciferase activity detection showed luciferase luminescence values and marine intestine luciferase luminescence values. Relative luciferase activity (RLA) in each cell was calculated. RESULTS We observed strong promoter activity of plasmid pGL3-en283, pGL3-en281 and pGL3-en571 in NP69, 293T and CNE2 cells compared with the negative control pGL3-enhance plasmid. Among them, pGL3-en281 showed the strongest promoter activity, and these three kinds of recombinant plasmids showed stronger promoter activity in 293T cells than in CNE2 cells. CONCLUSIONS The pGL3-en281 plasmid showed stronger promoter activity than pGL3-en571 in the three cells, indicating that -11048 bp to -653 bp might be the core promoter region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suyun Li
- Cancer Research Institute of the University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Lili Wang
- Cancer Research Institute of the University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Xiusheng He
- Cancer Research Institute of the University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Yuanjie Xie
- Cancer Research Institute of the University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Zhiwei Zhang
- Cancer Research Institute of the University of South China, Hengyang, China
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Shahryari A, Jazi MS, Samaei NM, Mowla SJ. Long non-coding RNA SOX2OT: expression signature, splicing patterns, and emerging roles in pluripotency and tumorigenesis. Front Genet 2015; 6:196. [PMID: 26136768 PMCID: PMC4469893 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2015.00196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2015] [Accepted: 05/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
SOX2 overlapping transcript (SOX2OT) is a long non-coding RNA which harbors one of the major regulators of pluripotency, SOX2 gene, in its intronic region. SOX2OT gene is mapped to human chromosome 3q26.3 (Chr3q26.3) locus and is extended in a high conserved region of over 700 kb. Little is known about the exact role of SOX2OT; however, recent studies have demonstrated a positive role for it in transcription regulation of SOX2 gene. Similar to SOX2, SOX2OT is highly expressed in embryonic stem cells and down-regulated upon the induction of differentiation. SOX2OT is dynamically regulated during the embryogenesis of vertebrates, and delimited to the brain in adult mice and human. Recently, the disregulation of SOX2OT expression and its concomitant expression with SOX2 have become highlighted in some somatic cancers including esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, lung squamous cell carcinoma, and breast cancer. Interestingly, SOX2OT is differentially spliced into multiple mRNA-like transcripts in stem and cancer cells. In this review, we are describing the structural and functional features of SOX2OT, with an emphasis on its expression signature, its splicing patterns and its critical function in the regulation of SOX2 expression during development and tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Shahryari
- Stem Cell Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences , Gorgan, Iran
| | - Marie Saghaeian Jazi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Medical Technologies, Golestan University of Medical Sciences , Gorgan, Iran
| | - Nader M Samaei
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Advanced Medical Technologies, Golestan University of Medical Sciences , Gorgan, Iran
| | - Seyed J Mowla
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University , Tehran, Iran
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Davidson NM, Majewski IJ, Oshlack A. JAFFA: High sensitivity transcriptome-focused fusion gene detection. Genome Med 2015; 7:43. [PMID: 26019724 PMCID: PMC4445815 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-015-0167-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2015] [Accepted: 04/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Genomic instability is a hallmark of cancer and, as such, structural alterations and fusion genes are common events in the cancer landscape. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) is a powerful method for profiling cancers, but current methods for identifying fusion genes are optimised for short reads. JAFFA (https://github.com/Oshlack/JAFFA/wiki) is a sensitive fusion detection method that outperforms other methods with reads of 100 bp or greater. JAFFA compares a cancer transcriptome to the reference transcriptome, rather than the genome, where the cancer transcriptome is inferred using long reads directly or by de novo assembling short reads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia M Davidson
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3052 Australia
| | - Ian J Majewski
