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Chen Y, Wang X, Na X, Zhang Y, Cai L, Song J, Yang C. DMF-DM-seq: Digital-Microfluidics Enabled Dual-Modality Sequencing of Single-Cell mRNA and microRNA with High Integration, Sensitivity, and Automation. Anal Chem 2024; 96:12916-12926. [PMID: 39038243 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c03378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
Multimodal measurement of single cells provides deep insights into the intricate relationships between individual molecular layers and the regulatory mechanisms underlying intercellular variations. Here, we reported DMF-DM-seq, a highly integrated, sensitive, and automated platform for single-cell mRNA and microRNA (miRNA) co-sequencing based on digital microfluidics. This platform first integrates the processes of single-cell isolation, lysis, component separation, and simultaneous sequencing library preparation of mRNA and miRNA within a single DMF device. Compared with the current half-cell measuring strategy, DMF-DM-seq enables complete separation of single-cell mRNA and miRNA via a magnetic field application, resulting in a higher miRNA detection ability. DMF-DM-seq revealed differential expression patterns of single cells of noncancerous breast cells and noninvasive and aggressive breast cancer cells at both mRNA and miRNA levels. The results demonstrated the anticorrelated relationship between miRNA and their mRNA targets. Further, we unravel the tumor growth and metastasis-associated biological processes enriched by miRNA-targeted genes, along with important miRNA-interaction networks involved in significant signaling pathways. We also deconstruct the miRNA regulatory mechanisms underlying different signaling pathways across different breast cell types. In summary, DMF-DM-seq offers a powerful tool for a comprehensive study of the expression heterogeneity of single-cell mRNA and miRNA, which will be widely applied in basic and clinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingwen Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, and Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Xuanqun Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, and Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Xing Na
- State Key Laboratory for Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, and Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Yingkun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, and Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Linfeng Cai
- State Key Laboratory for Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, and Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Jia Song
- Institute for Developmental and Regenerative Cardiovascular Medicine, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Chaoyong Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, and Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, No. 55, Zhenhai Road, Siming District, Xiamen 361003, China
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Kim DW, Moon HC, Lee BH, Park HY. Decoding Arc transcription: a live-cell study of stimulation patterns and transcriptional output. Learn Mem 2024; 31:a054024. [PMID: 39260877 DOI: 10.1101/lm.054024.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024]
Abstract
Activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc) plays a crucial role in synaptic plasticity, a process integral to learning and memory. Arc transcription is induced within a few minutes of stimulation, making it a useful marker for neuronal activity. However, the specific neuronal activity patterns that initiate Arc transcription have remained elusive due to the inability to observe mRNA transcription in live cells in real time. Using a genetically encoded RNA indicator (GERI) mouse model that expresses endogenous Arc mRNA tagged with multiple GFPs, we investigated Arc transcriptional activity in response to various electrical field stimulation patterns. The GERI mouse model was generated by crossing the Arc-PBS knock-in mouse, engineered with binding sites in the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of Arc mRNA, and the transgenic mouse expressing the cognate binding protein fused to GFP. In dissociated hippocampal neurons, we found that the pattern of stimulation significantly affects Arc transcription. Specifically, theta-burst stimulation consisting of high-frequency (100 Hz) bursts delivered at 10 Hz frequency induced the highest rate of Arc transcription. Concurrently, the amplitudes of nuclear calcium transients also reached their peak with 10 Hz burst stimulation, indicating a correlation between calcium concentration and transcription. However, our dual-color single-cell imaging revealed that there were no significant differences in calcium amplitudes between Arc-positive and Arc-negative neurons upon 10 Hz burst stimulation, suggesting the involvement of other factors in the induction of Arc transcription. Our live-cell RNA imaging provides a deeper insight into the complex regulation of transcription by activity patterns and calcium signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Wook Kim
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyungseok C Moon
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung Hun Lee
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye Yoon Park
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Applied Physics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA
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3
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Deepu V, Rai V, Agrawal DK. Quantitative Assessment of Intracellular Effectors and Cellular Response in RAGE Activation. ARCHIVES OF INTERNAL MEDICINE RESEARCH 2024; 7:80-103. [PMID: 38784044 PMCID: PMC11113086 DOI: 10.26502/aimr.0168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
The review delves into the methods for the quantitative assessment of intracellular effectors and cellular response of Receptor for Advanced Glycation End products (RAGE), a vital transmembrane receptor involved in a range of physiological and pathological processes. RAGE bind to Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs) and other ligands, which in turn activate diverse downstream signaling pathways that impact cellular responses such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and immune reactions. The review article discusses the intracellular signaling pathways activated by RAGE followed by differential activation of RAGE signaling across various diseases. This will ultimately guide researchers in developing targeted and effective interventions for diseases associated with RAGE activation. Further, we have discussed how PCR, western blotting, and microscopic examination of various molecules involved in downstream signaling can be leveraged to monitor, diagnose, and explore diseases involving proteins with unique post-translational modifications. This review article underscores the pressing need for advancements in molecular approaches for disease detection and management involving RAGE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinitha Deepu
- Department of Translational Research, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California 91763, USA
| | - Vikrant Rai
- Department of Translational Research, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California 91763, USA
| | - Devendra K Agrawal
- Department of Translational Research, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California 91763, USA
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4
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Jia X, He X, Huang C, Li J, Dong Z, Liu K. Protein translation: biological processes and therapeutic strategies for human diseases. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:44. [PMID: 38388452 PMCID: PMC10884018 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01749-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein translation is a tightly regulated cellular process that is essential for gene expression and protein synthesis. The deregulation of this process is increasingly recognized as a critical factor in the pathogenesis of various human diseases. In this review, we discuss how deregulated translation can lead to aberrant protein synthesis, altered cellular functions, and disease progression. We explore the key mechanisms contributing to the deregulation of protein translation, including functional alterations in translation factors, tRNA, mRNA, and ribosome function. Deregulated translation leads to abnormal protein expression, disrupted cellular signaling, and perturbed cellular functions- all of which contribute to disease pathogenesis. The development of ribosome profiling techniques along with mass spectrometry-based proteomics, mRNA sequencing and single-cell approaches have opened new avenues for detecting diseases related to translation errors. Importantly, we highlight recent advances in therapies targeting translation-related disorders and their potential applications in neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, infectious diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, the growing interest lies in targeted therapies aimed at restoring precise control over translation in diseased cells is discussed. In conclusion, this comprehensive review underscores the critical role of protein translation in disease and its potential as a therapeutic target. Advancements in understanding the molecular mechanisms of protein translation deregulation, coupled with the development of targeted therapies, offer promising avenues for improving disease outcomes in various human diseases. Additionally, it will unlock doors to the possibility of precision medicine by offering personalized therapies and a deeper understanding of the molecular underpinnings of diseases in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuechao Jia
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China
- China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China
| | - Xinyu He
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China
- China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China
| | - Chuntian Huang
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China
| | - Jian Li
- China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China
| | - Zigang Dong
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China.
- China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China.
- Tianjian Laboratory of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450052, China.
- Research Center for Basic Medicine Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China.
- Provincial Cooperative Innovation Center for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China.
| | - Kangdong Liu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China.
- China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China.
- Tianjian Laboratory of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450052, China.
- Research Center for Basic Medicine Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China.
- Provincial Cooperative Innovation Center for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China.
- The Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China.
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5
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Chen A, Ren Q, Zhou T, Burrage P, Tian T, Burrage K. Balanced implicit Patankar-Euler methods for positive solutions of stochastic differential equations of biological regulatory systems. J Chem Phys 2024; 160:064117. [PMID: 38353308 DOI: 10.1063/5.0187202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Stochastic differential equations (SDEs) are a powerful tool to model fluctuations and uncertainty in complex systems. Although numerical methods have been designed to simulate SDEs effectively, it is still problematic when numerical solutions may be negative, but application problems require positive simulations. To address this issue, we propose balanced implicit Patankar-Euler methods to ensure positive simulations of SDEs. Instead of considering the addition of balanced terms to explicit methods in existing balanced methods, we attempt the deletion of possible negative terms from the explicit methods to maintain positivity of numerical simulations. The designed balanced terms include negative-valued drift terms and potential negative diffusion terms. The proposed method successfully addresses the issue of divisions with very small denominators in our recently designed stochastic Patankar method. Stability analysis shows that the balanced implicit Patankar-Euler method has much better stability properties than our recently designed composite Patankar-Euler method. Four SDE systems are used to examine the effectiveness, accuracy, and convergence properties of balanced implicit Patankar-Euler methods. Numerical results suggest that the proposed balanced implicit Patankar-Euler method is an effective and efficient approach to ensure positive simulations when any appropriate stepsize is used in simulating SDEs of biological regulatory systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimin Chen
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Henan University, Kaifeng 475001, China
| | - Quanwei Ren
- College of Science, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Tianshou Zhou
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhong 510275, China
| | - Pamela Burrage
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane 4001, Australia
| | - Tianhai Tian
- School of Mathematics, Monash University, Clayton 3800, Australia
| | - Kevin Burrage
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane 4001, Australia
- Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QD, United Kingdom
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6
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Denes LT, Kelley CP, Wang ET. Multiplexed Immunofluorescence and Single-Molecule RNA Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization in Mouse Skeletal Myofibers. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2784:163-176. [PMID: 38502485 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3766-1_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is a powerful method to determine the abundance and localization of mRNA molecules in cells. While modern RNA FISH techniques allow quantification at single molecule resolution, most methods are optimized for mammalian cell culture and are not easily applied to in vivo tissue settings. Single-molecule RNA detection in skeletal muscle cells has been particularly challenging due to the thickness and high autofluorescence of adult muscle tissue and a lack of in vitro models for mature muscle cells (myofibers). Here, we present a method for isolation of adult myofibers from mouse skeletal muscle and detection of single mRNA molecules and proteins using multiplexed RNA FISH and immunofluorescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lance T Denes
- Institute for Systems Genetics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Chase P Kelley
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Eric T Wang
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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7
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Cayuela López A, García-Cuesta EM, Gardeta SR, Rodríguez-Frade JM, Mellado M, Gómez-Pedrero JA, S. Sorzano CO. TrackAnalyzer: A Fiji/ImageJ toolbox for a holistic analysis of tracks. BIOLOGICAL IMAGING 2023; 3:e18. [PMID: 38510172 PMCID: PMC10951927 DOI: 10.1017/s2633903x23000181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Current live-cell imaging techniques make possible the observation of live events and the acquisition of large datasets to characterize the different parameters of the visualized events. They provide new insights into the dynamics of biological processes with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolutions. Here we describe the implementation and application of a new tool called TrackAnalyzer, accessible from Fiji and ImageJ. Our tool allows running semi-automated single-particle tracking (SPT) and subsequent motion classification, as well as quantitative analysis of diffusion and intensity for selected tracks relying on the graphical user interface (GUI) for large sets of temporal images (X-Y-T or X-Y-C-T dimensions). TrackAnalyzer also allows 3D visualization of the results as overlays of either spots, cells or end-tracks over time, along with corresponding feature extraction and further classification according to user criteria. Our analysis workflow automates the following steps: (1) spot or cell detection and filtering, (2) construction of tracks, (3) track classification and analysis (diffusion and chemotaxis), and (4) detailed analysis and visualization of all the outputs along the pipeline. All these analyses are automated and can be run in batch mode for a set of similar acquisitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cayuela López
- Biocomputing Unit, National Centre for Biotechnology, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eva M. García-Cuesta
- Department of Immunology and Oncology, National Centre for Biotechnology, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sofía R. Gardeta
- Department of Immunology and Oncology, National Centre for Biotechnology, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Mario Mellado
- Department of Immunology and Oncology, National Centre for Biotechnology, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Antonio Gómez-Pedrero
- Applied Optics Complutense Group, Faculty of Optics and Optometry, University Complutense of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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8
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Tang W, Jørgensen ACS, Marguerat S, Thomas P, Shahrezaei V. Modelling capture efficiency of single-cell RNA-sequencing data improves inference of transcriptome-wide burst kinetics. Bioinformatics 2023; 39:btad395. [PMID: 37354494 PMCID: PMC10318389 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btad395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Gene expression is characterized by stochastic bursts of transcription that occur at brief and random periods of promoter activity. The kinetics of gene expression burstiness differs across the genome and is dependent on the promoter sequence, among other factors. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has made it possible to quantify the cell-to-cell variability in transcription at a global genome-wide level. However, scRNA-seq data are prone to technical variability, including low and variable capture efficiency of transcripts from individual cells. RESULTS Here, we propose a novel mathematical theory for the observed variability in scRNA-seq data. Our method captures burst kinetics and variability in both the cell size and capture efficiency, which allows us to propose several likelihood-based and simulation-based methods for the inference of burst kinetics from scRNA-seq data. Using both synthetic and real data, we show that the simulation-based methods provide an accurate, robust and flexible tool for inferring burst kinetics from scRNA-seq data. In particular, in a supervised manner, a simulation-based inference method based on neural networks proves to be accurate and useful when applied to both allele and nonallele-specific scRNA-seq data. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The code for Neural Network and Approximate Bayesian Computation inference is available at https://github.com/WT215/nnRNA and https://github.com/WT215/Julia_ABC, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhao Tang
- Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BX, United Kingdom
| | - Andreas Christ Sølvsten Jørgensen
- Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BX, United Kingdom
- I-X Centre for AI in Science, Imperial College London, White City Campus, London W12 0BZ, United Kingdom
| | - Samuel Marguerat
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS), London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
- Institute of Clinical Sciences (ICS), Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - Philipp Thomas
- Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BX, United Kingdom
| | - Vahid Shahrezaei
- Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BX, United Kingdom
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9
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Arnould B, Quillin AL, Heemstra JM. Tracking the Message: Applying Single Molecule Localization Microscopy to Cellular RNA Imaging. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202300049. [PMID: 36857087 PMCID: PMC10192057 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300049] [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: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
RNA function is increasingly appreciated to be more complex than merely communicating between DNA sequence and protein structure. RNA localization has emerged as a key contributor to the intricate roles RNA plays in the cell, and the link between dysregulated spatiotemporal localization and disease warrants an exploration beyond sequence and structure. However, the tools needed to visualize RNA with precise resolution are lacking in comparison to methods available for studying proteins. In the past decade, many techniques have been developed for imaging RNA, and in parallel super resolution and single-molecule techniques have enabled imaging of single molecules in cells. Of these methods, single molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) has shown significant promise for probing RNA localization. In this review, we highlight current approaches that allow super resolution imaging of specific RNA transcripts and summarize challenges and future opportunities for developing innovative RNA labeling methods that leverage the power of SMLM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoît Arnould
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Alexandria L Quillin
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Jennifer M Heemstra
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
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10
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Balasooriya GI, Spector DL. Allele pairing at Sun1-enriched domains at the nuclear periphery via T1A3 tandem DNA repeats. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.07.536031. [PMID: 37066204 PMCID: PMC10104147 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.07.536031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
Spatiotemporal gene regulation is fundamental to the biology of diploid cells. Therefore, effective communication between two alleles and their geometry in the nucleus is important. However, the mechanism that fine-tunes the expression from each of the two alleles of an autosome is enigmatic. Establishing an allele-specific gene expression visualization system in living cells, we show that alleles of biallelically expressed Cth and Ttc4 genes are paired prior to acquiring monoallelic expression. We found that active alleles of monoallelic genes are preferentially localized at Sun1-enriched domains at the nuclear periphery. These peripherally localized active DNA loci are enriched with adenine-thymidine-rich tandem repeats that interact with Hnrnpd and reside in a Hi-C-defined A compartment within the B compartment. Our results demonstrate the biological significance of T 1 A 3 tandem repeat sequences in genome organization and how the regulation of gene expression, at the level of individual alleles, relates to their spatial arrangement.
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11
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Chu CMJ, Modi H, Ellis C, Krentz NAJ, Skovsø S, Zhao YB, Cen H, Noursadeghi N, Panzhinskiy E, Hu X, Dionne DA, Xia YH, Xuan S, Huising MO, Kieffer TJ, Lynn FC, Johnson JD. Dynamic Ins2 Gene Activity Defines β-Cell Maturity States. Diabetes 2022; 71:2612-2631. [PMID: 36170671 DOI: 10.2337/db21-1065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Transcriptional and functional cellular specialization has been described for insulin-secreting β-cells of the endocrine pancreas. However, it is not clear whether β-cell heterogeneity is stable or reflects dynamic cellular states. We investigated the temporal kinetics of endogenous insulin gene activity using live cell imaging, with complementary experiments using FACS and single-cell RNA sequencing, in β-cells from Ins2GFP knockin mice. In vivo staining and FACS analysis of islets from Ins2GFP mice confirmed that at a given moment, ∼25% of β-cells exhibited significantly higher activity at the evolutionarily conserved insulin gene, Ins2. Live cell imaging over days captured Ins2 gene activity dynamics in single β-cells. Autocorrelation analysis revealed a subset of oscillating cells, with mean oscillation periods of 17 h. Increased glucose concentrations stimulated more cells to oscillate and resulted in higher average Ins2 gene activity per cell. Single-cell RNA sequencing showed that Ins2(GFP)HIGH β-cells were enriched for markers of β-cell maturity. Ins2(GFP)HIGH β-cells were also significantly less viable at all glucose concentrations and in the context of endoplasmic reticulum stress. Collectively, our results demonstrate that the heterogeneity of insulin production, observed in mouse and human β-cells, can be accounted for by dynamic states of insulin gene activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chieh Min Jamie Chu