- Division of Cancer and Haematology, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052 Australia ; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Alicia Oshlack
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3052 Australia ; Department of Genetics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010 Australia
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Rozhkova AV, Filippenkov IB, Sudarkina OY, Limborska SA, Dergunova LV. Alternative promoters located in SGMS1 gene introns participate in regulation of its expression in human tissues. Mol Biol 2015. [DOI: 10.1134/s002689331501015x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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St Laurent G, Wahlestedt C, Kapranov P. The Landscape of long noncoding RNA classification. Trends Genet 2015; 31:239-51. [PMID: 25869999 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2015.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 810] [Impact Index Per Article: 90.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Revised: 03/09/2015] [Accepted: 03/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Advances in the depth and quality of transcriptome sequencing have revealed many new classes of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). lncRNA classification has mushroomed to accommodate these new findings, even though the real dimensions and complexity of the noncoding transcriptome remain unknown. Although evidence of functionality of specific lncRNAs continues to accumulate, conflicting, confusing, and overlapping terminology has fostered ambiguity and lack of clarity in the field in general. The lack of fundamental conceptual unambiguous classification framework results in a number of challenges in the annotation and interpretation of noncoding transcriptome data. It also might undermine integration of the new genomic methods and datasets in an effort to unravel the function of lncRNA. Here, we review existing lncRNA classifications, nomenclature, and terminology. Then, we describe the conceptual guidelines that have emerged for their classification and functional annotation based on expanding and more comprehensive use of large systems biology-based datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georges St Laurent
- St. Laurent Institute, 317 New Boston St., Suite 201, Woburn, MA 01801 USA; Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Claes Wahlestedt
- Center for Therapeutic Innovation and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1501 NW 10th Ave, Miami, FL 33136 USA.
| | - Philipp Kapranov
- Institute of Genomics, School of Biomedical Sciences, Huaqiao Univerisity, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, China 361021; St. Laurent Institute, 317 New Boston St., Suite 201, Woburn, MA 01801 USA.
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Oleksiewicz U, Tomczak K, Woropaj J, Markowska M, Stępniak P, Shah PK. Computational characterisation of cancer molecular profiles derived using next generation sequencing. Contemp Oncol (Pozn) 2015; 19:A78-91. [PMID: 25691827 PMCID: PMC4322529 DOI: 10.5114/wo.2014.47137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Our current understanding of cancer genetics is grounded on the principle that cancer arises from a clone that has accumulated the requisite somatically acquired genetic aberrations, leading to the malignant transformation. It also results in aberrent of gene and protein expression. Next generation sequencing (NGS) or deep sequencing platforms are being used to create large catalogues of changes in copy numbers, mutations, structural variations, gene fusions, gene expression, and other types of information for cancer patients. However, inferring different types of biological changes from raw reads generated using the sequencing experiments is algorithmically and computationally challenging. In this article, we outline common steps for the quality control and processing of NGS data. We highlight the importance of accurate and application-specific alignment of these reads and the methodological steps and challenges in obtaining different types of information. We comment on the importance of integrating these data and building infrastructure to analyse it. We also provide exhaustive lists of available software to obtain information and point the readers to articles comparing software for deeper insight in specialised areas. We hope that the article will guide readers in choosing the right tools for analysing oncogenomic datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urszula Oleksiewicz
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Cancer Immunology, The Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland ; Department of Cancer Immunology and Diagnostics, Chair of Medical Biotechnology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland ; These authors contributed equally to this paper