- Diabetes Focus Team, Life Sciences Institute, Departments of Cellular and Physiological Sciences and Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Honey Modi
- Diabetes Focus Team, Life Sciences Institute, Departments of Cellular and Physiological Sciences and Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Cara Ellis
- Diabetes Focus Team, Life Sciences Institute, Departments of Cellular and Physiological Sciences and Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Nicole A J Krentz
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Søs Skovsø
- Diabetes Focus Team, Life Sciences Institute, Departments of Cellular and Physiological Sciences and Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Yiwei Bernie Zhao
- Biomedical Research Centre, Departments of Cellular and Physiological Sciences and Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Haoning Cen
- Diabetes Focus Team, Life Sciences Institute, Departments of Cellular and Physiological Sciences and Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Nilou Noursadeghi
- Diabetes Focus Team, Life Sciences Institute, Departments of Cellular and Physiological Sciences and Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Evgeniy Panzhinskiy
- Diabetes Focus Team, Life Sciences Institute, Departments of Cellular and Physiological Sciences and Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Xiaoke Hu
- Diabetes Focus Team, Life Sciences Institute, Departments of Cellular and Physiological Sciences and Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Derek A Dionne
- Diabetes Focus Team, Life Sciences Institute, Departments of Cellular and Physiological Sciences and Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Yi Han Xia
- Diabetes Focus Team, Life Sciences Institute, Departments of Cellular and Physiological Sciences and Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Shouhong Xuan
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Mark O Huising
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Timothy J Kieffer
- Diabetes Focus Team, Life Sciences Institute, Departments of Cellular and Physiological Sciences and Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Francis C Lynn
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - James D Johnson
- Diabetes Focus Team, Life Sciences Institute, Departments of Cellular and Physiological Sciences and Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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12
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Ota N, Tanaka N, Sato A, Shen Y, Yalikun Y, Tanaka Y. Microenvironmental Analysis and Control for Local Cells under Confluent Conditions via a Capillary-Based Microfluidic Device. Anal Chem 2022; 94:16299-16307. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c02815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nobutoshi Ota
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, 1-3 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka565-0871, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Tanaka
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, 1-3 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka565-0871, Japan
| | - Asako Sato
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, 1-3 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka565-0871, Japan
| | - Yigang Shen
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, 1-3 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka565-0871, Japan
| | - Yaxiaer Yalikun
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, 1-3 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka565-0871, Japan
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama-cho, Ikoma, Nara630-0192, Japan
| | - Yo Tanaka
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, 1-3 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka565-0871, Japan
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13
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Cvekl A, Camerino MJ. Generation of Lens Progenitor Cells and Lentoid Bodies from Pluripotent Stem Cells: Novel Tools for Human Lens Development and Ocular Disease Etiology. Cells 2022; 11:3516. [PMID: 36359912 PMCID: PMC9658148 DOI: 10.3390/cells11213516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In vitro differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) into specialized tissues and organs represents a powerful approach to gain insight into those cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating human development. Although normal embryonic eye development is a complex process, generation of ocular organoids and specific ocular tissues from pluripotent stem cells has provided invaluable insights into the formation of lineage-committed progenitor cell populations, signal transduction pathways, and self-organization principles. This review provides a comprehensive summary of recent advances in generation of adenohypophyseal, olfactory, and lens placodes, lens progenitor cells and three-dimensional (3D) primitive lenses, "lentoid bodies", and "micro-lenses". These cells are produced alone or "community-grown" with other ocular tissues. Lentoid bodies/micro-lenses generated from human patients carrying mutations in crystallin genes demonstrate proof-of-principle that these cells are suitable for mechanistic studies of cataractogenesis. Taken together, current and emerging advanced in vitro differentiation methods pave the road to understand molecular mechanisms of cataract formation caused by the entire spectrum of mutations in DNA-binding regulatory genes, such as PAX6, SOX2, FOXE3, MAF, PITX3, and HSF4, individual crystallins, and other genes such as BFSP1, BFSP2, EPHA2, GJA3, GJA8, LIM2, MIP, and TDRD7 represented in human cataract patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleš Cvekl
- Departments Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Michael John Camerino
- Departments Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
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14
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Zhu H, Shen W, Luo C, Liu F. An integrated microfluidic device for multiplexed imaging of spatial gene expression patterns of Drosophila embryos. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:4081-4092. [PMID: 36165088 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00514j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
To reveal the underlying mechanism of the biological function of multicellular systems, it is important to obtain comprehensive spatial gene expression profiles. Among the emerging single-cell spatial-omics techniques, immunofluorescence (IF)-based iterative multiplexed imaging is a promising approach. However, the conventional method is usually costly, time-consuming, labor-intensive, and has low throughput. Moreover, it has yet to be demonstrated in intact multicellular organisms. Here, we developed an integrated microfluidic system to overcome these challenges for quantitatively measuring multiple protein profiles sequentially in situ in the same Drosophila embryo. We designed an array of hydrodynamic trapping sites to automatically capture over ten Drosophila embryos with orientation selectivity at more than 90% trapping rates. We also optimized the geometry of confinement and the on-chip IF protocol to achieve the same high signal-to-noise ratio as the off-chip traditional IF experiments. Moreover, we developed an efficient de-staining protocol by combining on-chip antibody stripping and fluorophore bleaching. Using the same secondary antibody to sequentially stain different genes, we confirmed that the de-stained genes have no detectable interference with the subsequently stained genes, and the gene expression profiles are preserved after multiple cycles of staining and de-staining processes. This preliminary test shows that our newly developed integrated microfluidic system can be a powerful tool for multiplexed imaging of Drosophila embryos. Our work opens a new avenue to design microfluidic chips for multicellular organisms and single-cell spatial-omics techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongcun Zhu
- The State Key Laboratory for Artificial Microstructures and Mesoscopic Physics, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Wenting Shen
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Chunxiong Luo
- The State Key Laboratory for Artificial Microstructures and Mesoscopic Physics, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
- Wenzhou Institute University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Feng Liu
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
- Key Laboratory of Hebei Province for Molecular Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, School of Health Science & Biomedical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, China
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15
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Ying T, Alexander H. Quantifying information of intracellular signaling: progress with machine learning. REPORTS ON PROGRESS IN PHYSICS. PHYSICAL SOCIETY (GREAT BRITAIN) 2022; 85:10.1088/1361-6633/ac7a4a. [PMID: 35724636 PMCID: PMC9507437 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6633/ac7a4a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cells convey information about their extracellular environment to their core functional machineries. Studying the capacity of intracellular signaling pathways to transmit information addresses fundamental questions about living systems. Here, we review how information-theoretic approaches have been used to quantify information transmission by signaling pathways that are functionally pleiotropic and subject to molecular stochasticity. We describe how recent advances in machine learning have been leveraged to address the challenges of complex temporal trajectory datasets and how these have contributed to our understanding of how cells employ temporal coding to appropriately adapt to environmental perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tang Ying
- Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- International Academic Center of Complex Systems, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai 519087, China
| | - Hoffmann Alexander
- Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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16
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Guo Y, Lee RE. Long-term imaging of individual mRNA molecules in living cells. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2022; 2:100226. [PMID: 35784652 PMCID: PMC9243547 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2022.100226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Single-cell imaging of individual mRNAs has revealed core mechanisms of the central dogma. However, most approaches require cell fixation or have limited sensitivity for live-cell applications. Here, we describe SunRISER (SunTag-based reporter for imaging signal-enriched mRNA), a computationally and experimentally optimized approach for unambiguous detection of single mRNA molecules in living cells. When viewed by epifluorescence microscopy, SunRISER-labeled mRNAs show strong signal to background and resistance to photobleaching, which together enable long-term mRNA imaging studies. SunRISER variants, using 8× and 10× stem-loop arrays, demonstrate effective mRNA detection while significantly reducing alterations to target mRNA sequences. We characterize SunRISER to observe mRNA inheritance during mitosis and find that stressors enhance diversity among post-mitotic sister cells. Taken together, SunRISER enables a glimpse into living cells to observe aspects of the central dogma and the role of mRNAs in rare and dynamical trafficking events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Guo
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Robin E.C. Lee
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Center for Systems Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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17
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Analysis of the Expression and Subcellular Distribution of eEF1A1 and eEF1A2 mRNAs during Neurodevelopment. Cells 2022; 11:cells11121877. [PMID: 35741005 PMCID: PMC9220863 DOI: 10.3390/cells11121877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopment is accompanied by a precise change in the expression of the translation elongation factor 1A variants from eEF1A1 to eEF1A2. These are paralogue genes that encode 92% identical proteins in mammals. The switch in the expression of eEF1A variants has been well studied in mouse motor neurons, which solely express eEF1A2 by four weeks of postnatal development. However, changes in the subcellular localization of eEF1A variants during neurodevelopment have not been studied in detail in other neuronal types because antibodies lack perfect specificity, and immunofluorescence has a low sensitivity. In hippocampal neurons, eEF1A is related to synaptic plasticity and memory consolidation, and decreased eEF1A expression is observed in the hippocampus of Alzheimer's patients. However, the specific variant involved in these functions is unknown. To distinguish eEF1A1 from eEF1A2 expression, we have designed single-molecule fluorescence in-situ hybridization probes to detect either eEF1A1 or eEF1A2 mRNAs in cultured primary hippocampal neurons and brain tissues. We have developed a computational framework, ARLIN (analysis of RNA localization in neurons), to analyze and compare the subcellular distribution of eEF1A1 and eEF1A2 mRNAs at specific developmental stages and in mature neurons. We found that eEF1A1 and eEF1A2 mRNAs differ in expression and subcellular localization over neurodevelopment, and eEF1A1 mRNAs localize in dendrites and synapses during dendritogenesis and synaptogenesis. Interestingly, mature hippocampal neurons coexpress both variant mRNAs, and eEF1A1 remains the predominant variant in dendrites.
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18
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Alecki C, Vera M. Role of Nuclear Non-Canonical Nucleic Acid Structures in Organismal Development and Adaptation to Stress Conditions. Front Genet 2022; 13:823241. [PMID: 35281835 PMCID: PMC8906566 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.823241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last decades, numerous examples have involved nuclear non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in the regulation of gene expression. ncRNAs can interact with the genome by forming non-canonical nucleic acid structures such as R-loops or DNA:RNA triplexes. They bind chromatin and DNA modifiers and transcription factors and favor or prevent their targeting to specific DNA sequences and regulate gene expression of diverse genes. We review the function of these non-canonical nucleic acid structures in regulating gene expression of multicellular organisms during development and in response to different stress conditions and DNA damage using examples described in several organisms, from plants to humans. We also overview recent techniques developed to study where R-loops or DNA:RNA triplexes are formed in the genome and their interaction with proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Célia Alecki
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Maria Vera
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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19
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Chen L, Wang Y, Liu J, Wang H. Coloured noise induces phenotypic diversity with energy dissipation. Biosystems 2022; 214:104648. [PMID: 35218875 DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2022.104648] [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: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Genes integrate many different sources of noise to adapt their survival strategy with energy costs, but how this noise impacts gene phenotype switching is not fully understood. Here, we refine a mechanistic model with multiplicative and additive coloured noise and analyse the influence of noise strength (NS) and autocorrelation time (AT) on gene phenotypic diversity. Different from white noise, we found that in the autocorrelation time-scale plane, increasing the multiplicative noise will broaden the bimodal region of the gene product, and additive noise will induce bimodal region drift from the lower level to the higher level, while the AT will promote this transition. Specifically, the effect of AT on gene expression is similar to a feedback loop; that is, the AT of multiplicative noise will elongate the mean first passage time (MFPT) from the low stable state to the high stable state, but it will reduce the MFPT from the high stable state to the low stable state, and the opposite is true for additive noise. Moreover, these transitions will violate the detailed equilibrium and then consume energy. By effective topology network reconstruction, we found that when the NS is small, the more obvious the bimodality is, the lower the energy dissipation; however, when the NS is large, it will consume more energy with a tendency for bimodality. The overall analysis implies that living organisms will utilize noise strength and its autocorrelation time for better survival in complex and fluctuating environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leiyan Chen
- School of Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, Hainan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, University of South China, HengYang, 421001, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinrong Liu
- School of Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, Hainan, People's Republic of China
| | - Haohua Wang
- School of Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, Hainan, People's Republic of China; Hainan University, Coll Forestry, Key Laboratory of Genetics & Germplasm Innovation Tropical Special Fo, Ministry of Education, Haikou, 570228, Hainan, People's Republic of China; Hainan University, Key Laboratory of Engineering Modeling and Statistical Computation of Hainan Province, Haikou, 570228, Hainan, People's Republic of China.
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20
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Jacob-Tomas S, Alagar Boopathy LR, Vera M. Using Single-Molecule Fluorescence Microscopy to Uncover Neuronal Vulnerability to Protein Damage. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2515:237-254. [PMID: 35776356 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2409-8_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) are diverse age-related conditions also described as "conformational diseases." The hallmark of NDs is the accumulation of disease-specific proteins as toxic misfolded aggregates in some areas of the brain. They lead to the loss of protein homeostasis (proteostasis) that causes neuronal dysfunction and death. A potential therapeutic strategy for NDs is to prevent the accumulation of misfolded proteins by activating the heat shock response (HSR). The HSR maintains proteostasis through the upregulation of heat shock proteins (HSPs), molecular chaperones that recognize misfolded proteins, and either refold them to their functional conformations and/or target them for degradation. However, how to manipulate the expression of HSPs to obtain a therapeutic effect in neurons remains unclear. Furthermore, the regulation of the HSR in neurons is more complex than what we have learned from culturing somatic nonneuronal cells. This chapter describes a method to investigate the induction of HSP70 in primary hippocampal neurons using single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization (smFISH). Quantification of smFISH provides the means to analyze neuron-to-neuron variability in the activation of the HSR and enables us to study the transcriptional induction and localization of HSP70 mRNA in primary neurons. This information might be critical to find the druggable steps for developing effective therapies to treat age-related NDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suleima Jacob-Tomas
- Department of Biochemistry, Center de Recherche en Biologie Structurale, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Lokha R Alagar Boopathy
- Department of Biochemistry, Center de Recherche en Biologie Structurale, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Maria Vera
- Department of Biochemistry, Center de Recherche en Biologie Structurale, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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21
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Biswas J, Li W, Singer RH, Coleman RA. Imaging Organization of RNA Processing within the Nucleus. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2021; 13:a039453. [PMID: 34127450 PMCID: PMC8635003 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a039453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Within the nucleus, messenger RNA is generated and processed in a highly organized and regulated manner. Messenger RNA processing begins during transcription initiation and continues until the RNA is translated and degraded. Processes such as 5' capping, alternative splicing, and 3' end processing have been studied extensively with biochemical methods and more recently with single-molecule imaging approaches. In this review, we highlight how imaging has helped understand the highly dynamic process of RNA processing. We conclude with open questions and new technological developments that may further our understanding of RNA processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeetayu Biswas
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA
| | - Weihan Li
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA
| | - Robert H Singer
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA
| | - Robert A Coleman
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA
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22
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Steiner UK, Tuljapurkar S, Roach DA. Quantifying the effect of genetic, environmental and individual demographic stochastic variability for population dynamics in Plantago lanceolata. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23174. [PMID: 34848768 PMCID: PMC8633285 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02468-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple demographic events, the survival and reproduction of individuals, drive population dynamics. These demographic events are influenced by genetic and environmental parameters, and are the focus of many evolutionary and ecological investigations that aim to predict and understand population change. However, such a focus often neglects the stochastic events that individuals experience throughout their lives. These stochastic events also influence survival and reproduction and thereby evolutionary and ecological dynamics. Here, we illustrate the influence of such non-selective demographic variability on population dynamics using population projection models of an experimental population of Plantago lanceolata. Our analysis shows that the variability in survival and reproduction among individuals is largely due to demographic stochastic variation with only modest effects of differences in environment, genes, and their interaction. Common expectations of population growth, based on expected lifetime reproduction and generation time, can be misleading when demographic stochastic variation is large. Large demographic stochastic variation exhibited within genotypes can lower population growth and slow evolutionary adaptive dynamics. Our results accompany recent investigations that call for more focus on stochastic variation in fitness components, such as survival, reproduction, and functional traits, rather than dismissal of this variation as uninformative noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich K. Steiner
- grid.14095.390000 0000 9116 4836Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Shripad Tuljapurkar
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Deborah A. Roach
- grid.27755.320000 0000 9136 933XDepartment of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA USA
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23
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Ramos EI, Yang B, Vasquez YM, Lin KY, Choudhari R, Gadad SS. Characterization of the Testis-specific LINC01016 Gene Reveals Isoform-specific Roles in Controlling Biological Processes. J Endocr Soc 2021; 5:bvab153. [PMID: 34703959 PMCID: PMC8533999 DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvab153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as critical regulators of biological processes. However, the aberrant expression of an isoform from the same lncRNA gene could lead to RNA with altered functions due to changes in their conformations, leading to diseases. Here, we describe a detailed characterization of the gene that encodes long intergenic non-protein-coding RNA 01016 (LINC01016, also known as LncRNA1195) with a focus on its structure, exon usage, and expression in human and macaque tissues. In this study we show that it is among the highly expressed lncRNAs in the testis, exclusively conserved among nonhuman primates, suggesting its recent evolution and is processed into 12 distinct RNAs in testis, cervix, and uterus tissues. Further, we integrate de novo annotation of expressed LINC01016 transcripts and isoform-dependent gene expression analyses to show that human LINC01016 is a multiexon gene, processed through differential exon usage with isoform-specific roles. Furthermore, in cervical, testicular, and uterine cancers, LINC01016 isoforms are differentially expressed, and their expression is predictive of survival in these cancers. This study has revealed an essential aspect of lncRNA biology, rarely associated with coding RNAs, that lncRNA genes are precisely processed to generate isoforms with distinct biological roles in specific tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrique I Ramos
- Center of Emphasis in Cancer, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, Texas 79905, USA
| | - Barbara Yang
- Center of Emphasis in Cancer, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, Texas 79905, USA
| | - Yasmin M Vasquez
- Department of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Ken Y Lin
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women's Health, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA
| | - Ramesh Choudhari
- Center of Emphasis in Cancer, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, Texas 79905, USA
| | - Shrikanth S Gadad
- Center of Emphasis in Cancer, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, Texas 79905, USA.,Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, Texas 79905, USA.,Mays Cancer Center, UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center, San Antonio, Texas 78229, USA
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24
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Lee CY, Myong S. Probing steps in DNA transcription using single-molecule methods. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:101086. [PMID: 34403697 PMCID: PMC8441165 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcriptional regulation is one of the key steps in determining gene expression. Diverse single-molecule techniques have been applied to characterize the stepwise progression of transcription, yielding complementary results. These techniques include, but are not limited to, fluorescence-based microscopy with single or multiple colors, force measuring and manipulating microscopy using magnetic field or light, and atomic force microscopy. Here, we summarize and evaluate these current methodologies in studying and resolving individual steps in the transcription reaction, which encompasses RNA polymerase binding, initiation, elongation, mRNA production, and termination. We also describe the advantages and disadvantages of each method for studying transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Ying Lee
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sua Myong
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Physics Frontier Center (Center for Physics of Living Cells), University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
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25
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Ligands and DNA in the allosteric control of retinoid receptors function. Essays Biochem 2021; 65:887-899. [PMID: 34296739 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20200168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Retinoids are a family of compounds that include both vitamin A (all-trans retinol) and its naturally occurring metabolites such as retinoic acids (e.g. all-trans retinoic acid) as well as synthetic analogs. They are critically involved in the regulation of a wide variety of essential biological processes, such as embryogenesis and organogenesis, apoptosis, reproduction, vision, and the growth and differentiation of normal and neoplastic cells in vertebrates. The ability of these small molecules to control the expression of several hundred genes through binding to nuclear ligand-dependent transcription factors accounts for most of their functions. Three retinoic acid receptor (RARα,β,γ) and three retinoid X receptor (RXRα,β,γ) subtypes form a variety of RXR-RAR heterodimers that have been shown to mediate the pleiotropic effects of retinoids through the recruitment of high-molecular weight co-regulatory complexes to response-element DNA sequences found in the promoter region of their target genes. Hence, heterodimeric retinoid receptors are multidomain entities that respond to various incoming signals, such as ligand and DNA binding, by allosteric structural alterations which are the basis of further signal propagation. Here, we provide an overview of the current state of knowledge with regard to the structural mechanisms by which retinoids and DNA response elements act as allosteric effectors that may combine to finely tune RXR-RAR heterodimers activity.