| | - Katarzyna Tomczak
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Cancer Immunology, The Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland ; Department of Cancer Immunology and Diagnostics, Chair of Medical Biotechnology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland ; Postgraduate School of Molecular Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw ; These authors contributed equally to this paper
| | - Jakub Woropaj
- Poznan University of Economics, Poznań, Poland ; These authors contributed equally to this paper
| | | | | | - Parantu K Shah
- Institute for Applied Cancer Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
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Frenkel-Morgenstern M, Gorohovski A, Vucenovic D, Maestre L, Valencia A. ChiTaRS 2.1--an improved database of the chimeric transcripts and RNA-seq data with novel sense-antisense chimeric RNA transcripts. Nucleic Acids Res 2014; 43:D68-75. [PMID: 25414346 PMCID: PMC4383979 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gku1199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric RNAs that comprise two or more different transcripts have been identified in many cancers and among the Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) isolated from different organisms; they might represent functional proteins and produce different disease phenotypes. The ChiTaRS 2.1 database of chimeric transcripts and RNA-Seq data (http://chitars.bioinfo.cnio.es/) is the second version of the ChiTaRS database and includes improvements in content and functionality. Chimeras from eight organisms have been collated including novel sense–antisense (SAS) chimeras resulting from the slippage of the sense and anti-sense intragenic regions. The new database version collects more than 29 000 chimeric transcripts and indicates the expression and tissue specificity for 333 entries confirmed by RNA-seq reads mapping the chimeric junction sites. User interface allows for rapid and easy analysis of evolutionary conservation of fusions, literature references and experimental data supporting fusions in different organisms. More than 1428 cancer breakpoints have been automatically collected from public databases and manually verified to identify their correct cross-references, genomic sequences and junction sites. As a result, the ChiTaRS 2.1 collection of chimeras from eight organisms and human cancer breakpoints extends our understanding of the evolution of chimeric transcripts in eukaryotes as well as their functional role in carcinogenic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milana Frenkel-Morgenstern
- Structural Biology and BioComputing Program, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Alessandro Gorohovski
- Structural Biology and BioComputing Program, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Dunja Vucenovic
- Structural Biology and BioComputing Program, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Lorena Maestre
- Monoclonal Antibodies Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Alfonso Valencia
- Structural Biology and BioComputing Program, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid 28029, Spain.
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De-repressing LncRNA-Targeted Genes to Upregulate Gene Expression: Focus on Small Molecule Therapeutics. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2014; 3:e196. [PMID: 25405465 PMCID: PMC4461991 DOI: 10.1038/mtna.2014.45] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2014] [Accepted: 08/08/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Non-protein coding RNAs (ncRNAs) make up the overwhelming majority of transcripts in the genome and have recently gained attention for their complex regulatory role in cells, including the regulation of protein-coding genes. Furthermore, ncRNAs play an important role in normal development and their expression levels are dysregulated in several diseases. Recently, several long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to alter the epigenetic status of genomic loci and suppress the expression of target genes. This review will present examples of such a mechanism and focus on the potential to target lncRNAs for achieving therapeutic gene upregulation by de-repressing genes that are epigenetically silenced in various diseases. Finally, the potential to target lncRNAs, through their interactions with epigenetic enzymes, using various tools, such as small molecules, viral vectors and antisense oligonucleotides, will be discussed. We suggest that small molecule modulators of a novel class of drug targets, lncRNA-protein interactions, have great potential to treat some cancers, cardiovascular disease, and neurological disorders.