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26
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Das S, Vera M, Gandin V, Singer RH, Tutucci E. Intracellular mRNA transport and localized translation. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2021; 22:483-504. [PMID: 33837370 PMCID: PMC9346928 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-021-00356-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Fine-tuning cellular physiology in response to intracellular and environmental cues requires precise temporal and spatial control of gene expression. High-resolution imaging technologies to detect mRNAs and their translation state have revealed that all living organisms localize mRNAs in subcellular compartments and create translation hotspots, enabling cells to tune gene expression locally. Therefore, mRNA localization is a conserved and integral part of gene expression regulation from prokaryotic to eukaryotic cells. In this Review, we discuss the mechanisms of mRNA transport and local mRNA translation across the kingdoms of life and at organellar, subcellular and multicellular resolution. We also discuss the properties of messenger ribonucleoprotein and higher order RNA granules and how they may influence mRNA transport and local protein synthesis. Finally, we summarize the technological developments that allow us to study mRNA localization and local translation through the simultaneous detection of mRNAs and proteins in single cells, mRNA and nascent protein single-molecule imaging, and bulk RNA and protein detection methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sulagna Das
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.,Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Maria Vera
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Robert H. Singer
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.,Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.,Janelia Research Campus of the HHMI, Ashburn, VA, USA.,;
| | - Evelina Tutucci
- Systems Biology Lab, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,;
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27
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Qian YC, Xie YX, Wang CS, Shi ZM, Jiang CF, Tang YY, Qian X, Wang L, Jiang BH. Mkrn2 deficiency induces teratozoospermia and male infertility through p53/PERP-mediated apoptosis in testis. Asian J Androl 2021; 22:414-421. [PMID: 31489847 PMCID: PMC7406093 DOI: 10.4103/aja.aja_76_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The apoptosis that occurs in the immature testis under physiological conditions is necessary for male germ cell development, whereas improper activation of apoptosis can impair spermatogenesis and cause defects in reproduction. We previously demonstrated that in mice, the makorin-2 (Mkrn2) gene is expressed exclusively in the testis and its deletion leads to male infertility. To understand the potential molecular mechanism, in this study, we found that levels of apoptosis in the testis were abnormally high in the absence of Mkrn2. To identify specific gene(s) involved, we performed digital gene expression profiling (DGE) and pathway analysis via gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database, and we found that MKRN2 inhibits p53 apoptosis effector related to PMP22 (PERP) expression and that levels of the protein in sperm samples have an inverse correlation with infertility levels. GSEA additionally indicated that PERP is a negative regulator of spermatogenesis and that its ectopic expression induces male infertility. Further, Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset analysis showed that p53, upstream of PERP, was upregulated in oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT). These observations suggest that Mkrn2 is crucial for protecting germ cells from excessive apoptosis and implicate Mkrn2-based suppression of the p53/PERP signaling pathway in spermatogenesis and male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Chen Qian
- Department of Pathology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Yun-Xia Xie
- Department of Pathology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Chao-Shan Wang
- Department of Pathology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Zhu-Mei Shi
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Cheng-Fei Jiang
- Department of Pathology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Yun-Yi Tang
- Department of Pathology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Xu Qian
- Department of Pathology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Lin Wang
- The Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Bing-Hua Jiang
- Department of Pathology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.,The Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.,Department of Pathology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
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28
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Rammohan J, Lund SP, Alperovich N, Paralanov V, Strychalski EA, Ross D. Comparison of bias and resolvability in single-cell and single-transcript methods. Commun Biol 2021; 4:659. [PMID: 34079048 PMCID: PMC8172639 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02138-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-cell and single-transcript measurement methods have elevated our ability to understand and engineer biological systems. However, defining and comparing performance between methods remains a challenge, in part due to the confounding effects of experimental variability. Here, we propose a generalizable framework for performing multiple methods in parallel using split samples, so that experimental variability is shared between methods. We demonstrate the utility of this framework by performing 12 different methods in parallel to measure the same underlying reference system for cellular response. We compare method performance using quantitative evaluations of bias and resolvability. We attribute differences in method performance to steps along the measurement process such as sample preparation, signal detection, and choice of measurand. Finally, we demonstrate how this framework can be used to benchmark different methods for single-transcript detection. The framework we present here provides a practical way to compare performance of any methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayan Rammohan
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA.
| | - Steven P Lund
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Nina Alperovich
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Vanya Paralanov
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | | | - David Ross
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA.
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29
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Cvekl A, Eliscovich C. Crystallin gene expression: Insights from studies of transcriptional bursting. Exp Eye Res 2021; 207:108564. [PMID: 33894228 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2021.108564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Cellular differentiation is marked by temporally and spatially regulated gene expression. The ocular lens is one of the most powerful mammalian model system since it is composed from only two cell subtypes, called lens epithelial and fiber cells. Lens epithelial cells differentiate into fiber cells through a series of spatially and temporally orchestrated processes, including massive production of crystallins, cellular elongation and the coordinated degradation of nuclei and other organelles. Studies of transcriptional and posttranscriptional gene regulatory mechanisms in lens provide a wide range of opportunities to understand global molecular mechanisms of gene expression as steady-state levels of crystallin mRNAs reach very high levels comparable to globin genes in erythrocytes. Importantly, dysregulation of crystallin gene expression results in lens structural abnormalities and cataracts. The mRNA life cycle is comprised of multiple stages, including transcription, splicing, nuclear export into cytoplasm, stabilization, localization, translation and ultimate decay. In recent years, development of modern mRNA detection methods with single molecule and single cell resolution enabled transformative studies to visualize the mRNA life cycle to generate novel insights into the sequential regulatory mechanisms of gene expression during embryogenesis. This review is focused on recent major advancements in studies of transcriptional bursting in differentiating lens fiber cells, analysis of nascent mRNA expression from bi-directional promoters, transient nuclear accumulation of specific mRNAs, condensation of chromatin prior lens fiber cell denucleation, and outlines future studies to probe the interactions of individual mRNAs with specific RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) in the cytoplasm and regulation of translation and mRNA decay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ales Cvekl
- Department of Ophthalmology and VIsual Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA; Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
| | - Carolina Eliscovich
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA; Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
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30
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Kaur H, Advani A. The study of single cells in diabetic kidney disease. J Nephrol 2021; 34:1925-1939. [PMID: 33476038 DOI: 10.1007/s40620-020-00964-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
In the past few years there has been a rapid expansion of interest in the study of single cells, especially through the new techniques that involve single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Recently, these techniques have provided new insights into kidney health and disease, including insights into diabetic kidney disease (DKD). However, despite the interest and the technological advances, the study of individual cells in DKD is not a new concept. Many clinicians and researchers who work within the DKD space may be familiar with experimental techniques that actually involve the study of individual cells, but may be unfamiliar with newer scRNA-seq technology. Here, with the goal of improving accessibility to the single-cell field, we provide a primer on single-cell studies with a focus on DKD. We situate the technology in its historical context and provide a brief explanation of the common aspects of the different technologies available. Then we review some of the most important recent studies of kidney (patho)biology that have taken advantage of scRNA-seq techniques, before emphasizing the new insights into the molecular pathogenesis of DKD gleaned with these techniques. Finally, we highlight common pitfalls and limitations of scRNA-seq methods and we look toward the future to how single-cell experiments may be incorporated into the study of DKD and how to interpret the findings of these experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harmandeep Kaur
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science and Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, 6-151 61 Queen Street East, Toronto, ON, M5C 2T2, Canada
| | - Andrew Advani
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science and Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, 6-151 61 Queen Street East, Toronto, ON, M5C 2T2, Canada.