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40
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Rauschendorf MA, Zimmer J, Ohnmacht C, Vogt PH. DDX3X, the X homologue of AZFa gene DDX3Y, expresses a complex pattern of transcript variants only in the male germ line. Mol Hum Reprod 2014; 20:1208-22. [PMID: 25208899 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gau081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
DDX3X, the functional X homologue of the major AZFa gene, DDX3Y, belongs to the highly conserved PL10-subfamily of DEAD-box RNA helicase genes which are functionally conserved from yeast to man. They are mainly involved in cell cycle control and translation initiation control of gene transcripts with long 5'UTR extensions containing complex secondary structures. Interestingly, in humans both gene copies were found to be expressed at different phases of human spermatogenesis. Whereas DDX3Y transcripts are translated only in premeiotic male germ cells, the DDX3X protein is expressed only in postmeiotic spermatids. In this study, we found that the major class of DDX3X transcripts in human testis become activated first after meiosis and at a specific core promoter not active in somatic tissues and not present upstream of the DDX3Y homologue. Two alternative 5'UTR transcript lengths are subsequently produced by an additional testis-specific 5'UTR splicing event. Both transcripts are mainly processed for polyadenylation in their proximal 3'UTR. A minor transcript class starting at the same male germ line-specific core promoter produces primary transcripts with an extremely long 3'UTR (∼ 17 kb), which is subsequently spliced at distinct sites resulting in six short 3'UTR splice variants (I-VI). Comparative analyses of the DDX3X transcripts in mouse and primates revealed that this complex pattern of male germ line-specific transcript variants first evolved in primates. Our data thus suggest complex translational control mechanism(s) for the human DDX3X gene locus functioning only in the male germ line and resulting in expression of its protein only in the postmeiotic spermatids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc-Alexander Rauschendorf
- Reproduction Genetics Unit, Department of Gynecological Endocrinology & Reproductive Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany Present address: Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Program of Functional Genomics and Cancer, CNRS UDS UMR 7104, INSERM U 964, 67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Jutta Zimmer
- Reproduction Genetics Unit, Department of Gynecological Endocrinology & Reproductive Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Caroline Ohnmacht
- Reproduction Genetics Unit, Department of Gynecological Endocrinology & Reproductive Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Peter H Vogt
- Reproduction Genetics Unit, Department of Gynecological Endocrinology & Reproductive Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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Greger L, Su J, Rung J, Ferreira PG, Lappalainen T, Dermitzakis ET, Brazma A. Tandem RNA chimeras contribute to transcriptome diversity in human population and are associated with intronic genetic variants. PLoS One 2014; 9:e104567. [PMID: 25133550 PMCID: PMC4136775 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0104567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2014] [Accepted: 07/14/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric RNAs originating from two or more different genes are known to exist not only in cancer, but also in normal tissues, where they can play a role in human evolution. However, the exact mechanism of their formation is unknown. Here, we use RNA sequencing data from 462 healthy individuals representing 5 human populations to systematically identify and in depth characterize 81 RNA tandem chimeric transcripts, 13 of which are novel. We observe that 6 out of these 81 chimeras have been regarded as cancer-specific. Moreover, we show that a prevalence of long introns at the fusion breakpoint is associated with the chimeric transcripts formation. We also find that tandem RNA chimeras have lower abundances as compared to their partner genes. Finally, by combining our results with genomic data from the same individuals we uncover intronic genetic variants associated with the chimeric RNA formation. Taken together our findings provide an important insight into the chimeric transcripts formation and open new avenues of research into the role of intronic genetic variants in post-transcriptional processing events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Greger
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Jing Su
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Johan Rung
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Pedro G. Ferreira
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland
- Institute for Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (iG3), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Tuuli Lappalainen
- New York Genome Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Emmanouil T. Dermitzakis
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland
- Institute for Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (iG3), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Alvis Brazma
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, United Kingdom
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Jividen K, Li H. Chimeric RNAs generated by intergenic splicing in normal and cancer cells. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 2014; 53:963-71. [PMID: 25131334 DOI: 10.1002/gcc.22207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2014] [Accepted: 07/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
A hallmark of many neoplasias is chromosomal rearrangement, an event that commonly results in the fusion of two separate genes. The RNA and protein resulting from these gene fusions often play critical roles in cancer development, maintenance, and progression. Traditionally, these fusion products are thought to be produced solely due to DNA level changes and are therefore considered unique to cancer. Recent advances in microarray and deep-sequencing have revealed many more fusion transcripts. Surprisingly, some are without detectable rearrangement at the DNA level. Reports have demonstrated that at least some of these chimeric RNAs are generated via intergenic splicing. In this review, we highlight three examples of these noncanonical chimeric transcripts that are formed by trans-splicing or cis-splicing of adjacent genes and summarize the knowledge we have regarding these noncanonical fusions. We discuss the implications of the chimeric RNAs in both cancer and normal physiology, as some of these fusion transcripts are found in normal, noncancerous cells with sequences identical to those generated by canonical chromosomal translocation found in cancer cells. Finally, we present methods that are currently being used to discover additional chimeric RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasey Jividen
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
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Retrotransposons in pluripotent cells: Impact and new roles in cellular plasticity. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2014; 1849:417-26. [PMID: 25042909 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2014.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2014] [Revised: 07/08/2014] [Accepted: 07/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Transposable Elements are pieces of DNA able to mobilize from one location to another within genomes. Although they constitute more than 50% of the human genome, they have been classified as selfish DNA, with the only mission to spread within genomes and generate more copies of themselves that will ensure their presence over generations. Despite their remarkable prevalence, only a minor group of transposable elements remain active in the human genome and can sporadically be associated with the generation of a genetic disorder due to their ongoing mobility. Most of the transposable elements identified in the human genome corresponded to fixed insertions that no longer move in genomes. As selfish DNA, transposable element insertions accumulate in cell types where genetic information can be passed to the next generation. Indeed, work from different laboratories has demonstrated that the main heritable load of TE accumulation in humans occurs during early embryogenesis. Thus, active transposable elements have a clear impact on our pluripotent genome. However, recent findings suggest that the main proportion of fixed non-mobile transposable elements might also have emerging roles in cellular plasticity. In this concise review, we provide an overview of the impact of currently active transposable elements in our pluripotent genome and further discuss new roles of transposable elements (active or not) in regulating pluripotency. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Stress as a fundamental theme in cell plasticity.
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St Laurent G, Vyatkin Y, Kapranov P. Dark matter RNA illuminates the puzzle of genome-wide association studies. BMC Med 2014; 12:97. [PMID: 24924000 PMCID: PMC4054906 DOI: 10.1186/1741-7015-12-97] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2014] [Accepted: 05/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In the past decade, numerous studies have made connections between sequence variants in human genomes and predisposition to complex diseases. However, most of these variants lie outside of the charted regions of the human genome whose function we understand; that is, the sequences that encode proteins. Consequently, the general concept of a mechanism that translates these variants into predisposition to diseases has been lacking, potentially calling into question the validity of these studies. Here we make a connection between the growing class of apparently functional RNAs that do not encode proteins and whose function we do not yet understand (the so-called 'dark matter' RNAs) and the disease-associated variants. We review advances made in a different genomic mapping effort - unbiased profiling of all RNA transcribed from the human genome - and provide arguments that the disease-associated variants exert their effects via perturbation of regulatory properties of non-coding RNAs existing in mammalian cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Philipp Kapranov
- St, Laurent Institute, 317 New Boston St, Suite 201, Woburn, MA 01801, USA.
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Epigenetic reprogramming in Mist1(-/-) mice predicts the molecular response to cerulein-induced pancreatitis. PLoS One 2014; 9:e84182. [PMID: 24465395 PMCID: PMC3897368 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2013] [Accepted: 11/20/2013] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene expression is affected by modifications to histone core proteins within chromatin. Changes in these modifications, or epigenetic reprogramming, can dictate cell fate and promote susceptibility to disease. The goal of this study was to determine the extent of epigenetic reprogramming in response to chronic stress that occurs following ablation of MIST1 (Mist1−/−), which is repressed in pancreatic disease. Chromatin immunoprecipitation for trimethylation of lysine residue 4 on histone 3 (H3K4Me3) in purified acinar cells from wild type and Mist1−/− mice was followed by Next Generation sequencing (ChIP-seq) or ChIP-qPCR. H3K4Me3-enriched genes were assessed for expression by qRT-PCR in pancreatic tissue before and after induction of cerulein-induced pancreatitis. While most of H3K4Me3-enrichment is restricted to transcriptional start sites, >25% of enrichment sites are found within, downstream or between annotated genes. Less than 10% of these sites were altered in Mist1−/− acini, with most changes in H3K4Me3 enrichment not reflecting altered gene expression. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis of genes differentially-enriched for H3K4Me3 revealed an association with pancreatitis and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in Mist1−/− tissue. Most of these genes were not differentially expressed but several were readily induced by acute experimental pancreatitis, with significantly increased expression in Mist1−/− tissue relative to wild type mice. We suggest that the chronic cell stress observed in the absence of MIST1 results in epigenetic reprogramming of genes involved in promoting pancreatitis to a poised state, thereby increasing the sensitivity to events that promote disease.