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31
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Peña EJ, Robles Luna G, Heinlein M. In vivo imaging of tagged mRNA in plant tissues using the bacterial transcriptional antiterminator BglG. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 105:271-282. [PMID: 33098198 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
RNA transport and localization represent important post-transcriptional mechanisms to determine the subcellular localization of protein synthesis. Plants have the capacity to transport messenger (m)RNA molecules beyond the cell boundaries through plasmodesmata and over long distances in the phloem. RNA viruses exploit these transport pathways to disseminate their infections and represent important model systems to investigate RNA transport in plants. Here, we present an in vivo plant RNA-labeling system based on the Escherichia coli RNA-binding protein BglG. Using the detection of RNA in mobile RNA particles formed by viral movement protein (MP) as a model, we demonstrate the efficiency and specificity of mRNA detection by the BglG system as compared with MS2 and λN systems. Our observations show that MP mRNA is specifically associated with MP in mobile MP particles but hardly with MP localized at plasmodesmata. MP mRNA is clearly absent from MP accumulating along microtubules. We show that the in vivo BglG labeling of the MP particles depends on the presence of the BglG-binding stem-loop aptamers within the MP mRNA and that the aptamers enhance the coprecipitation of BglG by MP, thus demonstrating the presence of an MP:MP mRNA complex. The BglG system also allowed us to monitor the cell-to-cell transport of the MP mRNA, thus linking the observation of mobile MP mRNA granules with intercellular MP mRNA transport. Given its specificity demonstrated here, the BglG system may be widely applicable for studying mRNA transport and localization in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo J Peña
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IBMP UPR 2357, Strasbourg, F-67000, France
- Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular (IBBM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, CONICET UNLP, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Gabriel Robles Luna
- Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular (IBBM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, CONICET UNLP, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Manfred Heinlein
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IBMP UPR 2357, Strasbourg, F-67000, France
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32
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Abstract
Labeling of nucleic acids is required for many studies aiming to elucidate their functions and dynamics in vitro and in cells. Out of the numerous labeling concepts that have been devised, covalent labeling provides the most stable linkage, an unrivaled choice of small and highly fluorescent labels and - thanks to recent advances in click chemistry - an incredible versatility. Depending on the approach, site-, sequence- and cell-specificity can be achieved. DNA and RNA labeling are rapidly developing fields that bring together multiple areas of research: on the one hand, synthetic and biophysical chemists develop new fluorescent labels and isomorphic nucleobases as well as faster and more selective bioorthogonal reactions. On the other hand, the number of enzymes that can be harnessed for post-synthetic and site-specific labeling of nucleic acids has increased significantly. Together with protein engineering and genetic manipulation of cells, intracellular and cell-specific labeling has become possible. In this review, we provide a structured overview of covalent labeling approaches for nucleic acids and highlight notable developments, in particular recent examples. The majority of this review will focus on fluorescent labeling; however, the principles can often be readily applied to other labels. We will start with entirely chemical approaches, followed by chemo-enzymatic strategies and ribozymes, and finish with metabolic labeling of nucleic acids. Each section is subdivided into direct (or one-step) and two-step labeling approaches and will start with DNA before treating RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Klöcker
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Muenster, Corrensstraße 36, D-48149 Münster, Germany.
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Abstract
An overview of noteworthy new methods of biomarker determination based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is presented. Biomarkers can be used to identify the occurrence and development of diseases, which furthers the understanding of biological processes in the body. Accurate detection of a disease-specific biomarker is helpful for the identification, early diagnosis and prevention of a disease and for monitoring during treatment. The search for and discovery of valuable biomarkers have become important research hotspots. Different diseases have different biomarkers, some of which are involved in metabolic processes. Therefore, the fingerprint characteristics and band intensities in SERS spectra have been used to identify metabolites and analyze markers. As a promising technique, SERS has been widely used for the quantitative and qualitative determination of different types of biomarkers for different diseases. SERS techniques provide new technologies for the diagnosis of disease-related markers and determining the basis for clinical treatment. Herein, several SERS-based methods with excellent sensitivity and selectivity for the determination of biomarkers for tumors, viruses, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiac muscle tissue injury, and cell activity are highlighted.
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34
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Ma A, Wang C, Chang Y, Brennan FH, McDermaid A, Liu B, Zhang C, Popovich PG, Ma Q. IRIS3: integrated cell-type-specific regulon inference server from single-cell RNA-Seq. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:W275-W286. [PMID: 32421805 PMCID: PMC7319566 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A group of genes controlled as a unit, usually by the same repressor or activator gene, is known as a regulon. The ability to identify active regulons within a specific cell type, i.e., cell-type-specific regulons (CTSR), provides an extraordinary opportunity to pinpoint crucial regulators and target genes responsible for complex diseases. However, the identification of CTSRs from single-cell RNA-Seq (scRNA-Seq) data is computationally challenging. We introduce IRIS3, the first-of-its-kind web server for CTSR inference from scRNA-Seq data for human and mouse. IRIS3 is an easy-to-use server empowered by over 20 functionalities to support comprehensive interpretations and graphical visualizations of identified CTSRs. CTSR data can be used to reliably characterize and distinguish the corresponding cell type from others and can be combined with other computational or experimental analyses for biomedical studies. CTSRs can, therefore, aid in the discovery of major regulatory mechanisms and allow reliable constructions of global transcriptional regulation networks encoded in a specific cell type. The broader impact of IRIS3 includes, but is not limited to, investigation of complex diseases hierarchies and heterogeneity, causal gene regulatory network construction, and drug development. IRIS3 is freely accessible from https://bmbl.bmi.osumc.edu/iris3/ with no login requirement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjun Ma
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Cankun Wang
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Yuzhou Chang
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Faith H Brennan
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Repair, Belford Center for Spinal Cord Injury, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Adam McDermaid
- Imagenetics, Sanford Health, Sioux Falls, SD 57104, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA
| | - Bingqiang Liu
- School of Mathematics, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Chi Zhang
- Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, Indiana University, School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Phillip G Popovich
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Repair, Belford Center for Spinal Cord Injury, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Qin Ma
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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35
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Sampaio NMV, Dunlop MJ. Functional roles of microbial cell-to-cell heterogeneity and emerging technologies for analysis and control. Curr Opin Microbiol 2020; 57:87-94. [PMID: 32919307 PMCID: PMC7722170 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2020.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 07/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Clonal cell populations often display significant cell-to-cell phenotypic heterogeneity, even when maintained under constant external conditions. This variability can result from the inherently stochastic nature of transcription and translation processes, which leads to varying numbers of transcripts and proteins per cell. Here, we showcase studies that reveal links between stochastic cellular events and biological functions in isogenic microbial populations. Then, we highlight emerging tools from engineering, computation, and synthetic and molecular biology that enable precise measurement, control, and analysis of gene expression noise in microorganisms. The capabilities offered by this sophisticated toolbox will shape future directions in the field and generate insight into the behavior of living systems at the single-cell level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Maria Vieira Sampaio
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mary J Dunlop
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
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36
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Higuchi Y, Takegawa K. Single-Molecule FISH Reveals Subcellular Localization of α-Amylase and Actin mRNAs in the Filamentous Fungus Aspergillus oryzae. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:578862. [PMID: 33072046 PMCID: PMC7536267 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.578862] [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] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The machinery for mRNA localization is one of crucial molecular structures allowing cellular spatiotemporal organization of protein synthesis. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying mRNA localization have been thoroughly investigated in unicellular organisms, little is known about multicellular and multinuclear filamentous fungi. Here, we conducted single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization (smFISH) to first visualize the mRNA molecules of α-amylase, which are encoded by amyB, and which are thought to be abundantly secreted from the hyphal tips of the industrially important fungus Aspergillus oryzae. Consistent with previous biochemical studies, fluorescein amidite (FAM) fluorescence derived from amyB expression was observed in A. oryzae hyphae cultured in a minimal medium containing maltose instead of glucose as the sole carbon source. Moreover, after more than 1 h incubation with fresh maltose-containing medium, the fluorescence of amyB mRNAs was observed throughout the cells, suggesting α-amylase secretion potentially from each cell, instead of the hyphal tip only. Furthermore, in cultures with complete medium containing maltose, amyB mRNAs were excluded from the tip regions, where no nuclei exist. In contrast, mRNAs of actin, encoded by actA, were localized mainly to the tip, where actin proteins also preferentially reside. Collectively, our smFISH analyses revealed distinct localization patterns of α-amylase and actin mRNAs in A. oryzae hyphal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujiro Higuchi
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Kaoru Takegawa
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
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37
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Baral K, Rotwein P. ZMAT2 in Humans and Other Primates: A Highly Conserved and Understudied Gene. Evol Bioinform Online 2020; 16:1176934320941500. [PMID: 32952394 PMCID: PMC7485168 DOI: 10.1177/1176934320941500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in genetics present unique opportunities for enhancing our
understanding of human physiology and disease predisposition through detailed
analysis of gene structure, expression, and population variation via examination
of data in publicly accessible genome and gene expression repositories. Yet, the
vast majority of human genes remain understudied. Here, we show the scope of
these genomic and genetic resources by evaluating ZMAT2, a
member of a 5-gene family that through May 2020 had been the focus of only 4
peer-reviewed scientific publications. Using analysis of information extracted
from public databases, we show that human ZMAT2 is a 6-exon
gene and find that it exhibits minimal genetic variation in human populations
and in disease states, including cancer. We further demonstrate that the gene
and its encoded protein are highly conserved among nonhuman primates and define
a cohort of ZMAT2 pseudogenes in the marmoset genome.
Collectively, our investigations illustrate how complementary use of genomic,
gene expression, and population genetic resources can lead to new insights about
human and mammalian biology and evolution, and when coupled with data supporting
key roles for ZMAT2 in keratinocyte differentiation and pre-RNA splicing argue
that this gene is worthy of further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kabita Baral
- Graduate School, College of Science, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA.,Department of Microbiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Peter Rotwein
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
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Effect of design geometry, exposure energy, cytophilic molecules, cell type and load in fabrication of single-cell arrays using micro-contact printing. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15213. [PMID: 32938987 PMCID: PMC7494944 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72080-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study a range of factors influencing the fabrication of single-cell arrays (SCAs) are identified and investigated. Micro-contact printing was used to introduce spots coated with polyethyleneimine or Matrigel on glass surfaces pre-coated with polyethylene glycol. Unmodified E. coli, Synechococcus sp., Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as well as diverse mammalian cells including HUVEC, AAV293, U87, OHS, PC3, SW480, HepG2 and AY-27 were successfully immobilised onto the chemically coated spots. The developed SCAs show high cell viability and probability for capturing single-cells. A discrepancy between the size and shape of the squares described in the design file and the actual structures obtained in the final PDMS structure is characterised and quantified. The discrepancy is found to be depending on the exposure energy used in the photolithography process as well as the size of the squares and their separation distance as detailed in the design file. In addition to these factors, the effect of the cell density loaded onto the patterned surfaces is also characterised. The systematic characterisation of key parameters that need to be optimised prior to the fabrication of SCAs is essential in order to increase the efficiency and reproducibility of future fabrication of SCAs for single-cell studies.