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Pfeifer-Sancar K, Mentz A, Rückert C, Kalinowski J. Comprehensive analysis of the Corynebacterium glutamicum transcriptome using an improved RNAseq technique. BMC Genomics 2013; 14:888. [PMID: 24341750 PMCID: PMC3890552 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-14-888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2013] [Accepted: 12/03/2013] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The use of RNAseq to resolve the transcriptional organization of an organism was established in recent years and also showed the complexity and dynamics of bacterial transcriptomes. The aim of this study was to comprehensively investigate the transcriptome of the industrially relevant amino acid producer and model organism Corynebacterium glutamicum by RNAseq in order to improve its genome annotation and to describe important features for transcription and translation. Results RNAseq data sets were obtained by two methods, one that focuses on 5′-ends of primary transcripts and another that provides the overall transcriptome with an improved resolution of 3′-ends of transcripts. Subsequent data analysis led to the identification of more than 2,000 transcription start sites (TSSs), the definition of 5′-UTRs (untranslated regions) for annotated protein-coding genes, operon structures and many novel transcripts located between or in antisense orientation to protein-coding regions. Interestingly, a high number of mRNAs (33%) is transcribed as leaderless transcripts. From the data, consensus promoter and ribosome binding site (RBS) motifs were identified and it was shown that the majority of genes in C. glutamicum are transcribed monocistronically, but operons containing up to 16 genes are also present. Conclusions The comprehensive transcriptome map of C. glutamicum established in this study represents a major step forward towards a complete definition of genetic elements (e.g. promoter regions, gene starts and stops, 5′-UTRs, RBSs, transcript starts and ends) and provides the ideal basis for further analyses on transcriptional regulatory networks in this organism. The methods developed are easily applicable for other bacteria and have the potential to be used also for quantification of transcriptomes, replacing microarrays in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jörn Kalinowski
- Microbial Genomics and Biotechnology, Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 27, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany.
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Singh DK, Prasanth KV. Functional insights into the role of nuclear-retained long noncoding RNAs in gene expression control in mammalian cells. Chromosome Res 2013; 21:695-711. [PMID: 24233053 PMCID: PMC3951185 DOI: 10.1007/s10577-013-9391-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian genome harbors thousands of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) genes. Recent studies have indicated the involvement of several of these lncRNAs in the regulation of gene expression. lncRNAs play crucial roles in various biological processes ranging from epigenetic gene regulation, transcriptional control,to post-transcriptional regulation. lncRNAs are localized in various subcellular compartments, and major proportion of these are retained in the cell nucleus and could be broadly classified as nuclear-retained lncRNAs (nrRNAs). Based on the identified functions,members of the nrRNAs execute diverse roles, including providing architectural support to the hierarchical subnuclear organization and influencing the recruitment of chromatin modifier factors to specific chromatin sites. In this review, we will summarize the recently described roles of mammalian nrRNAs in controlling gene expression by influencing chromatin organization, transcription,pre-mRNA processing, nuclear organization, and their involvement in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepak K. Singh
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL-61801, USA
| | - Kannanganattu V. Prasanth
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL-61801, USA
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Dozmorov MG, Giles CB, Koelsch KA, Wren JD. Systematic classification of non-coding RNAs by epigenomic similarity. BMC Bioinformatics 2013; 14 Suppl 14:S2. [PMID: 24267974 PMCID: PMC3851203 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2105-14-s14-s2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Even though only 1.5% of the human genome is translated into proteins, recent reports indicate that most of it is transcribed into non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), which are becoming the subject of increased scientific interest. We hypothesized that examining how different classes of ncRNAs co-localized with annotated epigenomic elements could help understand the functions, regulatory mechanisms, and relationships among ncRNA families. Results We examined 15 different ncRNA classes for statistically significant genomic co-localizations with cell type-specific chromatin segmentation states, transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs), and histone modification marks using GenomeRunner (http://www.genomerunner.org). P-values were obtained using a Chi-square test and corrected for multiple testing using the Benjamini-Hochberg procedure. We clustered and visualized the ncRNA classes by the strength of their statistical enrichments and depletions. We found piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) to be depleted in regions containing activating histone modification marks, such as H3K4 mono-, di- and trimethylation, H3K27 acetylation, as well as certain TFBSs. piRNAs were further depleted in active promoters, weak transcription, and transcription elongation regions, and enriched in repressed and heterochromatic regions. Conversely, transfer RNAs (tRNAs) were depleted in heterochromatin regions and strongly enriched in regions containing activating H3K4 di- and trimethylation marks, H2az histone variant, and a variety of TFBSs. Interestingly, regions containing CTCF insulator protein binding sites were associated with tRNAs. tRNAs were also enriched in the active, weak and poised promoters and, surprisingly, in regions with repetitive/copy number variations. Conclusions Searching for statistically significant associations between ncRNA classes and epigenomic elements permits detection of potential functional and/or regulatory relationships among ncRNA classes, and suggests cell type-specific biological roles of ncRNAs.
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Tissue-specific differences in the regulation of KIBRA gene expression involve transcription factor TCF7L2 and a complex alternative promoter system. J Mol Med (Berl) 2013; 92:185-96. [DOI: 10.1007/s00109-013-1089-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2013] [Revised: 09/02/2013] [Accepted: 09/11/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Hernández-Torres F, Rastrojo A, Aguado B. Intron retention and transcript chimerism conserved across mammals: Ly6g5b and Csnk2b-Ly6g5b as examples. BMC Genomics 2013; 14:199. [PMID: 23521802 PMCID: PMC3626593 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-14-199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2012] [Accepted: 03/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Alternative splicing (AS) is a major mechanism for modulating gene expression of an organism, allowing the synthesis of several structurally and functionally distinct mRNAs and protein isoforms from a unique gene. Related to AS is the Transcription Induced Chimerism (TIC) or Tandem Chimerism, by which chimeric RNAs between adjacent genes can be found, increasing combinatorial complexity of the proteome. The Ly6g5b gene presents particular behaviours in its expression, involving an intron retention event and being capable to form RNA chimera transcripts with the upstream gene Csnk2b. We wanted to characterise these events more deeply in four tissues in six different mammals and analyse their protein products. Results While canonical Csnk2b isoform was widely expressed, Ly6g5b canonical isoform was less ubiquitous, although the Ly6g5b first intron retained transcript was present in all the tissues and species analysed. Csnk2b-Ly6g5b chimeras were present in all the samples analysed, but with restricted expression patterns. Some of these chimeric transcripts maintained correct structural domains from Csnk2b and Ly6g5b. Moreover, we found Csnk2b, Ly6g5b, and Csnk2b-Ly6g5b transcripts that present exon skipping, alternative 5' and 3' splice site and intron retention events. These would generate truncated or aberrant proteins whose role remains unknown. Some chimeric transcripts would encode CSNK2B proteins with an altered C-terminus, which could affect its biological function broadening its substrate specificity. Over-expression of human CSNK2B, LY6G5B, and CSNK2B-LY6G5B proteins, show different patterns of post-translational modifications and cell distribution. Conclusions Ly6g5b intron retention and Csnk2b-Ly6g5b transcript chimerism are broadly distributed in tissues of different mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Hernández-Torres
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CBMSO), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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