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39
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Biswas J, Rahman R, Gupta V, Rosbash M, Singer RH. MS2-TRIBE Evaluates Both Protein-RNA Interactions and Nuclear Organization of Transcription by RNA Editing. iScience 2020; 23:101318. [PMID: 32674054 PMCID: PMC7363692 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Both UV-cross-linking and immunoprecipitation (CLIP) and RNA editing (TRIBE) can identify the targets of RNA-binding proteins. To evaluate false-positives of CLIP and TRIBE, endogenous β-actin mRNA was tagged with MS2 stem loops, making it the only bona fide target mRNA for the MS2 capsid protein (MCP). CLIP and TRIBE detected β-actin, albeit with false-positives. False-positive CLIP signals were attributed to nonspecific antibody interactions. In contrast, putative false-positive TRIBE targets were genes spatially proximal to the β-actin gene. MCP-ADAR edited nearby nascent transcripts consistent with interchromosomal contacts observed in Hi-C. The identification of nascent contacts implies RNA regulatory proteins (e.g., splicing factors) associated with multiple nascent transcripts, forming domains of post-transcriptional activity. Repeating these results with an integrated inducible MS2 reporter indicated that MS2-TRIBE can be applied to a broad array of cells and transcripts to study spatial organization and nuclear RNA regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeetayu Biswas
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Reazur Rahman
- Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and National Center for Behavioral Genomics, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Varun Gupta
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Michael Rosbash
- Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and National Center for Behavioral Genomics, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Robert H Singer
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA.
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40
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Choudhari R, Yang B, Rotwein P, Gadad SS. Structure and expression of the long noncoding RNA gene MIR503 in humans and non-human primates. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2020; 510:110819. [PMID: 32311422 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2020.110819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Recent technical and other advances in genomics provide unique opportunities to improve our understanding of human physiology and disease predisposition through a detailed analysis of gene structure and expression by examining data in public genome and gene-expression repositories. Yet, the vast majority of human genes remain understudied. This is particularly true of genes for long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Here, we describe the detailed characterization of MIR503HG, a lncRNA gene found on the X chromosome in humans. Using information extracted from public databases, we show that human MIR503HG is a 5-exon gene, and that it is highly conserved among 5 non-human primates spanning over 85 million years ago of evolutionary diversification. MIR503HG is transcribed and processed into multiple distinct RNAs in each of these species through differential exon use and alternative RNA splicing, with a higher abundance of transcripts being found in reproductive tissues, especially during the early stages of ovary and testis development, indicating a possible role in reproductive biology. Furthermore, in select reproductive system cancers, MIR503HG transcripts are downregulated, with higher levels of RNA expression being associated with clinical outcomes. Collectively, these investigations show how the use of genomic, gene expression, and other genetic resources can lead to new insights about human biology and disease, and argue that MIR503HG is worthy of additional study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh Choudhari
- Center of Emphasis in Cancer, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, Texas, 79905, United States.
| | - Barbara Yang
- Center of Emphasis in Cancer, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, Texas, 79905, United States.
| | - Peter Rotwein
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, Texas, 79905, United States.
| | - Shrikanth S Gadad
- Center of Emphasis in Cancer, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, Texas, 79905, United States; Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, Texas, 79905, United States; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, Texas, 79905, United States; Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences and Division of Basic Reproductive Biology Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, United States.
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Rotwein P. The Zmat2 gene in non-mammalian vertebrates: Organizational simplicity within a divergent locus in fish. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0233081. [PMID: 32463827 PMCID: PMC7255616 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
ZMAT2 is among the least-studied of mammalian proteins and genes, even though it is the ortholog of Snu23, a protein involved in pre-mRNA splicing in yeast. Here we have used data from genomic and gene expression repositories to examine the Zmat2 gene and locus in 8 terrestrial vertebrates, 10 ray-finned fish, and 1 lobe-finned fish representing > 500 million years of evolutionary diversification. The analyses revealed that vertebrate Zmat2 genes are similar to their mammalian counterparts, as in 16/19 species studied they contain 6 exons, and in 18/19 encode a single conserved protein. However, unlike in mammals, no Zmat2 pseudogenes were identified in these vertebrates, although an expressed Zmat2 paralog was characterized in flycatcher that resembled a DNA copy of a processed and retro-transposed mRNA, and thus could be a proto-pseudogene captured during its evolutionary journey from active to inert. The Zmat2 locus in terrestrial vertebrates, and in spotted gar and coelacanth, also shares additional genes with its mammalian counterparts, including Histidyl-tRNA synthetase (Hars), Hars2, and others, but these are absent from the Zmat2 locus in teleost fish, in which Stem-loop-binding protein 2 (Slbp2) and Lymphocyte cytosolic protein 2a (Lcp2a) are present instead. Taken together, these observations argue that a recognizable Zmat2 was present in the earliest vertebrate ancestors, and postulate that during chromosomal tetraploidization and subsequent re-diploidization during modern teleost evolution, the duplicated Zmat2 gene was retained and the original lost. This study also highlights how information from genomic resources can be leveraged to reveal new biologically significant insights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Rotwein
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech Health University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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42
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Vera M, Tutucci E, Singer RH. Imaging Single mRNA Molecules in Mammalian Cells Using an Optimized MS2-MCP System. Methods Mol Biol 2020; 2038:3-20. [PMID: 31407274 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9674-2_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Visualization of single mRNAs in their native cellular environment provides key information to study gene expression regulation. This fundamental biological question triggered the development of the MS2-MCP (MS2-Capsid Protein) system to tag mRNAs and image their life cycle using widefield fluorescence microscopy. The last two decades have evolved toward improving the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the MS2-MCP system. Here, we provide a protocol to use the latest versions, MS2V6 and MS2V7, to tag and visualize mRNAs in mammalian cells in culture. The motivation behind engineering MS2V6 and MS2V7 was to overcome a degradation caveat observed in S. cerevisiae with the previous MS2-MCP systems. While for yeast we recommend the use of MS2V6, we found that for live-cell imaging experiments in mammalian cells, the MS2V7 has improved reporter properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Vera
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Evelina Tutucci
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Robert H Singer
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA. .,Janelia Research Campus of the HHMI, Ashburn, Virginia, USA.
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43
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Sato H, Das S, Singer RH, Vera M. Imaging of DNA and RNA in Living Eukaryotic Cells to Reveal Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Gene Expression. Annu Rev Biochem 2020; 89:159-187. [PMID: 32176523 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biochem-011520-104955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
This review focuses on imaging DNA and single RNA molecules in living cells to define eukaryotic functional organization and dynamic processes. The latest advances in technologies to visualize individual DNA loci and RNAs in real time are discussed. Single-molecule fluorescence microscopy provides the spatial and temporal resolution to reveal mechanisms regulating fundamental cell functions. Novel insights into the regulation of nuclear architecture, transcription, posttranscriptional RNA processing, and RNA localization provided by multicolor fluorescence microscopy are reviewed. A perspective on the future use of live imaging technologies and overcoming their current limitations is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanae Sato
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA; , ,
| | - Sulagna Das
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA; , ,
| | - Robert H Singer
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA; , , .,Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia 20147, USA
| | - Maria Vera
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA; , , .,Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1Y6, Canada;
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44
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Biswas J, Nunez L, Das S, Yoon YJ, Eliscovich C, Singer RH. Zipcode Binding Protein 1 (ZBP1; IGF2BP1): A Model for Sequence-Specific RNA Regulation. COLD SPRING HARBOR SYMPOSIA ON QUANTITATIVE BIOLOGY 2020; 84:1-10. [PMID: 32086331 DOI: 10.1101/sqb.2019.84.039396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The fate of an RNA, from its localization, translation, and ultimate decay, is dictated by interactions with RNA binding proteins (RBPs). β-actin mRNA has functioned as the classic example of RNA localization in eukaryotic cells. Studies of β-actin mRNA over the past three decades have allowed understanding of how RBPs, such as ZBP1 (IGF2BP1), can control both RNA localization and translational status. Here, we summarize studies of β-actin mRNA and focus on how ZBP1 serves as a model for understanding interactions between RNA and their binding protein(s). Central to the study of RNA and RBPs were technological developments that occurred along the way. We conclude with a future outlook highlighting new technologies that may be used to address still unanswered questions about RBP-mediated regulation of mRNA during its life cycle, within the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeetayu Biswas
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA
| | - Leti Nunez
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA
| | - Sulagna Das
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA
| | - Young J Yoon
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA
| | - Carolina Eliscovich
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA.,Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA
| | - Robert H Singer
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia 20147, USA
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45
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Rotwein P, Baral K. Zmat2 in mammals: conservation and diversification among genes and Pseudogenes. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:113. [PMID: 32005145 PMCID: PMC6995233 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-6506-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent advances in genetics and genomics present unique opportunities for enhancing our understanding of mammalian biology and evolution through detailed multi-species comparative analysis of gene organization and expression. Yet, of the more than 20,000 protein coding genes found in mammalian genomes, fewer than 10% have been examined in any detail. Here we elucidate the power of data available in publicly-accessible genomic and genetic resources by querying them to evaluate Zmat2, a minimally studied gene whose human ortholog has been implicated in spliceosome function and in keratinocyte differentiation. RESULTS We find extensive conservation in coding regions and overall structure of Zmat2 in 18 mammals representing 13 orders and spanning ~ 165 million years of evolutionary development, and in their encoded proteins. We identify a tandem duplication in the Zmat2 gene and locus in opossum, but not in other monotremes, marsupials, or other mammals, indicating that this event occurred subsequent to the divergence of these species from one another. We also define a collection of Zmat2 pseudogenes in half of the mammals studied, and suggest based on phylogenetic analysis that they each arose independently in the recent evolutionary past. CONCLUSIONS Mammalian Zmat2 genes and ZMAT2 proteins illustrate conservation of structure and sequence, along with the development and diversification of pseudogenes in a large fraction of species. Collectively, these observations also illustrate how the focused identification and interpretation of data found in public genomic and gene expression resources can be leveraged to reveal new insights of potentially high biological significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Rotwein
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech Health University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, TX, 79905, USA.
| | - Kabita Baral
- Graduate School, College of Science, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79902, USA
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46
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Tutucci E, Singer RH. Simultaneous Detection of mRNA and Protein in S. cerevisiae by Single-Molecule FISH and Immunofluorescence. Methods Mol Biol 2020; 2166:51-69. [PMID: 32710403 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0712-1_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
Single-molecule fluorescent in situ hybridization (smFISH) enables the detection and quantification of endogenous mRNAs within intact fixed cells. This method utilizes tens of singly labeled fluorescent DNA probes hybridized against the mRNA of interest, which can be detected by using standard wide-field fluorescence microscopy. This approach provides the means to generate absolute quantifications of gene expression within single cells, which can be used to link molecular fluctuations to phenotypes. To be able to correlate the expression of an mRNA and a protein of interest in individual cells, we combined smFISH with immunofluorescence (IF) in yeast cells. Here, we present our smFISH-IF protocol to visualize and quantify two cell cycle-controlled mRNAs (CLN2 and ASH1) and the cell cycle marker alpha-tubulin in S. cerevisiae. This protocol, which is performed over 2 days, can be used to visualize up to three colors at the time (i.e., two mRNAs, one protein). Even if the described protocol is designed for S. cerevisiae, we think that the considerations discussed here can be useful to develop and troubleshoot smFISH-IF protocols for other model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelina Tutucci
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
- Systems Biology Lab, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Robert H Singer
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
- Janelia Research Campus of the HHMI, Ashburn, VA, USA.
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47
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Pichon X, Robert MC, Bertrand E, Singer RH, Tutucci E. New Generations of MS2 Variants and MCP Fusions to Detect Single mRNAs in Living Eukaryotic Cells. Methods Mol Biol 2020; 2166:121-144. [PMID: 32710406 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0712-1_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Live imaging of single RNA from birth to death brought important advances in our understanding of the spatiotemporal regulation of gene expression. These studies have provided a comprehensive understanding of RNA metabolism by describing the process step by step. Most of these studies used for live imaging a genetically encoded RNA-tagging system fused to fluorescent proteins. One of the best characterized RNA-tagging systems is derived from the bacteriophage MS2 and it allows single RNA imaging in real-time and live cells. This system has been successfully used to track the different steps of mRNA processing in many living organisms. The recent development of optimized MS2 and MCP variants now allows the labeling of endogenous RNAs and their imaging without modifying their behavior. In this chapter, we discuss the improvements in detecting single mRNAs with different variants of MCP and fluorescent proteins that we tested in yeast and mammalian cells. Moreover, we describe protocols using MS2-MCP systems improved for real-time imaging of single mRNAs and transcription dynamics in S. cerevisiae and mammalian cells, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Pichon
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France.,Equipe labélisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, Montpellier, France
| | - Marie-Cécile Robert
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Edouard Bertrand
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France.,Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Robert H Singer
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.,Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.,Janelia Research Campus of the HHMI, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Evelina Tutucci
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA. .,Systems Biology Lab, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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48
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Weikum ER, Liu X, Ortlund EA. The nuclear receptor superfamily: A structural perspective. Protein Sci 2019; 27:1876-1892. [PMID: 30109749 DOI: 10.1002/pro.3496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 252] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Revised: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear receptors (NRs) are a family of transcription factors that regulate numerous physiological processes such as metabolism, reproduction, inflammation, as well as the circadian rhythm. NRs sense changes in lipid metabolite levels to drive differential gene expression, producing distinct physiologic effects. This is an allosteric process whereby binding a cognate ligand and specific DNA sequences drives the recruitment of diverse transcriptional co-regulators at chromatin and ultimately transactivation or transrepression of target genes. Dysregulation of NR signaling leads to various malignances, metabolic disorders, and inflammatory disease. Given their important role in physiology and ability to respond to small lipophilic ligands, NRs have emerged as valuable therapeutic targets. Here, we summarize and discuss the recent progress on understanding the complex mechanism of action of NRs, primarily from a structural perspective. Finally, we suggest future studies to improve our understanding of NR signaling and better design drugs by integrating multiple structural and biophysical approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R Weikum
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, 30322, Georgia
| | - Xu Liu
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, 30322, Georgia
| | - Eric A Ortlund
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, 30322, Georgia
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49
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Biswas J, Patel VL, Bhaskar V, Chao JA, Singer RH, Eliscovich C. The structural basis for RNA selectivity by the IMP family of RNA-binding proteins. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4440. [PMID: 31570709 PMCID: PMC6768852 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12193-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The IGF2 mRNA-binding proteins (ZBP1/IMP1, IMP2, IMP3) are highly conserved post-transcriptional regulators of RNA stability, localization and translation. They play important roles in cell migration, neural development, metabolism and cancer cell survival. The knockout phenotypes of individual IMP proteins suggest that each family member regulates a unique pool of RNAs, yet evidence and an underlying mechanism for this is lacking. Here, we combine systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) and NMR spectroscopy to demonstrate that the major RNA-binding domains of the two most distantly related IMPs (ZBP1 and IMP2) bind to different consensus sequences and regulate targets consistent with their knockout phenotypes and roles in disease. We find that the targeting specificity of each IMP is determined by few amino acids in their variable loops. As variable loops often differ amongst KH domain paralogs, we hypothesize that this is a general mechanism for evolving specificity and regulation of the transcriptome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeetayu Biswas
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Vivek L Patel
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Varun Bhaskar
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, CH-4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jeffrey A Chao
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, CH-4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Robert H Singer
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, 20147, USA.
| | - Carolina Eliscovich
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
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50
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Carvajal LA, Neriah DB, Senecal A, Benard L, Thiruthuvanathan V, Yatsenko T, Narayanagari SR, Wheat JC, Todorova TI, Mitchell K, Kenworthy C, Guerlavais V, Annis DA, Bartholdy B, Will B, Anampa JD, Mantzaris I, Aivado M, Singer RH, Coleman RA, Verma A, Steidl U. Dual inhibition of MDMX and MDM2 as a therapeutic strategy in leukemia. Sci Transl Med 2019; 10:10/436/eaao3003. [PMID: 29643228 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aao3003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Revised: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The tumor suppressor p53 is often inactivated via its interaction with endogenous inhibitors mouse double minute 4 homolog (MDM4 or MDMX) or mouse double minute 2 homolog (MDM2), which are frequently overexpressed in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and other cancers. Pharmacological disruption of both of these interactions has long been sought after as an attractive strategy to fully restore p53-dependent tumor suppressor activity in cancers with wild-type p53. Selective targeting of this pathway has thus far been limited to MDM2-only small-molecule inhibitors, which lack affinity for MDMX. We demonstrate that dual MDMX/MDM2 inhibition with a stapled α-helical peptide (ALRN-6924), which has recently entered phase I clinical testing, produces marked antileukemic effects. ALRN-6924 robustly activates p53-dependent transcription at the single-cell and single-molecule levels and exhibits biochemical and molecular biological on-target activity in leukemia cells in vitro and in vivo. Dual MDMX/MDM2 inhibition by ALRN-6924 inhibits cellular proliferation by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in cell lines and primary AML patient cells, including leukemic stem cell-enriched populations, and disrupts functional clonogenic and serial replating capacity. Furthermore, ALRN-6924 markedly improves survival in AML xenograft models. Our study provides mechanistic insight to support further testing of ALRN-6924 as a therapeutic approach in AML and other cancers with wild-type p53.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis A Carvajal
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Daniela Ben Neriah
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Adrien Senecal
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Lumie Benard
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | | | - Tatyana Yatsenko
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Swathi-Rao Narayanagari
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.,Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Justin C Wheat
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Tihomira I Todorova
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Kelly Mitchell
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Charles Kenworthy
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | | | | | - Boris Bartholdy
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Britta Will
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.,Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.,Division of Hemato-Oncology, Department of Medicine (Oncology), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.,Albert Einstein Cancer Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Jesus D Anampa
- Division of Hemato-Oncology, Department of Medicine (Oncology), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Ioannis Mantzaris
- Division of Hemato-Oncology, Department of Medicine (Oncology), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | | | - Robert H Singer
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Robert A Coleman
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Amit Verma
- Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.,Division of Hemato-Oncology, Department of Medicine (Oncology), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.,Albert Einstein Cancer Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Ulrich Steidl
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. .,Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.,Division of Hemato-Oncology, Department of Medicine (Oncology), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.,Albert Einstein Cancer Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
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